The Sweet Debate
One of my worst vices is sweets. As I've mentioned before, if my nose even gets a small whiff of something sweet--no matter where I am--I'm drawn to the source. Like other sugar addicts like me, I find it extremely hard to resist temptation, as my mouth waters in anticipation and I'll do most anything to have just a taste.
Problem is, I can't stop with just one taste. Eating just a little something sweet is enough for most people, but not me! That one morsel sends my cravings soaring, and I can easily find myself completely emptying an entire package of cookies or a large bag of M&Ms before I even know what hit me.
The more I sweets I eat, the more I want. And that means tons of wasted calories and more and more weight piled on.
In an effort to cut back on calories when I go on one of these sweets binges and just can't get enough, I've been substituting artificial sweeteners for years. My reasoning was like that of most fat people: I'll take in less calories so I won't gain weight, right?
Wrrrronggg! I just end up allowing myself to eat more than ever, partly because I make excuses and partly because I know I'm not eating high-calorie sugar, so I can pig out even more. But why I am I bigger than ever??
Scientists and nutritionists say that ingesting large amounts of lo- or no-calorie foods really does trick us into eating more. Why? Two reasons. One, as I mentioned already, we actually end up eating more because we know we're not piling on the calories. And two, eating no-calorie sweets actually causes our metabolism to slow down so we store more fat than if we ate real sugar instead. And these principles apply not only to food, but also to those diet sodas (or pop, whatever you call it) some of us enjoy daily too.
From the research, it appears we'd do better to actually imbibe once in a while and eat something sugar-laden just to get our fill. But if you're like me and have a hard time stopping with just a little--whether it's real sugar or a substitute--it's almost better not to take that very first bite. But then we feel deprived and overdo anyway.
Is there a good solution? Anyone want to take a stab at it for all the sugar addicts out there? I'm open to suggestions.....
Labels: diet, nutrition, sugar, weight loss
posted by LARGERTHANLIFE @ 5:37 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
I agree with some of what you said but disagree with quite a bit.
I was just like you... fat all my life and uncontrollable around sweet or carby foods. Little did I know it was the foods I enjoyed the most and ate the most that created this endless craving cycle because of what they do to your blood sugar and insulin. These foods were potatoes, bread, pizza, ice cream, cookies, candy, etc.
Quite by accident I tried Atkins, knowing I wouldn't last long. I loved my carbs too much. I was soooo wrong. At age 57 it changed my life. In just a few days my cravings stopped and as long as I lay off the "white" foods I'm still in control of food. It had nothing to do with willpower for me and was all about those darn carbs.
I do disagree on the "fake" sugar. I ate small quantities throughout my loss and still do. The difference is that because I don't eat highly glycemic foods I can control the serving sizes of my treats. I can't do that with real sugar or starches.
Since they say the best diet is the one you can follow for life I'll continue having my sugar free treats. They don't create cravings and keep me happy.
In 2004 I went from having high cholesterol and blood pressure to now having cholesterol that is too low. I lost 70 lbs. and even with thyroid/adrenal issues that we're having difficulty treating I've kept it off.
I'm the living proof that the food pyramind, low fat and the rest of the garbage thrown at us by the nutritionists is a complete lie.
Hi Janisko, and thanks for your comments!
I've known several people who have tried the Atkins plan and successfully lost weight on it. And I don't doubt that it would help with those awful sweet cravings of mine you referenced.
I know that Atkins emphasizes protein and, according to the so-called "experts," anything that out of balance isn't good for us. But you are so right--if it works, and you can keep the weight off long-term--it has to be better than carrying around all this extra weight.
Contrary to what those same "experts" say, I, like you, also use artificially sweetened products to help keep me on track. I just worry that I'll end up with cancer as a result because of the chemical reactions they say it causes in the body.
Just curious...how long have you kept the weight off, if you don't my asking?
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