SUGAR

2»

Replies

  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    skram01 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    graces109 wrote: »
    This past weekend I somehow managed to consume soooooo much sugar. My calories were still the same as they have been but i’m really scared I’ll gain weight because of all the sugar. is that possible? will i gain fat from the sugar? It was all processed unnatural sugar too :( also how do i stop the sugar cravings?

    No. Calories determine weight loss. Some people find if they eat a lot of sugar it makes them more hungry, which makes it harder for them to eat the right amount.

    I find getting into the habit of pre-logging before I actually eat something really helps. Seeing the numbers on the screen, and then consciously making the decision to eat it or not. I also find that planning a treat every day, portion controlled and fitting in my calorie goal, helps keep me from craving stuff, it's usually the deprivation and guilt cycle that keeps me wanting more. :drinker:

    ^^^ Alla that!

    Really, the biggest problem with excess sugar (other than the potential for it to trigger cravings) is that if one eats too much of it, it's hard to get overall good nutrition within a reasonable calorie level. Essentially, excessive sugar drives out more nutritious things from our way of eating, which has a health cost.

    No one (non-poisonous! ;) ) food is the devil. What counts is one's total way of eating over time. It's most healthful if most of one's intake is nutrition-dense, with treat foods as a smaller . . . well, treat!

    One possible way to look at remodeling your eating is not so much to focus on cutting out "bad things" (like sugar) but rather to focus on adding "good things": Gradually including more veggies, whole fruits, whole grains, etc., while sticking to a calorie goal.

    (I put "bad things" and "good things" in quotes, because I really believe what I said earlier: There aren't good or bad individual foods, but there can be good and not-so-good overall ways of eating. With any food, context and dosage is important. An all-sugar diet would be bad for you, but an all-broccoli diet would be bad, too (not that anyone is really likely to eat entirely either one of those things in reality - LOL!).

    Best wishes!

    Overall I am going to agree with this other than the bolded. Yes it's partially true in that eating a bunch of candy doesn't leave much caloric room for nutrient dense foods. However, I've had days where I've gone way over my sugar with fruit and dairy products.

    Otherwise I totally agree. OP, sugar isn't the bad guy. But if you feel like it's getting in the way of your overall nutrition then the previous advice if substituting some; if you sugary items with things like fruit may be just what you need.

    Just for clarity: I don't define "excessive sugar" as "more than the MFP default sugar goal". (I go over the MFP default sugar goal every day, and did all through weight loss, though from inherent - not added - sugars, by and large; fruits and dairy, as you say. Doesn't matter, because sugar is sugar, nutritionally speaking.)

    I actually would define "excessive sugar" circularly: It's so much sugar that needed nutrition is driven out of one's way of eating at a sensible calorie goal, or that causes one to exceed a sensible calorie goal in order to achieve adequate nutrition.

    I can see how you might make the interpretation of "excessive sugar" as being "more than the MFP default sugar goal", so I apologize for not writing more clearly. :flowerforyou: I guess it didn't occur to me as an unintended interpretation, because I don't think of MFP's nutritional recommendations as gospel in any sense (nor do I think they're terrible, for most people). I know how I want to eat; it doesn't much matter to me what MFP highlights in red.

    Makes sense and I agree with you under the clarified definition. I also don't bother too much with the sugar number that MFP has set, however I'm not sure if OP was going by that number or some other self defined sugar level preference. Thanks for the clarity!
  • Sloth2016
    Sloth2016 Posts: 846 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Now, now!

    I was told by a chiropractor (in a lecture about digestive health, but secretly marketing multi-visit dietary consultations) that sugar is poison, because it spikes your insulin. But honey is a superfood, especially local honey. Fruit is good for you, even though it contains sugar, because it has fiber. Agave syrup is OK, because it's natural, but not a superfood, partly because there's no fiber (?). Stevia is bad like sugar, just like other things that taste sweet (even if they have no nutrients/calories) because your body has been programmed to . . . I dunno, do something bad . . . just because it has a sweet taste like sugar. (**)

    Bottom line: They all taste sweet, but honey is best for virtue signaling.

    :););)

    (** Just for perfect clarity: I don't believe any of this paragraph. It's religion, not science.)

    pbx12Vr.jpg

    Meanwhile in Russia:
    qyzizcojvg72.jpg
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    I won't put on weight if I have a high sugar day, as long as I stick to my calorie allowance. I will, however, feel like crap afterwards. Lethargic, grotty, and hungry.
  • oilphins
    oilphins Posts: 240 Member
    cathipa wrote: »
    Sugar alone doesn't make you gain weight. Calorie excess causes weight gain. Unless you are diabetic or pre-diabetic there is no need to worry about sugar.

    This is exactly right. It's when you go over your calorie intake that makes you gain weight, not your sugar intake.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Icrizz wrote: »
    I dislike it when people say that you shouldn't worry about your sugar unless you have a health problem.

    Eating high amounts of sugar over time will give you health problems. It won't make you gain weight if you're in a deficit, but it's detrimental to your health unless those sugars are coming from whole sources like fruit and vegetables.

    Do you want ants? Because that’s how you get ants. Your body doesn’t differentiate between the types of sugar.

    There are many scientists and medical professionals on mfp. Just sayin’.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Icrizz wrote: »
    I dislike it when people say that you shouldn't worry about your sugar unless you have a health problem.

    Eating high amounts of sugar over time will give you health problems. It won't make you gain weight if you're in a deficit, but it's detrimental to your health unless those sugars are coming from whole sources like fruit and vegetables.

    Do you want ants? Because that’s how you get ants. Your body doesn’t differentiate between the types of sugar.

    There are many scientists and medical professionals on mfp. Just sayin’.

    I REALLY want to do a controlled study where protein/fat and number of carbs is controlled - with the only variable being natural sugar (i.e. fruit) vs. jokingly "unnatural" sugar (i.e. twinkies) and see how it all turns out
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    Icrizz wrote: »
    I dislike it when people say that you shouldn't worry about your sugar unless you have a health problem.

    Eating high amounts of sugar over time will give you health problems. It won't make you gain weight if you're in a deficit, but it's detrimental to your health unless those sugars are coming from whole sources like fruit and vegetables.

    Do you want ants? Because that’s how you get ants. Your body doesn’t differentiate between the types of sugar.

    There are many scientists and medical professionals on mfp. Just sayin’.

    I REALLY want to do a controlled study where protein/fat and number of carbs is controlled - with the only variable being natural sugar (i.e. fruit) vs. jokingly "unnatural" sugar (i.e. twinkies) and see how it all turns out

    To be fair, gotta supplement micros, fiber and extra hydration (at least) on the sugar side, too. ;)

    (Do I think that would make a difference? Depends on how much sugar content yer talkin'. If nothing else, enough fruit, and the throughput rate will be meaningful to weight loss. ;) )
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Icrizz wrote: »
    I dislike it when people say that you shouldn't worry about your sugar unless you have a health problem.

    Eating high amounts of sugar over time will give you health problems. It won't make you gain weight if you're in a deficit, but it's detrimental to your health unless those sugars are coming from whole sources like fruit and vegetables.

    Do you want ants? Because that’s how you get ants. Your body doesn’t differentiate between the types of sugar.

    There are many scientists and medical professionals on mfp. Just sayin’.

    I REALLY want to do a controlled study where protein/fat and number of carbs is controlled - with the only variable being natural sugar (i.e. fruit) vs. jokingly "unnatural" sugar (i.e. twinkies) and see how it all turns out

    To be fair, gotta supplement micros, fiber and extra hydration (at least) on the sugar side, too. ;)

    (Do I think that would make a difference? Depends on how much sugar content yer talkin'. If nothing else, enough fruit, and the throughput rate will be meaningful to weight loss. ;) )

    yeah - i would need to put some more brain power into it to come up with an approval that would get though any IRB - although controlling for fiber could be hard for the "unnatural" group vs. the natural group