Some of you have been kind enough to ask me for a Diet Coke update, and the news is good. I am coke-free and feeling good. I don’t even think I miss it very much. Well, okay there was that one painful time when I ate a handful of Doritos and the thought, no the need for DC flashed through my brain. But it was a passing pain. I am over it. Moving on. Life is good.
In the comments on my Can Kicking post some of you mentioned that even the “fake” sweetness of diet sodas can increase cravings for sweets and “bad carbs” and wondered if I might notice a difference in my other eating habits as a result of giving up the soda.
I may not be the best test case for this particular study because I cut way back on my bad sugar habits long before giving up diet Coke. I used to live my life from one sugar high to the next. Something about being pregnant many times, though, wakes a person’s body up to these kinds of sugar abuses.
When I was newly pregnant with Raphael and (typically) sick as a dog, I discovered the wonderful power of protein. In proper doses, it could settle my stomach, at least for a bit. It kept me from feeling hungry and held off that awful low blood sugar shakiness and nausea that plagued me when I tried getting by with cookies for breakfast. Lean meats, eggs, nuts, and dairy became my go-to foods. And, when I was feeling better, I added whole grains too.
My diet these days is not perfect (note the Doritos mention above), but it’s a lot closer to normal than it has been in past years. I find that when I make the first move to keep my sugar intake under control, it winds up keeping itself under control. I don’t crave the stuff if I don’t ingest large quantities of it in the first place.
I’d love for us to have some discussions about diet and nutrition. Do you have particular nutrition struggles, thoughts, or questions? Share them here and maybe I can follow up with discussion posts on some of the topics that are brought up.
I have no comment, as I am eating a large bowl of ice cream at the moment.
I too have been trying to stick to a healthier diet, trying to lose those last 10 pounds after baby #6! He will be 2 in Sept., so it has taken a while. I feel so much better when I eat properly. It usually catches up with me in the form of a huge headache the next day if I eat too many sweets, especially chocolate.
We just went to a pediatric dentist who gave us a list of “good” snacks. They include nuts, any fruit or vege, pickles, cheese, eggs, unsweetened applesauce and real juice/milk/water to drink. I told the kids that if they wanted a snack, they could have anything off that list and you know what- it’s working! I think they do make smarter choices when given a list with a few options. And I do better, too, when I have a list like that in front of me!
Why is my chocolate craving so intense during the nursing years? I eat 2 or 3 Hershey bars per day. That is more than I’d eat in an entire week when not nursing! I wonder if it’s psychological, or if there is something else going on.
Okay, after I am all done laughing at the hilarious comment of Megan Elizabeth above……………I will say this: I struggle particularly bad with cravings for sweets and things during only those few days a month, you know the ones.
Other than that, I am usually able to eat healthy foods and stick to a decent diet easily (which definitely helps me feel generally all-around great). Does anyone have suggestions for staying away from sweets even when the chocolate cravings (dark only) are just looming so large? 🙂
God BLESS anyone who can help me with this. Off to my cupboard now for a piece ‘o dark chocolate.
Perfect timing to mention food intake. I am VERY interested to see what others day-what is best (well, I kind of know that… but maybe some healthy, easy, and yummy recipes?!)
I am pregnant (for the 6th time) and going next week for my 3hour glucose tolerance test. I failed the 1 hour test…but not by much-only a smidge. I am really nervous about this- I know I am eating too much, and too much bad stuff. Its so easy to just say b/c I am pregnant and craving it or just b/c I am pregnant! And since that makes up the last 8 or so years, I know I am in trouble at some point. I dont’ go out of my way to avoid eating the good for you stuff, I do know that those are better, but I crave (preg, nursing) carbs, and lots of them.
I tend to eat a lot and easily convince myself it is b/c of the baby inside me growing. No, i am not overweight, or big to anyone’s eyes…….but I KNOW that its all about SELF CONTROL! the program- Light Weigh – is great- never did it …yet…but its just the thing I need to do to undertand OFFERING IT UP and what we need vs. what we want. ANyone do Light Weigh? anyone recommend some great snacks/healthy foods/easy with time and $?~!?!
THanks.
I have found that if I eat a low glycemic index diet with lots of protein, I feel much better. I began eating this way in January of this year as I was tired a great deal and even feeling “foggy.” So, that typically means carbohydrates that are chock full of whole grains. I have begun cooking with whole wheat flour and have even found a few deserts that are better than the others but can satisfy that sweet craving. For example, I make a whole wheat tart crust and put cream cheese with a little sugar mixed in and fruit on top and then smear it with that all fruit jam. Yummy and better for you!! I also eat lots of salads with fats that are good for you such as avocados, nuts, salmon. A favorite snack is a fruit smoothie made with yogurt and fruit and juice. Like Danielle said, when I don’t eat the sugar I don’t crave it. Really the only thing that keeps me sticking to it is the fact that I feel better, have more energy, and know that it is better for my body.
Good thing I’m Catholic, Danielle, or I would think you were psychic.
Let’s begin with my confession. I’ve never had a weight problem until I started having children. Oh, and that over-40 thing hasn’t helped. Because of that, I never learned how to really eat healthy. Scratch that, I knew, but never learned the self-control to implement it.
I’ve tried South Beach, and despaired of ever getting to eat a muffin. Without guilt.
So..I followed Rachel Balducci’s recommendation and read the “Abs Diet for Women”. It’s really good, and makes a lot of sense. Among other things, you eat 6 meals a day, which in reality, are 3 meals interspersed with 3 snacks. What I like about it is that you can “live it” without any induction period or counting carbs or anything. You sacrifice, but you don’t suffer.
And the craving chocolate, especially when nursing: I think it’s the lack of sleep. I know that I’ve consumed a lot of dark chocolate in the afternoon when I really just needed a nap (no time) or a cup of coffee (didn’t want a jazzed baby). In my house, we’re trying mildly sweetened, decaf green iced tea (1/4 sugar to 2 qt iced tea). We don’t do fake sugar. ‘Cause green tea is supposed to help you lose weight, right?
Yikes. “1/4 CUP of sugar to 2 qt iced tea”. Any tea would taste good with 1/4 of it being sugar. But then it wouldn’t fit into this post.
The most important thing I’ve done recently is becoming aware of what I buy and eat. I’ve started to pay attention to the ingredients list and think twice before eating or buying foods made with trans fat, artificial ingredients and and high fructose corn syrup. I was amazed at the things we were eating but equally amazed at what the alternatives are. I’ve been buying less processed things and making more homemade goodies.
Instead of buying 2 packages of oreos because they’re on sale, I’ll buy the all natural, more expensive version. Then I consider them a special treat for us. Only having 1 or 2 at a time on some evenings.
Otherwise, when I’d buy the 2 packages of oreos we’d eat the 2 packages in the blink of an eye.
I’m not a “foodie” by most standards but decreasing the amount of white sugar, trans fat and artificial ingredients has helped my feel better and eat less.
To Susie B., I have always failed the 1 hr glucose test and had gestational diabetes with my 4th baby. I just had the 1 hr test with baby number 5, and I passed. I couldn’t believe it. I concentrated on protein the day before the test and ate some chicken before bedtime. Perhaps that will help.
We are into fruit smoothies lately and add some tofu. Even my pickiest eater likes banana smoothies made with yogurt, tofu and milk.
We have been substituting Stevia powder for sugar in drinks, too.
Blessings to you all!
I have certain foods that are guaranteed to make me feel good. Like, a tuna sandwich on toast with avocado slices. Or extra sharp cheddar, skip the crackers, and some fruit. Or what my kids call “chicken sticks,” plain chicken breasts, cubed, shoved onto a skewer, and grilled. I feel better, inside and out, when I eat those things.
I struggle with goodies, though. My big pitfall is coffee, especially those coffee treats that someone suggested are made with one coffee bean, eight quarts of milk, and small nuclear reactor! So high in calories! My age is catching up with me, and my digestive system just can’t tolerate much anymore!
Currently nursing and consuming about 1/4 bag of chocolate chips/day. I think Celine may be onto something. (By the way, eating chocolate chips is often a cheap alternative to buying chocolate bars, candies, etc. Guittard chocolate chips are WONDERFUL).
I second Danielle’s “discovery” that protien is your friend, especially in the early weeks of pregnancy. I, unfortunately, didn’t ‘discover’ this until baby #10 !!! Morning sickness was hardly an issue with my last two babies!!! I needed much more protien from meat and dairy sources vs. plant protien combos…(rice and beans, cereals).
I too, worried about the glucose, last pregnancy. I made myself exercise 5x’s a week faithfully, and ate NO sugar and only 1 whole grain serving a day(afternoon), with 100gms.of protien a day . Boy, I felt GREAT!!! No swelling, no nausea, lots of energy—and this was #11, at age 45 !!! I’m sure it was the protien and exercise that made this difference for me.
If I eat a good, low carb breakfast, I have practically no sugar craving the rest of the day. I eat 2 quality snacks and three meals, as a nursing mom, and don’t ‘need’ sugary/sweet, as long as I don’t ‘forget’ to eat. God bless you all.
I would say my biggest issue is emotional eating. I know how to eat and snack well, but I “treat” myself when I have a bad day, a good day, or special day. Its so easy when the kids are so little and no one is really watching what I eat. I think sugar highs and lows are probably a big part of it too. I’m enjoying reading others experiences!
I had this whole big post lined up about Celiac and gluten etc…
Suffice it to say that it was waaaaay to long. Google Celiac, try going gluten free. It is a pain and it is not easy – I did it at 38 – believe me it is hard. The gains are worth it.
.mike o
This is a little long, but Susie Lloyd wrote this in a past issue of Faith & Family:
EAT CHOCOLATE! Do it For the Children
LIFE’S HARD. Eat chocolate.
I admit, this is not exactly what most Catholics would call a spiritual motto. Yet, as the mother of several children, chocolate was at times the only thing that stood between me and 500 years in purgatory.
I have long suspected the healing power of chocolate. Beyond its exquisite flavor lies the presence of some mysterious ingredient which instantly releases tension and floods the body with a feeling of well-being. So it came as no surprise to me when the American Medical Association recently declared that fine dark chocolate lowers blood pressure and, like its fellow luxury, a good Catholic red wine, can benefit the heart.
Good science is never far behind theology. About 10 years before the AMA imparted its medical blessing, a trusty old priest had already elevated chocolate to the level of a sacramental.
The official blessing took place during an Ignatian women’s retreat.
Now, you are probably picturing our retreat master as perhaps an esteemed academic type, quite used to the good life. Not so. He was lean and fit in his 80’s after 30 years of missionary work in Red China. Considering this history of self-immolation, I frankly had been braced for a sermon on the glories of hairshirt underwear. Yet he felt his audience already knew enough about penance.
He was speaking to a roomful of mothers.
Some of the women in our group had already raised their children, and looked it. One was a chain smoker with iron gray hair, failing health and a mischievous sense of humor. Another had married an alcoholic, seen her son go the same way and was, at age 60 plus, homeschooling her grandchildren. Then there were young women like me, who had barely embarked on the voyage of motherhood.
Holding fast to the faith as our compass, we were sailing into unknown waters, with no idea whether the seas ahead would be smooth or stormy.
To our retreat master, we moms were fellow missionaries. After all, wasn’t our goal the same — to bring the faith to the unchurched, by word and example? In addition, if missionaries had to dig wells and tend the sick, didn’t we moms have houses to clean, errands to run, and sometimes books to crack or a job to juggle?
Besides this, there would be countless interruptions and demands, ready or not. There would be daily disputes that would confound even Judge Judy — like “Mom, she threw glue in my hair when I didn’t throw glue in hers!” And just when you’re settling in for a restful eight hours, your kids decide to catch the barf train.
In a really frazzled moment, the last thing our retreat master recommended we do was to indulge in a few flagellations. What we really needed was something to keep our bodies from rebelling against our souls.
He himself was not above an occasional luxury, especially whenever a certain woman phoned up with boring tales of her personal woes. “Blah, blah, blah,” for hours on end. Yet, he listened patiently every time. The secret? As she poured out her heart, he poured out scotch. Then he lit a cigar, and sat back in a comfy chair. If a little scotch and cigar enabled him to be Christ-like, a little chocolate could certainly keep our hearts disposed to grace.
That’s when it hit me.
What’s a sacramental but a material thing that disposes the heart to grace? Add that to the fact that the Church already has a blessing for every sort of object imaginable — not just rosaries and statues but houses and cars and Easter baskets.
Why couldn’t it work for chocolate?
Moms, just make sure you get the gourmet stuff. After all, the Good Lord deserves the best. 🙂
I have spent years yo-yo dieting and after 4 children, still need to lose about 20 extra pounds. I decided in January that if I was truly going to get healthy and lose weight, I needed to change my thinking about food and make it a lifestyle – no more “diets.” So I am happy to say that after 6 months of creating new habits, changing my thinking about food, health and nutrition I have lost about 7 pounds. I know that most people think big deal – 7 pounds in 6 months. But for the first time in years, I feel good, I feel like I look good, my clothes fit nice, I am off or on lowered doses of a few medications, my cravings and mindless eating are under control and I am LOSING weight instead of GAINING weight. I just have some rules that I live by – I try to stick to these rules as much as possible…but no one is perfect.
*Exercise makes you feel good mentally, physically and emotionally. It’s your best friend.
*Don’t eat fast food. It’s 99% unhealthy.
*Drink lots of water. It’s got endless benefits to your well being and health.
*Portion size is SO important.
*Eat slowly. Give your mind time to register what you have eaten.
*Learn HOW to eat healthfully: dressings on the side – skip the cheese most of the time – use spray butter instead of the real stuff, etc.
*Sneak in fruits and veggies were you can: use fresh spinach instead of iceberg lettuce on sandwiches and in salads. Throw some diced up mango into your salads. Serve fresh fruit for dessert with a smidge of whipped cream. Instead of plain yogurt for breakfast, throw the yogurt and some fresh fruit in the blender.
*Sneak in activity anywhere to can. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away from the store. Run up and down the stairs a few times at home. Drop and do some push ups when you are watching TV. Keep the free weights handy. Walk to the mailbox. Walk the kids to school if possible.
*If you eat out a lot, make it your mission to find restaurants with healthy and YUMMY options. My favs: BBQ chicken breast on a bun at our local BBQ restaurant. Smoked Turkey Sand. at Schlotzsky’s. Subway. (Not a huge fan of the WW menu at applebee’s)
*Don’t eat late at night.
*It’s give and take. If you end up having your fav Starbucks drink + a muffin for breakfast – minimize the damage by eating light and healthy the rest of the day.
Danielle I love your blog, I found it a few weeks ago and this is my first comment. Sorry for lurking =).
I have always struggled w/sugar cravings, but for the last few months I have been eating really well and, like you said, because I don’t eat that many sweets anymore my cravings aren’t so bad. I try to get plenty of protein, some whole grains and either fresh fruit or veggies at every meal.
One thing that really helps when I feel the need for something sweet is sugar free gum. I still fall off the wagon a lot, but I try to keep my portion sizes under control. Weekends are the worst for some reason.
Now if I can just stay on track until I lose those last 10 baby lbs…
Amanda –
If you do your own baking, you can satisfy your sweet tooth by tweeking your recipes. By only using whole wheat flour and adding ground flax seed to you recipes, you can vastly improve the nutritional value of your goodies. Recipes using fresh apples are great – fiber and sweetness!
For the most part, I eat pretty healthy. Just the same there is a bag of Hershey’s Whole Bean chocolate squares in the cupboard. Yummmmmm. Peace. ~~~mary
I agree with Marie that emotional eating is a huge issue. Also some biggies for me are motivation (or lack thereof), and dealing with social/party situations.
Danielle, glad to hear that the DC-kicking project is going well. Impressive!
As for sugar… I’m convinced that for most people, reducing or eliminating sugar consumption is the best thing you can do for your health (in relation to both weight control and avoiding disease).
One thing I didn’t know until relatively recently is just how much our sugar intake has increased over the past few generations. We eat much, much more sugar on average than our ancestors did. (And, of course, things like high fructose corn syrup didn’t even exist more than a generation or so ago.)
I’ve been trying to break my own sugar addiction and have found it to be pretty tough. I’ve read that it can take a year or more to really break it. In my case, I’ve concluded that even having small amounts of sweets is a problem — it just makes the cravings worse. I’m one of those who never thought I really had an addiction until I tried to quit. (And now I have more sympathy for those addicted to nicotine, alcohol, etc.)
Now that I’m not having my afternoon snack, a more serious comment:
My main problem is emotional eating/eating just because I’m bored. I noticed this when I came back from my freshman year of college and had actually lost 2 pounds, despite living off cafeteria food of questionable nutritive value. The thing was, I was so busy with classes and activities that I didn’t have time to sit around snacking. Then I came home for the summer and proptly gained weight like crazy because I’m at home, I’m relaxing, and for me relaxing involves getting my bowl of ice cream and sitting down at the computer to read blogs. 🙂
So, solution number 1 for me would be to keep busy. Solution number 2, though, is going to have to be learning that eating is something you do when you are hungry, not something you just do for the fun of it.
I joined WW online (before getting pregnant w/my 7th). I finally learned HOW to eat right. I do the core because it is so much easier – almost no points counting – it teaches you how many servings of protein/grains/etc. to eat each day. I used to eat when/what/how much I want without thinking. I currently have mild gall bladder issues (it wasn’t mild during pregnancy), and my nursing 5 mo. old has dairy/soy allergies. This has all been a blessing to me in disguise. Now that I eat better – I feel better (didn’t realize how bad I felt). I no longer have those ups/downs with the sugar. Now, I’m starting to throw in some exercise!
Hi, I’m Margaret, and I’m a sugar-holic. 🙂 I have a horrible sweet tooth – especially for sodas. Kicking the sugar habit is difficult. From birth humans have a preference for sweet foods. In the past I have given up sugary treats for Lent. At first everything tastes bland. As Lent continues, my cravings for super-sweetened foods lessen. By the end of the 40 days a piece of bread can taste sweet. Fruits taste like dessert – cake or pie sound nauseatingly sweet. But wow, if I start eating sugary treats again, my tolerance builds up and I crave more and more sugar. It is amazing how addictive it is! BTW, I have noticed that when I am nursing I crave chocolate as well.
I just lost 50 pounds going gluten free. Mike O. I might say what you were going to LOL. I am also allergic to milk and soy, and a number of various other foods. My diet consists of chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, beans, veggies, and fruit. Once in a while I eat a few potatoe chips for a treat, or make myself a gluten free cake. I can also eat dark chocolate. It’s all in the mindset. I know if I eat gluten I will get really sick. If I eat the other foods I am allergic to I will break out in hives. It’s a health issue with me. It took me a long time before I was “compliant”. Lots of prayer and exercise helps too.
P.S. I was once a sugar holic too. Once you take it out of your diet, you don’t crave it any more. Another snack I eat is almonds or pecans. Forgot to mention those.
Going gluten free meant more than just a better tummy. It also got rid of all the muscle and body aches I used to get. Gluten intolerance is more common than people realize.
About 6 months ago we (really my husband) started making a HUGE breakfast every morning before heading to the office. He usually makes eggs, with pancakes or french toast or oatmeal or whole grain toast and a big bowl of fruit and a bowl of nuts. Maybe once every other week he’ll include turkey sausage or bacon. It has made a noticeable difference in everyone’s energy and moods. I like that no one bothers me for a snack for at least 2.5 hours (often 3+) after breakfast. We really stress that the kids have a good portion of protein and often have them eat some nuts while waiting for the rest of the meal. We still serve pancakes, but we (he;-) makes them smaller.
Seeing as how nutrition is a big topic for me lately, let me just add this:
It has been observed repeatedly that as “pre-civilized” societies transition to modern, Western diets, the rates of obesity and the many “diseases of civilization” (diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.), which are usually very low on traditional, native diets, increase dramatically. India is just one current example.
The common thread linking these various cases isn’t protein or fat — it’s refined carbs. There’s a clear pattern over the past couple of centuries: as sugar, white flour, white rice, etc. are introduced within a culture, a variety of diet-related health problems follow.
Also, consider this: over the past 30 years in this country, as the official recommendation to eat a low-fat, high-carb diet has become established and has changed the way we eat, the rates of obesity and the diseases of civilization have increased faster than ever.
I only have a couple of things to add to this great discussion.
1. White whole-wheat flour. My family won’t eat muffins, cookies, pancakes, etc made with whole wheat flour, but I’ve found the white whole wheat bakes up like all-purpose, but has the whole grain and fiber content of whole wheat. I actually don’t even buy all-purpose anymore.
2. when you make muffins, cookies, etc at home, you can easily cut the sugar in half in most recipes. I actually find that I prefer my baked goods less sweet and when I do make them with full sugar, they are far too sweet to even enjoy.
3. Applesauce or pureed cooked lentils (sounds crazy, but it actually works and tastes great!) can be used to replace half the fat in baked goods and add some additional nutritional value, without compromising texture.
Also, I am a bit nervous about preservatives. It can’t possibly be healthy to ingest all of those chemicals that are designed to keep food from spoiling…like real food is supposed to do. I admit that I’m a label reader. I used to do the mostly organic thing, but not since I did a lot more objective research on the matter. Still, I try to avoid as much as possible preservatives and artificial anything. But if something unpronounceable occasionally makes it into my cart and onto my table, what can I say? I’m a busy mom who does her best, and sometimes it’s what I can manage…
Hmmm…I am 3 weeks postpartum and this issue is of course on my mind. I gained 60 lbs with this pregnancy and am down 20 from that (from just water weight and labor) and have 40 to go. ugh. I hate facing that mountain. I am trying really hard to not eat sweets as dieting while nursing is not an option. It’s gonna be a long road…
Mary- thank you for your comment…..I really appreciate it! 🙂
Also, I forgot to add another thing….I read Mariel Hemingway’s Healthy Living from the Inside Out and she discusses at great length foods called “noisy foods” that really upset our system/well-being. She really explains in depth a lot about what we eat and how it affects us. It is really excellent and easy reading (very interesting) and taught me a lot about good food to put into our bodies! It would be my number one recommendation to anyone looking toward a healthier lifestyle.
Wow! This is a great thread and just what I needed. I too am addicted to sugar, I can barely live without chocolate somedays. My weight had really yo-yoed with being pregnant and also some food allergies. After DS1 I actually got down to my ideal weight because I had to go on an elimination diet to figure out my food allergies (no refined sugar, no gluten dairy, eggs etc.) now we know that I can’t have dairy or peanuts so it is less complicated but I have quickly stepped back into bad habits. DS2 is 11 mos, I platued after a quick loss of 40 lbs after the birth and was stuck at 20 lbs above ideal. Then I found out baby #3 is on the way. I am still in the 1st trimester and I am trying really hard to minimize the weight gain. This is hard because although protein does help the nasuea, only carbs sound good. I am trying to avoid an excess of junk food, but I have been counting calories and heard that I should stay above 2000 calories a day (when I started counting them I was averging 2200-2300 a day) Since cutting out a lot of junk food, I usually end up around 1800 a day unless I happen to eat something “naughty” like a big dessert or fast food. Anybody know what a healthy range for pregnancy is? Should I just eat the junk food to get the calories up? I am maintaining weight right now (9 weeks preg)
Some people mentioned preservatives and chemicals in foods. I try to avoid processed foods. My food bill has come down tremendously because of this. I am becoming a purist I guess. The more “natural” the better. I also buy organic fruit and veggies when I can.
I think I forgot to mention the carbs I eat in my earlier post. I make brown rice in the beginning of the week, or quinoa and use it all week for breakfasts some days ( I add fruit, almond milk and a few nuts) , lunch other days (I add garlic, beans, some greens and vinegrette) and dinner another day (beans and rice or quinoa and rice).
I remember those nursing days when all’s I wanted to do all day was eat and eat and eat. The weight always came off quickly, but then when baby was about a year old I started gaining a little bit at a time. It was frustrating! Exercise seems to be the key with me. I also have a thyroid issue, so it was extra hard for me to lose the weight. Yoga and walking have really helped me lose this time.
Being diabetic, protein and complex carbohydrates are best for my blood sugar. Fortunately I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, and most of my cravings, when they arise, are for meat and fish.
My problem though is an inordinate desire for rich foods – fish sauteed in butter, chicken with skin on, heavy cream sauces. Full-flavored and full in fat. It is a form of gluttony, isn’t it?
Danielle,
I am so happy you are finally talking about this, as I have thought about bringing the subject up for a few months now, especially with your diet coke announcement.
My life was a living h*ll after having four children in five years, as well as being a recovering alcoholic. I ended up on nine different medications for “mental health issues” and was hospitalized 4 times in 6 weeks.
My prayers were finally answered when I found the work of Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons, author of “Potatoes Not Prozac” and the “Sugar Addicts Total Recovery Program” (she also has a book dedicated to children, “Little Sugar Addicts”). I read the first page of SATRP and knew that I had finally found my answer, and it wasn’t drugs. Suddenly, my life made sense. I am a sugar sensitive.
I have been medication free for over 4 years, have a wonderful family, and I am finishing up my degree, all by changing what and when I eat. I have been sugar free for over 3 years. Best of all, my daily craving for alcohol has left…something that had not happened even with daily 12-Step meetings. God kept me sober until I found this program, and He led me to it one day by “accident”. =)
Yes, fake sugar triggers the neurotransmitters in our brain and primes them for doses of sugar, setting up a vicious circle of highs and lows. You don’t have to be an alcoholic to be sugar sensitive. I no longer crave sugar or miss it. You can read more about the program at:
http://www.radiantrecovery.com
There is a wealth of information. Best of all, it’s free!
Yes, it is me again LOL. I meant to say beans and rice or quinoa and beans.
I said: (beans and rice or quinoa and rice).
Wow!
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one addicted to sugar. The thought of totally kicking the habit seems so impossible. I’m going to look into the sugar addict recovery program. For those of you who have kicked the habit, I’m so impressed. How do you live with out sugar?
Been through this all as weight gain was always a problem. I, on average, gained 2# a year. That doesn’t sound bad, but take that x 40 years!!!!
Kristen — I know this is controversial, but the science behind the fat-is-bad message has never been very good.
I was skeptical myself, but I’m now convinced that dietary fat (whether saturated or not) isn’t bad for you. It’s the refined carbs that are dangerous.
It’s a shame that so many books on diet, disease, and weight control are based on opinion and junk science. As far as I’m concerned, the book “Good Calories, Bad Calories” is the best one out there on this topic, and one of the few really worth reading.
For me winter is worse for food but I drink lots of tea. Summer I eat better but have too many sugary drinks (and I love a good summer brew!) One reason summer is easy is belonging to a CSA farm (community supported agriculture). Every week I get several bags of organic produce handed to me, there are other things I can pick as well. There is great motivation to use and eat the veggies before they go bad.
I’m 38 weeks pregnant with my fourth baby (2 boys ages 3 and 1 and a baby in heaven), and I have gestational diabetes with this one, as well as when I was pregnant with my second son. I’ve been able to control my blood sugar through changing my diet, and I’ve found the same thing that Danielle did — I feel so much better when I’m eating the way I should! I actually feel like I did when I was a child — when I wasn’t tired all the time, and had boundless energy! And I feel this way when I’m pregnant! Of course, once I have the baby, though I’d like to contine eating well, I’ll probably backslide …
The nutritionist I saw when I was first diagnosed when I was pregnant with my second son gave me a “formula” to follow for meals that I have found to be brilliant: at every meal, be sure to have a protein, a carb, and a fat. Something about how the body burns through each of those things helps you feel fuller longer (I’m not a scientist — this is just what I remember her telling me). So I try to remember that formula at every meal … the big breakfast one commenter talked about above fits into that — protein being eggs and meat (bacon, sausage), fat being bacon/sausage, butter on toast, carb being the toast … if eat a breakfast like that, I might not be hungry again until late afternoon! Of course “good” fats are better — olive oil, avocados, etc. … another great meal for me is a big salad — I put a heap of lettuce on a plate with leftover sliced chicken, croutons, and dressing (I splurge on salad dressing — I don’t worry about how much fat or how expensive) — that’s it! And, again, if I have that early in the day (I even have it for breakfast sometimes!) I might not be hungry again til later in the afternoon.
Nuts, yogurt, string cheese are all good snacks … and I get a trail mix from the organic section of the grocery store that has unsweetened chocolate bits in it … I don’t know why (maybe because it’s unsweetened?) but that chocolate doesn’t really affect my blood sugar, and it tastes great to me!
P.S. And I just drink water, so I don’t have to worry about wasting carbs on a beverage. Also, the re: the nutritionist including carbs in the formula to follow — she said we do need carbs (perhaps this is only a pregnant requirement?), we just have to be careful what kind and how much.
Ryan-
Sounds like you’ve been reading Michael Pollan; have you? I read In Defense of Food and am currently reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Definitely some “food for thought!” I’ve been thinking more about where my food comes from, that’s for sure. I suppose my biggest nutritional obstacle right now is how to afford the types of food my family ought to be eating more of. Organic veggies sure are expensive. We also eat some meat, but there’s no way we can afford beef from grass-fed cows. And the USDA’s “organic” label turns out not to mean what I thought it meant (e.g. “organic” beef can be from a feedlot, not a pasture, and synthetic ingredients are allowed in “organic” processed food).
Maybe I was happpier in my ignorance about what I am eating…
Hi Mike-o (and everyone else)!
You said something about gluten free diets and I have Celiac disease, which you probably know requires a gluten free diet, which is why I’m asking you to please send me any GF recipes are any good. I’m a teacher, so I have the whole summer to bake! eawilliams@henrico.k12.va.us
Two other comments:
1. I was very ill for a while and I had to regain weight in a healthy way and my nutrionist recommended using the South Beach Diet because it uses the glycemic index and it is a great way to incorporate protein, veggies, and good carbs and dessert. It was too strict for my mom who tried it as a way to lose weight, but the book is probably available at the library and she said it is still worth reading even if it is just sort of food for thought. Also, there are some really good healthy recipes in it and they’re not difficult to make, I promise!
2. Gluten free cooking and baking can be tough sometimes and also expensive sometimes. I do think it is a healthy way to eat, but if I didn’t have to because of my health issues, I wouldn’t do it most of the time. There are health benefits, but I think life is too short to not occasionally enjoy a good, chewy cookie or a piece of real, full-of-gluten bread smeared with real butter and jam!
Ok, and actually one more thing…
When I met with dietician about my health issues, I was really upset about the changes I would have to make and I never had considered myself an emotional eater. He was very clear with me. He said, “Stop making this about your feelings. Food is your body’s fuel. Period. You need to make healthy choices or you will hurt yourself.” That little talking to has stayed with me. When I start to slack or am tempted to eat something I know I really can’t (because of Celiac or because it is just junk and I’ve had enough junk), I recall that chat. I especially think of that experience when I’m shopping because if I don’t have junk food in the house in the first place, it is much more difficult to indulge my cravings.
I’m 41 and have four children and I’ve never had a weight problem in my life. I’m 5’4 and weigh 125 lbs. My weight has been the same for most of my adult life. I gained about 30 lbs for each baby and lost all of the weight by 12 mos post partum. I nursed all my babies exclusively for at least 6 mos.
Here’s my simple plan for keeping slim.
1. Eat breakfast upon waking every day. I alternate between cereal/banana/2% milk and two eggs and 1 slice of toast, coffee and watered down cranberry juice.
2. No snacks
3. lunch is leftovers from dinner or sandwich with apple. No soda (not even diet) but I will have diet iced tea. I usually have a piece of chocolate after lunch.
4. No snacks
5. dinner is meat, starch and veg. Dessert is ice cream. Oh, and I have a glass of wine (sometimes 2) every night.
6. no eating after dessert.
I walk my dog every day (about 3 miles), rain or shine. I don’t work out at the gym but I do a lot of housework.
I think if you eat enough protein at each meal you won’t be hungry during the day. I’m rarely hungry but I do try to eat every 5 to 6 hours during the day.
I think some of it is genetics, but honestly, I don’t eat any junk food. We do go out to dinner often, and I’ll have pizza at least once a week. But that’s about it.
What a great wealth of knowledge!
I guess I am in the minority with my cravings….I like chips and salty crunchy snacks….more than sweets! It is really hard to find something that isn’t more salt and fat to take the place of my cravings.
Every once in a great while I have a *need* for chocolate and I have a little bit, but then I need something salty to get the aftertaste out of my mouth.
I was blessed to not ever get on a soda kick—I think it might have something to do with what my Auto-Mech shop teacher told me in high school. We were working on a seized engine, and he gave one of the guys a couple of quarters to go buy a can of Coca Cola out of the vending machine—and proceeded to pour it over the engine. Then he said, “That will *EAT* away at all that rust and stuff and the engine will break loose…(!!!!!) I have to say it has never sounded appetizing after that demonstration!
I have a LOT of weight to lose (40 pounds +) and have read FlyLady/Leanne’s book called “Body Clutter” to help with the emotional eating piece. It has helped me realize that I need to take care of myself with healthy foods, and treat myself to things that are not junk….it can be done, I just need to make it a priority.
Please pray for me, and I will pray for everyone who wants to eat/exercise/live in a more healthy manner.
I did the Light Weigh program. Basically you can eat anything you want but only when you’re hungry and in small portions. If you follow this advice, you won’t be eating carbs or anything else in excess because your portions will be controlled. It makes a lot of sense to eat only when your body needs to, and the Light Weigh teaches that if you cut out everything you crave, then you have a tendency to crave it even more and lose control. Of course there are people who shouldn’t eat certain things because of health reasons. This is a great program for anyone trying to become more detached from food. God bless, Gina
Kris commented “I am trying really hard to not eat sweets as dieting while nursing is not an option.” I just wanted to throw in a plug for Weight Watchers – it is compatible with breastfeeding. You get ten additional “points” each day if you are breastfeeding. I was very skeptical at first, but decided to give WW a shot because the baby weight would not budge. Now I love it! I am still breastfeeding, and I use the online version of WW because I don’t have time for meetings.
To those suggesting a gluten-free diet: some people gain weight while on this, too. Like me. Of course, being unhealthy and malnourished from eating gluten in the first place made me too thin. I still don’t think I would suggest that people go completely gluten free, as there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wheat unless your body is (mysteriously) programmed to fight against it. I do think it leads to a more healthy diet because you have to focus on ingredients more.
Also, using alternative grains and flours (try some bean flours in baking for added protein and less fat) in your meals (I promise, wheat is not bad for you unless you’re intolerant). Whole wheat pasta is good, of course, and many of the gluten free alternatives (brown rice pasta, quinoa, chickpea flour, almond meal, etc.) can be added to your diet to boost nutrients. They’re also “sneaky” in that you can’t tell a difference in taste, usually. As mentioned above: Fiber is your friend! 🙂
oh, I meant to say that it could be worth looking up gluten-free baking recipes for sneaky ways to pack in proteins and whole grains. Glutenfreeda.com is a major source.