Does Sugar Make it Hard to Lose Weight?

YES IT DOES!! I have been at the same weight for 3 weeks and am eating right and working out like a fiend. I have just decided to cut out sugar (not all sugar) and I have lost like 3 pounds since the beginning of this week. I realized I was eating way too much sugar (and most of it was healthy) but needed to cut back.

My chiropractor put me on a diet of no sugar, dairy, and grains. I lost a lot of weight quick, but I also gained it back quick too.

Depends on the sugars. I eat a lot of natural sugar from fruits, bananas specifically. I've not focused at all on reducing my sugar intake since coming on here except for the obvious candy and junk food. That stuff doesn't go in the belly anymore :laugh: Look at what Columbus27 said, you will lose that way, but you will very likely gain it back.

Some sugar is fine, but if your "sweet tooth" makes you eat a bag of mini candies a night, then yes it will make it hard to lose weight.

Sugar makes losing weight fun! Hmm...maybe not. I eat a lot of sweets, and I've lost 42 pounds since June. That probably could have been 52 by now if I could get over this sugar addiction! Sugar isn't good for your health, but you'll still lose weight if you eat it.

So here's the thing, when we talk about sugar I'm going to assume you mean refined sugar, not fruit sugar or milk sugar.

that said, will cutting sugar out of your diet cause you to lose weight? No, cutting anything out of your diet does not, in and of itself make you lose weight (unless you mean calories in general).

Let me clarify that statement. The body is a very complex machine, using many thousands of chemicals all working together to make it run. when we change the food we eat, many times we will temporarily change our weight. Does this mean you are losing fat? Not really, usually short term weight loss due to a diet is in fact caused by one or more factors including (but not limited to) water retention, fiber and waste retention, muscle density, bone density...etc.

Sugar (processed sugar that is, I.E. sucrose) is a fast energy food source, meaning that the time it takes to be absorbed into the blood after eaten can be measured in minutes. This kicks off a whole chain reaction of chemical and hormonal responses that ultimately (unless you eat the EXACT right amount for your body at that moment) will lead to extra glucose and eventually, adipose fat storage (body fat).
Cut out the extra sugar, and you reduce the chance of this happening. BUT even if this is done, it doesn't mean you are losing weight, especially if you had been factoring that sugar into your daily calories. In fact, in some cases (like after a long run) eating fast acting sugar is GOOD for you, it keeps the body fueled allowing muscles to use any stored protein for rebuilding instead of stripping muscles of protein for fuel. That doesn't mean go out and eat 2 king sized snickers bars (that's enough sugar for a week!), but 2 hershey's kisses would be ok in that situation.

It's a whole complex process. If just cutting out sugar was the key to weight loss, then a lot more people would have a lot more success, and a lot of candy companies would be out of business right now. Sadly, the only thing that works is a healthy diet (which can include some sugar and simple carbs, if you are smart about your choices and don't over do it), exercise, and a calorie deficit that fits your current situation (I.E. trying to lose 3 lbs a week when you only have 20 to lose is a recipe for failure).

-Banks

I agre with last post. Cutting out Refined sugar can make not crave it as much therefore eatting less. I am not experte but I have seen others I know it works for them. I am new to this website just this week and find it very helpful!

As far as artificial sweetners, I would rather go without or if I am baking something use less real sugar. But that would be baking something for an event or something. Artificial sweetners are not good for you in my book. At least for me it gave me side effects of headaches & tummy issues. I had read these can be some of the side effects to some people.

Have a great afternoon everyone!

So if you tend to bing while eating sugar, then it's best to remove sugar from your diet, and yeah you probably will lose weight.

Yeah, so me. I've been eating "healthy" sugars but unfortunately, I've reasoned with myself that because I"m working out so hard, I can eat sweet processed candies. I have not lost ANY weight in 3 weeks, but now taht I'm just eating healhty sugars and am watching my sugar intake, my weight is finally coming off. I've never been stuck at this weight before, so I know this was my problem :grumble:

SUGAR ADDICT.

I wish it were not true. I am powerless over sugar. If I eat it, I want more.
After a year of fighting it whilst trying to lose weight, I finally joined a challenge to eat NO processed sugars (well, bakery and candy and such - items that are primarily sugar).

The first month I made it almost through the whole month - except a cookie. Second month, I had A piece of birthday cake. It annoyed me that I couldn't beat this. Third month, NO cake, cookies, ice cream, candy. YAY ME.

The only way I can do it is to not buy any. Now I limit myself to once a week, a small treat. Like a couple days ago I had a box of Peeps. Because they are the best thing ever created by man. :blushing: (Yes, I know I am the only one who feels that way )

And Dave198, wherever you are, Thanks. Something you said got me to stop.....don't remember what exactly, but it worked.

I have lost an additional 5 pounds past my original goal since making ONLY that change.

In January of this year I started a lifetime change to lose weight, get healthy, etc. I found this website and started to use it. I worked out 5-15 times a week (20 min or more) for MONTHS. I watched my calories (1200-1500 a day) for MONTHS. Prior to starting this plan I ate 600-2600 calories a day and never worked out. I am a Realtor so I don't have a lot of walking time on the job.

I logged well, monitored myself, kept a food diary and work out diary. I talked with a nutritionist, did the 12 week thing at the Y and talked to my doctor. Nothing worked.

From January to October I lost less than an inch anywhere and 5 whole pounds.

I kept at it only because I felt great, but it was depressing to see no change.

In October, a friend of mine was suggested to go on the south beach diet for sleep apnea/obesity.

Since my husband has sleep apnea and we are both overweight we thought we would give it a try.
We were already making more "organic" choices and trying to get ingredients out of diet that were unknowns.

In 2 weeks I lost 8 pounds. Since then I am losing about a pound a week.

Please read the book and get the updates online. South Beach is VERY well rounded. You can have carbs, you can have bread, you can have fruit,you can have milk, you can have m&m's... You just need to know what it is doing to your body when you do.

I am 38 years old and did however have the first hangover of my life-
I was at a friends, on week 2 (VERY Low Glycemic Week) and had a truffle. A very very rich and sweet chocolate truffle. I drank no alcohol and the next day had a hangover!

I almost never crave sweets, can't imagine eating McDonalds and never feel hungry.

Around my office, I sound like a SBD cheerleader. I still have a long way to go, but this is the easiest diet ever. It doesn't even feel like a diet anymore.

To get an idea of a days meal:
Breakfast:
Omlett with cheese
a sausage
warmed up V8 (it is the only way I can drink it)

Snack:
celery with laughing cow or apple with PB or mozz stick, etc.

Lunch:
Tuna wrap in carb balance tortilla
tomato soup with cheese

Snack:
maybe snap peas or nuts or sugar free jello with one of the other snacks

Dinner:
Chicken breast
Salad
Steamed cauliflower
or
Korean Beef with stir fry with sweet potatoes

Snack:
no sugar added fudgsicle or some m&ms or any "treat under 75 cals"

I don't follow the book perfectly - and the author predicts that, but I know what I am doing.

I read that the flood of insulin/carbs just get used up and it never goes to the fat.
In my case- that is what was happening.

Remember, food is fuel- do you need rocket fuel or diesel?