Posts: 17,438
1/4/12 11:50 P

Been pretty much sugar free last few days. Had some honey and organic agave, but no sugar and no ASD.

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

23

Posts: 890
1/2/12 8:20 P

I drink lemon water too! but a good reminder for the week

SparkPoints: (56,923)
Fitness Minutes: (55,101)
Posts: 3,812
1/2/12 6:58 P

Plain water is my choice, and if I want to spark it up a bit, I add a squirt of fresh lemon or lime. The citrus also helps with water rentention.

Pounds lost: 50.0

0 17.5 35 52.5

70

Posts: 17,438
1/2/12 6:46 P

We can do this. We can get healthier.

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

23

Posts: 890
1/2/12 6:34 P

GrammaCathy thats a good idea I know Id rather prefer that , ill have to buy some honey I dont think I have any at the moment. we did buy some regular soda but I dont think Ill drink it I have problems if i get too much sugar but I am noticing a difference when I drink diet soda now not feeling so well, so I think i will stick with tea, juice, and water and milk but think I will go get some sparkling water

Posts: 17,438
12/31/11 2:56 P

How about fruit juice with sparkling water? That might be a yummy alternative to soda, in fact I prefer it.

I also use honey because the body metabolizes the sugar better than white refined sugar. Concentrated apple juice also sweetens up slushies. I have been experimenting with raw sugar lately too, but not sure how much refining they are doing to it now.

The last thing I do is only eat sugar every three days. If I have sugar I go on a sugar fast for three days before determining if I want a break. For 2012 I am upping that to 5-7 days. I am hoping to only sugar break once a week.

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

23

Posts: 890
12/30/11 8:19 A

husband and I decided if we are going to have a soda , to start buying the real stuff, thing is , I know I wont drink as much of it, because I dont like having too much sugar so it will be a good way to totally cut down on soda. I wouldnt buy it at all , husband drinks one a day but probably getting non diet soda will help him cut down as well.

SparkPoints: (56,923)
Fitness Minutes: (55,101)
Posts: 3,812
12/29/11 12:24 A

Toss some frozen strawberries, a splash of milk, and maybe a dash of sugar in the blender and whip it up. You can add yogurt if you want but I never do. It makes the best "strawberry milkshake" ever. And no ice cream to jack the calorie count.

Pounds lost: 50.0

0 17.5 35 52.5

70

Posts: 17,438
12/28/11 4:16 P

I did a little preserving this year and the biggest hit was the frozen strawberries. Even more than the jelly and syrups. So, probably will freeze more next year.

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

23

SparkPoints: (56,923)
Fitness Minutes: (55,101)
Posts: 3,812
12/28/11 2:38 P

That is so true. The fresher it is, the better it is for you. I can my own fruits and veggies so in the winter when fresh are so expensive or just not available we can still eat healthy. When you put up your own, you know what is in it.

Pounds lost: 50.0

0 17.5 35 52.5

70

Posts: 17,438
12/28/11 1:25 P

In the 1970s I had an addiction to TAB (which was like diet Coke) for about 6 months, but that is all the artificial sugar I used until the processed food years took its toll.

About 15 years ago, I was shopping for a bottle of 7-UP for a punch for a party when a lady about my age who had obviously been going through chemo, stopped me and gave me a lecture on the evils of artificial sweeteners. She said diet soda was what was killing her.

I hope she knows that her speech stuck and I never jumped on the splenda etc. bandwagon. Of course I let the other non-nutrient artificial ingredients in our processed foods do a number on me, but I am desperately trying to remedy that now.

The closer we eat to natural foods the healthier we are going to be. So haunt your farmers markets. Find a good fish market. Find a local farmer who grass feeds his beef and buy your meat from him. Even Weight Watchers despite all their processed foods shares this simple tip. Shop around the outside edges of the grocery store in the refrigerator sections.

What amazes me is how much better the natural foods taste when the taste buds are not confused by all the addicting processed foods full of sugar and sodium. I have yet to lose weight because of all the Christmas splurges, but I must admit my skin is nicer than it has been in years from the cleaner diet.

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

23

Posts: 2,015
12/28/11 11:24 A

thanks for the information!

SparkPoints: (21,377)
Fitness Minutes: (56,548)
Posts: 366
12/24/11 5:09 A

I have now gone back to drinks, if sweetened, just use regular sugar(no corn syrup), and I find that I don't drink as much. Hmmmm..........

SparkPoints: (56,923)
Fitness Minutes: (55,101)
Posts: 3,812
12/23/11 2:32 A

Wow, I use Stevia now, but am thinking I will just return to plain old sugar in very small quanities.

Pounds lost: 50.0

0 17.5 35 52.5

70

SparkPoints: (84,650)
Fitness Minutes: (30,324)
Posts: 22,072
12/20/11 10:08 A

When I was new to spark People I did a research online and at the Library on artificial sweeteners and I came across an article that said Splenda was inviented by 2 scientists who were creating a deadly pesticide. Splenda was accidentally created.

I used to rpefer the flavor of splenda and then it was stevia because it was a la natural (from a plant) now it is none of the above.

current weight: 170.0

235 215.75 196.5 177.25

158

Posts: 17,438
12/20/11 3:33 A

Here is one article about the pros and cons of agave.
www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health
/is-agave-nectar-safe/

here is another saying about the same thing. Just be careful which agave you buy.
articles.latimes.com/2009/mar/30/health/he
-nutrition30

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

23

Posts: 189
12/19/11 4:38 P

Something to think about everytime we put something in our bodies. I imagine though for the most part moderation is key!

current weight: 181.8

278 249.75 221.5 193.25

165

Posts: 17,438
12/19/11 1:14 P

Thanks for the heads up about the agave. I will put my daughter on to the task of researching that as she is a nutrition center manager and wants all the latest research so she can advise her clients properly.

What, I would really like to do is have my own bee hives now that I am retired, but I suppose the neighbors would not be too happy about that. I prefer honey over agave, but figure the manufacturers also process it to death too. Maybe, I just need to find a bee farmer.

Edited by: GRAMMACATHY at: 12/19/2011 (13:17)

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

23

Posts: 1,921
12/18/11 12:52 A

Interesting article. Will also add that studies prove that fake sugars make us eat more. As it is consumed because of sweet cravings since the body doesn't get the sweetness it craves we turn around and end up eating more to quench the cravings and that equals more calories and more pounds.

GrammaCathy, look into agave, it's not as great as touted. When I researched it the only plus I could find was low glycemic. Originally it was made using the leaves of the agave plant and that was OK, but now it is in such high demand it is so highly processed since now using the whole plant and parts are not good for humans. What is sold now is worse for us than the fake sugars. There were other negatives that I'm not remembering now but now I won't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

Posts: 17,438
12/16/11 3:57 A

I always thought artificial sweeteners were poison. I use honey, fresh fruit and agave to sweeten things. You really start acquiring a taste for the more wholesome alternatives. Thanks for sharing the link. I hope the message reaches someone who has substituted poison for white sugar.

Pounds lost: 8.0

0 5.75 11.5 17.25

23

SparkPoints: (84,650)
Fitness Minutes: (30,324)
Posts: 22,072
12/15/11 2:55 P

Shortly after starting Spark People I kicked the diet pepsi thing. then i tossed out all artificial sweeteners. I prefer a la natural. I might ahve a little pure honey in hot tea but that is as far as I go these days.

Read on:

www.naturalnews.com/034378_artificial_swee
tener_disease_ASD_aspartame.html

current weight: 170.0

235 215.75 196.5 177.25

158