Ok - It is time for me to institute my ban on recreational sugar.
(Of course, I just made 4 dozen of those peanut butter cookies with the Hershey kisses smushed into them for my son's lunches this week. I don't even like peanut butter cookies but I age 5 of them + 8 Hershey kisses. My rationale for baking? I'd rather bake them cookies than buy them packages of junk cookies.)
Reading this thread is inspiring and I know that this will be difficult but I can do it.
What I have going for me: I drink my coffee black I don't like non chocolate candy/cake/frosting/ice cream I rarely eat pancakes, waffles, muffins, rice, pasta, potatoes - still have that habit from my past South Beach phase 1 days. I don't drink soda or fruit juice - only V8- all other juices are too sweet for me.
Rules: 1. No cake/frosting - I LOVE chocolate cake and frosting. Fortunately, my birthday was last week so there are no cakes on the horizon. 2. No cookies, ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate, candy, donuts, pastries, brownies, or other sweet baked goods. 3. No wine. I LOVE a good glass of wine but it does pack on the calories and it messes with my sleep. 4. BBQ sauce and Newman's Light Raspberry Walnut dressing are both ok. That is the only dressing I use 5. Dried cranberries and raisens in small amounts are ok.
Thanks for sharing your stories everyone! It is so helpful to read about your experiences. I kept telling myself I would do this after Christmas, then Christmas became after the Superbowl, then Valentine's Day, then my birthday and here I am over 2 months later and no lbs lighter even with my workouts.
So I had read this thread last month and 2 weeks ago went cold turkey giving up the rec sugar. Then last night I completely fell off the wagon . The weekends are my downfall - brownies with frosting and cookies are my binge triggers. I can NEVER have just one. I either have zero or 50! I had been doing so well too... So now I'm back at it. I totally notice a difference when I'm off the rec sugar- I sleep so much better! I wish I hadn't fallen off, now I have to go through the detox again. Ugh. But, I'm ready to jump on board and get my body composition tee'd up for IMLP!
@Kirsten-- Welcome to the NRS team!!! We'll take all the members we can get. @Kelly-- Each time you go through the "detox" period it gets a little easier. I can tell you though that the fear of that process is what keeps me 100% compliant! I'll also be racing Placid and those hills are another thing to motivate me to keep my body comp in check...
I did quite well for my first 7 days of NRS. Then we had a death in our family so stress, travel, family support, wake & funeral contributed to my recent consumption of wine and sugar - emotional eating at its worst. Today I'm back at on the plan.
Kirsten- way to get back on the no sugar horse! I'm almost 2 months "clean" and I will say , the cravings haven't gone away for me. They actually have increased but I'm sure everyone is different. For me, it isn't an option. Period.
Alright. I am in! I started putting on a little weight when I was healing from my broken bones in December and January. Then I started back pretty hard in February. I fooled myself into thinking all this volume would forgive my sugary sins. I was wrong! After a month and half if going sugar crazy do to increased volume, I found myself up 8 pounds.
The bummer is that during those 6 weeks, my food plan was the nails. I was avoiding starches and fatty foods. It was dialed in so tightly, it was perfect, except for the chocolate and baked goods. . Lots of chocolate.....
So, since meal times don't seem to be the issue, I drew a line in the sand on Monday. No Recreational Sugar. None. I have worked the fruit back into the mix that I had replaced with RS and am starting to feel the sweet tooth wane. The first two days were a bit of withdrawal. But, today makes day 4 and the scale shows it! Down almost 5 pounds since Monday AM. The absence of sugar and carbs and being done right monastic with my eating is working... Like always... Shocker....
I want to lose 3-4 more before Oceanside and then another 3-4 before Wildflower on May 4th. That would get me back to my race weight last season of about 173. Who knows, if this works, I may try and push for the high 160's for IMCDA.
The interesting thing is the role of carbs. Not counting my RS indiscretions, I work off about 70-80 grams of carb per day. With half IM volume it's doable, but as training workouts get longer, the need for simple carbs like sugars become more acute. What are peeps doing here with regard to technical fuels and managing daily carb in-take?
Well Dino... We are glad to finally have you officially in the club!
Re your carbs question... I don't have a good answer. Especially since I don't count calories or keep track of my carb intake accurately. I used to live on pasta and bread, but now that I'm also gluten free, this will be a different challenge this yr. There are actually carbs in many of the vegetables and fruits so I don't think the deficiency will be as bad as you think if you are eating clean. I probably eat 2-3 bananas every day. And I add raisins into my mixed nuts for my afternoon snack. But I do plan to fuel my big workouts properly and don't consider any training or race nutrition 'recreational'... So I will still use my Infinit, and Gatorade and gu's and stinger waffles and delicious recovery shakes as well. I eat lots of sweet potatoes and still do white rice and other grains, etc. Let's hope that's good enough...
Interesting.... Much like a zoo animal, I measure and track most aspects of my diet. When lost eighty pounds, I did it without any regard for carbs and just a healthy bit of regard for calories while strickly avoiding starches, alcohol and refined sugars. But, to get lean (sub 185 #'s for me), I have needed to concentrate on carbs and calories MUCH more. That's why I am afraid of "feed bottles", Gels, Blocks, ect.
I have been trying to use protein bars with low carbs on long rides and I get mixed results. I seem to wait to long. Meaning I get too far in the "red" and then the protein heavy bar seems to make my stomach moan.
I tried the low carb route on long rides and found out the hard way I cannot stay out of the "red" with them. I also found out once I hit the "red" I cannot come back no matter what I eat or drink. I use Infinit now for all my long rides and am able to stay properly fueled. Like John, I do not consider the workout fuels as recreational sugar.
I am weak! The 5 day streak on Rec Sugar has been broken. I just wolfed down a massive cookie from Panera. Curse those rotten kids of mine and their tasty baked goods
Re: carbs... Haven't made any changes. Just cut out the sugar. I typically eat more carbs pre and post wko ie bagels that I would never eat any other time. Gu and Gatorade etc are allowed during wkos
@Dino - we are all weak. My rotten kids were eating ice cream in front of me last night and I caved in to the craving and had a bowl. Oh well, today is day one of the new streak.
stumbled onto this thread trying to search for a way to quickly eat Honey Stinger waffles while on the bike (without having to jack with all the packaging and breaking them up, etc...). ANYWAY....what a great string. I am a MAJOR chocaholic and I have a volume problem (that is...I like chocolate in large quantities) moderation is not exactly my strength. Was really challenged by what I've read in these posts...I've dramatically reduced my recreational sugar...but not drawn a hard line to eliminate them. I'll be thinking through that over the next couple of days. With six kids in our house we always have stuff with it - cereal, ice cream, etc...
Anyway - great stuff to think about. Thank for starting this John!
I am quitting my quitting of recreational sugar. 9 months of zero chocolate, cookies, ice cream, candy is enough. The first 30 days were hard, after that it got better.
For the past month I've been mostly avoiding the recreational sugar--exception was daughters birthday this weekend I've also not been having any pasta, bread or other processed foods. I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm gluten free (who knows, maybe I am), but the focus has been on eating real food with the exception being some protein shakes (Vega Sport- which is sugar free). In that time period, my energy level and mood have been more stable and I'm down about 10 lbs to be at race weight---I haven't raced all year due to injury and I'm just focusing on workouts to get form back in prep for a good OS. It is interesting eating in this way and I definitely like what's happening. I'm curious as to where this will take me over the next few months and whether I'll get to a point of weight stabilization with minimal impact to increasing strength on the bike. Trying to keep focused vs being a slim fast/subway/Jenny Craig yoyo.
“Asking if HFLC (High Fat, Low Carb) is the answer for cyclists is a bit like asking “what type of bike should I buy?”. The answer is going to be diff...erent for different people, in this case depending on their level of training, racing, body composition and health.”
Here is a nice summary by two Australian Sports Dietitians on the pros and cons of manipulating fat and carbs. Athletes who have carb cravings can often get it under control by increasing protein and healthy fats. Many of my clients have tried this approach and it has helped. If you are in a high intensity sport this approach could hinder performance.
*Heavy sigh* Time to get back on the sugar-free bandwagon. As of June, I gave up giving up sugar. Well, 6 months and 6 pounds later, its time. Day 1 went fine without injury. (Meaning me hurting anyone) Also being stricter with sticking to my alloted calories in "Loseit". Feel free to call me "cranky pants" from now on. (My wife already is)
Ok it is time for me to join. No recreational sugar for me starts now, as I swallow that delicious cookie. It'll be extra incentive for the long rides/runs- mmm chocolate gu!
I have been off recreational sugar since 01 Jan 13. I do not eat any cookies, cakes, pies, muffins, etc... The only sugar I take in is through my fruit/veggies and my gels/energy drink. Remember, recreational does not mean what you use for fueling your workouts. If you skimp on that, you WILL suffer in your workouts, which is not necessary.
I found the first week hard, but have to say that I do not find it hard at all now. I am like an addict. I know that if I start on something, like a cookie, or a muffin, I will never stop., Those foods are like crack cocaine to me. I weighed in at 129 for IMWI in Sept and I am sitting at 130 today. I really think my weight has stabilized to where it should be because I have cute out crap. I am going to try to get to 124lbs for my June race, with the help of the Core Diet. My dietitian thinks, in my case, it is more about the timing of my fueling rather than about what I am eating because I eat so clean already.
If you have not done so already, I recommend you check out the webinar in the Wiki, under Nutrition and listen to the Core Diet webinar. They even provided us with pdfs to download.
I actually find it easier once I'm off sugar to just "say no". The cupcakes in the office aren't even an option so they don't torment me all day. They say things like "come on Kim, just a piece is ok." Then another flavor will say " but you need to try the vanilla, and the red velvet, and the carrot cake flavor too". Man I hate those talking cupcakes! Good luck everyone!
Win for yesterday - my family and I were at a dinner party for which I made the bread - i did not eat it, not did I eat the chocolate ganache cake that was offered for dessert - one step at a time!
Comments
Thanks. It's smart to plan for it when my husband will be home. He tries to keep me honest.
(Of course, I just made 4 dozen of those peanut butter cookies with the Hershey kisses smushed into them for my son's lunches this week. I don't even like peanut butter cookies but I age 5 of them + 8 Hershey kisses. My rationale for baking? I'd rather bake them cookies than buy them packages of junk cookies.)
Reading this thread is inspiring and I know that this will be difficult but I can do it.
What I have going for me:
I drink my coffee black
I don't like non chocolate candy/cake/frosting/ice cream
I rarely eat pancakes, waffles, muffins, rice, pasta, potatoes - still have that habit from my past South Beach phase 1 days.
I don't drink soda or fruit juice - only V8- all other juices are too sweet for me.
Rules:
1. No cake/frosting - I LOVE chocolate cake and frosting. Fortunately, my birthday was last week so there are no cakes on the horizon.
2. No cookies, ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate, candy, donuts, pastries, brownies, or other sweet baked goods.
3. No wine. I LOVE a good glass of wine but it does pack on the calories and it messes with my sleep.
4. BBQ sauce and Newman's Light Raspberry Walnut dressing are both ok. That is the only dressing I use
5. Dried cranberries and raisens in small amounts are ok.
Thanks for sharing your stories everyone! It is so helpful to read about your experiences. I kept telling myself I would do this after Christmas, then Christmas became after the Superbowl, then Valentine's Day, then my birthday and here I am over 2 months later and no lbs lighter even with my workouts.
@Kelly-- Each time you go through the "detox" period it gets a little easier. I can tell you though that the fear of that process is what keeps me 100% compliant! I'll also be racing Placid and those hills are another thing to motivate me to keep my body comp in check...
Exactly John! I've heard a thing or two about those hills
http://www.spring.org.uk/2013/02/food-on-the-mind-20-surprising-insights-from-food-psychology.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+PsychologyBlog+(PsyBlog
The bummer is that during those 6 weeks, my food plan was the nails. I was avoiding starches and fatty foods. It was dialed in so tightly, it was perfect, except for the chocolate and baked goods.
So, since meal times don't seem to be the issue, I drew a line in the sand on Monday. No Recreational Sugar. None. I have worked the fruit back into the mix that I had replaced with RS and am starting to feel the sweet tooth wane. The first two days were a bit of withdrawal. But, today makes day 4 and the scale shows it! Down almost 5 pounds since Monday AM. The absence of sugar and carbs and being done right monastic with my eating is working... Like always... Shocker....
I want to lose 3-4 more before Oceanside and then another 3-4 before Wildflower on May 4th. That would get me back to my race weight last season of about 173. Who knows, if this works, I may try and push for the high 160's for IMCDA.
The interesting thing is the role of carbs. Not counting my RS indiscretions, I work off about 70-80 grams of carb per day. With half IM volume it's doable, but as training workouts get longer, the need for simple carbs like sugars become more acute. What are peeps doing here with regard to technical fuels and managing daily carb in-take?
Re your carbs question... I don't have a good answer. Especially since I don't count calories or keep track of my carb intake accurately. I used to live on pasta and bread, but now that I'm also gluten free, this will be a different challenge this yr. There are actually carbs in many of the vegetables and fruits so I don't think the deficiency will be as bad as you think if you are eating clean. I probably eat 2-3 bananas every day. And I add raisins into my mixed nuts for my afternoon snack. But I do plan to fuel my big workouts properly and don't consider any training or race nutrition 'recreational'... So I will still use my Infinit, and Gatorade and gu's and stinger waffles and delicious recovery shakes as well. I eat lots of sweet potatoes and still do white rice and other grains, etc. Let's hope that's good enough...
I have been trying to use protein bars with low carbs on long rides and I get mixed results. I seem to wait to long. Meaning I get too far in the "red" and then the protein heavy bar seems to make my stomach moan.
I guess I gotta find a balance....
Anyway - great stuff to think about. Thank for starting this John!
“Asking if HFLC (High Fat, Low Carb) is the answer for cyclists is a bit like asking “what type of bike should I buy?”. The answer is going to be diff...erent for different people, in this case depending on their level of training, racing, body composition and health.”
Here is a nice summary by two Australian Sports Dietitians on the pros and cons of manipulating fat and carbs. Athletes who have carb cravings can often get it under control by increasing protein and healthy fats. Many of my clients have tried this approach and it has helped. If you are in a high intensity sport this approach could hinder performance.
http://cyclingtips.com.au/2013/08/h...r-cycling/
I found the first week hard, but have to say that I do not find it hard at all now. I am like an addict. I know that if I start on something, like a cookie, or a muffin, I will never stop., Those foods are like crack cocaine to me. I weighed in at 129 for IMWI in Sept and I am sitting at 130 today. I really think my weight has stabilized to where it should be because I have cute out crap. I am going to try to get to 124lbs for my June race, with the help of the Core Diet. My dietitian thinks, in my case, it is more about the timing of my fueling rather than about what I am eating because I eat so clean already.
If you have not done so already, I recommend you check out the webinar in the Wiki, under Nutrition and listen to the Core Diet webinar. They even provided us with pdfs to download.
Have a super Saturday!