Please help me cut down on the sweet stuff
localgrr
Posts: 99 Member
Hi there.
I am doing well losing weight, I'm nearly at my goal. I love healthy food and usually have oatmeal and 2 really healthy salads a day with a lean meat protein... and I just expend the rest on chocolate and cake! 1/3 of my daily calories are on that. The thing is I really like fruit, yoghut and all that stuff, but I just can't seem to cut down on the added sugar stuff, I love it so much! But I know I eat too much sugar.
Thanks
I am doing well losing weight, I'm nearly at my goal. I love healthy food and usually have oatmeal and 2 really healthy salads a day with a lean meat protein... and I just expend the rest on chocolate and cake! 1/3 of my daily calories are on that. The thing is I really like fruit, yoghut and all that stuff, but I just can't seem to cut down on the added sugar stuff, I love it so much! But I know I eat too much sugar.
Thanks
1
Replies
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I don’t buy the stuff I can’t moderate.16
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that's true but my girlfriend buys it I can't stop her + I'll find it somewhere!L1zardQueen wrote: »I don’t buy the stuff I can’t moderate.
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To help my sweet tooth I make a cheese cake like dessert using Fage 2% plain Greek yogurt and I add my favorite sugar free pudding powder to it... sometimes I add a little granola4
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Two things - if you're "doing well" and "nearly at goal" I don't see that you have a problem to solve. Cutting back on sugar is the new fat's bad/salt's bad kinda cycle that diet advice goes through.14
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MelanieCN77 wrote: »Two things - if you're "doing well" and "nearly at goal" I don't see that you have a problem to solve. Cutting back on sugar is the new fat's bad/salt's bad kinda cycle that diet advice goes through.
I don't know that 1/3 of calories is a good thing, though. Unless the calorie goal is 3000, it's going to be crowding out needed nutrition.
@localgrr, maybe start paying close attention to your macros. If you're getting enough protein and eating 4-6 servings of fruit and vegetables you may be fine, but if not that's something you can work on. Find ways to add vegetables to every meal and snack. That helped me a lot.
You don't mention your exercise. If you get quite a lot of exercise there's likely room for treats. I have to limit my cake/candy/pie/ice cream/donuts/pretzels/chips/pizza etc. so I just eat them on one day per week. A Special Treat on one day is easier to manage than random treats all week. During the week I make my dessert be a piece of fruit or Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts. If I get started on super sweet things it's hard for me to stop - so my solution is to limit them to that one day.
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I exercise a fair but not big calorie burners, mostly weights and bouldering. Actually my macros are okay.
Sadly one day isn't going to work for me especially if there's chocolate in the house!0 -
Some people say moderation like it's simple for everyone, and it isn't. If you can't moderate, don't have it in the house, period. I know I can't. I wish I could be a "one square of dark chocolate a day" person but I'm not. I'm a "bag of Oreos in one sitting" person, so I just do long stretches of cold turkey.8
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You can find substitutes for almost anything sweet that are lower in calories online.
Or you could completely eliminate it. I find that that’s a less enjoyable way to live. I like the foods that I eat so I’m more likely to stick to my diet.
Personally, I don’t completely eliminate sweets from my diet but I only give myself 200 cals a night for a sweet treat. It’s just something to look forward to. I preplan my days so by the time it’s after dinner, I really only have 200 cals and can’t go over it.5 -
I exercise a fair but not big calorie burners, mostly weights and bouldering. Actually my macros are okay.
Sadly one day isn't going to work for me especially if there's chocolate in the house!
Then eat your treats and stop beating yourself up. If you're in goal and your macros are good, then all is well. Chocolate every day is fine. A BOX of chocolate could be a problem.
Add vegetables and fruit to every meal continues to be my best advice. I don't tend to crave sugary things when my general nutrition is good.5 -
I am doing well losing weight, I'm nearly at my goal. I love healthy food and usually have oatmeal and 2 really healthy salads a day with a lean meat protein... and I just expend the rest on chocolate and cake! 1/3 of my daily calories are on that. The thing is I really like fruit, yoghut and all that stuff, but I just can't seem to cut down on the added sugar stuff, I love it so much! But I know I eat too much sugar.
1/3 does seem a little excessive unless you are exaggerating.
I find it easier to focus on adding in healthy foods, so I am wondering if your regular diet is a bit lacking to leave all that room for sweets. Is it maybe low in fat and perhaps some whole food/whole grain carbs or fruit?
I'd try thinking about your calories and macros for your regular meals and maybe add in some foods that would be good for nutrition -- more veg (salads are great but sometimes don't involve as good a variety of veg as one would want, and cooked veg can be very satisfying), some healthy fats like maybe fatty fish (rather than always the leanest meat) or more of a variety of meat or eggs or dairy, avocado, olives and olive oil (is your dressing always low fat?), and especially nuts and seeds. Potatoes and sweet potatoes and beans and lentils can be very nutritious and satisfying too.
Then, if you have a sweet tooth, try filling at least some of the extra cals with foods like fruit or nuts or nut butter before jumping to the chocolate. Chocolate daily is fine, but it's unlikely 2/3 of your calories is sufficient to get in all the nutrition you should.2 -
Think Diabetes. For me, that really makes me think twice about added sugar. I too love sweets but I know the grocery store is full of items that are loaded with sugar and hidden sugars (corn starch, maltodextrin etc.).
This is one of the reasons Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and other countries. Unfortunately most people don't know that you needn't be overweight to get the disease. It's a matter of how much insulin your Pancreas produces (or doesn't produce).
Added sugar is the easiest way to get the Disease. True it is a disease that can be managed but is it really worth the health risk?
If you have a sugar craving, eat some fruit or chew some gum. Beyond that I would stick to a cheat/treat day only once per week. On that day you can have as many sweets as you like but only on that day. The rest of the time you stick to no sugar added or unsweetened products.15 -
I do whatever works, I have been eating a piece of valentine choc candy every day and rest is in freezer but I don't leave cake around because I cant leave it alone. I cant do peanuts either. I eat these very rarely.2
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Think Diabetes. For me, that really makes me think twice about added sugar. I too love sweets but I know the grocery store is full of items that are loaded with sugar and hidden sugars (corn starch, maltodextrin etc.).
This is one of the reasons Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and other countries. Unfortunately most people don't know that you needn't be overweight to get the disease. It's a matter of how much insulin your Pancreas produces (or doesn't produce).
Added sugar is the easiest way to get the Disease. True it is a disease that can be managed but is it really worth the health risk?
If you have a sugar craving, eat some fruit or chew some gum. Beyond that I would stick to a cheat/treat day only once per week. On that day you can have as many sweets as you like but only on that day. The rest of the time you stick to no sugar added or unsweetened products.
Added sugar does not cause diabetes. That mainly comes down to genetics and obesity. And cornstarch isn't a sugar. Corn syrup is. Treats aren't cheats; they're choices. And some of them are a good way to meet various nutrition and satiety goals. (Fiber One bars to snack on. Granola bars crumbled into Greek yogurt.)10 -
that's true but my girlfriend buys it I can't stop her + I'll find it somewhere!L1zardQueen wrote: »I don’t buy the stuff I can’t moderate.
Are you getting enough calories in your "healthy meals"? I'm wondering if your salads and oatmeal aren't giving you the satiety to be able to cut down and avoid the treats. If I'm eating too few calories for lunch and dinner, I might not be able to pass up the McDonald's shamrock shake at 4 pm.
Also, it's also worth a heart-to-heart with your girlfriend. You need some help with the treats, and you don't need her to forgo treats but you can use her help keeping on your plan. Sometimes one partner's needs are different than another, and a strong couple will negotiate this. YOU DO THIS TOGETHER!
That might mean finding treats you both like that fit better in your plan (portion controlled things, lower calorie selections, fewer treats). You may be surprised what a little careful planning--switching brownies for rice crispy squares, or buying Halo Top, or getting popsicles, or just getting fewer more awesome goodies--can do!
It may be asking if she can keep her goodies at work, not at home.
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Hi there.
I am doing well losing weight, I'm nearly at my goal. I love healthy food and usually have oatmeal and 2 really healthy salads a day with a lean meat protein... and I just expend the rest on chocolate and cake! 1/3 of my daily calories are on that. The thing is I really like fruit, yoghut and all that stuff, but I just can't seem to cut down on the added sugar stuff, I love it so much! But I know I eat too much sugar.
Thanks
Look at your macros - is it REALLY that high? (I am prepared to believe you, but you'd be surprised what people claim versus what they really have logged.)3 -
I used to be a sugar addict. When I started my journey to become healthier, I replaced the sugar with sweetener, then started to wean myself off of that too. Your taste buds change quite quickly and if you remove a little bit at a time, you might have greater success than going cold turkey. The other thing that helped was having a good reason why I wanted to stop eating so much sugar: to begin with, it was to lose weight (hence the turn to sweeteners) but I had a shift to a more powerful why once I decided to give my body the best chance of fighting a chronic disease. I kept adding more fruit & veg in my diet (I'm now consuming an average of 13 different fruit and veg every day) and that has definitely stopped the sugar cravings. When you give your body what it needs, it's not asking for more.2
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Think Diabetes. For me, that really makes me think twice about added sugar. I too love sweets but I know the grocery store is full of items that are loaded with sugar and hidden sugars (corn starch, maltodextrin etc.).
This is one of the reasons Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and other countries. Unfortunately most people don't know that you needn't be overweight to get the disease. It's a matter of how much insulin your Pancreas produces (or doesn't produce).
Added sugar is the easiest way to get the Disease. True it is a disease that can be managed but is it really worth the health risk?
If you have a sugar craving, eat some fruit or chew some gum. Beyond that I would stick to a cheat/treat day only once per week. On that day you can have as many sweets as you like but only on that day. The rest of the time you stick to no sugar added or unsweetened products.
Luckily, that's not how diabetes works.8 -
Hi there.
I am doing well losing weight, I'm nearly at my goal. I love healthy food and usually have oatmeal and 2 really healthy salads a day with a lean meat protein... and I just expend the rest on chocolate and cake! 1/3 of my daily calories are on that. The thing is I really like fruit, yoghut and all that stuff, but I just can't seem to cut down on the added sugar stuff, I love it so much! But I know I eat too much sugar.
Thanks
Try focusing on a positive goal instead of a negative one. If you are eating too much chocolate and cake, then it must be crowding out other stuff you want/need to eat more of. So try focusing on strategies to get more of that good stuff, and let it crowd out the excess treats.
And log everything BEFORE you eat it. Sometimes seeing the numbers there in front of you can be powerful.
Having said that, if you are exaggerating about how much of the treats you are eating, there's nothing wrong with having a sweet treat every day along with a nutritious diet. It's all about portion size and context 2 -
Lots of good suggestions here. I find that when I don't eat sugar, I don't want sugar. (And the other way of saying that, as some have said, is once I start eating sugar I can't stop.) So my suggestion is to avoid processed, sugary treats for several consecutive days and see if that reduces your cravings. Also, I think ultimately you/everyone has to take responsibility for the foods they choose. There will always be junk food around (girlfriend buys it, office break room, company parties), but only you know your goals and can make a good decision about how much junk food does or doesn't fit into your plan for that day. Good luck!2
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Think Diabetes. For me, that really makes me think twice about added sugar. I too love sweets but I know the grocery store is full of items that are loaded with sugar and hidden sugars (corn starch, maltodextrin etc.).
In addition to what people have said over and over to you about the inaccurate claims you are presenting, I think this kind of negative approach is far less likely to be successful with most (especially younger people in good health) than the kinds of positive approaches that I and others have suggested.
People think "is this one cookie going to lead me to gain weight/get diabetes/have negative health consequences" and since it isn't, this is unhelpful in the short term. It's more likely that someone who is actually seeing negative health consequences will find this a powerful approach (but then I hope they are actually well educated about the underlying issues).
Best things people can do to maintain health: don't smoke, don't drink to excess, stay a healthy weight (or lose weight if you need to), and be active. Also work on stress if it's an issue, maintain relationships with other people, and get enough sleep.
Next best: eat an overall healthful diet (which involves a lot more than "worry about sugar").
If you do these things, it's unlikely sugar is an issue at all.7 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »
that's true but my girlfriend buys it I can't stop her + I'll find it somewhere!L1zardQueen wrote: »I don’t buy the stuff I can’t moderate.
Are you getting enough calories in your "healthy meals"? I'm wondering if your salads and oatmeal aren't giving you the satiety to be able to cut down and avoid the treats. If I'm eating too few calories for lunch and dinner, I might not be able to pass up the McDonald's shamrock shake at 4 pm.
This occurred to me too. I have a similar issue with sweets and find when my meals are substantial enough and have a good blend of macros, I generally find it easier to resist.
You may also want to consider delaying your treats to as late in the day as possible. I find if I cave early, it's sort of off to the races.
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Unfortunately I'm not exaggerating much. My goal is 1400 Cals and I can easily spend 400 on sweets.
I find eating low carb means I crave more sweet stuff... But I do eat a ton of vegetables I have no problem there!
I have some thinking to do...0 -
1400 is pretty low. Are you eating more on exercise days?
I don't think there is a lot of room for treats in 1400 calories, but if you add 400 calories for exercise that gives some wiggle room for an occasional treat. If you're really eating 400-600 calories of cake, chocolate and stuff like that every day - there's no way you're hitting your protein goal.4 -
cmriverside wrote: »If you're really eating 400-600 calories of cake, chocolate and stuff like that every day - there's no way you're hitting your protein goal.
Exactly what I was about to type.2 -
cmriverside wrote: »1400 is pretty low. Are you eating more on exercise days?
I don't think there is a lot of room for treats in 1400 calories, but if you add 400 calories for exercise that gives some wiggle room for an occasional treat. If you're really eating 400-600 calories of cake, chocolate and stuff like that every day - there's no way you're hitting your protein goal.
I eat lean protein with lunch and dinner but I suppose you're right I don't hit it every day. And yeah I do eat more on work out day (usually more sweets!) But also I have my macros set to low carb.0 -
Unfortunately I'm not exaggerating much. My goal is 1400 Cals and I can easily spend 400 on sweets.
I find eating low carb means I crave more sweet stuff... But I do eat a ton of vegetables I have no problem there!
I have some thinking to do...
"Sweets" aren't the most meaningful term here, so let's get away from it a bit. As far as the big macros....there's carbs and sugar and proteins. Are you going over the sugar macro a lot? The carb? Both?
On MFP it's all down the calorie allotment. While there are guides to carbs and sugar, it doesn't really matter if you eat 400 calories of a sugary treat or 100 or 600 if the overall calorie goal is being hit. It's generally best to aim for the optimum amount--but if you can manage it no problem.
Some people choose to go even lower carb because it works for them...but that's optional.2 -
cmriverside wrote: »1400 is pretty low. Are you eating more on exercise days?
I don't think there is a lot of room for treats in 1400 calories, but if you add 400 calories for exercise that gives some wiggle room for an occasional treat. If you're really eating 400-600 calories of cake, chocolate and stuff like that every day - there's no way you're hitting your protein goal.
I eat lean protein with lunch and dinner but I suppose you're right I don't hit it every day. And yeah I do eat more on work out day (usually more sweets!) But also I have my macros set to low carb.
May I ask, why are you set to low carb when your comments suggest this is not a workable WOE for you? Generally, low-carb tends to work for people when it is their preferred WOE and helps them control cravings, and it sounds like neither is true in your case.
Maybe you could consider changing to the default macros, focus on hitting your protein and (healthy) fats, and including more whole grains (fiber) & fruit and see if that is more helpful in controlling the cravings for sweets.7 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »Unfortunately I'm not exaggerating much. My goal is 1400 Cals and I can easily spend 400 on sweets.
I find eating low carb means I crave more sweet stuff... But I do eat a ton of vegetables I have no problem there!
I have some thinking to do...
"Sweets" aren't the most meaningful term here, so let's get away from it a bit. As far as the big macros....there's carbs and sugar and proteins. Are you going over the sugar macro a lot? The sugar? Both?
On MFP it's all down the calorie allotment. While there are guides to carbs and sugar, it doesn't really matter if you eat 400 calories of a sugary treat or 100 or 600 if the overall calorie goal is being hit. It's generally best to aim for the optimum amount--but if you can manage it no problem.
Macros are Carbs Fat Protein. Sugar is a subset of carbs.
The problem lies in the fact that 400-600 calories of sugary treats in a day with only 1400 calories is crowding out protein. Protein is really important. That 400-600 calories also crowds out micronutrients like B vitamins, Vitamin C, Iron, Potassium, probably Calcium, Vitamin A and other nutrients. Over time that's a problem. Every now and then, like one day per week = not a problem.
Sure, it doesn't matter for weight loss. It does matter for long term diet adherence and health. I know if I eat way outside my macro balance it comes back at me in the form of increased appetite and inability to stay under my calories. Not to mention leaving me open to nutrition based health issues.4 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »Unfortunately I'm not exaggerating much. My goal is 1400 Cals and I can easily spend 400 on sweets.
I find eating low carb means I crave more sweet stuff... But I do eat a ton of vegetables I have no problem there!
I have some thinking to do...
As far as the big macros....there's carbs and sugar and proteins.
Actually carbs (including sugars), protein, and fats.0 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »Unfortunately I'm not exaggerating much. My goal is 1400 Cals and I can easily spend 400 on sweets.
I find eating low carb means I crave more sweet stuff... But I do eat a ton of vegetables I have no problem there!
I have some thinking to do...
As far as the big macros....there's carbs and sugar and proteins.
Actually carbs (including sugars), protein, and fats.
You're right...I was focusing on the macros that were part of the discussion.0
This discussion has been closed.
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