Cutting back/out sugar

[nailz]

i think some people are overanalysing this. sugar consumption is a habit just like smoking. you just need to wean yourself off of it. avoid all of the obvious sources of sugar like fast food and snacks. use sweeteners to help at the beginning: i started with substituting stevia and erythritol for sugar in my coffee, recipes, etc and drinking sugarfree sodas. now i don't drink sodas or packaged fruit juices at all, drink unsweetened coffee, and most of my recipes have no added sugar. once you've weaned yourself off of the typical oversweetened north american diet, healthy natural foods will taste sweet enough to you.

it gets easier as you go. you'll reach a point where you realize just how oversweetened the junk people eat daily really is, and wonder how you could have eaten it at all. the same goes for salt.

 

[sangheili90]

I'm assuming you are referring to added sugars and not whole carb foods. Anyway, I think a very elementary means of looking at this would be to compare added sugar to that of salt and fats, in the form of oils and butters. Overtime, you develop a taste for these additives and without them your food may taste bland. Seek to cut back on processed foods that you buy in a box that are "secretly" loaded with added sugars. If you add sugar to your foods, try to overtime cut back and/or totally eliminate them from your diet. I'd also suggest starting to replace this with whole food carbs, this will not only provide your body with the nutrition it needs but will make it less likely for you to eye that piece of candy sitting there at the check out line. I know if I don't eat an adequate amount of dietary carbohydrate throughout the day I'll start craving sugary foods to replenish my depleted glycogen stores.

 

[TheRob]

i think some people are overanalysing this. sugar consumption is a habit just like smoking. you just need to wean yourself off of it. avoid all of the obvious sources of sugar like fast food and snacks. use sweeteners to help at the beginning: i started with substituting stevia and erythritol for sugar in my coffee, recipes, etc and drinking sugarfree sodas. now i don't drink sodas or packaged fruit juices at all, drink unsweetened coffee, and most of my recipes have no added sugar. once you've weaned yourself off of the typical oversweetened north american diet, healthy natural foods will taste sweet enough to you.

it gets easier as you go. you'll reach a point where you realize just how oversweetened the junk people eat daily really is, and wonder how you could have eaten it at all. the same goes for salt.

you mean dat ass was built without sugar?

 

[1031939]

I'm assuming you are referring to added sugars and not whole carb foods. Anyway, I think a very elementary means of looking at this would be to compare added sugar to that of salt and fats, in the form of oils and butters. Overtime, you develop a taste for these additives and without them your food may taste bland. Seek to cut back on processed foods that you buy in a box that are "secretly" loaded with added sugars. If you add sugar to your foods, try to overtime cut back and/or totally eliminate them from your diet. I'd also suggest starting to replace this with whole food carbs, this will not only provide your body with the nutrition it needs but will make it less likely for you to eye that piece of candy sitting there at the check out line. I know if I don't eat an adequate amount of dietary carbohydrate throughout the day I'll start craving sugary foods to replenish my depleted glycogen stores.

That is actually an accurate statement. I am hypoglycemic so I actually need to eat breads. Not cake bread. If I don't have it my body freaks out. But the added sugar is the big concern. Good advice man, thanks!

 

[1031939]

i think some people are overanalysing this. sugar consumption is a habit just like smoking. you just need to wean yourself off of it. avoid all of the obvious sources of sugar like fast food and snacks. use sweeteners to help at the beginning: i started with substituting stevia and erythritol for sugar in my coffee, recipes, etc and drinking sugarfree sodas. now i don't drink sodas or packaged fruit juices at all, drink unsweetened coffee, and most of my recipes have no added sugar. once you've weaned yourself off of the typical oversweetened north american diet, healthy natural foods will taste sweet enough to you.

it gets easier as you go. you'll reach a point where you realize just how oversweetened the junk people eat daily really is, and wonder how you could have eaten it at all. the same goes for salt.

Excellent advice nailz thank you!

 

[1031939]

you mean dat ass was built without sugar?

Indeed! This ass is not made with sugar. This stomach and thigh chub is though. Lol.

 

[ronin001]

Good luck, fingers crossed for your willpower

 

[Jeff Powers]

First off if you are hear to preach please leave this page, however advice is much appreciated. Thank you.
So I really just need some solid advice to help cut back on sugar consumption.
With the fall/winter holidays' coming up it is getting harder and harder to avoid it. So what do you do to dodge it? How did you transition off or to less? Etc.

Gelflingfay,
I will also agree with the suggestions for honey as a substitute. Another choice that I have enjoyed is raw, organic pure maple syrup. Give it a try.....

 

[nailz]

Many of my friends are happily eating what they think are 'healthier' sugars. Raw sugar, brown sugar, date sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.

Once you are fit and healthy, sure, why not shift your focus towards eating arguably healthier alternatives. Often people who are trying to get in shape get lost in the organic/bio/natural/unprocessed/grass-fed/free-range/gmo free/local/etc world and lose sight of their macros and the basic calories in/out equation.

Many people seem to think that just because they are eating, for example, pound cake made with natural turbinado sugar, gmo free spelt flour and organic butter that they are eating healthy. The first step to getting in shape is getting your macros and calories in/out in order. For the most part, date sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup are going to have the exact same effect on your body. If you want to lose weight, cut sugar out of your diet in any form.

Same goes for the dozens of different types of 'healthy' flours and fats. Yes, coconut oil is arguably healthier than canola oil which is arguably healthier than lard. But they're all around 120 calories a tablespoon, and that's what you should be focused on if you want to lose weight. Get your macros in order first and then worry about the fine print.

 

[Snarky_succubus]

Many of my friends are happily eating what they think are 'healthier' sugars. Raw sugar, brown sugar, date sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.

Once you are fit and healthy, sure, why not shift your focus towards eating arguably healthier alternatives. Often people who are trying to get in shape get lost in the organic/bio/natural/unprocessed/grass-fed/free-range/gmo free/local/etc world and lose sight of their macros and the basic calories in/out equation.

Many people seem to think that just because they are eating, for example, pound cake made with natural turbinado sugar, gmo free spelt flour and organic butter that they are eating healthy. The first step to getting in shape is getting your macros and calories in/out in order. For the most part, date sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup are going to have the exact same effect on your body. If you want to lose weight, cut sugar out of your diet in any form.

Same goes for the dozens of different types of 'healthy' flours and fats. Yes, coconut oil is arguably healthier than canola oil which is arguably healthier than lard. But they're all around 120 calories a tablespoon, and that's what you should be focused on if you want to lose weight. Get your macros in order first and then worry about the fine print.

This. This. 100x this.

 

[Golfbuddy]

Many of my friends are happily eating what they think are 'healthier' sugars. Raw sugar, brown sugar, date sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.

Once you are fit and healthy, sure, why not shift your focus towards eating arguably healthier alternatives. Often people who are trying to get in shape get lost in the organic/bio/natural/unprocessed/grass-fed/free-range/gmo free/local/etc world and lose sight of their macros and the basic calories in/out equation.

Many people seem to think that just because they are eating, for example, pound cake made with natural turbinado sugar, gmo free spelt flour and organic butter that they are eating healthy. The first step to getting in shape is getting your macros and calories in/out in order. For the most part, date sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup are going to have the exact same effect on your body. If you want to lose weight, cut sugar out of your diet in any form.

Same goes for the dozens of different types of 'healthy' flours and fats. Yes, coconut oil is arguably healthier than canola oil which is arguably healthier than lard. But they're all around 120 calories a tablespoon, and that's what you should be focused on if you want to lose weight. Get your macros in order first and then worry about the fine print.

There is so much misunderstanding about food and nutrition today, and you nailed it regarding sugar. But for fats, not so much. Lard is in fact a healthy fat, just like olive oil and coconut oil. Contrary to what people think, you don't get fat by eating fat. Your body loves to use fat for energy. Unhealthy fats are man-made horrors: canola, hydrogenated vegetable oil (shortening), corn oil and some others are terrible for you. People who live a low carb lifestyle freely eat fats like lard and heavy cream without worry.

 

[nailz]

There is so much misunderstanding about food and nutrition today, and you nailed it regarding sugar. But for fats, not so much. Lard is in fact a healthy fat, just like olive oil and coconut oil. Contrary to what people think, you don't get fat by eating fat. Your body loves to use fat for energy. Unhealthy fats are man-made horrors: canola, hydrogenated vegetable oil (shortening), corn oil and some others are terrible for you. People who live a low carb lifestyle freely eat fats like lard and heavy cream without worry.

You do get fat by eating a surplus of calories, and fats are typically the most calorie-dense foods.
If you are in a caloric surplus excess calories from fat, carbs, and even protein are all going to be stored as fat.

My point is that anyone looking to lose weight needs to focus on the simple calories in/out equation before they start worrying about anything else. I often come across overweight people who are super knowledgeable about alternative fats/sugars/grains and where their produce comes from and whether or not its GMO/free trade/organic/gluten free/free range/grass fed/soy free/unprocessed/etc yet they have no clue how many calories it contains or how many they should be eating a day.

 

[inspectordickins]

I agree with nailz, btw if some of you are looking for health/diet advice, there's an amazing channel called PictureFit on YouTube.
The videos are short, straight to the point and even have a little humorous touch:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCadiU6WTKl65HUwEih1XLYg

 

[W4_Hung]

fruit

 

[Snarky_succubus]

fruit

Hmmmm

Ice cream
http://www.healthcastle.com/nutrition-faceoff-haagen-dazs-vanilla-ice-cream-vs-frozen-yogurt

Fruit

http://greatist.com/health/sugar-wise-how-fruits-stack

Dark chocolate

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-dark-chocolate.html


My point?
Fruit isn't really the answer either.
Nailz really said it all.
Macros. Calories in vs. calories out. Fruit has lots of sugar in it too. Some worse than others obviously... but still. It's just not that simple.
Alternatives to sweets aren't always better...

 

[W4_Hung]

Eating fruit is better than eating refined sugars, or just replacing the craving with bro protein diets.
Of course he needs to get calories in vs out in check, but fruit is easier to manage your appetite with at least for most due to the fiber & water.

 

[Snarky_succubus]

Eating fruit is better than eating refined sugars, or just replacing the craving with bro protein diets.
Of course he needs to get calories in vs out in check, but fruit is easier to manage your appetite with at least for most due to the fiber & water.

First of all... She... not he.
Second of all... those things are true but simply eating fruit doesn't really fix the problem. Especially not if you're someone with a wicked sweet tooth or a candy habit. Being conscious of how much sugar is in your food and how many calories you need vs. how many you consume and adjusting accordingly does, though. It also allows you the space to give in to a chocolate craving in a controlled and manageable way.

 

[nailz]

Every one I know who has tried to lose weight by eating fruit hasn't lost a pound (one actually gained weight).
Fruit is very high calorie for what it is, yet people tend to think its a 'free' food.

The most important part is to be aware of what you are putting into your body.
You can lose weight eating walmart bacon and you can gain weight eating organic gmo-free quinoa. There are no magic diets or foods to which the simple calories in/out equation doesn't apply.

 

[nudebodybuilder]

A tough question. My personal opinion is do what feels right to you, and I personally know what I should and should not eat and boy I have a sweet tooth from hell.

Started to cut back, not quitting my sweet habit. cranked up the workout and a little bit more and a little bit more cardio.
As I am get'n older its get'n tougher...but I am enjoying life. My two cents.

 

[1031939]

A tough question. My personal opinion is do what feels right to you, and I personally know what I should and should not eat and boy I have a sweet tooth from hell.

Started to cut back, not quitting my sweet habit. cranked up the workout and a little bit more and a little bit more cardio.
As I am get'n older its get'n tougher...but I am enjoying life. My two cents.

That is about where I am at. I rufuse to try to rid myself of it completely. That is not at all realistic for me. So I take all of this as information and suggestions.
Not everyone with a sweet tooth has to kill it. So might need to remove it and some just need to cut back. It varies from person to person as everyone is different. So your approach is also good.

The fruit arguement:
I just try to eat more apples. About 1-2 a day or a carrot. Then I still might have a cookie or 3. But those apples got me to eat less cookies than I would have eaten and also gave me fiber and various nutrients. And even though the sugars are in there it is a far healthier and easier to process sugar giving me a healthier mindset thus making me more conscious of food choices. Fruits, though some might be high in sugar, are still a better choice no matter what you argue against it. It works with the body not against. And anyone I have ever known to gain weight while eating fruit as their substitute has either had a subtle allergic reaction to it thus causing mad bloat and water retention, it increased their fiber intake to much so they were becoming constipated and the feces kept building in their gut, or they were still not exercise enough and possibly added to many calories in another direction. So let us not hate on our fruit shall we people.