Sugar=big stomach (veggies, carb, pounds, gluten)

[jaminhealth]

I didn't have a bigger stomach until I hit menopause..and I don't know a woman who doesn't have a bloat some more than others. Lot is fat and some is hormone imbalance.

[Crashj007]

Every time I see a fat person load up the grocery cart with soda I think to myself they are buying poison and don't even know it.
"I see dead people, and they don't even know they are dead"

[jade408]

While I do agree too much sugar is not good. It is not a weight loss pancea either. I stopped drinking most sweetened beverages in high school or college. No impact on the scale. OP it sounds like you consumed quite a few calories via beverages - in addition to cutting sugar, you probably lost a couple hundred daily calories.

I have pretty minimal added sugar cutting it all out won't make a big difference. I have it in my coffee, ocassional yogurts and ocassional dessert. Not a lot to cut for me, I average a few teaspoons a day.

[Sunbrite]

Wow, I never realized this would generate so many interesting conversations!

Yes, the weight loss has leveled off but I kid you not, I am much less tired than I used to be. I used to feel just constantly tired. My 7- year- old would want to play and I would say "Not right now I am too tired, " Ever since I cut out sugar (and I still eat bread and pasta sometimes but I am talking about soda and sweets and sweetened beverages which is like everything that is out there, esp. when you eat out) I have much more energy to play with my child.

I'm also cutting out caffeine and seeing good results there too. I switched to decaffeinated for a while but I feel like even that is too much for me, my system is just really sensitive to that kind of stuff.

Also really am noticing more how sugar and caffeine are affecting my sleep (and anything that affects sleep I take really seriously)

A couple of days ago I was taking my child back from a swimming class and I saw a Mom with a huge iced coffee and she was screaming at her kids. I just smiled and thought to myself, that used to me. I used to think I could just go buy an iced coffee or make coffee and my energy level would be up.

But now I realized that it actually makes you so much worse. If you are able to do so (and I DO realize that many people can't do this, for them this is simply not a reality) but take a nap and you will feel so much more regenerated rather than reaching for sugar and/or caffeine.

I just tried taking baby steps. Seeing what would happen if I skipped sugar. And then I like the results, and I kept going with it.

Before I didn't think it would ever work because I was just addicted to sugar, without even realizing it. Not necessarily soda but constantly stopping for ice cream and iced coffees (I should own stock in McDonald's Frappes) and being in denial and saying "Oh, this isn't a big deal, it's not that bad for you."

What a BIG LIE that was, I was just completely in denial. I also am not the kind of person that can keep a box of cookies in the house (or any kind of sweets) and have just one a week or something like that. I no longer even buy it at the grocery store, because I know it will be gone. Half the bag or box or whatever is will be gone before the day is over.

Someone mentioned it, that if you didn't really grow up with sugar, it may not affect you much. I wasn't surrounded by people eating sugar, but I have ALWAYS had a sweet tooth, since I was a child, and it wasn't viewed as being a terrible thing. No one ever took me aside and said "You know, sugar isn't good for you, that's not healthy what you are doing, and it will negatively affect you."

I wish someone had, but at least I am learning it now. And now I watch my daughter like a hawk, and am much more aware of her ordering soda. We just order milk or water for her now, I don't even wait.

Wishing everyone a healthy summer and Happy 4th!

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by Crashj007

Every time I see a fat person load up the grocery cart with soda I think to myself they are buying poison and don't even know it.
"I see dead people, and they don't even know they are dead"

I have heard my coworkers talk about needing to lose some weight for years, but they'll sit there every day drinking sugary sodas and energy drinks. I have tried explaining to them that they would need to walk over 2 miles at a brisk pace just to burn off one 20oz soda (about 230 calories). I have even seen them drink three 20oz sodas in one day, that's 700 calories, almost as much as a burger and fries!


I will admit that I do drink Coke Zero on occasion, but at least there's no calories in it.

[bookspage]

The World Health Organization reccommends no more than 25 g of added sugars a day
Not a lot!

[Sunbrite]

Originally Posted by jaminhealth

I didn't have a bigger stomach until I hit menopause..and I don't know a woman who doesn't have a bloat some more than others. Lot is fat and some is hormone imbalance.

Yes, totally agree!!! Last summer I cut back significantly on snacks and food and didn't lose a single pound by the end of the summer. In fact, I think I gained weight. I've been looking at my overall health, and I remembered that my Dad had some problems with his thyroid gland, and he eventually had to have surgery for it. So I am looking into this for myself, because I am noticing some symptoms that may or may not be related to some hormone imbalances, for me, possible thyroid issues.

But I'll still keep up on this cutting down on sugar and caffeine, because I'm just feeling better overall and notice improved energy level and not so much moodiness, it's definitely made a difference in my overall health.

[jaminhealth]

Ok here is my cold drink of choice...no sodas in this house. I found Zero Vitamin Water Revive a few years ago and I buy single bottles at my market. Cost about $1.49 and often on sale when I hit the sale.

This product has high potassium in each bottle which gives a nice energy lift. The potassium in each bottle is 880mg. If your body is low in potassium, that could be a good indicator of FATIGUE. Good to get levels check when doc does labs.

Product has no sugar, no calories, 4 g carbs and some B5, B6, B12.

https://taldepot.com/vitamin-water-z...ase-of-24.html

Just opened a bottle and will drink maybe a 1/4 of it and refrig the rest for another day.

Water is my biggest drink. Some low sodium V8 too which is high in potassium.

[riaelise]

As with anything, eat too much and suffer ill effects. I eat sugar in moderation, and I don't gain weight..in the middle or anywhere else. When I eat too much sugar (and salt for that matter) I feel bloated (both make you retain water) and lethargic. Any weight lost is likely water. As demonized as sugar is, it's always had its place on mans table. Even hunter gatherers indulge in sugary things like fruits and honey. It's not nutritively important but many still crave it and one can enjoy it if they dont eat too much. Sugar is empty calories, and the empty unused calories cause the increase in girth..not necessarily the sugar itself..but it's easy to go overboard with sugar since it's found in so many things.

[ChicagoMeO]

Sugar AND salt are the two things that keep the weight from moving, for me.