Sugar! To eat or not to eat?

[lisa_la_machina]

I'm not talking about eating sugar with reckless abandon, but I've recently been toying with the idea of doing a sugar detox of sorts, maybe Whole 30 or something along those lines. The focus would be on eliminating added sugars, not naturally occurring sugars in otherwise healthful whole foods.

Then today I read this on Nia Shanks' blog (I know, another Nia-inspired thread): 7 Reasons Why You Should NOT Do a Sugar Detox

My reason for doing a sugar detox was just because I think I've been relying on quick "shots of sugar" for energy to help me chase after my extremely active toddler and tend to my 2 month old baby. Fat loss was not and is not my motivator. I still try to eat healthfully overall but I think I've become too attached to sugary pick-me-ups. On the other hand, Nia makes valid points about rebounding and taking away the joys of eating.

Thoughts on the blog post? Have you tried a Sugar Detox and how did it work for you? Or do you steer clear of things like Sugar Detoxes, and if so why?

Lisa

 

[desertambrosia]

I'm not talking about eating sugar with reckless abandon, but I've recently been toying with the idea of doing a sugar detox of sorts, maybe Whole 30 or something along those lines. The focus would be on eliminating added sugars, not naturally occurring sugars in otherwise healthful whole foods.

Then today I read this on Nia Shanks' blog (I know, another Nia-inspired thread): 7 Reasons Why You Should NOT Do a Sugar Detox

My reason for doing a sugar detox was just because I think I've been relying on quick "shots of sugar" for energy to help me chase after my extremely active toddler and tend to my 2 month old baby. Fat loss was not and is not my motivator. I still try to eat healthfully overall but I think I've become too attached to sugary pick-me-ups. On the other hand, Nia makes valid points about rebounding and taking away the joys of eating.

Thoughts on the blog post? Have you tried a Sugar Detox and how did it work for you? Or do you steer clear of things like Sugar Detoxes, and if so why?

Lisa

Just read this article too. Thought it was interesting, since I just finished a detox. (Whole 30) Fat loss was not my motivator. It was interesting, because I did gain weight on this detox. Just a couple of pounds. But the extra pounds disappeared quickly when I finished the detox. Think I will go back to my old way of eating. It was clean, but I didn't hesitate to eat full fat/fruit on the bottom, cream on the top greek yogurt. Oh, and chocolate. I'm pretty sure, chocolate is one of the food groups.

 

[lisa_la_machina]

Think I will go back to my old way of eating. It was clean, but I didn't hesitate to eat full fat/fruit on the bottom, cream on the top yogurt. Oh, and chocolate. I'm pretty sure, chocolate is one of the food groups.

Karen, yeah, this is why I'm conflicted. Is anything like that really sustainable long-term? Part of me thinks it might minimize sugar as a desired taste, and that would be a good thing for me. I know it's possible for taste buds to change over time because mine have. Foods I used to love 15 years ago make me want to gag, particularly the unhealthy ones from fast food places. Could the same thing happen for some of the sugary treats that I now crave? On the other hand, part of me wonders why even bother? I don't know that my taste buds will ever reject chocolate, ice cream, or Cookie Butter...

Lisa

 

[catwoman7631]

I agree with what she says in her blog and what is really not a new concept...moderation is key. I have learned to cut back on my added sugars, but I refuse to give up chocolate or the occasional sweet treat. Now, that's not to say I'm sitting down with a whole bag of chocolate or gallon of ice cream at a time. I have enough to satisfy my craving and move on. No guilt, no saying I won't eat something else because I had those calories. Life is too short to be too obsessive over food!

 

[~Elsie]

I, personally, have never really understood the whole "detox" thing. Sounds like pseudo-science to sell products to me. Same goes for the juicing diets. How can your organs be sustained on juice?
I just don't get it, not to shun anyone who takes part and feel real benefits from it. It just has never been for me, I suppose.

Clearly, as a society we have come to rely on packaged foods far too often and those contain refined sugars, so yeah, of course that isn't good for our bodies. But I'd rather switch to eating real food not in a package 85% of the time and still make my yummy croissants with sugar and butter three times a month.

 

[Justinef]

I did a sugar elimination a few years ago. Total elimination. I certainly lost any sweet tooth I ever had (not much of one, just one that had developed through choosing lazy quick fixes). After a while I started adding back savoury things which contained sugar, eg tomato ketchup etc. I still don't eat sweet stuff- I never have regained the taste, however I don't obsess.
Having read Nia's article, I probably wouldn't have done the elimination! Remember that Nia has a background of disordered eating....what may cause an unhealthy attitude in some can be ok for others.
that's why I love Nia - she challenges what's 'in' or 'trendy'. Good article

 

[MomInVT]

Lisa,
Another thing to keep in mind is how bfing affects your insulin resistance (Dr. Brooke Kalanick has good info on this -- I don't have a specific link but she talks about how bfing affects hormones and insulin resistance.) I ate constantly while bfing, and often ate fruit with yogurt and a little granola. However, I was hungry 30 mins later. I was better off when I had less quick carbs (including fruit). However, we're all snowflakes.

Maybe try reducing quick carbs for more satiating foods, but keep the occasional spoonful of cookie butter (or whatever) for sanity? It's tough to make hard and fast rules for eating while bfing, as sometimes you just 'need' something...
Dunno, just my musings...
Thanks for the great thread!
Roz

 

[maddiesmum]

I also read and appreciated Nia's article. Common sense approaches to health and fitness are what the woman espouses and thank god for it, quite honestly. I disagree with all forms of detoxing, cleansing, dieting, food group eliminations, etc, unless there is a case of proven, documented allergy. Otherwise, you may introduce disordered eating where there was none. I have suffered disordered eating my whole life, since 15 years old, I do not recommend it.

As Jodi, Karen and Elsie have suggested, moderation is key. "A little of what you fancy does you good" is the motto I grew up with. Whoever got to age 90 and declared, "I'm so glad I NEVER ate cake." What's the point? If you love something, find a way to make peace with it and have it as a weekly thing. The brain doesn't do well with carb elimination diets either, ask all those celebrity fitness stars in the weeks running up to a contest: bitchiness and irritability abound! Carbs = trytophan = precursor for neurotransmitters for the brain = feel good chemicals.

I do like chocolate and I eat it daily. Not gonna stop. Don't want to, cannot see the point. There has to be pleasure in life also.

Clare

 

[complik8td]

I have such great admiration and respect for Dr. Deanna Minich. She recently posted this article on Huffington Post about redefining "detox." I just love her perspective on health and nutrition issues. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deanna-minich-phd/redefining-detox_b_7691238.html

As for sugar, I personally gave it up, do not crave it, and feel much better without it. I'm even extra careful about my fruit consumption. Perhaps sugar consumption is not of great concern when your're young, but I've learned at my age, from many sources, that it's best to reduce sugar consumption for many reasons.

 

[desertambrosia]

I have such great admiration and respect for Dr. Deanna Minich. She recently posted this article on Huffington Post about redefining "detox." I just love her perspective on health and nutrition issues. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deanna-minich-phd/redefining-detox_b_7691238.html

As for sugar, I personally gave it up, do not crave it, and feel much better without it. I'm even extra careful about my fruit consumption. Perhaps sugar consumption is not of great concern when your're young, but I've learned at my age, from many sources, that it's best to reduce sugar consumption for many reasons.

I believe one of the reasons I gained weight during my detox, I started eating more fruit than I usually eat. Usually I eat one fruit serving a day. On my detox, I was eating 3-4 servings. When I got back to eating one serving a day, the weight disappeared. I have to be careful about my fruit consumption as well. I love fruit, but as I get older, too much fruit is not loving me.

 

[lisa_la_machina]

Remember that Nia has a background of disordered eating....what may cause an unhealthy attitude in some can be ok for others.

Otherwise, you may introduce disordered eating where there was none.

Justine and Clare, that is one of my concerns. I don't want to become obsessive or disordered over food, especially now that I have two little ladies looking to me to set an example for them. My mother struggled with food issues her whole life and that is one legacy I don't want to pass on.

I love fruit, but as I get older, too much fruit is not loving me.

Karen, yes, our bodies definitely change as we age. I can't handle processed cereals. Not at all. It gets ugly! Too bad for fruit not loving you, though...you're pretty terrific and it doesn't know what it's missing.

we're all snowflakes.

BFing hunger is ridiculous. You're right, I need to remember that and be gentler with myself because maintaining a healthy supply is my top priority right now (well, besides just loving my family in general, obviously). But mainly I'm just enjoying picturing all of us Cathletes as beautiful snowflakes falling from the sky. I'm going to steal that from you, FYI.

Lisa

 

[lisa_la_machina]

Clearly, as a society we have come to rely on packaged foods far too often and those contain refined sugars, so yeah, of course that isn't good for our bodies.

As for sugar, I personally gave it up, do not crave it, and feel much better without it. I'm even extra careful about my fruit consumption. Perhaps sugar consumption is not of great concern when your're young, but I've learned at my age, from many sources, that it's best to reduce sugar consumption for many reasons.

Elsie and Carol, totally agree with the notion of being aware of added refined sugars. IIRC, in the blog post Nia is clear that sugar is not a "health" food. Natural sugars can occur in otherwise healthy foods...like even plain yogurt (assuming one tolerates/chooses to consume dairy). It's those extra doses where we need to be concerned.

Carol, how long did it take you for sugar desires to get out of your system completely? Did you just go cold turkey?

Lisa

 

[lisa_la_machina]

I have learned to cut back on my added sugars, but I refuse to give up chocolate or the occasional sweet treat. Now, that's not to say I'm sitting down with a whole bag of chocolate or gallon of ice cream at a time. I have enough to satisfy my craving and move on. No guilt, no saying I won't eat something else because I had those calories. Life is too short to be too obsessive over food!

Jodi, where did you cut back? What are some of your tricks? I think that's really what I'm looking for...tricks to cut back without totally eliminating. As others have said, elimination too often leads to obsession and life is indeed too short for that.

Lisa

 

[complik8td]

Lisa, I do not eat ANY packaged/processed foods besides protein powder, and I use Stevia, which some people have an aversion to. I'm currently studying for a M.S. in Holistic Nutrition, and I just completed Dr. Minich's Certified Food and Spirit Practitioner Program. Stevia is an acceptable form of sugar replacement as far as both of my nutrition programs and numerous health gurus that I follow are concerned. It is not chemically-enhanced like Splenda or Equal, for example. That being said, it did not take me very long to lose the desire for sugar once I changed my eating habits and reduced my consumption of sweet/starchy foods. If I want something sweet, I'll have herbal or chai tea sweetened w/Stevia. My protein powder is sweetened with Stevia also. When I ate exclusively vegan a few years ago, I gained weight and my blood sugar went up to 106. This was definitely the result of consuming too much in the way of fruit and grains. Several months ago I added gluten-free oats, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa and legumes back into my diet, after eliminating them for a long period of time in order to reduce my blood glucose value. When I do eat those foods, I am extremely mindful of portion sizes and number of servings per day. Knowing that I had to reduce my blood glucose was my catalyst for change. I don't want to become a diabetic! I will be having my labs checked again in a couple of months, and I'm curious to see if the grains and legumes are being tolerated. Also, I will say too, that I think our tastes change as we age and if/when you change your diet. I do not crave bread, cake, cookies, etc. My body craves lots of greens, carrots, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, red bell peppers, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, and assorted berries, just to name a few of my favorite foods.

 

[Justinef]

nut butters got me through my sugar elimination! Lots of different ones...cashew being particularly sweet.

 

[MomInVT]

nut butters got me through my sugar elimination! Lots of different ones...cashew being particularly sweet.

This! Coconut, too.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Knowing that I had to reduce my blood glucose was my catalyst for change. I don't want to become a diabetic! I will be having my labs checked again in a couple of months, and I'm curious to see if the grains and legumes are being tolerated.

God...I could have hugged you if you were physically around me! I so relate to how you feel.

I have posted about my familly background ( insuline resistance etc...)in the past.
I feel same about grains but not as much about legumes though.
For this reason I am going back and forth to my doctor cause I want to know if there is any intolerance. There is
definitely allergy. I am suspecting other food intolerance and still undergoing further tests.
All my blood test are fine though. I am still puzzled

 

[PhyllisG]

I found that once I gave up putting sugar in tea and coffee my sugar cravings decreased dramatically. I was only using a quarter teaspoon and it still helped. I don't like chocolate and have lost any desire for cookies or cake. I don't like stevia or any of the other sugar substitutes. I do eat fruit usually 2X a day.
My total downfall is ice cream. I love it and would eat it everyday if I could. Been trying the non dairy ones and especially like the coconut ones.
Tastes definitely change with age. I used to love chocolate and now I can't stand it.

 

[RapidBreath]

Any kind of cooked sugar seems to be the worst offender for my body. It shows itself as skin rashes or weight gain. I do ok with starch, but not so good with yeasted breads. I don't eat popcorn anymore. It just seemed to pack on the pounds. That said, if I have oatmeal I put a little brown sugar on it, no problem. Legumes are my favorite carb source. I also eat real, white potatoes. I don't eat them fried anymore. If I want something fried, I get zuchinni sticks. Just because I like them. I will eat a bun on a burger, but the meat is grassfed. I'm kind of off of regular bread right now, it just doesn't appeal to me unless its challah. I'm not jewish, but I just like the taste. I don't drink coffee so I avoid the sugar there by default. I do drink tea, but often its unsweetened without sugar. I like the freshness of it with some lemon. I do add some sugar to cooking to balance tart/salty flavors but its usually a very tiny amount. I don't use cooked honey, that seems to plump me. I do use raw honey to wash my face, but I usually don't eat it.

 

[catwoman7631]

Lisa, an eye-opener for me was entering my food into fitness pal for a week. I thought I was eating ok but I saw that I had way too much sugar in my diet. Now, quite a bit was natural sugar from fruit or dairy but there was definitely too many added sugars. Some changes I made...plain oatmeal instead of flavored, nut butters with no added sugars, and limiting most processed food. I used to buy frozen meals like Lean Cuisine to take for lunch. Some of those are the worst offenders for sugar! So now I make my own frozen meals...proteins like chicken or eggs, brown rice or sweet potatoes and some kind of vegetable. If I have sweet tea, I use stevia now instead of sugar. Just little things like that have really made a difference in the amount of added sugar I eat.