After reading medical studies, this is what I found:
Here some of the dangers of consuming sugar:
1.Feeds candida (yeast infections)
2.Promotes wrinkling and aging skin
3.Makes your blood acidic
4.Can lead to osteoporosis
5.Rots your teeth
6.Raises your blood sugar level
7.Contributes to obesity
8.Is addictive (almost as much as drugs)
9.Creates the urge to binge
10.Provides 'empty calories' with no nutritional value
11.Contributes to diabetes
12.Robs your body of minerals
13.Robs you of energy
14.Contributes to heart problems
15.Causes cancer
16.Contributes to ulcers
17.Causes gallstones
18.Contributes to adrenal fatigue
19.Suppress your immune system (Overweight people have more colds, flu)
20.Raises the level of neurotransmitters called serotonin
21.Weakens eyesight
22.Sugar can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).
23.Causes aging
24.Contributes to eczema
25.Causes arthritis
26.Causes depression
Nice, Tyla, thanks for sharing that. I make a major effort to stay away from sugar and I can see right there how much it is benefiting me to do so!
Sugary, sweet-tasting, and even artificially sweetened food is definitely a trigger for me -- I used to binge eat jelly of all things. For some reason fruit doesn't cause me the same problems thank goodness.
Yesterday afternoon I started to feel snackish and weak-willed so I ate my dinner early and delayed a trip to the grocery store so I wouldn't be tempted to buy anything off plan. I feel much more normal and in control this morning, so glad I put off shopping until today when I can do it in a good frame of mind!
I have been doing fairly well lately, but I did binge a bit last night. I ate half a bag of goldfish crackers in one sitting. I don't even know why I was eating them. I wasn't hungry, I wasn't upset, I just felt the need to eat. I suppose I do that from time to time with no real reason.
My triggers are salty foods like potato chips, cheezits, cheese, etc.
Day 4 here of in range calorie eating and exercising. I feel really great about that.
Mrs.Snark, excellent job on eating dinner a little early rather than overeating! Kudos to you for staying strong.
Psychic, I'm not sure why we crave different things sometimes, maybe because they're different. In any event, you stopped! That's a huge deal in my book.
Psychic, Re: cravings, I just read an article in Psychology Today. Besides emotional issues, one of the reasons for craving certain foods is that we associate the certain food with comfort and love; another reason is that we've been dieting too long and need to change things up. There are also biological reasons. This article suggests:
· "Allowing yourself a small portion of the craving culprit will give you the feeling of accomplishment and you’ll likely be satisfied without overindulge as may be the case if you try ignoring it for too long."
· "Combing the less healthy food with something of nutritional value will make the snack less troublesome on your body and your mind. Adding a few M&M’s to your yogurt for example will cater to your craving in a less regretful manner."
Hope this helped somewhat. You know this is all well said and done, but for me, in the past, if I start eating junk food I have more trouble (unless I count my calories and plan it). Just my two cents.
And, even better, I stayed on plan AFTER dinner when I was alone (in the past, just going out to eat with people could be a trigger and I would be very strictly on-plan during the meal and then secret binge later). I was on guard for that behavior and fortunately I didn't feel the urge to do that.
Oh, Mrs. Snark, this is FANTASTIC! That situation is a challenge for me as well. Next time I go out and get successfully through an event or meal, I will keep this post in mind -- I will be on guard!!!
Tyla -- I'm glad you're feeling so good, it is always such a relief when you can start seeing and actually feeling the changes that result from the hard work!
This is a tough weekend for me as we have big celebrations both last night and tonight that are super food/drinks-oriented. I'm planning for big-ish dinners and a drink or 2 both nights, so I have to work extra hard to:
1. stay on plan throughout the day leading up to the dinners (stressing!).
2. stay on plan DURING the event (alcohol can mean bad judgment and I'll be surrounded by trigger foods!).
3. try to still enjoy myself without going overboard or sucking the fun from the event for myself.
I've been binge free since mid-April and I'm working hard to maintain that. I've made it through lots of indulgent celebrations so far, I'm learning not to freak out under the pressure, but it is STILL HARD and takes focus and planning.
MrsSnark, please hang in there. Know that we're all thinking of you and rooting you on! You can make it through!
MzShaunna, Glad to see you here. I hope things are going a little better for you. Sometimes you have to make a game out of your day. I used to work in a bakery, and I would give myself a star after each half hour would pass and I didn't pick on anything. I would leave from work with a sheet full of stars. Believe me, it was hard sometimes, when everyone else would eat and I would refrain.
Today is day 6 for me of being on plan with my calories. Weekends are harder for me than weekdays, but I made it through today!
Truth is, I didn't even enjoy the treat food I had planned very much and I feel awful today -- like having a food flu. Looking forward to nice, normal, stress-free, healthy meals now. Never thought I'd say *that*, lol.
Yesterday was Day 20 for me... I might stop counting and just focus on going binge-free in September. I remember when I couldn't go more than 2 days, though, so it's nice to see the 20.
I'm going to a get-together this afternoon. I know there will be wine and I'm sure there will be snacky food. I am optimistic that I can get through it without going overboard, and I will be on guard for the post-party binge! I think I need to plan a yummy, healthy dinner to ward that off.
Tyla, great job making it through a weekend day. I agree -- they are harder! Less structure.
Mrs. Snark, I hear you on the food flu. Makes you realize how bad those foods are for our bodies.
Happy Monday, another beautiful week in front of us, another week to treat ourselves like the healthy goddesses we are!
Tyla - congrats on a full week, such an accomplishment! Weekends are always harder for me, but eventually I do find a groove and they get a teeny bit more easy to handle.
7lbs - hang tough at your get together -- it sounds like you have an excellent attitude and plan, you can do it!
mzshaunna -- How are you today, how was your weekend?
I feel much better today, happy to be putting food in my body that doesn't make me feel cruddy! I pretty much have my meals all planned out for the full week (once less thing to worry over) and I'm feeling good.
Happy Monday, Everyone!
I just noticed there's only 2 more weeks until October! Are you kidding me?! Wow, this year is going fast. So all of us being here together, rooting each other on, should help us get through those next few weeks.
MrsSnark, I agree with you, planning my meals makes it so much easier to stay on track. It also makes me more structured, which is what I need.
If anyone else is struggling and wants to get back on track, please join us. Everyone is welcome. It takes one day at a time.
