Sugarholic needs encouragment!

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ylflower
ylflower Posts: 6
in Introduce Yourself
Hello all! I am new to MFP and I'm just getting the hang of this wonderful little tool! I am trying hard to stick to the recommended allowances for my height & weight, etc. but the sugar content gets me EVERY DAY!! I'm always -17 to -50g in the red and I was wondering if anyone could give some insight into the refined vs naturally occurring sugars?

For instance, pineapples are loaded with sugars, but since it's a natural sugar, does that count? I ate 1 cup which had roughly 17g sugar - UGH!! Even my "skinny" coffee creamer has 12g in 2 Tbsp! So frustrating. I don't like the sugar free products because they give me headaches and the taste is tinny, so what's a sugarholic to do? :huh:

Thank you!

Replies

  • nopswd
    nopswd Posts: 12
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    I run into the same problem. And yes fruit sugar counts. Sugar is sugar. The only real solution is to slowly cut back until you get to the right number. No easy way.
  • aprilgicker
    aprilgicker Posts: 395 Member
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    I have my sugars and my carbs listed. I lowered my sugar to just 10. I know it seems low but I usually go over. I want it in the red so I can make sure that the other sugar is fruit and other natural sugar, not the refined stuff.
    Because Nutritional values do not discriminate between the two this allows me to make a quick check.
    My carbs set at 75 and sugar at 10. At the end of the day my sugar will be over but the overage should be even with my carbs

    just friend me and you can see it. it is hard to explain.
  • LastSixtySix
    LastSixtySix Posts: 352 Member
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    I know, that's a hard one. I went to Jillian Michaels for help on it. Her program put me on a daily limit of 30 g of sugar, which was too low with these protein shakes I use. I upped it to 70g and that is still waaaaayyy lower than I used to have but it does two things. First of all, I'm losing more weight than when I was on 30g AND it helps me not feel deprived but still disciplined. I won't have a watermelon or pineapple while I'm losing because those will blow my daily allowance but I can have a tangerine and apple and still feel accomplished. Hope that helps. (I'm a Pesco-Vegetarian).

    -Debra
  • missprincessgina
    missprincessgina Posts: 446 Member
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    I was a major sugar addict. I wasn't overweight but I was eating so many of those mini candy bars, gummy bears, peach rings, etc etc. I just felt bad all the time because I was relying on sugar & caffeine and not as many healthy foods. It took drastic measures to help me, which probably isn't doable for everyone. I did a 8 day supervised juice fast at a spa to break the sugar cycle and it worked. Now when I want something sweet I have fruit (strawberries are my favorite) and even when we have candy in the house, I can eat a small piece and not eat it constantly. My husband did the 8 day fast as well and we found it very helpful!
  • Ash_76
    Ash_76 Posts: 186 Member
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    make your food diary public, if we can see what you are eating it makes it easier to give advise on what can be changed
  • ylflower
    ylflower Posts: 6
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    Thanks, Ashy76.
  • ylflower
    ylflower Posts: 6
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    Thanks for the response. I have been trying to cut down a little at a time. I just started making my own coffee creamer with Sweetleaf liquid sweetener, I try to eat a couple of pieces of chocolate a day, versus before, where I'd eat 6 squares. UGH!!
    Kicking sweets is the WORST!
  • ylflower
    ylflower Posts: 6
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    Thank you for the tips, Debra. You look great, by the way! Awesome job!
  • ylflower
    ylflower Posts: 6
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    Thank you. Your post was helpful. I have chocolates in my house, my hubby and my stepdaughter are both sugarholics, so I'm pretty much in trouble. :happy:

    Cutting sugars is definitely a work in progress!
  • ylflower
    ylflower Posts: 6
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    Thank you, April.
  • vestarocks
    vestarocks Posts: 449 Member
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    I have to say that since increasing my protein and cutting out sugar I feel so much better and I rarely have sugar cravings at all.
  • bananapineapplesauce
    bananapineapplesauce Posts: 8 Member
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    I would highly recommend doing Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. Even the most diehard sugaraholics report not having any cravings after Phase 1. Worked for me, too. And my dad, who was pretty addicted to milkshakes and chocolate bars. It just seems to re-set your body. Eating sugar makes your body want sugar. And fruit's just as bad. So, while it may seem inconceivable at first, you CAN go without it. You just need a good program to guide you through resetting your body and its urges. Bet you can get the book cheap at Walmart or Amazon, and it's a really interesting read. I learned so many things. It's 70% recipes so it's actually a really quick read.

    Good luck, whatever you do!
  • kmozymoz
    kmozymoz Posts: 187
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    I'm a firm believer in not giving up fruit. I've lost 10 pounds in two months and I eat fruit all the time. If you're exercising consistently, drinking lots of water and counter-balancing with protein and veggies, I say keep eating fruit you want. But I do notice that the more protein I eat, the less I crave sugar.

    And I don't deny myself things when I really want them, because otherwise I go on a binge. So find the balance that works for you. If you have to cut it all out in order to keep yourself in check, then that's what you have to do, but this has been working for me. :smile:
  • shermanparty
    shermanparty Posts: 2
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    I started out with 2100 calories a day and my chart only brought up the carbs and fat on my screen. It was a couple weeks later that I caught up with the sodium and sugars. I've lost 18 pounds in a months time. I do everything with a lot of zesto in the beginning. So I could eat more I'd exercise more then I was too tired to eat. I did the first three days go on a shrinking of the stomach diet, three grapefruit and three eggs a day for three days, then I found this site. I have a hard time with the sugar thing, the more sugar I put in me the more I crave, but when I did the three grapefruit three egg thing, I was really light headed from being off the sugar. Now I have a hard time because I can't keep the sugar under unless I do a lot of time riding my bicycle or swimming.
  • lollyish
    lollyish Posts: 75 Member
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    Everytime I go to the shops and do my shopping I look at the sugar content on all my foods. Canned, frozen.. everything. Then I cut back on these, and opt for ones that have less sugar, this leaves me with more sugar to have and still be under my limit for the day. I stick with fruit, and try to eat berries as these have less sugar. However if I do get the ultimate craving for chocolate (and it happens) I will get dark chocolate (Dove squares) and just suck on one or two, and before I do this, I have to drink a litre of water. If I still feel like it I get to eat the chocolate, if I don't (and I am usually too full of water) I don't.
  • Psufilmgirl
    Psufilmgirl Posts: 93 Member
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    I used to be in that same category. I switched to 70% dark chocolate, and it is very rich with very little sugar. Plus, if you are getting sugar from a natural source, not processed, like fruit, then it's not as bad. But I've been warned by my trainer that pineapple is a no-no unless it's right before a workout.

    Also, I had problems because I was using Trader Joe's Whey protein powder. I've switched to Pure Protein and it helps me get closer to the 40/30/30 macros.

    But yes, try dark chocolate. I find it's satisfying and curbs my sweet tooth. That and the occasional splurge or anything Skinny Cow. haha
  • 2kidsandadonut
    2kidsandadonut Posts: 140 Member
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    My little secret is drink packets like Crystal Light. They taste super sugary but in reality they have practically none and drinking an entire bottle of it not only gives you more fluids for the day but the sugary taste stops the cravings without adding extra calories. Plus they come in all types of flavors so it also can help with the fruit cravings as well.

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