Our 28 Day Sugar Fast - Page 2

[BusyMommy]

We're off corn or that sounds tasty.

Yeah, our person said stevia just prolongs the habit and keeps the sweet tooth active. She said cinn. and nutmeg.

I learned that after the 4 weeks, we can intro an item at a time to learn his reaction. So, I'm thinking as an example, I can add in homemade granola that has honey in it. Now, to see what rice milk tastes like unless I find he can tolerate raw milk.

But, I am doing this to support ds and I am jonesing BIGTIME. I even cheated and had a coffee (well 2) and am sipping a glass of wine. Yes, she mentioned anecdotally that people who quit alcohol take sugar to compensate--interesting. AA gets you off booze by feeding the sugar craving with, well, sugar.

We need a smiley that has a strung out Momma tapping her fingers or bouncing her knee....ahhhhhh I'd really like to rip open the brown sugar jar and inhale it immediately..........ahhh time for a walk w/my glass of wine.

Ciao Ladies
Glad we're all here in the same boat.

God bless the pancreas. DEATH to the yeast!!!!:

eta oh and you know, I truly don't eat sweets all day long. It just goes to show how much sugar actually sneaks into our diets.

[BusyMommy]

Originally Posted by beansavi

I read in a nutritional healing book that people need a little more salt while trying to wean off of sugar. Sort of a balancing act?

That is really interesting. I notice I've been salting my veggies since we quit sugar and I get sooo much pleasure from it. :

[beansavi]

Originally Posted by cristeen

Bean - if you're looking for a snack, how about popcorn? It's not sweet, but toss it with some butter and maybe some cinnamon and maybe your sweet tooth will deal with that?

...and I LOVE popcorn! Thanks for the idea.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

Yeah, our person said stevia just prolongs the habit and keeps the sweet tooth active. She said cinn. and nutmeg.

We need a smiley that has a strung out Momma tapping her fingers or bouncing her knee....ahhhhhh I'd really like to rip open the brown sugar jar and inhale it immediately..........ahhh time for a walk w/my glass of wine.

You're so funny... I think a smilie is a great idea!

That makes sense about the stevia. I think I would like some for iced tea, though... right now I am just trying to get to 28 days of ZIP! Oh...but tonight I took a bite of a granola bar... Not going to beat myself up about it, though.

DANG! This sugar demon sure is smart! It "told me" I was nursing and so needed a little more energy. Hmph.: I took a bite but then came to my senses and made some turkey bacon and had a glass of organic 1% milk.

bla bla bla... Milk has sugar, etc. but I feel like I need to concentrate on the refined stuff first, then hack away at the other stuff when I have more wits about me and am not chained like a slave to chocolate, refined sugar, etc.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

That is really interesting. I notice I've been salting my veggies since we quit sugar and I get sooo much pleasure from it. :

Oh yeah. I've been putting a lot of salt on my whole grain mac-n-cheese. It does feel like I need it or something! Sheesh.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by beansavi

bla bla bla... Milk has sugar, etc. but I feel like I need to concentrate on the refined stuff first, then hack away at the other stuff when I have more wits about me and am not chained like a slave to chocolate, refined sugar, etc.

I wouldn't worry about the sugar in milk right now.

If you were that strict about sugars, you wouldn't be eating fruit, most veggies, or grains. You'd be on a protein only diet.

It's very unlikely you're going to start chugging the gallon of milk to get your sugar fix (I can just see you standing there with the fridge door open in the middle of the night getting your fix ).

[BusyMommy]

Yeah, I cheated. I used a little milk in my homemade granola that I hid in the office to eat. No refined sugar, just that from the milk and the honey in the granola.

I worry about ketosis since we've cut out bread. For b'fast, my kids had bacon & eggs & brown rice. I made a giant pot of beans and of rice to sub in for snacks & fiber.

I'm also going to get some spirulina tablets to help w/blood sugar lows.

I have noticed my kids devour their meals now. We had fresh fish, barley and salad for dinner. They asked for 2nds on everything.

oh, our diet is anything w/seeds is bad. So, not just fruit but squash, eggplants, etc.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

I worry about ketosis since we've cut out bread. For b'fast, my kids had bacon & eggs & brown rice. I made a giant pot of beans and of rice to sub in for snacks & fiber.

Ketosis isn't much of a concern if you're eating grains, legumes and vegetables. Between them you should be getting plenty of carbs.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

I'm also going to get some spirulina tablets to help w/blood sugar lows.

Eating a combo of fat and protein (hard-cooked egg, cheese, meat, etc.) when you start feeling it will usually help with that. And never eat any grain alone, it should always have some fat or protein with it (pulses should have some fat with them as well). That helps keep your blood sugar from fluctuating so badly.

I can't do spirulina personally... I inadvertently bought vitamins that had it and wound up not sleeping for a week before we tracked down the problem.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

I have noticed my kids devour their meals now. We had fresh fish, barley and salad for dinner. They asked for 2nds on everything.

How long have you been doing this? After a few days the body usually goes through an adjustment period where you feel like you're constantly starving. After eating everything in sight for a few days it usually tapers off.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

oh, our diet is anything w/seeds is bad. So, not just fruit but squash, eggplants, etc.

So you're limited to leaves (lettuce), stems (asparagus), roots (carrots), flowers (broccoli), bulbs (garlic) and seeds (peas and beans) but eliminating botanical fruits such as cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, and capsicums? Wow. That must be tough.

Keep up the great work ladies!!

We had a great dinner of fried chicken and broccoli with honey mustard (homemade) last night. Fried chicken is DH's all-time favorite dish followed closely by mac & cheese, and since we can't have the latter I figured I'd treat him to the former.

[BusyMommy]

Wow, thank you for all the info!! We've always had a basically "healthy" diet but I have never realized how much I really did NOT know and understand. It's a huge learning process.

We started Monday so yep, I bet that's why the kids are starving! They just peeled and ate almost a full pound of shrimp for lunch.

I didn't know that about grains not being eaten alone. I wonder if butter would be enough to balance them; ie. brown rice w/butter?

And, I'll get just one bottle of spirulina tomorrow and see how it affects us. Interesting. I had no idea it could have any adverse affects.
*sigh* :

Fried chicken sounds good! Did you use any breading? We did this a couple of nights ago w/matzo crumb breading.

So, I was actually thinking about this thread while out running a bit ago and had to laugh that we each have our own weak spots, etc. Ice tea......I'd gladly sacrifice sugar/stevia in tea & coffee forever. But, oatmeal? My kingdom for a bit of stevia in my oats.:

ahhh sweet potato fries are smelling done!

CHeers Ladies

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

We started Monday so yep, I bet that's why the kids are starving! They just peeled and ate almost a full pound of shrimp for lunch.

That sounds about right. Let them gorge themselves on protein and it should pass in a few days. Their bodies are cleansing themselves of the sugars.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

I didn't know that about grains not being eaten alone. I wonder if butter would be enough to balance them; ie. brown rice w/butter?

It kinda depends on the amounts. A big bowl of rice with a little pat of butter, no. But a little rice with some butter, on the side of chicken would be fine. Or fried rice with some scrambled egg in it. Protein and/or fat slows the absorption of carbs so that you don't get a "sugar rush" as easily. It also helps prevent the quick return of hunger.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

And, I'll get just one bottle of spirulina tomorrow and see how it affects us. Interesting. I had no idea it could have any adverse affects.
*sigh* :

Well, everything can effect different people differently. I probably would have been fine if I took the vitamins in the morning, but taking them right before bed I'd wind up wired and not sleeping. It's a good idea to see how you do on it before spending a lot of money.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

Fried chicken sounds good! Did you use any breading? We did this a couple of nights ago w/matzo crumb breading.

Yes, I do bread them. But it's a bit unconventional because I'm grain-free. This is actually the only recipe I've *ever* used for fried chicken and DH swears it's the best fried chicken he's ever tasted... and who am I to argue. :

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

So, I was actually thinking about this thread while out running a bit ago and had to laugh that we each have our own weak spots, etc. Ice tea......I'd gladly sacrifice sugar/stevia in tea & coffee forever. But, oatmeal? My kingdom for a bit of stevia in my oats.:

I know! I'd love to have an alternative to simple syrup so I could have my limeade. But maple and honey neither one taste good in it.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

ahhh sweet potato fries are smelling done!

[mommabear]

I just caught this thread and would love to join you guys. I often try to give up sugar -- I feel better, and know that I am far healthier without it. I am even familiar with the eat-everything-else-but-sugar for the first few days. But I always let it sneak back in. Blech! I am done! Well, we'll see . . . .

[BusyMommy]

Hi MommaBear...please come commiserate. I find being "accountable" actually really helps me. I think about this thread (really!) when I'm tempted to go sneak out to the store and buy a cheesecake to eat in the parking lot.

Originally Posted by cristeen

Or fried rice with some scrambled egg in it. Protein and/or fat slows the absorption of carbs so that you don't get a "sugar rush" as easily. It also helps prevent the quick return of hunger.

OOoh that's what we'll do for b'fast tomorrow. Thanks! I've decided we need to limit rice to once/daily so we don't end up developing a rice sensitivity. But, rice mixed w/their eggs sounds awesome.
I wonder how many eggs a healthy, active kid can actually eat per week?

Going to try tabouleh tomorrow for a change of pace. And, we got matzo crackers to eat w/hummus for snacks.

It's just so fascinating how the body works. Yep, they've been gorging on protein the past couple of days. I'm pretty sure my ds got his yeast from dh (while I was pg) and neither one of them has a sweet tooth AT ALL. The body's self preservation, maybe? It's brutal, though, to cut out all sugars, though.

So, Cristeen--I'd love to hear your chx recipe if you have time!

aighhhh cheesecake sounds soooo lovely...with strawberries. Time for a walk instead.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

OOoh that's what we'll do for b'fast tomorrow. Thanks! I've decided we need to limit rice to once/daily so we don't end up developing a rice sensitivity. But, rice mixed w/their eggs sounds awesome.
I wonder how many eggs a healthy, active kid can actually eat per week?

A lot!! At least 2 dozen (2 eggs every day for breakfast is over a dozen per person). If the kids need something "different" because they're getting bored, I make egg muffins for DH's breakfasts sometimes. Put some cooked meat and/or veggie (pepperoni and olive, sausage and mushroom, bacon and onion, etc.) in the bottom of each muffin cup (just a tsp or two), scramble 1 egg per muffin with salt and pepper, fill the cups with the egg and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. (You can top them with cheese before baking but I get the feeling cheese is out?) These can be refrigerated and will keep a week. I always serve them cold. You can also do them with whole eggs (just crack the egg into the cup) instead of scrambled for a little different texture. Just be sure to grease the cups REALLY well (paper muffin liners don't work) if you're using a metal pan (I use silicone), and remove them from the pan while still warm (once they're cold they're like glue).

Not sure if I said this earlier, but carbs eaten at breakfast time have less impact on blood sugar than carbs eaten at dinner. But definitely change it up. Buckwheat, barley, wild rice (it's a grass not a grain), can all be excellent rice substitutes.

Originally Posted by BusyMommy

So, Cristeen--I'd love to hear your chx recipe if you have time!

My fried chicken? It's an old low carb trick. Instead of breading it with flour, it's breaded with ground pork rinds. That usually garners the response of EWWWW!!! But it's actually VERY tasty. And it's basically a carb-free fried chicken. I serve it to guests all the time without telling them what it is and everyone loves it (obviously I wouldn't serve it to someone who keeps Kosher). If you're still interested after reading that, I can PM you the basics. There is no actual recipe since I eye-ball it.

[beansavi]

Originally Posted by mommabear

I just caught this thread and would love to join you guys. I often try to give up sugar -- I feel better, and know that I am far healthier without it. I am even familiar with the eat-everything-else-but-sugar for the first few days. But I always let it sneak back in. Blech! I am done! Well, we'll see . . . .

Welcome!

Wow Busymama and Cristine... you guys have taught me a lot today!

I,too, have been eating everything in sight...but today...day seven... I have been pretty okay. I noticed all of that and there you go stating exactly the same. cool! Thanks so much.

Whenever I have craved eating sugar I have been allowing myself to munch on homemade trail mix. I made it of whole salted almonds, cashews (raw), pumpkin seeds, sesame stix, and unsweetened dried cranberries, minimally mixed in.

Boy I have I noticed how much "space" in my diet and gut the trail mix is taking up AND it is replacing what used to be sugary, chocolatey stuff. I can really feel my body detoxing now. Today for lunch I had a huge salad and some chicken tenders (fried) .

When I got home I saw my dh drinking a cold can of Pepsi (my weakness)...and I could taste it and thought "Just one sip is all I need. My body needs to wean off of Pepsi slowly, right?" But right then my son says, "Don't do it, Mom. I am so proud of you. Don't do it!". Sheesh! I feel like a junkie or something!

But I resisted tho' it was REALLY hard.

You guys sound like you are doing so well!

My dd has decided to have several sugar free days a week. She is only 6 and I think that is so cool she is following along. Today at lunch she ordered a water and would not drink the soda her dad got her for a treat at dinner. Sweet!

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by beansavi

and unsweetened dried cranberries, minimally mixed in.

Where on earth did you find unsweetened cranberries? Or did you dry them yourself?

Originally Posted by beansavi

But I resisted tho' it was REALLY hard.

Good for you!!

Originally Posted by beansavi

My dd has decided to have several sugar free days a week. She is only 6 and I think that is so cool she is following along. Today at lunch she ordered a water and would not drink the soda her dad got her for a treat at dinner. Sweet!

That's fabulous! You know, my best friend in high school didn't eat sugar. Ever. Her whole family was like that. They were vegetarian and didn't allow (refined) sugar. She could have honey and maple and molasses but nothing else. I thought it was so bizarre at the time... now I think it's a great idea.

[beansavi]

Originally Posted by cristeen

Where on earth did you find unsweetened cranberries? Or did you dry them yourself?



Good for you!!



That's fabulous! You know, my best friend in high school didn't eat sugar. Ever. Her whole family was like that. They were vegetarian and didn't allow (refined) sugar. She could have honey and maple and molasses but nothing else. I thought it was so bizarre at the time... now I think it's a great idea.

Dry them myself? I wish! No, they were in the healthfood aisle of my local grocery store (and of course were being discontinued)!

I so want to be one of those people like your high school friend. And I also don't want my kids to go through a lifetime of sugar slavery, ya' know? I was fed chocolate pudding before I was a year old. gerber used to make it and sell it in jars in the baby food aisle my mom says. Sometimes she said she'd "just let me have that for lunch, I loved it so much". Sheesh!

[beansavi]

Doesn't teh book, "Sugar Blues" talk about the whole sugar- (actual) slavery connection?

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by beansavi

Dry them myself? I wish! No, they were in the healthfood aisle of my local grocery store (and of course were being discontinued)!

Any idea what brand they are? I've been looking for unsweetened cranberries for years!

Originally Posted by beansavi

Doesn't teh book, "Sugar Blues" talk about the whole sugar- (actual) slavery connection?

I've never read the book, but I do know about the connection.

[mommabear]

Hi! Thanks for all the welcomes! Well, I know it's only been a few hours, but I am still sugar-free! Small victories, right?

BTW, those muffin cups sound genius!

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by mommabear

BTW, those muffin cups sound genius!

They're a favorite. Especially when we were both WOH, I'd make 18 of them on Sunday, we'd each eat 2 every morning and I didn't have to worry about breakfasts all week. Those and egg custards (another make-ahead) are great quick no-worry breakfasts.

Another variation on that is to line your muffin cup with a single piece of lunchmeat (basically using lunchmeat instead of a paper muffin liner), and crack an egg into the meat cup. Bake just like above.

Now that I SAH, I've been cooking DH breakfast every morning. I buy bulk sausage from the local butcher, and form it into 1.5 oz patties which I freeze. Pull 2 out, drop them in a small cast iron skillet and let them sizzle away while I make coffee and pack DH's lunch. By the time he's dressed, I'm sliding his sausage, fresh fruit (usually cantaloupe) and fresh juice (watermelon) onto his desk for him to eat before he leaves for the office.

We ate low carb for years, so i've got lots of tricks... it's just adapting them to this particular way of eating that I still have to work on.

[friendtoall]

I'm out. I caved on day 11. In a (long) moment of weakness, I made a half a batch of oatmeal cookies, mostly so I could eat the dough. Surprisingly, it didn't taste like anything special - all my daydreaming about it seemed like a waste of time.

I'm not jumping back on the way right away. I like the idea of having sugar-free days. Maybe I'll start there.

Good luck to the rest of you!

[splunky]

Well, it's been a while since my first post about joining. Mainly because I caved about 5 hrs into the first day.
Then it took my a good couple of days, of eating everything in sight, to realize this is rediculous! So, I had my first full day of sugar free yesterday Yeah me, I did it!
Working on today and doing well so far. i too find that I am eating everything in sight to fill that need for "something".
Looking forward to reporting my progress and findings with all, you are doing so great and are an inspiration.