where are the (trying to be) sugar free mamas? - Page 5

[newmainer]

Thank you for bringing this back!! Perhaps we should make it a monthly thread to keep it timely?

Well... 3 weeks ago my mom and I did a short nutrition class taught by one of my chiropractors (husband/wife team). She recommended an elimination diet, which i tried and made for almost a week. Fell off the wagon in a big way on V-day . But I realized it was a bit too much for me at once. Not only did it cut out sugars, but also all wheat/gluten, dairy and stuff like garlic and vinegar and things that i use to cook/season with. So, i'm backing off that and continuing my no-sugar (except occasional molasses or brown rice syrup- but very minimal), and then waaaaay decreasing also the dairy and refined flour products (though I sneak a Midel graham cracker or three from my dd )- but not all the little stuff that goes into eliminating. I have to get this down first, then go strict if need be.

I have noticed a difference. Even in the week, I noticed how much I was relying on starches- breads, etc... even w/o sugar. Because really, all those starches and refined carbs turn to sugar in the body anyway. So, I'm learning to "snack" on salad and today I made sushi!! So yummy- with brown rice and left over salmon, shaved carrots and steamed greens. Super yum and filling. I think I might start a food diary too.. i've never done that before and I think it could be enlightening.

Rock on, mamas. No (or highly reduced )sugar does the body good!!

[EyesOfTheWorld]

Originally Posted by Bella Babe

I make hot cocoa with cocoa, milk and stevia... yum! My kids love it. Another good cheap one for the warmer months is lemonade with stevia. Stevia has a strong taste that takes some getting used to but it goes sooo well with lemon. Very good together!

Oh, stevia in hot chocolate?! I never thought to try it. Now I can have my favorite treat back! Thank you, thank you

[EyesOfTheWorld]

Originally Posted by arcenciel

Hi, EyesOfTheWorld. You just use your regular recipes and replace sugar with stevia? - I know the quantities are different...

Yep I doesn't work as well with everything though, it's touch & go. I recently made pumpkin pie with stevia - not so good. I love whole grain pancakes with stevia though! Another poster recommended stevia with lemon, that sounds really yummy.

And one day, in the middle of a chocolate craving, I melted a baker's chocolate bar with stevia and it was actually pretty good!

[EyesOfTheWorld]

I meant to add this link Stevia Conversion Chart

[arcenciel]

I like the idea of a monthly thread. It makes the whole thing seem long term and not just a fad!

newmainer, you are so right about the refined flours! I'm trying desperately not to just replace my sugar cravings with refined flour cravings! But perhaps I'll just have to give it up to see how much it really is a part of my life. We've been eating a lot of wholegrains forever, but the pasta would be hard....

I suppose the thing about snacking is that I have to make sure there are lots of good things in the house (nice cheese, yoghurt, fruit, etc) or I get hungry. To be honest I'm not really that organised and I'm finding it hard. I'm still nursing my dd and although she's 16 months she's nursing a lot. I've lost a lot of weight since I gave up sugar and it really is hard to keep myself going. Before I always used to just have a sandwich at lunch, but now I don't want to - especially since most of my sandwich additions have sugar in them so I'm down to plain cheese... I'm hoping to make some of my own chutneys and things in the summer.

I'm not eating too much fruit since I'm only doing what's in season, and here that's basically apples.... I'm not giving up dairy, but plain yoghurt really isn't that appealing, and there's only so much milk a mom can drink...

I guess I need to sit down and plan a bit better!

[rosie29]

I too like the idea of a monthly thread.

I find it really interesting that lots of mamas "sneak" sugary treats from their kids. Well, actually it's not the sneaking that's so remarkable, it's the fact that we find it OK to give our kids stuff with sugar, but we feel that we need to abstain from it ourselves.

I really want to make sure my DS doesn't eat more sugar than I do or he will be heading down the same road I'm on (sugar addiction!). Since he's only 9 mos. it isn't a problem yet but as he eats more table foods I'm sure it will become a challenge.

[arcenciel]

Rosie, I'm not sure I agree with what you say about it being ok to give the kids sugar. When mine were little, I didn't give them any sugar for the first year. Then they got a little, gradually creeping into our way of life. I used to eat it when they were asleep or out of the room or something. But then it just gradually became part of our way of life. I put limits like "no chocolate or candy during the week" but that still leaves room for an awful lot of sugar.

Now my eldest is 6 and #2 is nearly 5 and I can't just stop it suddenly. But since I stopped, I find it easier to limit them more. I have basically cut out sugar for them totally during the week (except breakfast cereal where I now buy the boring ones) and on weekends I have cut down too. No more sodas - they get fruit juice as their weekend treat! I also buy cookies only for the weekend. With me not eating it it's easier to say no.

Well done to you for just keeping it out from the start. It's much easier that way! I hope it goes well for you.

[MamaE]

I love the idea of a monthly thread - count me in. Today was my one month refined sugar free anniversary! Hooray - I can't believe I've made it this far. Thanks for all the support you guys! It finally feels like a lifestyle change - the only way to go for me.

My goal for the next month is to cut way back on natural sugars. I have recently started thinking I am hypoglycemic. The hypoglycemic diet is no sweeteners (even natural ones, though I think they allow some stevia), no refined carbs, and not even much fruit. I've struggled with yeast a bit in the past, so this should keep that from coming back too.

I agree with others about having good snacks in the house. Newmainer, I am going to try sushi with brown rice - did you use rice vinegar with the rice? Sounds yummy!

Dragonfly, I love the idea of cutting out sweeteners during the week. I think this would also help me get to the weekend without much of a taste for it, but at least feeling like I could have it if I wanted it.

Can we share snack ideas? I'm getting a litte bored with mine. I do nuts, pumpkin seeds, cheese, fruit, plain yogurt (sometimes w/ fruit), kefir, carrots. Boring, I know, and heavy on the dairy - yikes! Eventually I would like to cut out cheese, but I can't do that now. I also need to be eating more veggies for snacks. Sigh... So, what does everyone else do for snacks?

I'm so glad to hear others' success stories - it keeps me going!

[Dragonfly]

Originally Posted by MamaE

Dragonfly, I love the idea of cutting out sweeteners during the week. I think this would also help me get to the weekend without much of a taste for it, but at least feeling like I could have it if I wanted it.

It does make it a lot easier. I have a lot of deeply ingrained issues with food and control and this seems to help me exercise just the right amount of control without feeling like I'm depriving myself (which makes me feel like I'm being controlled). :LOL

[MamaE]

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

It does make it a lot easier. I have a lot of deeply ingrained issues with food and control and this seems to help me exercise just the right amount of control without feeling like I'm depriving myself (which makes me feel like I'm being controlled). :LOL

Ditto. I was overweight from toddlerhood until my early 20s, so food and weight are hot buttons for me. Lots of issues... Now that I am a healthy weight, I just want to stay that way and sugar is the one thing that creeps up on me faster than I can bat an eye.

[newmainer]

arenciel- do you eat meat? you could always have some baked/broiled chicken breast cut up as a snack. my chiro says that basically at least 2 meals per day should be 30% protein, then 70% vegetables- ideally 1/2 raw and the other 1/2 lightly steamed. We pretty much do this for dinners. For lunch and snacks i have started to make grain salads with veggies- quinoa with beets, kale, and shredded carrots seasoned with flax seed oil, balsalmic vinegar, salt and pepper. then today i added some kidney beans. I figure I can eat that all day.
I also bought celery today to eat with almond butter (we go through tons of that); I also eat it on apples and rice cakes.

I mentioned to my chiro as well that i was nursing and basially needed to graze all day and veggies just didn't make me feel full. she said that for awhile it wont' b/c the body it used to the immediate fullness and sugar of the starches, but as I am weaned off of starchy snacks my body will get used to a slower burning fuel in the proteins and whole grains.

MamaE, i followed the sushi recipe in Laurel's Kitchen, if you have that. It calls for melting 1 T of honey in 3-4 T of rice vinegar, which I did. I figure 1 T is not a huge deal.

So.. shall we keep this thread for another week and then start one for March?

[arcenciel]

thanks newmainer, I like the idea of chicken as a snack! I think I also do better on days when I have really interesting leftovers for lunch.

i haven't had it for a while but carrots or other chopped veg dipped in salsa or plain yoghurt is a pretty good snack. Sometimes with the kids I make a plain apple tart - just pastry with apples chopped up and spread round the top and a little cinnamon.

[Mommy&Will]

Hi everybody! Just poppin' back in here today to get some support. We have my brother's birthday party today and its got me a bit stressed. I know there will be a birthday cake, which I am able to avoid but I know ds (2.5) will want some. The last birthday party I made a carrot cake and brought along... well 1) it didn't turn out and tasted like crap (my baking powder was bad!) and 2) I don't have the energy today to make another cake. I just made a veggie tray to take. And I though we would run to the store to get some Rice Dream (we're dairy free around here) so he can eat that instead of the ice cream. But I know there is going to be SO much other junk.

My ds is a big eater too. I can feed him here, get the fresh food in front of him at the party. But he will still find room for all the junk.

What do you do in these situations? It bothers me that a birthday party has to be so stressful to me.

[MamaE]

Mommy&Will, how did the party go for you yesterday? I don't have any tips myself - DD is still young enough (22 mos) that she doesn't know what junk is, but I know our day is coming.

I'll need some tips myself soon because we are going on vacation in 2 weeks and I know without my healthy kitchen and with oodles of temptations, I am headed for a crash. Should I just forget the diet while on vacation? Try to do it most of the time but allow myself some indulgences? Any ideas?

Newmainer, thanks for the sushi recipe. I got my supplies yesterday and I'm going to try to make some this week.

Count me in for the March thread!

I just found another great snack - fresh coconut meat. Keep it peeled in baggies in the fridge and you're in business. It's pretty satisfying too because it's loaded with healthy fat.

[brooklyngirl]

Snacks: I do cashew butter, fruit, cashews, salsa, left overs (I love having cooked chicken in the fridge.)

I think I've had an easier time because I've been getting physically ill from processed foods so I am really hesistant about eating with too many ingredients or those I haven't challenged.

I've been making stuff from the Sugar Free Toddler book which I previously hated but am now enjoying since my palette has changed.

I have yet to try the stevia. I need to get on that.

It has been months since I'v had a donut and believe me this is hard in the land of a Dunkin' Donuts.

[Mommy&Will]

MamaE - I like the coconut meat idea. DS would love that too.

Thanks for asking about the birthday party.... it didn't go great, but we survived and had no sugar meltdown from ds. The first think he ate when we walked in the door was a chocolate covered pretzel. He didn't want to eat the dinner (chicken chili) or touch his veggies. But he ate the cornbread muffin. Next thing I see him with is a chocolate chip cookie. Then Na-na is giving him some CHEESE! I should have brought the rice cheese and didn't.

So after all that.... when the cake comes out, I gave the kids some Juice Popsicles - No Sugar Added stuff. So he enjoyed that and didn't ask for cake, which actually was CHEESECAKE with sugar laden "cherries" on top of it. :

So, even though to some people this sounds horrid, we survived. And we are back to eating healthier today.

[Millie Ivy]

Hey, when challenges stop coming our way, that's is when I will think something is wrong! Splurge days, and getting back on track is a vrey integral part of life, sounds like you did great!

I think I am going to get a tub of plain yogurt instead of my lovely organic stoneyfields farms fruit yogurt. I love it, and it isn't that badly laced with sugar, but I eat yogurt every day, and that is one of the few places I still get sugar. (even if it is "naturally milled organic sugar" ) I will go back to plain organic lowfat or nonfat yogurt with stevia, or very occasionally, honey.

Anyone ever try Fage yogurt from Greece? I have only ever had it from whole foods, but it is so good!

[RaRa7]

Oh I hope you all will continue this thread-I know it's been a few weeks,
I've just deided we need to go sugar free for 2 reasons:
1. I am addicted
2. I think the amt of sugar I eat is affecting ds teeth (my bm must be pure sugar!). He has carries and they are getting worse

I am at a loss as to what to eat--especially lunches.
Any ideas?
Also alot of you said you eat eggs and veggies for breakfast--is it ok to eat eggs everyday???

[MamaE]

Aris mommy, I hope we keep it going too. I didn't want to start the March thread because I leave for vacation in 3 days and I didn't want to leave everyone hanging. Someone please start the March thread, though! I'll need it when I get back from vacation.

I'm addicted too. : I had been doing so well, and then last night, I dug into some chocolate chip cookies a friend had made and i had hid in the freezer. Now, today, I've eaten french toast smothered in maple syrup and a cup of hot carob drink. It could have been worse, I was dying to go to the store for ice cream and chocolate bars, but that would have been really cheating... As it is, I'm doing bad enough.

As for the eggs for breakfast, I do eat that just about every day, and I also wonder if that's OK. I thought eggs had been cleared re: causing high cholesterol, but still, every day? Maybe someone can help us out with that!

Someone start the Sugar Free Mamas March thread already! (If I don't see it up by tonight, I'll go ahead, I guess...)

[arcenciel]

Just as well I checked before starting a new thread

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=258102