Anyone ever try Sugar Busters program?

A

actionwoman

Member
Hi,

I'm thinking about buying the Sugar Busters book. I've always been a compulsive overeater and am wondering if this book can help.

Any comments (good/bad) would be much appreciated - thanks in advance.

Amy
 
Hi Amy:

I am in New Orleans where the authors of Sugar Busters live. Their food plan is everywhere...supermarkets carry lots of brand name Sugar Busters bread, salad dressing, pasta, etc. Local restaurants advertise lunch and dinner specials featuring the Sugar Busters menu plans.

I have tried it and I feel that it is a good plan, except maybe I would cut back on the amount of fatty cheese and meat and use low fat cheese and leaner meats.

If you read the book you will become aware that sugar is a major ingredient in so many foods that you would not expect. For example, diet and/or low fat salad dressings are loaded with sugar. Even whole grain packaged bread usually has too much sugar in it. Once you start reading labels you would be amazed.

I lost a good deal of weight on this plan when I began exercising and watching my food intake last spring. Even though I have achieved my goal I still follow many of the guidelines about making sure that the foods I select do not have hidden sugars.

Do get the book...it comes in paperback (inexpensive) and give it a try. It has helped many people. One of the nice things about it is that you do not have to weigh and measure everything.

Let me know what you decide to do.

Marlene
 
Hi Marlene,

Thanks for the feedback - I've ordered a used copy from amazon after reading so many good reviews. I hope it works as nicely for me as it did for you - I'll post after I've done it for a month or so.

It must be hard to keep weight off while living in NO! I was there back in April and went overboard with the food - there were so many amazing restaurants!

Amy
 
Dear Amy:

Yes, it is very difficult to maintain or lose weight in New Orleans, the fat epicenter of the world. I don't often go out to eat in the really great restaurants because most of the food choices are appalling. Everything tastes terrific but what could taste bad when it is loaded with butter and deep fried?

I indulge in the local cuisine occasionally for a special treat but most of the time I like to cook at home where I can be sure that foods are prepared with an eye toward lower calorie fare.

There was a study done recently (I read it somewhere but cannot recall exactly where) and New Orleans came in number one for the most fat people in the United States per capita. All one has to do to verify this is to walk around the malls, the French Quarter or anywhere else to see this is indeed sadly true.

I work in a casino that has about 3,000 employees and I must say that at least 75% have a weight issue. Sadly I see many young people in their twenties already vastly overweight. If they do nothing about it now I shudder to think how they will look a few decades from now and the avoidable health problems they will face as a result of excess weight. The wardrobe department which issues the uniform clothing tells me their most common size pants for females is the 18 - 20 sizes.

I wish you all the luck in the world with Sugar Busters. I have used it (modified slightly) and found that my desire for sweets subsided in a few weeks so it was less of a struggle then I thought it would be.

Let me know how it goes.

Marlene
 
Hi Marlene, I know I'm buttin' in here, but I just wanted to say "Hi" to a fellow New Orleanian! Actually, we fled over the Causeway to Mandeville last yr! What part of NO are you in? Robin.
 
I started it

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same book since there are a few different ones. I got it because I kept eating carbs/sugar like chips, cake, pie, candy, etc. I know that's what's holding me back.

Anyway, the first part explains more about the "problem". I agreed with some, some I didn't. Then there are steps to follow. You only move onto the next step after you've succeeded at the first.

I admit, I only did step 1, then forgot about the book.
The 1st step was to include protein at every meal. I did for a week, but it's hard if you only like scrambled aggs and bacon. I read ahead, and another step was to eat a potato every night before bed which seemed weird.

So I tried it, but didn't actually go through with it. good luck!
 
Hi Robin:

I live in New Orleans in the lakefront area, not too far from University of New Orleans. I work downtown.

Do you ever get to come across the lake towards this way? It would be fun to actually meet a Cathe-ite in person.

Marlene
 
RE: I started it

I don't think you have the Sugar Busters book. Yes, they want you to include protein with every meal but as for eating spuds every night before bed, forget it. Sugar Busters wants you to completely eliminate white potatoes in favor of sweet potatoes but nowhere does it indicate you should consume it every day, and worse, every night.

Also, in my recollection, Sugar Busters does not have you work on one thing and then go on to another.

I believe you have some other book and not Sugar Busters.
 
One of my friends tried it, lost a few pounds, switched to Weight Watchers & lost a lot of weight. She did cut way back on the empty calories on Sugar Busters (sodas & coffee drinks). But the diet "allowed" a lot of high fat foods - she was having whole eggs scrambled w/ olives & cheese for breakfast. The diet was deficient in fruits & vegies, along w/ fiber.

This diet is similar to other low carb pop diets, throwing out a lot of good carbs w/ the bad while "allowing" a lot of saturated fat into the diet. A healthier approach is to emphasize nutritional quality when making food choices (along w/ portion control). Carbs are not the problem - empty calories are a problem.

Sorry to get on my soapbox. You can lose weight on this diet but it's not the best choice for long-term healthful eating.

Debra
 
Debra:

I do agree with nearly everything you said.

I modified the Sugar Busters diet because I too felt that so much cheese, bacon, red meats, etc. would not be the healthiest way. I used mostly lean protein such as fish or skinless chicken breasts and used egg substitutes such as Egg Beaters.

What the book did do was to educate me about how much hidden sugar there is in common, everyday foods that we think are good for us (did you ever read the label on most whole wheat breads? One of their first ingredients is corn syrup or fructose which are just fancy words for sugar).

I also cut down on bread because this particular food has always been a problem for me. I allowed myself two slices of sugar free bread a day. Too much bread always made me feel bloated and I have a hard time stopping so it becomes a bread binge.

So I think using Sugar Busters' concepts as a guideline and some of one's own common sense you can formulate a healthy and effective weight loss plan.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Marlene
 
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