DezziePS - I used to be vegetarian and vegan too. Yeah I didn't really notice much difference either. This no sugar thing was started when a coworker of my husbands did a seminar on sugar and the effects. He is a doctor. It prompted me to do some more reading, and look up some studies, and I figured what the ****? Why not? I've tried everything under the sun, and all the diets, all the healthy eating, calorie counting, what have you, always fell victim to the eventual binge. Cravings getting the worst around TOM.
The mood swings, I honestly thought were due to my menstrual cycle, stress, and whatever else I could think of. But I started noticing they followed a pattern daily AND that they were relieved by a sugary snack.
I don't eat a wide variety of food. I never have. I'm a creature of habit, I guess. Also I'd always faired better if I eat like every 2 hours. I feel like I'm always eating small meals. I get a little hypoglycemic and this seems to keep my blood sugar stable, and that helps my mood. I'm one of those people that gets so irratable if I'm hungry!
Breakfast, lately has been 2 pience of toast with 1 tsp butter from Olive oil on each piece, glass of water, black coffee.
Lunch was a can of soup, like progresso for a while. Which has sugar in it, but I don't seem to be bothered by it, so I don't mind. A few days ago we bought a panini maker which rocks. So for lunch I'll have a panini with 1 slice cheese and a pile of roasted veggies, eggplant, asparagus, mushrooms, squash, red peppers.
After lunch I feel like I'm eating all after noon. My main snacks are cheerios, plain fat free greek yogurt (I add Truvia to it so it tastes sweet!) cheese sticks, whole wheat crackers (I buy one that only have like 3 ingredients, no sugar) if I have home made bread, some of that with butter, eggs....I'll sometimes have humus with raw broccoli, or cottage cheese.
For dinner it varies. Tonight I had quinoa, with black beans and avocado. I imagine the beans are sugary the way a sweet potato is. I was lazy and didnt look up if beans in their natural form are sugary. But I don't feel awful, so I'm not worried.
Some times I have whole wheat pasta with some sauteed veggies (I use olive oil). And I'll top with ricotta cheese or some other cheese.
If I'm feeling lazy, I'll just have eggs and toast for dinner.
Occasionally I'll have a turkey or ham sandwich, but rarely. I still eat mostly meatless, but I don't consider myself a vegetarian because when I do want some meat, I'll eat it.
If I get to the store before dinner, I'll pick up some fresh fish.
My problem has always been at night, the urge to binge on junk. I've never been one to eat bacon and pancakes for breakfast or a big greasy hamburger for dinner with fries (with the exeption of the most unhealthy parents ever that only offered me the most fattening, unhealthy foods available. ) But as an adult, I've always eaten healthy...until I binge. Even then, I could binge on raisins, fruit, pretzels, yogurt. Enough said.