I know this is a little off piste... but I am really hoping it will improve my running and keen to learn from others who have had benefits too.
My mum gave me the book,' I quit Sugar' for my birthday ( I think she was trying to tell me something!!) and I was utterly compelled by the evidence. I am ' 2 chocolate bars ++ a day' kind of gal and I am so pi$$ed off that the industry has fed us a load of lies!!
Day 2 I had such a cracking headache I thought I would die, but easing now.
Very interesting article if you are interested, especially if like me you are a conspiracy theorist!!
When you read everything it all makes sense... the afternoon drop, the hunger, not feeling full etc etc all makes sense now. I suggest reading everything then you can make a decision thats right for you
I'm in the mentally-recovering-from-running-outside thing, right now. Right after that process, I want to read the article, for sure.
My thought on my own reaction to sugar is that I have a fast metabolism and we metabolize sugar first. So, eat sugar.... metabolize in two seconds... and sugar crash.
Good plan, get your running sorted first!!!... and if you are interested this article describes nicely the issues of sugar metabolism ( see section on how fructose messes up your liver)... food for thought eh!!
After skimming the whole thing, I'm going to get some stuff done (that I feel guilty that I've been putting off) and then REALLY read it. Very, very interesting.
The trouble IS ...having gone from a situation where saturated fat was the ' enemy' ( and leading to lots of ' low fat ' foods with high sugar content ) we now seem to be making the same mistake all over again with sugar now it is ' public enemy no 1' - the original reports and analysis stated it was ' high sugar AND satd. fat content' that was the problem.. but pressure from sugar lobby made it only ' high fat'... now we are going back to ' high sugar' only... we risk making the same mistake... you cant single out one single nutrient, blame it and then ' forget ' the rest ..
so id keep eating the jelly babies..just in moderation..
I don't think our bodies were ever designed to metabolise stacks of sugar which is why we have an obesity epidemic. I agree though, cutting out total food groups is a bit daft. I have to say I'm not missing it, I'm enjoying eating other foods and feeling a lot better
I think for me, the REAL lesson from the ' low fat' debacle is that ' demonising' one food group or source of it... In the long run is counter productive... So suddenly for example ' refined sugar' is BAD... And people put honey on things instead ... Neglecting the fact that there's more calories in one tea spoon of honey than there is in one tea spoon of sugar.. Or they start adding ' dried fruit' to cereals thinking that's ' healthy' ...' No added sugars' see?? Neglecting the fact many dried fruits treated with apple juice in drying process to ' sweeten them' ...one of the biggest.
...biggest single imports into this country has become apple juice from eastern Europe being used to sweeten things.. So the manufacturers can say 'no added sugar ' ..
Think they did a test on rats, gave them unlimited sugar - they stopped eating it after few days. Then unlimited fat, same thing... when it was combined fat and sugar - they didnt stop eating it (EHH e.g. Cake)
yes but just one test on rats not humans.... There is a lot more complicated ( statistical) evidence beyond that... But if it was as ' simple' as some people like to suggest ( in order to sell a book) as just stop eating sugar, there would be no ' obesity epidemic'
Blimey ! So your desk no longer littered with snacky snacks and Freddo Frogs ? You really are superhuman !
Thanks for putting this out there.. I have to say, I, like many folk, regard sugar as The White Death...have called it that, for many, many years.. I had a really, really, really sweet tooth when young..but not since university days.
Fortunately.. I am a tad weird..as has been commented on, on the forum.. I don't like 'recognised' sugary badness.. chocolate, ice cream, peanut butter, sweets, anything like that; but it is just hidden in so, so many unlikely things... when husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.. years ago, that meant tightening up on sugar content, even more, as part of the whole new eating regime. With the odd blip, we have had no issues, it is life changing.
We have tweaked our Mediterranean diet too; and are using elements of the Micheal Mosley ( He from, Trust me I am a Doctor), Blood Sugar diet. Husband's blood sugar results are quite frankly amazing , even after the holiday in France!
There is so much you can do to substitute, if you do love sweetness. It really is just habit, a whole new mind set, ( a bit like running really), and searching out the recipes and new techniques etc. Great to shake up our cooking and our lifestyles and discover how much better we feel.
Thanks ju-ju- , I really am quite passionate about this... Now... I need to find a really excellent study on the benefits of eating cheese... because I really love it!!!!
I love cheese too, and I think that blood sugar diet is fascinating. Well done you for embracing it and it sounds like you are both so much better for it. I'm noticing the lack of hunger pangs and low sugar I always used to get- it seems to have gone!! I'm enjoying finding new recipes like coconut butter and bacon, egg and feta muffin things ( no bread). Luckily we have always cooked everything from scratch including bread so that side of it is ok...
The, everything from scratch, really helps.. I have, as you, always done it, including bread.. and.. Curlygurly2 found me a link...research on how brilliant cheese is for us! Yeay!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep. Was diagnosed with Hypoglycemia years ago. Went on an absolutely hard-core regime where not only could I not eat anything with sugar in it for eight weeks - I could not eat anything over 50 on the hypoglycemic index, nor anything that fools the body into thinking it is sugar. I had full-blown 'sugar rebound' thing going on internally.
Felt bloody marvelous after a couple of weeks, full of energy and zest and the wight started falling off. So much weight that at one point a co-worker asked me quietly one day if I had cancer.
Unfortunately - try finding sugar free foodstuff over here. Even the stuff that is legally marketed as 'sugar free' isn't necessarily so. Allsorts of 'hidden sugar' out there. For me it got too overwhelming to cook every meal from scratch and so forth to in the end - and to this day - I try and make sensible compromises and it works fairly well overall.
But I do wish more people were aware of the literal 'sugar conspiracy' by the food producers. Maybe something would be done then to wean us away from that dreadful stuff.
Good points... John.... sugar hides in everything and as Diabetes UK says.. do not waste your money on diabetic products, there always has to be compromise..otherwise it would drive us bonkers!
If you are ever in the UK, you are welcome to join husband and I, and I will cook you a meal from scratch anytime! x ( sugar free of course) x
I would look forward to that OLdfloss I am hoping to be in the UK in the New Year, so who knows - we may be able to arrange something Are you in the South or North?
Mid way.. Staffordshire..just on the edge of the Peak District..some really good running in the area! Lots of hills, but stunning scenery.. who knows.. it would be great
Well done you and that's awful re the food choices there, no wonder there is an obesity epidemic. I prefer cooking from scratch as I find packaged food tastes like sh*t anyway!! I think I'd rather have bacon and eggs if no time. Good to hear it's had such positive benefits for you, well done!!
Interesting article JJ, thanks for sharing. Perhaps I aught to step away from the chocolate chip muffin in the cake tin I wonder if misswobble has had chance to read this -she was concerned about cholesterol levels x
I wondered that too as the evidence is all there....
not exactly but I gave up most sugar in my diet about 15 years ago. I still eat the occasional piece of cake. My reason was that I have fluctuating blood sugar levels. I am not diabetic in fact quite the opposite but if I eat sugar I get severe hypoglycemia about 2 hours later. There is sugar in the most unexpected places but mainly in processed food (sauces, soups, bread ...) My only sugar intake is dark chocolate with high cocoa content. After a while you will stop getting the withdrawal symptoms and no longer crave it. You do need carbs though especially if you are running !
Well done... I have found since stopping I'm not getting that awful low sugar sick feeling, especially in the morning
I'm reducing it at a pace that doesn't leave me with headaches,the need for it,etc. But got slightly obsessed as I was doing a food shop with my dad yesterday - I kept looking at the back of things that I needed so I was eating and drinking low fat foods! I am now not feeling the need to constantly snack but keeping the fluid levels up as I do have a history of feeling properly dry if I don't keep the fluid levels up - not quite properly dehydrated but not far aaway. One proper meal a day and something small at lunch is what I'm doing at the moment.
Yep, tried to give up sugar about a year ago. I am not fanatical about it, but avoid most sweet things and all processed foods. Read some of the science (was shocked about fructose) and it does make sense. But so did the fat/cholesterol stuff at the time. I've taken it one step further - carbs metabolise into sugar, so reduced them. And if I can't eat sugar I have to replace it with something, so am eating fat again. It works quite well - certainly haven't gained any weight. And feel better for it.
Well done... The book I'm reading encourages you not to eat the white stuff ( flour, pasta etc) but replace with spelt. It also encourages you to eat fat, so I am, and it replaces the desire for sugar and you need less, so it's a win win I think!!!!
I'm on weight watchers doing the no count and they sting you for high sugar so for me at the moment it's just not worth using all those points on something that dosent help me in any way. I substituted fresh orange juice and water 1/2 & 1/2 for jelly babies for when I do the 10k+ runs and dried mango, it seems to do a better job. I have spent the last decade trying to teach myself moderation, I occasionally like a boiled sour sweet or filled chocolate and if I have a real hankering I don't totally deny myself because for me that leads to more than one in the long run, so even though I've totally cut down on refined sugar I have a little window. I don't smoke any more I drink less than the weekly allowance a week. A girl has to have a little leeway to be bad 😈. Good on you Ju-ju good luck.
I agree, I think everything in moderation is best... Your method sounds ideal, I'm going to see how these 8 weeks go and see how I feel etc. I'm really hoping it will set me up well for my crazy marathon in December!! X
What do you plan to use as an energy supplement on those long runs??? Appears to me that virtually every goo or gel is sugar based. Must admit I don't really want to go near any sugar after a few of those, but not sure of the alternative that gives you that "kick".
Those flipping gels give me the runs, but I do like to have 1 caffeine one on a marathon. I find now I don't need so much on long runs so I'm going to do something with coconut and also have a v small container with a shot of v v v v strong green tea to get the caffeine hit to keep me going. Does that sound a bit crazy?!!!
I'm going to read some more, and cut back on sugar. The little Yeo Valley low-fat yoghurts in my fridge that my boys love to eat for breakfast contain 20 g (4 teaspoons) of sugar. I banned San Pellegrino 'healthy fizzy water with orange juice' from my house when I learned that one can has 7 teaspoons of sugar.
I know, it is so scary, and in the book she illustrates with the ingredients how most low fat foods have higher sugar so they don't work. I buy the tub of Greek plain yog from Lidl which is delicious on its own, it is 10% fat but I've never been a believer in low fat anything. I swear by full fat milk for training ( research has also proved this) for my son so I've never bought skimmed. My kids are both in the healthy weight range if a little skinny!! However they eat far too much choc and sweets and I need to work out how to address that....
Our modern day problems are mainly caused by our own obesity (most of us are overweight to varying degrees). But that is what they are - modern day problems. So the answer for me is not to go on any particular diet espoused by anybody - but simply to eat whatever my grandparents ate!! There were no supermarkets when my grandparents were alive - hence there were no aisles of sweets, chocolate, biscuits, alcohol, processed foods, pre-prepared foods, cakes , innumerable types of bread, - etc, etc,etc. There were also no restaurants or cafes, no coffee shops, no cheese specialists. It's simple really!!!!!
I have eliminated refined sugars for a few months now, though I still add a teaspoon of honey into my breakfast yogurt. It's been much easier than I thought.
Anyway I have to say I am not an extremist in any aspect if my life and, if once in a while I really really want some chocolate or pudding, I have it without the slightest feeling of guilt.
I'm quite skinny, I don't drink alcohol as I don't like the taste, but I found that I was getting a bit of a belly because I would sit and watch tv with a large bag of wine gums or fruit pastilles and scoff the lot.
So I decided that I wouldn't eat chocolate, ice cream, sweets or crisps during the week and then I would pig out on Saturday and to a lesser extent on Sunday, whether a good idea or not.
I found that chocolate tasted extremely sweet at the weekend and I didn't want to eat as much, whereas if I ate a bar every day I wouldn't notice. The same with crisps now, I can really taste the salt the day after.
The problem is that there's sugar in everything; bread, soups, baked beans, loads of sugar in low fat products, and other supposedly good foods. I don't understand how cereals such as Special K can advertise themselves as a healthy product when it's full of sugar.
But I think we're all addicted to some extent so what can we do? Life would be boring without some pleasures. My newest addiction is running!
Interesting article but I am not sure about all this. When I was a child I ate three times a day - no snacks and everything I ate was cooked from scratch. Recipe meals and fast food and stopping for a coffee AND a muffin was not the norm. I do think the rise of processed food and fast food together with a change in industry and work patterns leading to a more sedentary lifestyle, has led to our obesity and health problems.
I am not sure one particular food be it sugar, carbs or fat are to blame and believe me I have tried every diet known to man.
I love cooking so almost always cook from scratch and have little processed food and I include in here the so called healthy foods like most yoghurts.
Isn't moderation and increasing our activity and eating "real home cooked food from scratch" the key rather than demonising one particular food?
Agree with Bazza1234 and secan here and I believe moderation is key in healthier lifestyles not bans of certain ingredients .....
That said I am horrified by how much sugar goes into processed or fast foods and how addictive it is - a McDonalds burger bap is actually sweet to the taste and what does that teach the next generation?
Maybe I'm wrong but I am not sur any ingredient is a killer in itself, the amount we eat it in is perhaps?
And I am sure the debate will go on 😀Whatever your choice good luck and good health x
I totally agree, and we all do different things for different reasons. I completely agree re exercise too, if only people could understand how good it would make them feel...
This post is timely for me, yesterday at work we held a bake sale for charity and I ate three cupcakes over the course of the day. I don't usually have that much cake, I will have it once a week if that. I don't even have cake in the house and my sweet tooth is much less than when I was younger. However, after the third cake I felt awful and last night I was so angry with myself for eating it. I don't want to ever feel guilty about what I eat and I do like having cake sometimes, especially carrot cake. But I think cutting back is fine. I don't know if I could cut it out completely. How do you deal with all the hidden sugar?!
I think the worst thing is to stress about anything... I decided to do this as I had a diet stuffed full of sugary snacks and I know it was effecting my weight and therefore my running. I'm just eating the basics which I prefer anyway to keep it simple. Most processed foods have stacks of hidden sugar!!!
In the past I tried and failed on low fat diets. And then gave up because I thought I'd rather be fat than have the miserableness of a low fat diet. I've lost weight and kept it off by avoiding food with added sugar and not worrying too much about fats. Combined with running I feel like a new person. I'll eat an occasional small amount of chocolate but don't touch cakes or biscuits - and they just don't have any appeal any more. I am convinced that eating natural fats (without going to excess) does not make you fat and the satiety actually stops overeating. Sugar has the opposite effect.
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Blood sugar crash!
Why I was getting slower....
Tell me to get a grip you lovely (bossy I hope) lot! 
Graduate C25k - if I can, you can
W6R2 "Horrible sugar crash, I think!"
