Sugar intake

[joelr]

Originally Posted by dulaney0330

Thanks! Today, I bought crackers with only 50 grams of sodium and without trans fat. I bought no sodium organic PB, which takes some getting used to. I was on a low salt food plan to begin with but eliminating even more takes work!

But, I hope I reap the benefits.

Yes salt free peanut butter takes getting used to. That's really hardcore.

My BP was around 160/110 last winter but after 4 months of cardio/working out and dieting it's down to 100/80. But I still ate salted natural PB, canned tuna and salted my chicken breast and egg whites daily. The exercise was the big component I think. I did drop 51lbs so that might be a factor also.

I'm assuming your BP is high hence the low-salt, maybe it isnt?

[dulaney0330]

Originally Posted by joelr

Yes salt free peanut butter takes getting used to. That's really hardcore.

My BP was around 160/110 last winter but after 4 months of cardio/working out and dieting it's down to 100/80. But I still ate salted natural PB, canned tuna and salted my chicken breast and egg whites daily. The exercise was the big component I think. I did drop 51lbs so that might be a factor also.

I'm assuming your BP is high hence the low-salt, maybe it isnt?

I don't know what my BP is, but low salt is a good way to go. Plus, I was relying too much on organic canned foods and snacks.

Today, I prepared a lot more fresh vegetables and fruits. It takes more work but it feels better to do it this way.

It is hardcore! The no salt PB is more watery, which makes it worse. But, I figure I cut out salt when I can to make up for salt in milk and bread.

[dulaney0330]

I am very impressed and encouraged by my healthy eating habits these past 3-4 weeks.

My cravings for cookies and cakes have dropped dramatically.

I actually desire veggies and fruits. how crazy is that? I never thought I would get to this point.

Last night, my mother in law bought ribs, potatoes, rolls, and cake for a celebration party.

While I did not want to eat it, I did and I regret it! I felt sluggish, tired, cranky, and a strong headache appeared.

Once you eat healthy for a month, it's almost impossible to go back.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by dulaney0330

I am very impressed and encouraged by my healthy eating habits these past 3-4 weeks.

My cravings for cookies and cakes have dropped dramatically.

I actually desire veggies and fruits. how crazy is that? I never thought I would get to this point.

Last night, my mother in law bought ribs, potatoes, rolls, and cake for a celebration party.

While I did not want to eat it, I did and I regret it! I felt sluggish, tired, cranky, and a strong headache appeared.

Once you eat healthy for a month, it's almost impossible to go back.

That's not to say that your guilt and regret about eating the food is not what makes you feel sluggish, tired, and cranky.

I mean, it works both ways also. When you don't eat something for so long, your body is no longer used to it. The feelings you are getting are just because your body is no longer used to it, not because it's unhealthy for you. When we eat unhealthy and really tasty foods, it's hard to go back to eating healthy too

[dulaney0330]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

That's not to say that your guilt and regret about eating the food is not what makes you feel sluggish, tired, and cranky.

I mean, it works both ways also. When you don't eat something for so long, your body is no longer used to it. The feelings you are getting are just because your body is no longer used to it, not because it's unhealthy for you. When we eat unhealthy and really tasty foods, it's hard to go back to eating healthy too

I have to disagree. I don't remember a time when my body felt this way when I ate healthy.

I have a very sensitive physicology. Foods affect me more dramatically than other people.

Unlike many other times before, I really had no problem going back to veggies, even after tasty ribs and potatoes.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by dulaney0330

I have to disagree. I don't remember a time when my body felt this way when I ate healthy.

I have a very sensitive physicology. Foods affect me more dramatically than other people.

Unlike many other times before, I really had no problem going back to veggies, even after tasty ribs and potatoes.

As I also mentioned, the mind is a very powerful thing and you can not discount it. There was a post on here a few days ago where a woman said that she always drank milk and was just fine. She then found out milk was bad for her, and all of a sudden, milk started to affect her. Did her physiology magically become more sensitive to milk? Nope. You have it in your mind that all those foods are bad for you, and that eating the way you are now is extremely healthy and it will make you feel amazing. OF COURSE you are gonna feel like crap when you have to force yourself to eat those foods, and leave the table with a feeling of regret and guilt over it.

And again, I'm not saying that what I posted IS what your case is. All I said is to not discount the possibility, which I'm sure you already have 100%. I'm not saying that I know exactly what's in your mind, but I do know how the average person thinks about food.

[dulaney0330]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

As I also mentioned, the mind is a very powerful thing and you can not discount it. There was a post on here a few days ago where a woman said that she always drank milk and was just fine. She then found out milk was bad for her, and all of a sudden, milk started to affect her. Did her physiology magically become more sensitive to milk? Nope. You have it in your mind that all those foods are bad for you, and that eating the way you are now is extremely healthy and it will make you feel amazing. OF COURSE you are gonna feel like crap when you have to force yourself to eat those foods, and leave the table with a feeling of regret and guilt over it.

And again, I'm not saying that what I posted IS what your case is. All I said is to not discount the possibility, which I'm sure you already have 100%. I'm not saying that I know exactly what's in your mind, but I do know how the average person thinks about food.

If anything, the meal I ate was very heavy and this will make most people, including my husband who does not care if he eats healthy, very sleepy and sluggish.

Growing up, I did not have the nutritional knowledge I have today and looking back, I see many of the same signs of fatigue and depressed mood when eating certain foods. I didn't know what high frutose corn syrup was, pesticides,, white noodles, canned beans in HFS, white bread, canned raviolos, etc was unhealthy. But, I did feel tired all the time and it probably influenced my depression.

I understand your point about self fulfilling prophesy but I believe this isn't the case for me. The power of suggestion is strong indeed and I am glad you made me aware of this.

[lifetimelearner]

I just wanted to say that I admire your tenacity dulaney0330

[dulaney0330]

Originally Posted by lifetimelearner

I just wanted to say that I admire your tenacity dulaney0330

Well, thank you!

Life has a way of encouraging it to become stronger!

[joelr]

Originally Posted by dulaney0330

I am very impressed and encouraged by my healthy eating habits these past 3-4 weeks.

My cravings for cookies and cakes have dropped dramatically.

I actually desire veggies and fruits. how crazy is that? I never thought I would get to this point.

Last night, my mother in law bought ribs, potatoes, rolls, and cake for a celebration party.

While I did not want to eat it, I did and I regret it! I felt sluggish, tired, cranky, and a strong headache appeared.

Once you eat healthy for a month, it's almost impossible to go back.

I know what you mean. I mostly crave good foods especially fruit and vegetables. But if my complex carbs are low I crave those pretty bad also if I go too long without eating.

You shouldn't feel bad about a cheat meal. Plan to have one every few weeks or once a month. It helps mentally plus it fills up your carb stores which tells your body that you're not starving and gets your metabolism going.

2 weeks ago I had a high carb weekend and topped it off Sun night with a huge piece of vanilla birthday cake with thick frosting. But by the end of the week at my Fri weigh-in I was down 3lbs instead of the usual 2lbs.

I do feel crappy after eating high amounts of simple sugar after abstaining from it.
But trust me, it's not that hard to go back! I mean I could never go back to an "average" diet, like my folks or ex-wife ate, I eat the same way year round. But adding "cheats" like a pint of Ben&Jerry every night is a habit I can easily fall into.

[dulaney0330]

Originally Posted by joelr

I know what you mean. I mostly crave good foods especially fruit and vegetables. But if my complex carbs are low I crave those pretty bad also if I go too long without eating.

You shouldn't feel bad about a cheat meal. Plan to have one every few weeks or once a month. It helps mentally plus it fills up your carb stores which tells your body that you're not starving and gets your metabolism going.

2 weeks ago I had a high carb weekend and topped it off Sun night with a huge piece of vanilla birthday cake with thick frosting. But by the end of the week at my Fri weigh-in I was down 3lbs instead of the usual 2lbs.

I do feel crappy after eating high amounts of simple sugar after abstaining from it.
But trust me, it's not that hard to go back! I mean I could never go back to an "average" diet, like my folks or ex-wife ate, I eat the same way year round. But adding "cheats" like a pint of Ben&Jerry every night is a habit I can easily fall into.

thanks for the post!

My husband and I are going to a wedding this weekend so this will be a great time to eat a little less healthy.

My favorite chocolate chip cookies are definitely something I can fall back into.

Luckily, I don't really like icecream so I am thankful that was never my temptation. But I can see why it often is for so many!

[LindseyRae]

Im curious how you are doing dulaney0330? Are you still going strong on the lower sugar?

I have been battling sugar for about 3 years. I didnt get serious until about 2 years ago though and after I fasted for a week and cleared myself out, I stuff to a meat free and very low sugar diet. I went vegan earlier this year and was feeling great (although having a rough time with how OCD you have to be and people's reactions)...

I fell off teh wagon when my boyfriend lost his job and we started eating cheaper foods, recently doing the top ramen thing way too often, and its such a short leap over to sugar from there. I gave it up again yesterday...

Im starting with just not eating cookies/cakes/etc... Comfort food, oh i love it... Once I feel better there I will get mroe serious about cutting items with higher content of sugar than im aware of. I am bummed I fell so far but im glad to be taking better care of myself again.

[stanmrak]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

What's wrong with over doing fruits? I eat like 1000 calories of fruit a day

I'm not taking sides here (I don't eat much fruit myself), but Dr. Mercola has gotten on an anti-fructose bandwagon lately. If you really want to know why eating a lot of fruit may be harmful, here are some of his recent articles on the subject:

Dr. Richard Johnson And His Research on Food Ingredients

Fructose: May Be Almost as Hazardous to Your Health as Soda

Sugar May Be Bad, But This Sweetener is Far More Deadly, Part 1 of 2

[Lifeisamazing]

I consider both refined sugar and fruit sugar almost tantamount. The difference is with fruit, you also get nutrients which are vital for your body.

[dulaney0330]

Originally Posted by LindseyRae

Im curious how you are doing dulaney0330? Are you still going strong on the lower sugar?

I have been battling sugar for about 3 years. I didnt get serious until about 2 years ago though and after I fasted for a week and cleared myself out, I stuff to a meat free and very low sugar diet. I went vegan earlier this year and was feeling great (although having a rough time with how OCD you have to be and people's reactions)...

I fell off teh wagon when my boyfriend lost his job and we started eating cheaper foods, recently doing the top ramen thing way too often, and its such a short leap over to sugar from there. I gave it up again yesterday...

Im starting with just not eating cookies/cakes/etc... Comfort food, oh i love it... Once I feel better there I will get mroe serious about cutting items with higher content of sugar than im aware of. I am bummed I fell so far but im glad to be taking better care of myself again.

Thanks for inquiring! Funny you just asked because I had a really strong brownie craving and I gave in. I made a batch 2 days ago and I have one piece left that I will polish off tonight.

Before this craving, I was doing great. The fruits, especially grapes, really helped with my cravings.

I think the most important thing is to not buy sweets and that erases 90% of my battle. My mother in law likes to make a lot of sweets so its difficult to say "no thank you" especially since shes so sensitive when you dont want to eat her food!

I know what you mean about OCD and people's reactions. It's kind of annoying to have to deal with! People often wonder why, because I am so skinny, that I care about eating cookies/cakes...

It's not about my weight but about my overall health! People tend to forget that its what is inside that matters. Are we providing our body with nutrients?

I know it can be hard to limit the sugar intake! The sweets certainly taste good and especially when we wish to be comforted. I like to ask myself, "what does my body need right now?" And I usually choose fruits and veggies. Let's remember to allow ourselves to eat sugary foods in small quantities. I read that people eat more of the food that they strictly limit than those who are more moderate.

I hope you us know your progress, too!

*I will say that I made the brownies with all organic and while they had lots of sugar, I did not feel sluggish or ill! It really makes a difference when you make an organic/homemade pastry. Although, this makes it even more tempting to splurge!

[Alison Jenkins]

I gave up sugar completely as part of my recovery from binge eating disorder. I was seriously addicted to sugar. Once the blood sugar stabilizes the cravings go and today I wouldn't thank you for sugary foods.

One amazing benefit of quitting sugar is that after 12 yrs I was able to stop wearing glasses.

I also avoid sweetners as they trigger the cravings for me

Alison

[dulaney0330]

Originally Posted by Alison Jenkins

I gave up sugar completely as part of my recovery from binge eating disorder. I was seriously addicted to sugar. Once the blood sugar stabilizes the cravings go and today I wouldn't thank you for sugary foods.

One amazing benefit of quitting sugar is that after 12 yrs I was able to stop wearing glasses.

I also avoid sweetners as they trigger the cravings for me

Alison

Very interesting! Did you give up fruits or just sugary snacks? How many grams of sugar do you think you take in daily?

[curiouslyrandom]

I've gone on sugar fasts a few times, mostly to help with candida infections.

Raw or roasted almond butter is a good (and very healthy) substitute for peanut butter. No salt necessary, just almonds and nothing else. It's expensive to buy, but you can also make it at home in a food processor.

Applesauce is another healthy food you can make at home. I spice mine up with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, and no sugar. Different varieties of apple will produce different levels of sweetness, so experiment until you find which you prefer.

My weakness is maple syrup! At least it isn't the white stuff.

[dulaney0330]

Originally Posted by joelr

Usually fruit bars have a lot more that just fruit sugar but maybe there us some all-fruit sugar brand.

Check ingredients. High fructose corn syrup, sugar, sugar syrup, malitol, sucrose, stuff like that are added sugar.
.

Larabars are my favorite fruit bar. I like to get the "pecan pie" which includes dates, pecans and almonds.

[Piercetheveil]

It helps me to ditch everything close to sugar (bread/processed carbs/grains/dairy). The cravings do go away. I also ditch fruit for a few weeks. I have it once a week now but mainly berries and melons. I stay away from the sweet sweet fruits (I am cutting body fat. I will eat fruit in moderation later on)

[Alison Jenkins]

Originally Posted by dulaney0330

Very interesting! Did you give up fruits or just sugary snacks? How many grams of sugar do you think you take in daily?

I gave up all refined sugars or sugars added. I eat whole pieces of fruit but not dried fruits or fruit juice. Also I don't eat bananas either as I just want to eat more and more. Some people do have issues with apples but i don't personally.

At the beginning I spent time reading food labels and anything with "ose" on the end or sugar I know has sugar.

Alison