Americans' sugar bingeing

[gaia227]

AngelMom - how often do you eat? I tried to lose weight there for a while and nothing happened - gave up soda, fast food, etc, etc but then I joined Weight Watchers and realized my biggest problem was that I wasn't eating often enough so my metabolism was slow. I am really bad about going for hours and waiting until I am starving and then eating like one big meal a day. I started eating five times a day - 3 well portioned meals and 2 snacks (yogurt, fruit, nuts) and the pounds started coming off because my metabolism became much more active. I lost about 20lbs total with not a whole lot of effort.

 

[arielilane]

I eat 5 to 6 small snacks a day. I rarely eat a whole meal at once (that is what got me in trouble to begin with). Lol

I don’t have any weight to lose now. However, I am maintaining my current weight (I too used to have a front butt). I make it a way of life for me, because it will always be with me. Foods will always be an issue with me.

It is important what you tell yourself. Love yourself everyday, don’t be so hard on yourself, be patience, and want it more than anything else.

Eat for nutrition and energy only…Don’t eat because the food is there, or you are bored, depressed, lonely or angry. Emotions can be dealt with positive thinking and doing positive things, rather than choosing food. Food will win because you have everything against you... besides yourself; you have the food companies who want your dollars. Stay true to yourself. You are worth it and your life depends on it.


LOL: I had never heard the expression "front butt". Too funny...not really, but how true.

 

[arielilane]

I did not know what "red vines" were so I Googled it. I thought it was a line of wines. lol
http://www.redvines.com/

 

[Chiquita71]

Hello WS

I am so happy to read all of your responses.

I would like to address: candida albicans. C. albicans is commensal and is among the gut flora, the many organisms which live in the human mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Candida albicans is a diploid fungus (a form of yeast), which is incapable of sexual reproduction and meiosis, and a causal agent of opportunistic oral and genital infections in humans. (Taken from Wikipedia)

I have candida. I believe it began with too many antibiotics, in conjunction with me not taking them correctly or drinking alcohol while taking them. Yeast infections can be a sign, when you get them over and over again.

Candida LIVES on sugar. It loves it sooo much! Do a search for candida and you will get all the medical stuff-but I will give you my take on it. When the candida(which is a living organism: yeast, fungus)that lives in your digestive tract gets compromised(for different reasons)the candida starts to over grow, pushing out other beneficial flora natural to your digestion tract. The candida give off their own waste(they are pooping and peeing in you, not really because they are plants but its their version of what we do...) that waste is like (not to be too dramatic) a "poison" to your body.

Now this is also called(sometimes) "leaky gut" and I want to let everyone know: no doctor has told me this stuff. This is in no way professional medical advice. No doctor ever had any thing to say to me about my weight except: lose it.

(okay, do I want to get deep into how the medical field treats the obese? How they themselves admit predjuice and ignorance when it comes to obesity. If conversation goes that way I will post the humiliating experiences I have had with doctors because of my weight.)

So, this is all what I have figured out on my own. Anyway, leaky gut...
Leaky gut syndrome describes a condition of altered or damaged bowel lining, caused by antibiotics, toxins, poor diet, parasites or infection can lead to increased permeability of the gut wall to toxins, microbes, undigested food, waste or larger than normal macromolecules.[1] It has been proposed that these substances affect the body directly, while others postulate an immune reaction to these substances. -Wikipedia

Bloating, severe bloating. Weight gain, headaches, depression, difficult bowl movements...just feeling like crap in general, knowing something is wrong, and wanting to feel better.

My husband, who is "normal size" started getting a belly. Not a front butt but that 'old man' pregnant belly. He did not gain too much weight everywhere else but that belly kept getting bigger and bigger...and he does not drink alcohol so we didn't think it was a 'beer gut.' Well, he got off the HFCS and the chemicals and guess what? His waist is now smaller than when I met him twelve years ago AND he is a smaller pants size than he was in his twenties.(He's 40)

This is not a diet. This is not about anything other than not eating chemicals. Going back to eating REAL FOODS. Not everybody, but some bodies cannot and do not process these chemicals. Our bodies do not know what to do with them and so our other normal processes get messed up in thousands of ways.

Has anyone ever seen the show on the BBC called "you are what you eat?" This is what a food expert in england has found: fast food, processed foods: especially processed sugars and chemical additives are making you obese. When she shows people that they can eat whole healthy foods, as much of them as they want: they drastically loose weight and enjoy eating the new way as opposed to the old way. These are not "hollywood" obese. These are people like me: my body is the poster child for obesity. Being overweight and being obese are two different things to me.

Obesity is tied into diabetes which my paternal grandmother had: you might find you actually have a high metabolism. I do. The HFCS and processed foods mess with that because your body WANTS to burn that food up: but it is NOT FOOD, so it can only store it somewhere, everywhere in your body. Then add in the toxins from the candida that is loving the supercharged sugar HFCS and ta da! Obesity.

My fat was hard and stiff. I was very compact with my fat. In less than six months I am so jiggly! That sounds bad maybe to some but I can tell that the fat my body was packing on and on...has gone away. I am not fit and trim but I have so much more mobility-it is hard to explain. I will be jiggly any day over the hard packed body I had before.

A waist! I have a waist now. Before, my belly started under my breasts and didn't stop till it was (way)past my :woohoo: As I said in my other post my front butt(glad ya all liked that) has gotten amazingly smaller. That in itself makes it worth it for me to continue this way. Not that I would or could go back to eating that other stuff. I do not see it as food any more.

When I see a McDonald's commercial: I go to the Fresh Market get me some ground beef and some home made hamburger buns, cheese from the deli...anything I want on it-cook it up...have organic french fries...a european soda or organic chocolate milk that I put in the freezer to get icy cold: YUM! And I am getting smaller and smaller and healthier and healthier everyday.

I love talking about this. I know I missed saying so much and I have so much more to say and share. This thread is about sugar addiction but I would love to talk about obesity through this discussion about sugar: which I think are very connected and go hand in hand. But I don't want to go too far ot. If the mods do not mind and no one here minds: until someone says anything I just have to add in the obesity conversation. If we need to start another thread and anyone was interested I would like that too.

Thank you everyone for sharing.

...jmo

 

[Chiquita71]

Way to go Chiquita71!! Your posts are inspirational!! When you say sugar in its raw form -- I saw some packages called "sugar in the raw" and I'm wondering if that is what you mean.

I have removed *most* of the HFCS from my family's diet. I live in Canada and here it is labeled as glucose/fructose and a few other sneaky names. I haven't lost any weight yet though.

Salt levels are terrible too. I wish I knew how to cook properly because then it would be easier to eat healthfully. I've got a 13 year old son who is kind of picky but eats non-stop and an uber picky 4 year old who, thankfully, loves veggies. I do let them have their treats but I try to do so in moderation. It is a challenge though!

My son is dying to try a Coke from Mexico!! I have no way of getting it for him though. Coke also makes a kosher version around Passover with real cane sugar but its always sold out when we try to find it.

Quote Respect brighidin

Yes. Real cane sugar. Sugar in the raw, brown rice syrup, natural right from the tree maple syrup, honey...these are all ways non brand name companies sweeten their foods. Any soda, snack, sweet, sinful food you have beat yourself up for eating is made in this healthy way. Am I saying you should or can eat a ton of this type of sweet and it be good for you? No. But you won't want to eat too much. You will love its taste more than you ever loved stuff with HFCS and you will not eat too much of it-you just won't. You body will know just what to do with that sugar and when it has had enough-so will you and you will stop eating.

Cereral. Breakfast cereral. So much sugar. For every name brand there is an organic alternative. My husband loves "Lucy Charms" we buy the organic: they taste exactly the same! They are better. The sweetness is not sharp, it is smooth and nice.

Milk: only organic milk. Too many growth hormones(if you don't need to grow you don't need to have these in your body!), and all the antibiotics they pump into those cows: this leads to antibiotics not working for you when you get sick and you need more and more for the medicine to have an effect. Stronger and stronger antibiotics are being used because people are becoming immune to them. I do not eat any dairy product that is not 100% organic.

Diet foods: the worst foods that exist on the planet IMHO. Pure chemical food. Not food. Aspertain?(sp?)Oh, god yuck! Chemical. Diet mayo, sour cream, yogurt...

Eat real cream, real butter. It is better to cook your food in pure lard which is pure animal fat than to use crisco or name brand cooking oils. They are industrial by-products. I buy only foods made with and using and cook my food in only "cold pressed oils" or any olive oil used for cooking.

I just remembered I wanted to address that you guys are talking about sugar being in medicine and tums and stuff...I hadn't even thought of that stuff yet! When I go to the store I know I look like a loon, picking up everything and reading the label and then yelling down the aisle to my husband holding said product high in my hands, "yup, babe HFCS!" I have not ventured down the medicine aisle. And I am afraid to go to the baby food aisle...

...jmo...

 

[Chiquita71]

Hello WS

Morgan Spurlock in "Super Size Me" shows us how much sugar is in McDonald's foods. The foods on their menu that they say are "healthy" had the most amount of sugar in them. Two girls were suing McDonald's for being responsible for their obesity. Morgan tells you about the case and that this was a main reason he did his documentary. The girls lost their case because it was shown that they did not HAVE to eat McDonald's food. It was their choice and so they lost.

Well, if the obese of America want to win a lawsuit, how could they ever say we did not HAVE to eat ALL the foods in the grocery store? How will they bypass responsibility for putting so much sugar in every food anyone would get at the store? If these companies had knowledge of the connection between obesity and the amount of sugar they were/are putting in their foods then I think we would have a law suit along the lines of the tobacco industry.

People should always have a choice. But when the truth is not given, then people are not making choices, they are being duped. If I start smoking today, I can not say I did not know the risks. But anyone born before today, has a beef in saying they were just eating foods that were available in the store. And, what these companies have really been up to with their hiding of ingredients under phrases such as: other natural ingredients or other natural flavors, will also come to light. This is a way to hide MSG in many products, speaking of a poster who brought up all the extra sodium/salt in foods we buy.

I buy sodium free water. It has to say salt free. Again, who knew there was added or not taken away salt in water? I just realized that this month, after not having all that extra sodium, my ankles are even less bloated. I use only natural sea salt or kosher salt. No more Morton's salt girl for me...!

I have posted a link to the documentary "Super Size Me" on Google video. The page has a few links to the full movie.

http://video.google.com/videosearch...sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4#

...jmo...

 

[gaia227]

I thought Super Size Me was really good and shed an important light on not just McDonald's but the fast food culture we live in.

I do agree with the court's decision regarding the two girls. Hello! YOU went to McDonald's several times and week and made the decision to eat there therefore you are responsible for your weight gain. That is the same as me eating a gallon of Ben and Jerry's every night and then suing them because I gained a bunch of weight. Silly.

You know a lot about this stuff Chicquita which is great and I respect you took the time to learn about what you are putting into your body. I wish, personally, I didn't find it so boring. I have always found the whole subject of nutrition and what ingredients are in our food boring to read about and it seems overwhelming.

I think it is a good example of my avoidance issues coming into play.......

 

[arielilane]

Think Before You Drink


Kicking your liquid-sugar habit may be the easiest route to a flatter belly.


By Tom Hansen, Women's Health
Your diet sucks. No, not the odd cheese-curls-for-dinner days. We mean the average 400 calories a day you suck down through a straw. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that around 37 percent of our total daily liquid calories come from sugar-sweetened drinks. And here's the really crazy part: Guzzling those beverages has a bigger impact on our waistlines than anything else we eat.
"People don't reduce food intake when they drink their calories from soda and other beverages," says Barry Popkin, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina. The silver lining is that cutting back on those oversweetened fluids can be an easy way to kick-start weight loss. Where to begin? This guide is a good place.
Drink these freely:
http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100243909&GT1=31036

 

[Chiquita71]

Hello WS

Quote Respect angelmom

(BBM)
Then I read this book about eating WHOLE organic foods, not processed, no artificial sweeteners or colors or whatever.

I am not hungry or craving or resentful of what I cannot have. I am going to the grocery store a lot more, but we are saving a ton of money from not eating out (I'm not sure if I'm ready for that level of temptation/decision making YET). I am down 6 lbs in 10 days. I don't know how long it will go on like this or last, but it is more than I have achieved all summer, so I'm going to keep trying. It is amazing to me what a difference this has made that those other "drastic" changes did not.

I don't know exactly what is in those processed foods that was keeping me from losing weight, even when I was making "healthy" choices (low fat mayo, Crystal Light, sugar free popsicles, etc) but something has changed.

I feel this way too. I eat whatever I want: I had pepperoni pizza and french fries, with ketchup of course; for dinner last night. Had a grilled cheese sandwich all crispy with butter for lunch...but I am close to my cycle. Sorry TMI but I find that will effect my appetite but that's okay because I am still eating only organic when I eat this way. And it does not last for long. You don't want to eat pizza all the time in fact most of the time...

I crave: grains, fish (any sea food), I don't like too many things breaded and then only in Panko, yogurt, basmati rice, fruit, fruit, and more fruit, veggies tons of veggies. I love veggies steamed, raw or roasted in the oven, yum! Take a pan and put your fav veg such as: carrot, onion, turnip, sweet potato, peppers, celery, tomatoes, etc. and pour some good olive oil and salt with kosher or sea salt and put in the oven on 350 degrees till they start to caramelize and get all roasted. You will smell that they are ready.

I know it was the processed foods that was making me obese. I echo your "I don't know how far this will go." I know that my health has improved by miracle standards. The list of ailments I no longer suffer from and with is enough to keep me eating like this for the rest of my life. I have zero interest in any foods that contain any chemicals. It is no longer food to me. I now freak out if a store does not have a organic section, I would go outside and gather food from the wild before I would ever eat processed foods again.

As far as what is going on with my body. That is indescribable, it is a process I enjoy every day. I only remember my body feeling like this when I was a child, the illness I have rid myself of has been with me strong since seven or eight: you can begin to see what is happening to me in my pictures as the HFCS takes is toll. Now that I look back.


Quote Respect gaia227
I wish, personally, I didn't find it so boring. I have always found the whole subject of nutrition and what ingredients are in our food boring to read about and it seems overwhelming.


Yup. I did not make this switch the first time I heard about it by any means. I had become so ill and so unhappy with the quality and flavor of the foods my family had been buying and eating all my life: that then the change came. I had been using herbal detox systems that were helping and I think they helped to let my body know what was really going on with this so called 'food' I was giving it.

I understand the boring part also. Although I have always been a tree hugging, hippy earth momma I enjoyed all parts of that idea except the "eating rabbit food" part. I was younger and my body handled the bad foods enough then that I could feel that way. But now I am clapping over the beauty of veggies, fruits, anything organic makes me excited! I love, love reading the labels so I know how good the food I am about to eat is. I look up the benefits of the ingredients and what healing properties they hold.

I am into the super foods! Foods that heal and feed you. Ancient grains such as Quinoa: oh, it is so good.

And what buying these foods and eating them are doing for the planet! Bonus! Animals that are not fed chemicals, chemicals not put in the ground; I am very into sustainable tuna right now. The pacific ocean is being over fished because of the large companies and it threatens the whole ocean and earth. The campaign is the same as the "save the whales" for those who remember the "let's get physical '80's, (and WE DID save the whales). :woohoo: So now it is 'Save the Pacific Ocean, by not buying brand name tuna and only buying tuna that says: sustainable. It is much more expensive: 3.99 for a can. I just put it on my rare/never list of foods such as: filet mignon, lobster, truffles, saffron, beluga caviar...I can go without tuna for a while to save it for later generations. Also, there is another type of fish that eats just like the tuna/is another tuna other than yellowfin(which is the type that is being over fished)and I forget its name; but there are alternatives.

Organic foods support family farms, is good for the animals and land. Good for our economy and ecology.

Okay. I want to post the back of a package of mac and cheese I am making for dinner tonight. Along with hamburger patties, corn on the cob, biscuits and gravy. This is NOT a diet meal. This is real food.

Here is why I am excited:
(from box cover which is blue and has a rabbit(his name is 'Bernie') in a yellow circle that says; 'Rabbit of Approval.")

Annie's
Homegrown
Totally Natural. Made with organic pasta. No artificial anything! 0g trans fat. Naturally good source of calcium and protein. 100% Real Cheese. Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth.

(from back of box)

Dear Friend,

I've been in the food business for over twenty years and a mom and organic farmer for nearly ten. My three roles as mom, organic grower and "Annie" are very much intertwined. I've discovered that some of the same skills apply to both raising children and raising vegetables. With love, patience and respect both children and vegetable flourish. The more experience I gain from being a mom and organic grower the more these two roles influence my role as "Annie."

Like all of Annie's products, our new Macaroni & Cheese contains ingredients all found in nature. No weird chemicals. No artificial anything-just smooth, mild, all-natural cheese...mmmm. And the pasta is certified organic. It's produced by family farmers who farm without harsh pesticides or fertilizers, who respect the environment and have an understanding of our interconnectedness with all life on this planet. I invite you to read about Annie's organic growers and learn more about the organic movement at:

http://www.annies.com/

Thanks for listening everyone. Be nice to yourselves. Part of my weight loss came when I stopped hating myself and blaming myself for it

...jmo...

 

[chesterp]

I am reading a book called Skinny *****.... a friend of mine gave it to me. It is packed full of INFO...brutal language...but the facts. It will not make me a vegan, but I will think before I eat, I am weaning off of Diet-Coke.

 

[DollyPardonMe]

I am reading a book called Skinny *****.... a friend of mine gave it to me. It is packed full of INFO...brutal language...but the facts. It will not make me a vegan, but I will think before I eat, I am weaning off of Diet-Coke.

I weaned myself off of Diet Coke, in fact ANYTHING carbonated over 2 years ago and now I couldnt drink one if I tried. It makes me gag. I used to love Mexican sweet bread with a can of Diet Coke and now that I can't drink the Coke the bread just doesn't taste the same so I gave that up too.

 

[brighidin]

I was just thinking of eating fast food -- I don't really want it but I'm hungry and don't feel like cooking BUT I just re-read this thread and am now going to get off my butt and go make something.

My kids don't drink cow milk -- only almond milk. This is because my daughter was getting ear infections and her chiropractor recommended almond milk. My son started drinking it too so that is great. I can't drink it because I can't eat nuts.

I have issues with sugary coffee drinks. I think that is going to be the next thing I ditch -- starting tomorrow (I already had one today. lol). Can't give up the Coke Zero yet though.

I got over my fear of touching raw meat to start buying fresh chicken to cook instead of serving frozen meals. I feel bad for my kids who have to live with my cooking experiments though. Julia Child I am not.

Anyway, just wanted to say thank to you guys for the inspiration on a day when I wanted a quarter pounder and fries, even though I know this isn't supposed to be a support thread!

 

[Buzz Mills]

I am reading a book called Skinny *****.... a friend of mine gave it to me. It is packed full of INFO...brutal language...but the facts. It will not make me a vegan, but I will think before I eat, I am weaning off of Diet-Coke.

I just swore off Diet Pepsi; ending my first week without...it was just a bad habit..one a day...just like the vitamins

 

[DollyPardonMe]

I was just thinking of eating fast food -- I don't really want it but I'm hungry and don't feel like cooking BUT I just re-read this thread and am now going to get off my butt and go make something.

My kids don't drink cow milk -- only almond milk. This is because my daughter was getting ear infections and her chiropractor recommended almond milk. My son started drinking it too so that is great. I can't drink it because I can't eat nuts.

I have issues with sugary coffee drinks. I think that is going to be the next thing I ditch -- starting tomorrow (I already had one today. lol). Can't give up the Coke Zero yet though.

I got over my fear of touching raw meat to start buying fresh chicken to cook instead of serving frozen meals. I feel bad for my kids who have to live with my cooking experiments though. Julia Child I am not.

Anyway, just wanted to say thank to you guys for the inspiration on a day when I wanted a quarter pounder and fries, even though I know this isn't supposed to be a support thread!

My grandson is 6 and will NOT eat a hamburger from McDonalds. He tried one once and gave us "the look" and that was the end of that! BUT, he LOVES the Morningstar Farm Prime Griller Veggie Burgers..I bought them once when I was on one of my kicks to "Go Vegan" and we ALL loved them. That's all we eat now when we want a burger/cheeseburger. Unfortunately, he still loves those chicken nuggets and french fries..at McD's and I don't think he would eat those if it wasn't for the sweet and sour dipping sauce

 

[Marthatex]

In 1970, I began to shop at one of the first natural food stores in the US, called More Natural Foods, in San Antonio. I read Adele Davis's book (oh, heck I can't remember the name of it) and I was hooked into the health food movement.

I was lucky enough to stay home with my children so I cooked from scratch. I have to say, they are very healthy looking adults.

Oh my the TASTE is so much better of FRESH, FARMer's market vegetables, or home grown vegies. I used to can and freeze tomatoes and zuchini till they came out our ears.

Gardening can be a really fun project for the family. My husband always craved sweets, though. TOO MUCH SUGAR and processed food is just BAD.

I also stay away from hormoned chicken and beef. No hot dogs or nitrates. Those things are worse than sugar, I think. (well, I do have a "relapse" and indulge in a hot dog once a year - gosh they're good!)

I have shopped at Whole Foods and other similar places most of my life, and my friends call me a "granola head". Yes, I'm a well know "granola head" around town. :crazy:

 

[kmiles]

I just read through this thread for the 1st time. I am very interested in making the switch and making healthier choices for myself and my family. I have struggled with my weight all of my life and I am really just tired of it. Some days I want to just quite and forget it because I am obviously never going to be a thin person and some days I am motivated and know I am in control and I can do it. For a while now I have really been concerned about all that goes into food and especially meats.
So with that said, if anyone is in the Warner Robins GA area, where are the best places to grocery shop for meat, produce and I guess anything else organic? Also, I drink mostly water, however I do like flavored water from time to time. Are there any brands of bottled water that does not use bad ingrediants? What is in the crystal lite and ocean spray mixes that make them bad?
I have written down some of the books that have been mentioned and am planning to get busy educating myself. If anyone has any other informative books or websites, please post them or send them to me. Thanks so much!!