Hey Jillybean...............

G

getnfit@39

Cathlete
I read on another post that you're trying a "sugar free" lifestyle and I'll be really interested to know if this book you mentioned helps you.
I am addicted to sugar but not in the total sense. Like I have no trouble living without adding sugar to anything. I can drink tea, coffee, etc, without adding sugar, and I don't add it to recipes at all, so that's under control.
BUT.........
Only everyday do I crave something sweet! I cannot go 1 day without something, no matter how small, sweet! I actually will get a headache if I try to avoid it all day into night, and I'll get cranky and irritable if I don't eat something sweet! I'm fine all morning, but sometime after about 2pm I begin to crave the taste for something sweet. I try fooling myself with fat free cocoa, or fat free pudding, but even if I eat these things I still crave the actual something sweet until I get it!? I have no idea what this is about, but if that book helps you give up sugar then please let me know it's worth buying and following. I'll wait to get your feedback and see what you think about it first. It's 3:15pm here and I haven't had anything and have NOTHING in the house and I kid you not when I tell you I can already feel the headache coming on. I think I'm physically addicted or something? And if I have to go through withdrawal to get through this I don't know if my family will survive? If I go down, someone around here is going with me! :)

Donna

Fitness~It's a journey, not a race!
 
Donna,

Are you diabetic? Just wondering. I've never been a sweet eater, but since I became diabetic, I'm like you. I want a little something sweet every day. I asked the doctor about it, and she said a lot of people are that way.
 
Hi Donna - I need something sweet everyday as well and it has to be sugar. A friend told me that it may have more to do with brain chemistry than anything else. Carbs produce a chemical called serotonin (spelling?) that produce a sense of calm and happiness. Some people need more of this than others for a sense of well being. When you follow a high fiber diet the blood sugar release is slowed down and you may start craving a bit of a high. So my very basic understanding is that our brain is craving the sugar and not our taste buds which is why all the sugar free stuff doesn't help. I also reckon this is why I feel positively murderous when I try to lower my carbs. I eat sugar everyday and I include foods like skim milk, fruits, yogurt, high fiber muffins, kashi cereals etc in my diet (they are my happy foods!LOL!). Another thing that keeps things in control for me is to eat 6- 8 serving of wholegrains daily. Its on the high side and I would love to eat more protein rather than carbs but it prevents binges. I tried to eliminate sugar (breakfast cereals in particular) a month ago and after 3 weeks of suffering, I ate a whole loaf of lite white bread in one sitting. No kidding! So I'm not even gonna go there again. Hope that helps.
 
Yes, i have heard something similar too. Apparently chocolate releases a chemical in the brain, after you have eaten it, and it makes you happy. But Scientists discovered a few years ago that hugging another person also releases similar quantities of this chemical like chocolate, too. so, next time you fancy a serotonin blast, just have a BIG hug :D :D :D :D

Anna
 
Donna, I was like you, only if I didn't have any sweets in the house, I would stop by the store or gas station on the way home and buy some. The problem with me is, I can't have one candy bar. To most people 1 candy bar might be a cheat day. To me, 1 candy bar is something to tide me over until I get the box of Little Debbies open. Serioulsy, I really did eat a pound of candy corn for lunch every day in October. So I found this book called Potatoes Not Prozac. It is outlined quite thouroughly on www.radiantrecovery.com. The book suggests going through a sugar detox for about 5 days, some people take longer. You eat clean/healthy foods, nothing specific, just try to eat a vegetable and protein source at every meal and snack and no sugar. You can have 2 pieces of fruit a day for the 1st 5 days. I have a big headache right now and snapped at my husband the minute I walked in the door, but the book warned of this, comparing it to something like coming off of a drug. Here is where the potato comes in - you eat a baked potato with the skin every night, 3 hours after dinner and right before bed. A high glycemic food just before bed? AAAHHHHH! But hey, I figure if I'm no longer eating an entire bag of Snicker Fun Size candy bars a day, I can eat a flippin' potato. The potato and the skin provide seratonin which is supposed to increase happiness and give you better sleep. The book said that if you have weird dreams the 1st night, that means you were riding low on seratonin and to take it easy, maybe just eat a half or a 3rd of the potato the next night. And the website offers a huge FAQ about the potatoes, like substitutes, the fear of eating a starch before bed, etc. I was very impressed. Just an FYI: you can eat the potato plain or with salt, salsa, pepper, butter, etc., just not with a protein (cheese, sour cream, bacon) as this will inhibit the seratonin. I strongly suggest visiting this site, as I cannot explain the physiological changes like the author can. Well wish my husband luck, I really don't want to hurt him, but this is HARD.
 
RE: Potatoes and Insulin

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jan-20-03 AT 08:00PM (Est)[/font][p]Here is the author's answer to "Won't the potato spike my insulin level"?

"Yes, potatoes do evoke insulin - although with the skins it is far slower than what is reported as the glycemic index which was developed with mashed potatoes. But remember, we want a timed insulin response to get that tryptophan to go from your blood into your brain!

You really do not have to worry about the glycemic index from one potato. The skin also protects you further. It is mostly fiber, and dramatically slows down the process, which your blood sugar really appreciates. It's been carefully orchestrated, biochemically."

This is the author's response to "Does it have to be a potato?"

"Well, yes and no ;-) The potato is ideal. This is why I called the book Potatoes Not Prozac rather than Triscuits Not Prozac or Apples Not Prozac. Also, potatoes are a very good comfort food. Think as spud as number one. If you simply can't do spud, here are some good alternatives:

Baked sweet potatoes with butter and cinnamon (w/out skin)
Triscuits with butter
Brown rice with butter, cinnamon & nutmeg
Oatmeal
Oven-fried sweet spuds (again skinless)
Skin-on sugarfree potato salad
Brown rice cakes"
 
RE: Potatoes and Insulin

Thanks Jilly,

I'll check out the site, and eating a potato is not a problem for me! If I liked them anymore I'd grow eyes all over my body! Of course my favorite way to have them is french fried but I guess that's NOT an option huh? But I'm willing to give it a try. :)

Donna




Fitness~It's a journey, not a race!
 
RE: Potatoes and Insulin

Thanks for the post guys.....this really is interesting. Jillybean, I'll be waiting to hear more about how your doing on your sugar free diet.

Briee
 
RE: Potatoes and Insulin

Hi Jilly,
Just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you and rooting for ya.
It is intersting that sweet potatoes are on your list. The thread that has WD's (Sue) diet, she mentioned that for now, she is eating a sweet potato everyday with butter, as this gives her energy.
I've been throwing in a sweet potato in, here and there since reading her post. I would never have imagined eating one without loaded down with brown sugar, but with the butter and cinnamon, it really isn't bad. :D

I'd like to talk with you more later on seratonin and the triptopans. I'm interested in your research on that with your new book. As one who suffers from Migraines, seratonin levels are important.

Wanda
 
RE: Potatoes and Insulin

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jan-21-03 AT 03:57PM (Est)[/font][p]Sorry to butt in, but I just wanted to say that K60 got me on the 'no sugar' wagon a while back with her inspiring story. It's been a great relief to me to be off sugar, as I would crave the stuff, too. Jilly, I know what you mean about a candy bar tiding you over till you can get to the REAL sugar. I'm the same way. One brownie won't do it. I must eat half the pan to feel satisfied.

Anyway, I'm sure there are several ways to get off sugar and Radiant Recovery is one. I use SugarBusters. Here's what makes it effortless for me, Donna. I eat carbs (and plenty of them), but I don't eat ANY refined carbs. All whole grains/brown carbs. And no alcohol either. It's just a refined carb. When I refrain from the white stuff (rice, pasta, bread, etc) and junk, then I don't get the sugar cravings.

The first 3 days (for me) were hell, but after that, it's all downhill. Good luck, Donna.

Edit: I didn't realize, Jillybean, that you are just starting this too. I thought you had been doing this. DOH! So, I came back to say, GOOD LUCK to you, also!!! :D

Robin http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/Smilies_klein_1/flower.gif
 
Thanks for all of the support you guys! Day three for me and my co-workers and family are still alive! Donna, Bobbi is right regarding fries - go to this website www.radiantrecovery.com and click on Potato Q&A - you'll be surprised at some of answers!
 
Alright Jillybean! Day 3!

I cut out "most" of my sugar four months ago. I stopped eating processed foods, I eat fruit instead of white sugar and flour. It's made a huge difference in how "balanced" I feel. BUT, I must say the first few weeks were HARD! I felt like I was missing something - all the time!

When I started cutting out sugar I realized that I had never (really, never) gone more than one day without eating a cookie or sweet! I actaully felt nervous, when I stopped eating sweets, but I replaced my afternoon cookie with an apple or orange and was able to get through it. Now, I don't even think about it!
(Well, almost never!LOL!)

Take care! And keep up the good work! You'll be very proud of yourself in a few weeks! Keep us updated!
 
RE: Hey Barbie

You said "most sugars". Does that mean you still eat some forms of sugar, like fruit and milk? I think that I might have to intergrate those back in once the detox is over. I really like fruit and milk. And those don't lead to binges, it's the other kinds of sugar that did me in! I'm with you on the never going a day without some type of sweet. I actually rarely went a meal without a sweet (the refined kind). Bad me! Thanks for the kind thoughts. This support is really helping me!
 
RE: Hey Barbie

Hi JillyB!

We all need support! That's why I'm here too!
Yes, I have milk and fruit - I don't want to live on a diet without them! The only changes I make to my diet are those with which I can live longterm! I also don't want to be obsessive about my eating - that's how I got in trouble before! But, I want to eat a healthy and balanced diet, so that means the least amount of processed food possible. Sugar, white flour and chemicals are not my idea of a healthy and balanced diet - so out they went! We can do it! And we are doing it!

PS Your husband will also reap the benefits of your healthy eating - I definitely don't snap at my husband the way I used to!
It's so amazing how effected we are by what we eat!
 
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