Trying to give up or cut down on Sugar intake

[Schnavel]

 

oxymoron

ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn/

noun

 

1. a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true ).

 

 

Yeah, I'm with Odinson on this one - that's a lot of sugar! 

[milky4130]

 

2) I'm not good at limiting myself once a packet of sweets or biscuits are open. It's all or nothing with me. (which is just plain greedy and immature)

 

 

I had to LOL at this,  I thought it was only me that do this. All or nothing. I just scoffed up a Rolo chocolate now, I literally put 2 in my mouth & haven't even chewed & swallowed it when i'm reaching for the next one, can be a likened to a chain smoker, where they light up the next fag before they've finished the one they are currently busy smoking.

 

With that said sugar, was easy to ween off for me over a couple of months. 3 in my coffee or cereal, then 2 then 1 then nothing. Eventually i couldn't drink coffee if someone accidentally put 1 sugar in my coffee it literally become unbearably sweet. this however doesnt apply when it comes to sweets & chocolates.

 

I believe sugar is an addiction just like nicotine & other drugs. The brain & mind needs to be altered to be completely cured.

[Odinson]

Wait. What? Is sugar cane not natural???

 

Ok that was a little sarcastic but seriously - what is a natural sugar and how is it different from sugar?

 

It's refined sugar. Best to avoid adding high amounts of refined sugars to your food. 

[Bateleur1]

Yeah, I'm with Odinson on this one - that's a lot of sugar! 

 

Yes it actually is.  But let me rather not say how much it used to be

 

And just for the record every single blood sugar test I have done my sugar levels were perfect.  Even in the days that I used to consume more sugars.

[lechatnoir]

After cutting out sugar, what do you guys consume during training/races? The majority of the nutrition out there is high in sugar (electrolyte drinks, bars, gels, recovery drinks, etc.)

 

water and droe wors... and coconut oil.

[dave303e]

Just limit yourself, 1 sweet/chocolate a week. Drink real coffee and it is easier not to have sugar in it, as above- after a few weeks you won't be able to handle coffee with sugar.

 

The rest gets easier with time.

My 2c, every time you want something sweet, put the value of what you would eat in a jar, in 3 months time go buy yourself something lekker and the more you have in the jar the happier you will be. My mrs did this to justify buying a new sports watch, in 3 months she hit her target.

[Eldron]

It's refined sugar. Best to avoid adding high amounts of refined sugars to your food. 

 

 

So orange juice is good but coke is bad?

[shaper]

Hmm. 

 

First off, sugar does not cause diabetes. Animal protein is one of the primary causes of Type-2 diabetes.

 

You also do not need to add refined sugar to your diet. You can get a sufficient amount of natural sugars through fruit consumption, with the added benefit of an increase in your dietary fiber intake. 

 

It just take discipline.

Interesting statement you make there... care to give some hard facts to back this up?

 

18 months ago I was diagnosed pre-diabetic and told to cut sugar and carbs and increase protein.... so apart from a lot of eggs, my nutritionist increased my intake of meat (chicken/beef) and fish... all high in animal protein.

 

Being on a low carb high protein diet/lifestyle, my blood sugar levels are under control (monitored weekly), so now have minimal carbs and the only sugar is natural sugar in food

 

Edit: @Bonus, cold turkey the only way, you will feel like crap for 2-3 weeks, but will get through it.  Drink lots of water as your body starts drawing on your existing sugar/carb stores.... headaches are common from dehydration during this time

[ChUkKy]

 

2) I'm not good at limiting myself once a packet of sweets or biscuits are open. It's all or nothing with me. (which is just plain greedy and immature)

 

 

 

This is me.

 

(which is just plain greedy and immature) PLEASE DONT BE SO JUDGEMENTAL

 

 

[Odinson]

So orange juice is good but coke is bad?

 

Are we talking about peeled, pulped oranges or Minute Maid?

[Eldron]

Interesting statement you make there... care to give some hard facts to back this up?

 

18 months ago I was diagnosed pre-diabetic and told to cut sugar and carbs and increase protein.... so apart from a lot of eggs, my nutritionist increased my intake of meat (chicken/beef) and fish... all high in animal protein.

 

Being on a low carb high protein diet/lifestyle, my blood sugar levels are under control (monitored weekly), so now have minimal carbs and the only sugar is natural sugar in food

 

It sounds more like you are in diabetes-2 territory - read this: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/

 

***I'm an engineer so don't trust what I'm about to say***

 

Sugar/fruit sugar/natural sugar/refined sugar/simple carbs are all the same to the body. Typically as you add complexity to the carb or fiber/protein/fat to the sugar the rate at which is breaks down slows.

 

The problem is not the amount of sugar (that will just be extra energy and cause fat if not used) but the rate at which the sugar/simple carb is absorbed.

 

Rapid rise in blood sugar and the resulting insulin secretion is what is bad for the body.

 

"

• Type 2 diabetes usually develops gradually over a number of years, beginning when muscle and other cells stop responding to insulin. This condition, known as insulin resistance, causes blood sugar and insulin levels to stay high long after eating. Over time, the heavy demands made on the insulin-making cells wears them out, and insulin production eventually stops."

Be a little wary of natural sugar - for example orange juice is quite similar to coke from an absorption rate and health point of view.

As I understand it - the secret is to not have sugar in isolation (like coke, orange juice, sweets etc) - always add something else to slow the absorption rate (lower the  GI).

[Eldron]

Are we talking about peeled, pulped oranges or Minute Maid?

 

Read my post above and you'll see where I was going with this...

[madbradd]

water and droe wors... and coconut oil.

 

I get the dry wors and water. When we did Transbaviaans I carried a bit of everything with me - dry wors, nuts, sweets, and gel (The EFS stuff which is supposed to have a higher lipid content - more like condensed milk than other gels).

 

Followup questions:

 

1: How do you package the coconut oil?

           a: How is it physically packaged when you ride?

           b: How much per "serving"?

2: Are you banting/LCHF, or is this just an effective way of avoiding sugar rather than carbs in general?

[OneLove]

 

First off, sugar does not cause diabetes. Animal protein is one of the primary causes of Type-2 diabetes.

 

 

Is there a button for extra bold?

[shaper]

It sounds more like you are in diabetes-2 territory - read this: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/

 

***I'm an engineer so don't trust what I'm about to say***

 

Sugar/fruit sugar/natural sugar/refined sugar/simple carbs are all the same to the body. Typically as you add complexity to the carb or fiber/protein/fat the the sugar the rate at which is breaks down slows.

 

The problem is not the amount of sugar (that will just be extra energy and cause fat if not used) but the rate at which the sugar/simple carb is absorbed.

 

Rapid rise in blood sugar and the resulting insulin secretion is what is bad for the body.

 

"

• Type 2 diabetes usually develops gradually over a number of years, beginning when muscle and other cells stop responding to insulin. This condition, known as insulin resistance, causes blood sugar and insulin levels to stay high long after eating. Over time, the heavy demands made on the insulin-making cells wears them out, and insulin production eventually stops."

Be a little wary of natural sugar - for example orange juice is quite similar to coke from an absorption rate and health point of view.

As I understand it - the secret is to not have sugar in isolation (like coke, orange juice, sweets etc) - always add something else to slow the absorption rate (lower the  GI).

Was close to type 2, blood tests caught it earlier enough, lifestyle change and diet have it under control, so much so that can eat normally... but actually enjoy the low carb high protein diet more... feel more healthily.

 

With regard to sugar absorption, agree not to have in isolation else if you do then try to spread further sugar intake over a prolonged period if possible

 

Even 18 months after giving up sugar in tea and coffee, I still catch myself reaching for the sugar jar occasionally..... habits die hard !! 

[Eldron]

Even 18 months after giving up sugar in tea and coffee, I still catch myself reaching for the sugar jar occasionally..... habits die hard !! 

 

You, me and most other people on the planet!!!!!