Pmr and a sweet tooth

[Yellowbluebell]

I have had a problem since pmr diagnosis with my sweet tooth and love of carbs. After gaining a stone in 5 months I had to take myself in hand and start a diet. I started following WW and lost 3lb in the first week. Great but still got a prob with missing sweet things. This has been sorted by making Banana muffins! They are only 1 point on WW so in theory as I have 23 points per day I can eat 23 muffins.!! Recipe is as follows:

Heat oven to 180°

150gms self raising flour 3 bananas 1 egg 1 tbsp vanilla extract 3 tbs unsweetened apple sauce 2 tbsp splenda/cancel sugar substitute 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda

Mush all of the bananas, stir in beaten egg, vanilla extract and sugar. Stir well. Mix the dry ingredients together and add gradually. Add apple sauce and stir very lightly. Devide mixture into cases (I got 20 cakes from my mixture). Cook for 15 mins.

I hope these cakes help anyone with a sweet tooth.

[SheffieldJane]

Thanks for posting. I have become a sugar monster and these are bound to help.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to SheffieldJane]

It's really hard when you like sweet thingsx

[SheffieldJane in reply to Yellowbluebell]

I never used to. I think my poor body thinks there’s some energy to be had.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to SheffieldJane]

I have always been a sugar monster so cutting it out was a big problem but at least with these cakes I can have one with a coffee and not feel guiltyx

[Blearyeyed]

Thank you for the recipe.

I bet loads of us have this problem since going on steroids for our GCA/ PMR.

I know I crave everything I shouldn't so this will be a really handy recipe to curb those calories while I crave the carbs.

Just have to convince my daughter to make me some now!😋😁

Hugs , Bee xx

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

They are very easy but quick so.she should be willing to make some for youxx

[Rimmy]

Yummy !! - now I am looking for the paper patty-pans to fill 'urgently' !!

X

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Rimmy]

They do make you want to start baking immediatelyx

[Theziggy]

Have you a breakdown of the carbs and cals per bun?

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Theziggy]

Will sort the details out for you x

[PMRpro Ambassador]

They don't look low carb - so be careful including them in a low carb approach to pred.

[Yellowbluebell]

Not sure if they class as low carb but more as an alternative to the sugar laden normal muffins.x

[Blearyeyed in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Yes they are to do with a different diet than a low carb regime , but you kindly changed the recipe from being a loaf cake to little muffins , great idea , you gave us perfect portion control rather than some of us , namely me , having the option of cutting off big chunks.

So the small size and reduced processed sugar is a carb saver , plus you are detected from eating too much if you have to keep going back for more.

I am going to try it with my gluten free flour , and then my protein flour to test the results I will let you know...

Plus , for us naughty children 😋😁 do you think you could add a few dark choccy chips?

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

The original recipe has chocolate chips in them but decided as I was trying to be healthy I wouldn't add them as I couldnt find a healthy alternative. Apple sauce tastes really good in the cakes as every so often you get a bit of apple and banana together. Xx

[Blearyeyed in reply to Yellowbluebell]

I have dark chocolate , no added sugar dairy free chips from oddly Oxfam , and I get these little crunchy raw cocoa nibs from Nutriseed which are really tasty , like good dark chocolate crunches that I add to lots of stuff , even porridge!!

They are packed with the good nutrients founding cocoa without the sin though , so you can feel like you are doing yourself good when you eat them.

[teesher]

I had a sweet tooth before pmr but all the info on here says reducing carbs helps with our condition. I allow myself some crusty bread and butter now and then but have forced myself to like Ryvita which is really quite nice. Right, I'm off to make 400 of your banana muffins.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to teesher]

I agree about the carbs and I am doing my best to cut them down but my biggest issue was finding something not too heavy in sugar but enough sweetness to satisfy the sugar cravings. As I said to pmrpro they dont really class as low carb but with the applesauce they are sweet enough for us with a sweet tooth still. Not sure 400 is a good idea though!! I had to share mine with OH and grandson.

[Blearyeyed in reply to teesher]

I love your attitude! I'm adding raw cocoa nibs to mine xx

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

I think.i might have to give the chocolate a go as well. I have just been messing about a sticky chocolate brownie as well. Just need to tweak the sugar content and also might have a go at making them low carb and see how they taste.x

[Blearyeyed in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Yum, when you have worked it out there will be alot of us waiting on here to get the recipe . I have a vegan recipe for Brownies / mug cake that is made with yoghurt and about 80 calories a slice , or 100 calories a mug , perhaps I should post that sometime too.

It's squishier than a normal brownie when cold , but like a fondant cake warm.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

Sounds yummy. Post itxx

[Soraya_PMR]

Of course you know that feeding your body sugar means that your insulin will demand more! There’s only one way to break the cycle....

[Marijo1951]

I hope this works for you. It wouldn't for me. I found that simply giving up added sugar was the only answer, and also giving up my regular weekly baking. I haven't had any added sugar since October. I did take a bite out of a mince pie on Christmas Day, but my taste buds had changed so much, it tasted disgustingly sweet and I had to spit it out discreetly into a tissue. I gave away my baking equipment and thought I would be in mourning for my lost way of life. In fact, it hasn't bothered me much at all. I used to keep things in for visitors (and eat most of them myself), but now I've decided that people will have to accept that I don't have cake, biscuits, chocolate or jam and that's that. I haven't lost any friends as a result.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Marijo1951]

That's great will power if you can stick to it , well done you.

I still have a ravenous teenager and a greedy OH in the house , but now she is taking on the baking duties.

Luckily I have a book of my own adapted recipes over the years which I did to help cut sugar and carbs in the sweet things my husband craved despite being diabetic , they have been good over the years.

Plus , since going gluten free , and my eldest daughter bringing home vegan friends , annoying these trends, I did begin working on alot of vegan treats , they are high protein.

I agree with you about the change in taste buds though , I notice shop bought things taste really sweet now since I have reduced the sugar for all those years at home.

The first time I noticed it , was when I was a teenager and gave up sugar in my coffee for Lent. In the first weeks I really missed it , at Easter I thought , " Hoorah !! I can have proper coffee again!" Took one taste and it was horrible , never went back to sugar in my drinks again.

Hows the diet going , still having success?

Hugs , Bee xx

[Marijo1951 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Not going too bad, thanks for asking. I lost 3 lbs this week. If I lose 1 lb more, it'll be a stone gone since 5th January. If I lose 6 lb, I shall have lost 10% of my starting weight. I wear the same dress every week so that I know my clothes weigh the same, and it was definitely baggy when I put it on this morning.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Marijo1951]

That sounds like really steady weight loss. My OH had lost a stone in a week and i lost 3lb. Totally unfair!! I am assured by the eldest daughter that 2lb a week is normal without pred so I am pleased, sort of!!

[Marijo1951 in reply to Yellowbluebell]

I spoke to my rheumy when I saw her the week before last. She was very encouraging about Slimming World which is apparently the programme that the NHS tend to recommend. She did say that the way we metabolise carbs on pred can slow down weight loss and also that you have to remember the tendency to retain fluid. The SW plan fits in well with avoiding sugar and white carbs which we're advised to do when on pred.

By the way, it seems weight loss is a lot easier for men than women - very unfair. There are only 2 or 3 men in our SW group, plus Aaron the Consultant, and they certainly achieve large weight losses very quickly.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Marijo1951]

OH used to put on a tad at uni (meaured by trousers not fitting as well) and simply had soup at lunchtime instead of soup and a roll, gone in a week or two. Disgusting I call it...

[Yellowbluebell in reply to PMRpro]

That's what my diet experienced daighter says. Men lose it easier than women which is grossly unfair!! OH's stone has just dropped off and then he comes into the lounge saying his belt is fastening two holes tighter!!

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Marijo1951]

Eldest followed SW on and off for years and was always happy on it but for us we decided the WW seemed better and so far it seems to be workingx

[Blearyeyed in reply to Marijo1951]

Not going too bad! That's amazing!

3lbs weight loss a week is the recommended top end weight to lose on a healthy weight reduction plan when a normal healthy person is dieting .

On steroids that is an amazing achievement , most people find it hard to lose 1-2lbs on steroids per week. You are doing so well.

Perhaps you should post up your diet plan to help us all out.

So happy for you xxx

[Marijo1951 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Thank you, that's very encouraging. I should add that I only lost half a pound last week and on two occasions have gained a pound. I haven't exactly got a plan but I mainly eat vegetables, plus some fruit, small-ish amounts of protein, yogurt and porridge, a small amount of wholemeal bread, brown rice and wholemeal pasta. For the 5-15 'syns' that SW allows, I try to eat things that are nutritious like a few walnuts or dried apricots, rather than any kind of sweets or junk food.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Marijo1951]

I wanted to have nuts as a snack.at night when I get the munchies but they have a lot of points and I wouldn't just have a.few!! My daughter used SW.and lost lita of weight bu did go up and down a bit at times but still lost over 2 stone. You are doing wellx

[Marijo1951 in reply to Yellowbluebell]

I know, it's a bit sad about the nuts. I have 10 g of walnuts and chew them 'mindfully' and very slowly - probably better for the digestion anyway...

[Blearyeyed in reply to Marijo1951]

You are still doing brilliantly , plus remember the pound you add may not be a real increase in weight when you are on steroids , it can be water retention or something else that is related to Pred giving you a " fake " weight increase . You can tell from your dress loosening that your work is paying off. xxx

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

Youngest gave up sugarfor lent 2 years ago. Last year it was fizzy drinks. She rang me to ask what she should give up this year. As she doesnt smoke and is tee total there isnt much she can give up now. I think the last thought was swearing!!

[Blearyeyed in reply to Yellowbluebell]

😂😂😂 good luck with giving up swearing , definitely a hard one with Pred Head!

Even us well brought up young ladies fling the odd B or F Word with the trials of PMR.

Exactly what did " Banana bread" give up for Lent? Dugsr???

I know I might be plagued by Brain Fog but I am totally lost on that one.

My youngest has used the plan from last Lent , rather than Giving Up a thing , she is Giving Up a piece of her time to volunteer for different things . We've done it for a few years and it means it doesn't feel like you are Giving Up anything because of how good you feel for doing something nice.

She's doing an afternoon next week going to different elderly people's houses who live alone in the village for a cup of tea and a chat. Perhaps I will get her to make your muffins for them this time as she usually takes cakes.

Just had a big shop delivered with plenty of apples and bananas so it's muffins instead of smoothies this week , Yummy!!

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

I meant sugar you nutcase. She does a bit of swearing so maybe that is the thing to give up. I did suggest sex but she swore.at me!!!

[Grants148]

Thanks for posting,they look delicious !l love chocolate far too much,and cream cakes !

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Grants148]

Oh my God me too. You can actually put chocolate chips in these but I am trying to avoid doing that or I will be the size of a hippo at my youngests wedding.x

[Blearyeyed]

I really do think you should write a post about your experience of trying to get in a pair of Spanx with PMR .

Apart from the fact that it will give us all the sort of laugh that sends us racing to the loo , there's probably lots of us who can relate to trying to use them , or do anything to make us feel good and look good while going through the pains and steroid effects on our bodies with blooming PMR/ GCA.

It certainly made my day getting your PM on it earlier. xxx

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Blearyeyed]

It was definitely an experience!! I will get a cup of tea and post in a bitxx

[Polywotsit PMRGCAuk team member]

Loads of sugar in bananas!

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Polywotsit]

I know but I am struggling to give up all the things I should. Mind you all fruit on WW is free

X

[borednow in reply to Polywotsit]

Shhhhhhhh x

[Noosat]

Have to admit I do not have a "sweet tooth", but occasionally want something. I keep a can of crushed/bits of pineapple in natural juice in the cupboard. I can make pancakes or put a light biscuit (homemade) topping over the contents before putting in oven. With the latter I use a cup of plain yogurt. A couple of scoops of the baked dish are enough to satisfy me.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Noosat]

That sounds really nice and refreshing. I have always had a sweet tooth but as I have got older it became obvious I couldn't get away with wearing size 6/8 jeans any more and accept I have some "middle age spread" going on. I was happy at size 10 but pmr put paid to thatx