Tuesday, June 4, 2013

How can you lose 30 pounds?



Take a minute to check out the Weight Loss Blog Directory on the tab above.  If you have a weight loss blog let me know and I will add you.
As I wrote about yesterday, sugar is a big problem for me.  I decided I needed to do a little research.  I always feel the more you know about something, the better your chances to defeat it.

In researching sugar addiction I learned a few new things, most of the information I already knew.  I have been experiencing it for a long time.




Is Sugar A Real Problem??

Well, it certainly increases your risk for a few health issues

  1. Type 2 Diabetes
  2. Higher Triglycerides
  3. Low HDL, which is your good cholesterol
  4. Heart Disease
  5. More Weight,  Especially Belly Fat
  6. It allows you to lose control and eat more than you intend
Sugar intake is also connected with:

  • Depression
  • Migraines
  • Poor Eyesight
  • Autoimmune Diseases, such as Arthritis
  • Gout
  • Osteoporosis
I talked about how sugar feels like a drug, that is because it has the same type of effect.  Sugar releases a large dose of Serotonin, the "Feel Good" chemical.  Sugar releases hormones that affects you the same as street drugs.  Of course, it is not as strong as taking street drugs.  After eating sugar you crash, you feel very tired.  I wrote about how I felt tired, headachy, and nauseous the next day after overeating on sugar.  

One of the problems with sugar is your tolerance increases as you eat more sugar.





Scientists have found that when you eat too much sugar it alters the part of the brain that controls how much you eat.  In studying lab rats they have found those changes that parallel drug addicts trying to get off drugs.

When people were shown pictures of sweets it triggered brain effects like those seen in drug addicts.  Women reacted more often.

There are two type of sugars, those in the simple carbohydrate range and those in the complex carbohydrate range.  Simple carbs give you a rush because they break down so quickly.  Complex carbs take longer to break down and enter your body slowly.  Starchy carbs break down into simple carbs.  I guess that is why we react as we do to chips and other starchy carbs.

Fake sugars can be a real problem too.  They react in our bodies just like real sugars.  

Sugar is sugar, no matter what form it comes in.  Honey is no better than regular sugar, nor are the sugars they have been putting in our foods, such as high fructose corn syrup.  Beware of hidden sugars on your labels.

In the U.S.  people average about 19 teaspoons of sugar a day, which is 285 calories.  An extra 285 calories a day means an extra 104,025 calories in a year.  That would equate to almost 30 pounds a year.   If I lost 30 pounds in the next year, I would be around the amount I think I would like to weigh.

 Women should get only 6 teaspoons daily, which is 100 calories. If you would drop just the extra 185 calories you could lose 19 pounds in a year.  

 Men should have about 9 teaspoons daily, or 150 calories.  A man dropping the extra 135 calories a day could lose around 14 pounds in a year.  Personally I think you should just avoid simple sugars entirely.  I haven't had the greatest of luck with that so far, but I am trying.

I don't know if this information about sugar is new to any of you, but occasionally it helps to think about what is going into our bodies and how it can affect them.

25 comments:

  1. The thing is, and I know you've heard me harp about this on my blog, you have to totally abstain from sugar (same with grains) to get to the point of losing the cravings. Even a little will keep those brain chemistry cravings reactions alive. It's really the only way.

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    1. That's not harping, that's educating!! I know that I shouldn't touch either of those things. I just haven't totally gotten there yet. The way the sugar made me feel is really helping though. After not eating it for a while you can really see the effects. Since it was cake the wheat may have been playing a part too!

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  2. My mother is trying to detach herself from sugar. It's a struggle for her. I'm a salty person myself so I don't crave sweets very much. Which is why, when Rob was diagnosed with diabetes, it wasn't that big a deal for me. For him, there was a lot of dietary changes to be made. For me, we just started eating more they way I like to eat anyway.

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    1. I wish I didn't crave sugar. Tell Rob I know it must have been hard for him. Salt affects my health, but I just don't crave it. Sounds like you like to eat pretty healthy anyway.

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  3. Funny, Satia, I'm more of a salt lover, too - but that isn't good for me either. Trying to use more herbs, spices and heat to replace some of it. Just the act of baking makes you realize how darn much sugar we use. Think about it - before the sugar industry really took off, how did people, especially poor people, and especially poor people in winter - make out?? Maple syrup, I guess. There was a French TV movie a while ago about the Nazi occupation, where the people of Brest were making jam out of rhubarb to flavor coffee and other things - yikes - without the usual amount of sugar, it must have been pretty tart!

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    1. You know, Pam, maybe they didn't have the tolerance for sugar that we have. I bet just a little bit of sweetness did the trick for them. It seems we consume so much that it takes a lot for us. We should get used to a little tartness. I know when I was in France and other parts of Europe things were just not as sweet, but they had more flavor. Guess I just need to move to Paris!

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  4. I love sweets, and I know I need cut down on sugar, especially in all the soda I drink. So most of this was new information, but I still needed to read it again, so thank you!

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    1. I am trying to not love sweets anymore. I hope it's possible. I gave up all soft drinks about 3 years ago. I had drank massive amounts of died coke up until then. I feel much better without it. It took a while to get there, now I would touch the stuff. I actually feel disgusted by it. Maybe sugar will be next!

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  5. I'm trying to stop with the Splenda's. I know it's not good and I always wonder if its going to cause cancer somewhere down the line. I used to take some vitamin call Chromium. It was supposed to stop the craving of sugar. I couldn't tell you if it worked or not. My body reacted like it was a placebo. So I was being good because I was physically taking something that was supposed to help the craving.

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    1. Maybe I should try Chromium for a while to see if it would help me get going with the sugar elimination. Placebo or not, if it works, it works. Yes the Splenda's aren't great either.

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  6. Great post ... hit the nail on the head with how sugar works. And I have to agree with Gwen's comment re: needing to cut all sugar to stop the cravings. I've found in the four months since I stopped having sugar/wheat in my diet my taste buds are so much more sensitive to food and enjoy previously 'bland' foods that much more! :)

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    1. I know you and Gwen are right! I stopped sugar for 6 months a few years ago. I don't know what made me go back. I had been doing really well with sugar this time until the attack of the cake! I have open houses to attend the next two weekends. I don't think the cake at those will be a problem for me. It's the issue of having it sitting in my house that is the problem. I tried to give most of it away.

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  7. sugar is a big problem for so many of us. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I know! It is a big problem for most Americans. I think part of it is that the food manufacturer keep adding more to everything.

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  8. Great information Betty. Thank you for sharing it. It's actually pretty timely for me as well. I decided to "go off sugar" for a month at the beginning of May. It was really hard for the first week or so and then after that it got much easier to say no to sugar. It was weird and kind of freeing. I'm back to eating sugar again (it's just too good to go without permanently) but I'm not eating nearly as much as I used to. Thanks again!

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    1. I'm glad you have been able to cut down on sugar. Cutting down doesn't seem to work for me. I certainly wish it did!!

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  9. Hi Betty! Excellent ideas. Yes, your calculations seem correct to me. For each 100 calories less per day consistently, you eventually lose about 10 pounds from that--which is what you are saying above. Further, excess sugar and flour/grains are the absolute easiest ways to cut calories to make a calorie reduction to lose weight.

    :-) Marion

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    1. Marion, I'm glad you agree with me. Now, I just need get the mettle to do it! I am making great advances and with all the blog support, I will get there.

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  10. A lot of people think that if they switch to fake sugar that it is better for them, but research has definitely shown that it is just as bad. I am a big believer in everything in moderation. I don't eliminate sugar I just minimize the amount I eat. Since I eat gluten free if I didn't allow myself a little sugar I would go little crazy since there are so many things that I already can't eat :) Great post!

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    1. Ann, I know gluten free makes you eliminate so many things. That must be really hard too. I can't deal with sugar at all. I can't do moderation. Over the years I have figured that out. So for me it has to be the whole way. Maybe in a year or two I could have a little bit now and then, but will it be worth it to try and cause me to go right back. I don't know yet!

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  11. Yes, I like some of the diet stuff too! Guess it's time to give that up. Good luck on drinking more water and eating the fruit. Sorry you had the power outage. I know sometimes when I'm short of time or something its going on I read on my Ipad. I is so annoying to try to comment on there though. I enjoy your comments!!

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  12. The hardest part about giving up sugar is giving it up. You are so right; once you do, you find that you crave it less and less. I find that I always go back though...

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    1. I know. How do you ever get to the point where you never eat it again? I hope I can figure that one out!

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  13. Great article!!! So many more people need to be informed of this! I have lost 114 pounds over the 4 years and kept that ish off. We have to spread the word! :)

    http://www.fitnessblondie.blogspot.com

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    1. Liz, I am glad to hear your success story! I need to read more of your blog and see how you have done it. I added you to the Weight Loss Blog Directory.
      Have you stayed away from sugar for 4 years? Your weight loss is fantastic!!

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Please take a moment and let me know what you think about this post. I love reading your comments. I try to answer every comment, maybe not immediately, but as quickly as I can.

Thanks!!! Betty