No Treat Challenge: Cutting the Sweets

It was an innocent, kind gesture.

"I thought baby might need a treat today."

A friend had stopped at DeBrand Fine Chocolates, a favorite gourmet chocolate store in Fort Wayne, and bought the one of confectioner's seasonal treats – a ghost truffle – for me. It was milk chocolate with a raspberry filling and frighteningly tempting. But the truth was that I had already had a sweet finish to my lunch and didn't need it.

Nor did the baby.

There's always the temptation to allow yourself an extra treat here or there, whether it's because food just doesn't sound good or the fear of gaining a pound is gone. Friends and family like to celebrate, too, and I am routinely asked if Baby X needs a (decaf) espresso malt or piece of cake or trip to the ice cream store.

Excess sugar and subsequently weight good for mom or baby. It can lead to the production of a potentially harmful protein, AGE, which can "impair healthy immune function, stiffen blood vessel walls, and even alter gene expression." [source] While there is no direct link, there is the worry of gestational diabetes, which can lead to excessive birth weight, preterm labor and the risk of Type II diabetes later in life. And, to be vain, the more weight I gain while pregnant is more weight I have to take off next summer.

When I ate my ghost on Sunday (I resisted two days), I decided that was it. I needed to take a break from the sweets. I needed a treat hiatus. And what better time? With Halloween 12 days away, candy is everywhere – in the stores, at restaurants, on the community food table in the office where well-meaning co-workers dump bags of Reese's pumpkins.

I'm pledging to forgo the candy, the cake, the pudding, the ice cream in favor of more healthful choices until that frighteningly fun holiday.

And I'm challenging you to do the same.

From now until Halloween, bypass the desserts (anything that looks as such) and enter to win a prize pack filled with satisfying snacks sans sugar. Using the widget below, you can comment daily for entries. I'll unveil the prize next Monday half way into the challenge.

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Sugar hangover: Recovering and getting back on track

I put a little life into living this weekend. Actually, I put a lot of life into living.

Especially, if life includes sugar - in all forms. Smores, banana pudding, ice cream, cake, more ice cream. Between the Fourth of July, a birthday for party (how is my baby THREE today?!?) and emotions that tasted like buttercream, I found myself abandoning my NSNG lifestyle and eating without regard or responsibility.

And that's OK, to an extent, but I paid for it. My 6-mile run was sluggish and challenging despite my partners keeping the pace controlled. My gut was angry, too, and a killer headache kept me company most of the day.

The sugar hangover was a good reminder as to why I am choosing to limit the carbs and focus on a vegetable-heavy, higher fat diet. It makes me feel better.

But, the few days after a "binge" are almost just as bad as I find that it takes the body some time to temper and even out. The hunger is more frequent and pronounced, and cravings are more frequent and harder to fight.

For me, sugar is most definitely an addiction or a compulsion, at the minimum. Even with experience, it can be difficult to make the better choices in the beginning. But it can be done. Paddy Spence, CEO of Zevia. quit sugar cold turkey in an effort to upgrade his health about 12 years ago.


"I thought I was a health-conscious person – I exercised frequently, consumed meat in moderation, and used natural and organic products whenever possible. But when I really looked at my diet, I found I was consuming up to 250 grams of sugar per day, between protein shakes, energy bars, juice-based spritzers and other foods and beverages. That’s about 1,000 calories a day, just from sugars."

Tips for Cutting Out Sugar From Your Diet

Be a sugar sleuth. Take an inventory of your diet to track down where you’re getting most of your sugar. It’s easy to pinpoint sources like the sugar in your coffee, but sugar finds its way to us in all kinds of guises.

Forget fruit knock-offs. Whole fruits offer fiber and other good-for-you ingredients like vitamins. Fruit juice and dried fruit, on the other hand, are sugar-concentrated versions of the real thing.

Cut down on condiments. There’s a reason kids love ketchup…it’s one of the most sugary condiment culprits, and barbecue sauce is just as bad. Perhaps the sneakiest of the lot, however, is salad dressing — especially fat-free varieties. The best way to control sugar content is to make your own.

Cast out coated snacks.  From a sugar perspective, treats like honey-roasted nuts, teriyaki jerky, and yogurt-covered pretzels run neck-and-neck with candy bars. Opt for the naked versions.

Steer clear of cereal. Some choices — like Frosted Flakes and Honey Nut Cheerios — are obvious sugar pushers. But don’t be fooled by seemingly healthy options like granola.

Forego fruit-flavored yogurts. A cup of regular fruit-flavored yogurt can contain about 30 grams of sugar (that’s not much less than a can of Coke)! If you want blueberry yogurt, you’re much better off stirring fresh blueberries into plain yogurt. They’re naturally low in sugar.

Not all sweeteners are equal. Although your body metabolizes different sweeteners differently, at the end of the day it’s all sugar. Try stevia, a natural no-cal sweetener. It’s great for both coffee and baking, and a little goes a long way.

Curb cravings with protein. Everyone’s different, but a high-protein snack can help suppress a sweet tooth. Try a hard-boiled egg, a cup of cottage cheese, or a spoonful of natural peanut butter to stave off a hankering.

Go for lower-sugar desserts. Dark chocolate gives taste buds a treat without sugar overload. A bowl of low-sugar granola with milk will also satisfy an after-dinner appetite.

Don’t try to be superwoman. Trying to eat healthily is a noble goal, but being too strict will set you up for failure. Rather than trying for gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, vegan everything, focus on just one.

What are your tips?

The rules we live by

Shortly after my 33rd birthday, I began a note on my iPhone.

"Kim's Rules for Living," it was called.

Though I had proclaimed that I had no goals for this year or bucket list to complete, I had wanted some guidelines. I wanted parameters - in writing - within which I wanted to live my life. The list was seemingly benign - drink 80 ounces of water a day, remember to wash my face at night. The list, and following it, would shape me (physically) to end 33 better than I had started.

In my short stint in therapy, the issue of rule making was raised. According to her, the therapist, my tendency to create rules is - or could be - rooted in extremes and sets me up for trouble when due diligence is no longer paid. She didn't necessarily say that rule making was bad but she didn't seem to favorable, either, especially as she identified that I have a tendency to be all or nothing.

"What happens when you don't follow the rules?"

I thought hard about the question. Long and hard I thought about the question. I wasn't really sure how to answer it. Part of me was inclined to say that nothing happens when I live outside the parameters I've set up for myself. The other part of me knew that nothing isn't really nothing.

I get upset.

I spiral.

I get more upset.

I overcompensate, trying to climb up from the spiral - whether it's creating even stricter rules or exercising more. And though I wouldn't classify myself as disordered, the cycle is.

I've been revisiting that conversation a lot lately as I try to live within a new set of rules that I made for myself. Nearly four weeks ago, frustrated by my lack of self control eating wise, I cut out sugar. I've done it before as part of Dr. Fuhrman's Healthy Holiday Challenge and again (and again) as a way to reset bad habits. I stop eating candy, cookies, ice cream. I start eating more fruit, more vegetables. I explore new ways to snack and satisfy my post-dinner sweet tooth.

Usually, getting rid of sugar is enough of a challenge for me, but I was also listening to "Wheat Belly." The more I heard, the more I was curious. What would it be like to give up wheat? Would I be able to do it? What would happen if I did? Three-quarters of the way through the information, I decided to give it a go. I would stop eating wheat. If anything, I thought, it would reset my obsession and overconsumption with/of homemade sourdough bread.

Surprisingly, it wasn't that hard to give up wheat. I had to rethink a few dinners and get creative when I went to my in-law's for pasta but otherwise, it seemed doable. It has been doable. I have been struggling, though - with the why and the how. Why am I really doing this? How long do I want to do this?

I do know that creating rules helps me to feel safe. The rules keep me on a path that doesn't lead me back to weighing what I once did. The rules help me feel in control and, when I was heavier, I never felt in control. The safer and more control I feel, the more likely I am to feel confident - or at least treat myself kindly. The counterbalance, of course, is that I can use the rules as a crutch to be restrictive and give me ways out in social situations that make me feel unsettled.

I wonder how long I can do this and, not only that, but how long do I want to. Do I forever want to be gluten free? Or is it just until I feel or look a certain way? Is life really life if you are always saying, "No, I can't."

Of course, there's no real answer to those questions. Not yet, anyway. As the therapist would surely say, I need to be honest about what happens if I discover I can't live by the rules.

Friday finds

It's almost the weekend. Put your party hat on!

Sorry - that was just a shameless introduction to use this photo of Miles. Deal.

So this morning I had planned to go to Piloxing since the Train Like A Mother plan had me doing a fun workout. And Piloxing is definitely fun. When I showed up to the studio, though, I learned that it was on spring break. Well, not Piloxing itself but the instructor or the people who run the studio - either way, I wasn't going to get in my planned workout.

Womp, womp.

I was slightly disappointed but I had packed clothes to runch (fun workout = fun workout + 3 miles for Kim). I was fine. And, Fresh market was next door so I could pick up an apple for a mid-morning snack and freshly ground almond butter ... and whatever else caught my eye.

Hint Fizz in watermelon. I've been avoiding this stuff, thinking it had sweetener, but low and behold it's just a calorie-free sparkling water. Huzzah! The sparkles reminded me of nuun and it had a sharpness in flavor (because it's unsweetened) but I really liked it. Not get a "blow the grocery budget and buy out the store" like it but "could get again for funsies" like it.

Snapea Crisps. I decided to look for kale chips and then stopped looking for them when I realized they were $7.99. On the shelf right below, though, were Snapea Crisps. They looked interesting enough, have 130 calories per serving and were a mere $1.99. I'm hoping they can fill a snack void during the #sugardetox.

Seapoint Farms Dry-Roasted Edamame. My favorite snack disappeared from my diet when the nearby Marshall's closed, and it's been missed to say the least. As luck would have it, I found it right next to the Snapea Crisps. Also 130 calories per serving. Also $1.99.

Red Curry Paste. OK, this probably isn't unusual but they definitely don't have it Aldi. I was impressed with myself that I thought to look for it while I was there as I have a Thai Sweet Potato Soup on the books for next week.

Smart & Delicious Soft Wrap Minis - Three Seed. Also on the menu books next week? Curry tuna salad. It would be delicious on a mini bagel but I thought it might be smart and delicious on these wraps. Ha. I made a funny. Anyway, no sugar plus 50 calories each makes it a winner ... assuming it doesn't taste like my sweaty sports bras.

Any good food finds to share?

Sweet nothings

Sacrifice.

When embarking on a weight-loss journey, it is nearly inevitable that a person is going to have to make sacrifices - especially when it comes to food - because, last time I checked, a large Mint Oreo Blizzard wasn't in most eating plans. There's cutting things out entirely, reducing portion size (though a mini Blizzard still clocks in at xxx calories) or finding innovative ways to enjoy the qualities of certain foods without the calories.

And we've all seen those innovative ways. "Guilt-Free" Hazelnut spread, black bean brownies, protein pudding. But those innovations can sometimes (or) introduce artificial sweeteners and ingredients.

When I was in the thick of Weight Watchers, I was an "innovation queen." I would whip up Pumpkin Fluff that had sugar-free pudding and low-fat whipped topping, each carrying a long list of ingredients. Low-fat ice cream was a favorite but some of he treats have high fructose corn syrup. I made oatmeal variation after oatmeal variation that included my new favorite ingredient, stevia. And, of course, there was the Diet Coke.

I thought that the swaps I was making were what I had to do - and it probably was - and in the beginning, didn't think much beyond that. As I became successful, I told myself and touted that they were healthy. They were such a part of my daily eating habits that I couldn't imagine giving them up.

And then, in November, a co-worker posted a link to Dr. Fuhrman's Healthy Holiday Challenge. The 60 day challenge was a way for Eat to Live followers to reconnect with their lifestyle, which eschews oil, salt, white flour and sweeteners of all varieties among other things. For me, it was a way to disconnect from habits that I was beginning to think weren't so healthy and sever ties with Diet Coke.

I didn't make it the whole 60 days (hello, Christmas) but I did manage to kick my Diet Coke habit and rid my diet of artificial sweeteners. It is true. The girl who put stevia in everything has not touched a substitute intentionally since November (save for the diet soda I had when I had food poisoning).

I was eating sugar, though - and lots of it. But sugar had to be healthier, in moderation, than the substitutes, I reasoned.

Don't worry, the irony wasn't lost at me.

And so I found myself at a cross-roads. Just what kind of sweetener is OK? Honey and maple syrup are natural but still provide a sweet taste that I crave and pack some calories. Traditional sugared treats often send me into a tailspin of indulgence that leaves me feeling guilty. Stevia is "natural" but I find that people use it too frequently to make these faux desserts that are often not solving the need or addiction but putting a bandage on it.

Editor's note: This could be my own issues speaking and is merely my perception.

It's something I have been struggling with for the past couple months. I wanted to eat dessert but I wanted to eat clean and I wanted to control my weight. I thought I could do it with portion control but after a particularly bad bender last week, I found myself revisiting some of the foundations of Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live protocol. It's almost as if it's a cleanse, ridding the body of addictive, artificial ingredients and introducing control and willpower.

It's been nine days since I've intentionally eaten anything with added sugar and I plan to continue with it for at least the month of April as Laura at Mommy Run Fast posted a Sugar Detox Challenge for the month. Her initial post had some really interesting things to say about sugar and today she offers tips for overcoming sugar cravings. (I'm a big fan of the sweet vegetables as this weekend I added sweet potato and carrots to my wheat pancake mix, skipped the sugar and enjoyed every bite.)

I love the accountability of the challenge but, more importantly, I'm hoping to find a middle ground where I can eat a dessert here and there without a tail spin and find a definition for my healthy.

What is your relationship with sugar? Do you think certain sugar substitutes are OK? Do you think you are up for the challenge?