FAT vs. SUGAR (Clash of the TITANS!)
 

I'm a HUGE fan of both fat AND sugar! it's like choosing which is your favourite kid hahahhaa:carrot:

Just wondered, amongst the group, who's:

Cutting back on FAT

Cutting back on SUGAR

reducing BOTH

Having both in moderation

I've read everything in the world on both, and can't decide which sounds worse! the extra fat in low/no sugar foods, which can lead to heart disease.... or the excess sugar in low/no fat foods, which can lead to a host of medical issues....***SIGH**** so confusing....

I'm currently sticking with portion control and cutting out the BAD carbs, no junk sugar or fat, and more "real" food... so many people swear by the "low fat 100 calorie packs" of just about anything, but they seem like 100 calories of garbage to me??? it's not real, tastes kinda gross LOL, i'd rather have 100 calories of something yummy

What do people think???

OH YAH!!!!!!!!!!!! today was the FIRST time someone said "hey your face is looking thin" OMG I almost blushed heheheh

I'm careful with both sugar and fat but more so with sugar because eating sugar increases sugar cravings.

I am keeping an eye on my fat intake, but I don't track my sugar. Perhaps I should!

Well, its not really all of one or nothing of another....its more a case of healthier sugars and healthier fats in moderation. I do not eat anything with added sugar or high fructose corn syrup, however, I do enjoy one or two servings of fresh or frozen fruits a day. I am insulin resistant and sugar can stop my weight loss and can actually cause me to gain even on a low daily calorie count. Also, too much sugar makes me moody and fatigued. As far as fats, I do limit myself to 4 added servings a day and only use non-saturated, transfree fats....ie, olive oil, peanut butter, avocados...what we also call healthy fats. I also choose lean cuts of meat.

Hey, congrats on the NSV!
I am more careful about added sugars because that is what landed me in this boat to begin with. They are forbidden because they make me want to eat more and more, but I do eat a serving of fruit a day, sometimes two. I don't limit fat, but try to stay with healthy fats too (Olive oil, canola, nuts, avocados). I don't think you could call my diet "lowfat", since I usually have about 1/3 of the fitday pie devoted to fats. I've thought about trying to reduce that piece, but for now I think it helps keep me full and satisfied. If I plateau, then I'll revisit.

Added sugars I've practically elminated. Eating even a little of it is disasterous for me. I am soooo much better off without any of it.

I count calories. That takes care of any potential to eat too much fat right there. Wanting to get the most volume for my calorie allotment, I choose food that is pretty lo cal. So therefore, pretty low in fat. But I would never totally elminate it. We need some fat in our diet.

Way to go Trazey on the thin looking face NSV!!!! And I am in total agreement. Those 100 calorie packs don't satisfy me in the least. I can do so much better for my 100 calories. But we all have to find what works for ourselves. Keep up the great work!!! :)

I watch both my fat and my processed sugar (and, in fact, the "whites" in general, which contribute to increasing my cravings for everything). I also don't like sugar substitutes, and don't want to try to like them, as so many people have bad reactions to them.

I think the key, though, is embracing whole foods, which you mention. For example, fruit has a lot of sugar, but for me, it is also very satisfying, and I am not inclined to binge on it. Juice, however, which is more highly processed, could pump my blood full of sugar and calories very quickly, which is why I limit that. I used to think that if I cut out most fats and processed sugar, there would be nothing left to eat. I was so wrong, though. Americans (and I'm guessing Canadians?) tend to limit their diets to a few staple foods anyway, so I just figured out which healthy staple foods I enjoy, and those are my mainstays. I am sure you will quickly find out which ones yours are. I know I've been trying to work up the nerve to try Robin's green bean french fry things to add to my occasional reportoire...

Congrats on someone noticing your thinning face. That's wonderful!

Congrats Trazey on your NSV! Yay!

I eat mostly whole foods and stay within a certain calorie range, and don't worry so much about what feels to me like splitting hairs or shooting for particular percentages. My diet ends up being pretty healthy overall. I don't eat a lot of sugar because it doesn't satisfy me and I need to feel as full as possible. . Fats, I eat more of but mostly they are the healthier variety. Not always--I eat butter, cheese, and mayo, but only occasionally.

The 100 calorie packs aren't for me, but if they help others I'm all for whatever works.

Laurie,

I used to be a fruit binger... I'd think nothing of eating 10 fruits at a time. Some people can control themselves with fruit, I do have some difficulty.

I'm not surprised to find that's true, Nelie. This thing is SO individualized that I get really frustrated when I see one-size-fits-all weight loss "cures." The key for us all is to figure out what we enjoy, what nourishes our bodies, and what helps us lose weight, then maintain weight loss. I am really grateful that I can enjoy fruit, though. It is so helpful to me in trying to avoid processed sugars. But I bet there's something which you can enjoy which would send me completely over the edge. I think that's one thing that I really appreciate about 3FC. I get such a variety of perspectives. I don't feel like a failure because I don't have Robin's food discipline or Lisa's ability to run half-marathons (yet, anyway - on both of them!) because I know that we all have different strengths that make the journey possible.

I look at fat. I follow WW and need to look at calories, fat and fiber to get my points. But the past month or 2 I seem to have stalled. I think I need to tweak my plan a bit. Maybe I'll start with reducing "bad" sugars and see what happens.

Sugar is a trigger for me so I stay away from it generally speaking. I occasionally have a planned treat, like a piece of birthday cake, but I don't have anything sugary in the house. Well, I do have a bag of sugar in my pantry, but eating sugar with a spoon has never been an issue with me. Not so with peanut butter, however, which I can eat by the fingerful as well as spoonful. I make sure to get some good fats in, usually olives, olive oil, or avocado, occasionally a few nuts--just not peanut butter.

100 calorie packs serve a purpose, IMHO, not for me, but for others who can satisfy their sweet tooth with a small amount of processed food. People just need to experiment to see what works best for them. It really is interesting to see what works for other people.

I eat anything I want...in moderation. It's the only way I can stick to this for the rest of my life.

I don't eat added sugar or high fructose corn syrup, but love fruit and have some 2 to 3 servings everyday. I am trying to watch saturated fat the most. It's hard because that fat will add up quickly if I don't watch it close.

Laurie,

I agree there is no one size fits all :) I should also say I am very sensitive to sugars so if I do eat something like a piece of fruit, I have to have protein with it as well. Of course I'm a binger and think I could binge on anything I liked well enough... Even baby carrots, when I first started eating them, I'd get the worst stomach pains, my DH (then DBF) got so mad at me because I'd eat a bag of baby carrots then get stomach pain but then I'd do it again the next day.

100 calorie packs don't stop me, I'd just have 5 of them :) Although I do like when things are portioned out ahead of time. Overall though my best strategy is to limit some foods heavily (higher carb whole food items) and eliminate other foods almost entirely (ice cream).