sugar intake

I'd like to be able to offer some help here but, I'm afraid I'm a big sugar eater myself (even though I oddly feel like crunchy, salty snacks are my weaknes).. I will be watching to see what others have to say.

I go over my sugar intake almost every day....

2 gummy vitamins, a Luna bar, a cup of strawberries, two cuties and

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BAM!

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Over the limit!!!

Considering the fact that I'm not scarfing cake, ice cream, candy, and other sugary junk foods like I used to, I'm not too worried about going over. After all, I'm still losing weight.

So, unless you're pigging out on crappy sugar products, I wouldn't panic. Keep eating your fresh fruit...it's good for ya!!

Try going cold turkey on the refined stuff? Hide the candy bowl. Stop buying the (insert sugar here).

This is what worked for me. I'm not against sugar by any means. But when I started MFP, I was in a cycle of eating sugar, then feeling like crap, then eating more sugar to feel better. I cut out the soda and candy and donuts... before long I was feeling much better and not craving it. Some people say they have to stay away from it completely, but I find I can have some now without getting back into the craving cycle.

I can't give you any specific suggestions since I don't know what you're eating.

I've found that I have to stay away from sugar entirely because it's a trigger food for me. When I stay sugar free, I'm at peace with food, and feel like I can control impulses. Once I eat a piece of cake, though, I then want candy, a donut, or just about anything. I feel a strong urge to keep eating when I'm clearly not hungry. Does this sound like you?

Occasionally, I do have something sweet, but then I have to pay: uncomfortable false hunger pangs, a panicky feeling, and thoughts that just keep straying to food. This can last up to three days, depending on how much sugar I consumed. The only way I can get through the detox time is knowing that these symptoms WILL go away if I stop eating sugar and empty carbs.

For me, eating beans or lentils calms these effects. Beans increase serotonin, dopamine and leptin in the brain, giving you a feeling of being satisfied, happy and calm. Increasing fruit and fiber also helps when you're sugar detoxing.

But maybe you're really asking something else: How to stay within MFP sugar limits. If you eat 2-3 fruits a day, like you should, it's nearly impossible to stay under MFP sugar limits. I don't know why it's set so low, unless it's meant to measure your refined sugar intake. I ignore MFP's sugar guidelines when I'm eating a diet of lean protein, beans, whole grains, fruits and veggies. Hope this helps - good luck to you on your weight loss!

try researching The 17 day Diet . It's a book written by Dr. Mike Moreno. I am doing it now. It's basically lots of lean protein, lots of veggies, and you get to incorporate 2 servings of fruits a day. After 17 days, there are "cycles" that you alternate. It is helping me with my sugar cravings.