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Saturday, January 19, 2008

Low to No sugar for 2 weeks Experiment


Alrighty, I'm trying an experiment to see how sugar affects my body. Naturally, we know sugar isn't healthy for us. Sugar causes caveties, glycemic problems, fatigue and most likely weight gain. I'm conducting a 2-week experiment *starting today* to see how low to no amounts of sugar will effect my body (ie: pulse/blood pressure/energy etc).

In an excerpt from a book called, Licking the Sugar Addiction, I took a quiz concerning sugar. Naturally the results came back that I am addicted to sugar. The author of the book suggests to try to find out as much as you can about how different foods affect your body.

First, you are to take your resting pulse and record it. Next, you are to eat a certain type of food *ie something high in sbugar/low in sugar etc* then take your pulse 20-30 minutes after eating.

If your pulse has increased 15 and higher then you have an allergy to that certain food. Basically the science behind it is that it takes your body a LOT more energy, nutrients and minerals to digest that particular food. Let's say you ate something and your pulse barely changed...this is indicative that your body has natural/normal abilities to digest and take vital nutrients from this food. *good*

So in essence, I'm trying this out to see how many foods I have a potential 'allergy' to.

I shall update any interesting findings along the way.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

When is enough...enough?


Well, as I stated in my last post...I AM a sugar addict. There is absolutely no way around it..I crave sugar as an alcoholic craves alcohol or a heroin addict craves heroin. It's scary to think that I've let sugar have such a big part in my life. What do I go to when I'm in a hurry and need something to give me a little 'boost'? I feel as though I NEVER get enough sugar...no amount has every truly satisfied me... I think a part of me feels like maybe I'll find the perfect 'sweet' but I know that is not possible, because there is no such thing. Instead of running to food for comfort, energy, strength and peace...I need to run to God! Only God can truly satisify my needs. Only God can give me TRUE comfort, ABUNDANT energy, EVERLASTING strength and THE PEACE WHICH PASSES ALL UNDESTANDING.
But...when is enough...enough? I hate being overweight, I hate having a roll of fat around my waist and under my chin. I look in the mirror and know that the reflection I see is not what is truly inside me. Most of all, I want to lose weight for God. I want to be the BEST for my Lord so that He can work through me to help further His kingdom in Heaven. I want people to look at me and want what I have *Salvation through Jesus Christ*

Lord, God, help me... Help me to turn everything over to you. No amount of exercising, nor fad diet can help me shed these unwanted pounds of fat...ONLY YOU CAN LORD.
Lord, You have gotten me through MANY tough times. You have allowed me to have EVERYTHING I could possibly need in the flesh *that I did not posses on my own*
Lord, I am depending on you for strength *to refuse bad foods*, craving *for the healthy foods and want to workout everyday*, peace *to know that no matter what happens during the day that everything will be okay*, patience *especially during the times I feel like giving up*, joy *because I have You*, Love *to love my body as Christ wants me to*.
I praise You and thank You Lord ahead of time for many abundant victories in this area of weight loss for myself. I look forward to Your deliverance from this empty land of sugar and gluttony.
It is in Christ's name I praise You and thank You Lord,
Amen

CLICK HERE to see 147 reasons sugar harms your body

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The Evils of Sugar


So, I've figured it out...I have a sugar addiction. The main reason my diet is not working *looking back at my recent food journaling* is because I succumb to the temptation of sugar!
Anyone got any ideas / tips for kicking a sugar habit? After surfing the net, I found a great article on the subject, oddly enough from:






the sugar craving
We’ve all experienced it -- the quiet voice in our head that convinces us to hit the local 7-11 at midnight for a chocolate bar or another helping of pie after dinner. Let’s face it: Sugar makes us happy and most people who claim to be addicted to sweets will tell you this. Sounds funny, right? Actually, it’s truer than you think.Recent studies prove that humans are programmed from an early age to crave sugar. And once the body has experienced sugar’s sweet rewards, it does not take much time for it to be officially addicted.The sugar addiction begins at birth. Human breast milk is very sweet, so even infants begin to recognize the pleasurable feeling they get from sweet foods.But what causes the craving?After eating a sugary treat, the brain releases natural chemicals called opioids, which give the body a feeling of intense pleasure. The brain then recognizes this feeling and begins to crave more of it.Researchers have identified that there are certain areas in the brain (specifically, the hippocampus, the insula and the caudate) that are activated when one craves sugar.There is also scientific evidence that shows that these same areas of the brain are activated when drug addicts crave drugs; which proves how “real” a sugar addiction can be.

the sugar rush
So, what exactly happens in your body when you consume sugar?After sugar enters the bloodstream, blood sugar levels rise, causing the pancreas to release insulin (insulin is needed to convert sugar into energy). When a large amount of sugar is consumed, more insulin is released. The insulin converts the sugar into an instant energy source -- which explains the jolt or “high” you get from a donut or a piece of cake. After high levels of insulin are released, blood sugar levels begin to decrease rapidly, resulting in the “crash” you feel shortly after eating a sugary treat.In addition to converting sugar into energy, insulin also stimulates the storage of fat. Therefore, the more sugar you eat, the more insulin you produce, and consequently, the more likely it is that you will gain weight.Along with obesity and tooth decay, sugar has also been linked to more serious health conditions, including increased mood swings, a depressed immune system and diabetes.Find out why sugar and heroin addictions are similar, and how to kick your habit…

drugs and sugar
As mentioned above, sugar activates the brain’s pleasure center, which releases opioids that fuel a craving for more sugar. Recent studies on cravings and addiction show that heroin and morphine produce the same chemicals in the brain. Still think a sugar addiction is not serious?The same studies show that sugar also activates areas in the brain that reinforce behaviors. This means that -- similarly to a heroin addiction -- your body learns to want and need more of the substance that makes it feel good.To prove this point, scientists provided humans with a compound to block opioid receptors in the brain. Shortly after receiving these compounds, people were less interested in sugary or sweet foods.

the science behind the addiction
Studies from Princeton and the University of Minnesota involving rats reinforce how addictive sugar can be. When sugar was given to the rats, they exhibited addiction-like qualities, including intense cravings, withdrawal and bingeing symptoms. When the rats were weaned off sugar and then presented with the option to consume it again, nearly all of them exhibited typical relapse symptoms.In addition to animal research, brain scans performed on human subjects showed that the sight of ice cream in normal patients generated the same feelings of pleasure in the brain as images of crack pipes did for crack addicts.

sugar in disguise
The average American consumes around 160 pounds of sugar each year. This is no surprise when you consider that sugar is in everything from ketchup to salad dressing and canned soup to deli meat.Food marketers are great at incorporating sugar into many products under a variety of aliases. Common names for sugar can include sucrose, fructose, dextrose, and high-fructose corn syrup -- none of which actually sound like the word “sugar,” but essentially mean the same thing.Throughout your lifetime, it is probable that you have been eating more sugar than you were aware of; so ultimately, your body is probably already addicted.Many of the foods that you probably consume every day are packed with sugar, including fruit juice, iced coffee and tea drinks, yogurt, wheat bread, and most breakfast cereals (even Bran Flakes and Special K have sugar in them).Even if you have one can of regular (non-diet) soda, you are consuming nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar, which is, approximately, the maximum recommended daily allowance. Sugar does not give your body anything but a quick boost of energy -- it is completely devoid of the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that you find in natural foods. Oh, and it makes you fat.

kick the craving
Although I realize that it is probably impossible to eliminate sugar from your diet entirely, I can help you limit your intake.
Here are some tips:
• Banish packaged products -- including those made with white flour -- and stick to food in its original form. Instead of canned fruit or juice, eat a piece of whole fruit.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day; you may be mistaking dehydration for hunger.
• Eat protein at every meal; it is digested more slowly than simple carbohydrates and will leave you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. You will therefore be more likely to resist the urge to eat dessert every night after dinner.
• Give up your favorite sweet food for three weeks. It is likely that after three weeks, your tastes will have changed and your craving for sweets will not be as strong.
• Resist impulse snacking. If you crave a donut, take 15 minutes to think about it or go for a walk instead. Chances are, that after this delay period, your craving will have subsided.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Day 3


Detox day went quite well to my surprise I thought I would be hungry and anxious and well...miserable! On the contrary, I felt great. I wasn't hungry, because I was constantly eating fruit and veggies, sipping on green tea and water.


Even though the detox was for one day, I feel a tremendous difference in my overall feeling especially in my stomach. I don't feel as weighed down, and I have found a renewed love for veggies! The only non-veggie/fruit I had yesterday was 1 cup of brown rice.


Today is going well, so far I've had 4 cups of water and around 700 calories for the day. From a scrambled egg, to a protein shake and even a banana with peanut butter and a glass of skim milk, I've eaten very well!

Also, I did 30 minutes of step aerobics and stretching.


Praise God for strength to keep going!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Detox Day


A very good friend of mine, that happens to be a **health fiend, has put me on a Detox diet for the day. (**when I say health fiend, I mean...he runs marathons, hikes huge mountains etc)


So far the day has consisted of:

-V8 low sodium

-Apple slices

-Green tea

-Water

-Acidophalus *to promote healthy digestive system*

-And a good ole Dulcolax *fun fun...*


Basically, Phil is wanting me to flush the toxins out of my body through high fiber/antioxidant foods so that my body will better receive vitamins and minerals as well as lose weight more efficiently.


All I have to say is, good thing I'm off work today because the bathroom and I shall become great friends....

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Mid-Week Progress

Well, so far so good this week! I've had between 1300-1600 calories the past few days.
Yesterday I did 35 minutes of aerobics & yoga again. I also worked on my upper body, since I will be in my brother's wedding in June and the dresses are strapless, I don't want flab on my arms!
Also, when I went to work lastnight I went to the gym with the patient's for physical therapy. I played basketball and walked on the treadmill for 25 minutes.
The water intake has been fabulous! I just need to up my fruit and veggie intake.

The following is from today's devotional for dieters, and it's exactly what I needed to read today:

"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." 1 Timothy 4:8

There is an old adage that says, "Don't put the cart before the horse." Many people try to lose weight without a specific goal in mind. Often people set a goal that is unrealistic. In our attempts to become more mature as Christians, we grow a little at a time. God doesn't expect us to be perfect right away. He knows that our growth takes time. The same is true of our attempts to lose weight. We need to take it a little at a time. Crash diets and heavy exercise programs are not the way to go. Our Christian growth should provide us with an example. Let us approach our diets with patience and take it a small step at a time. Dieting is easier when we try to lose weight little by little

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UGH....I gave in to Ben & Jerry...coffee icecream....bleh......

Note: It always looks good on the outside, but when it's inside...your body hates it!! *Amy quote*

Monday, January 7, 2008

WooHoo!!

Alrighty everyone!! It's been a great morning thus far. I woke up, ate a banana and tried out my new Denise Austin Personal Training DVD. Okay okay...I've never really cared for Denise Austin I guess because she's always been a bit on the 'perky' side.
Nevertheless, I did the Yoga stretching segment *around 15 minutes* then the Low impact aerobics segment for 20 minutes. I SOOO feel awesome! I had fun dancing and stretching, and I didn't pull any muscles!! *such an awesome added bonus* lol

Well, my goal for the day is to get my 64 oz of water in and and keep myself busy today. Because the more busy I am, the less likely I am to eat mindlessly.

I will update later today and keep you posted on my progress.

Love you all!!

----------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE

Okay...today has totally rocked!
I've already had my 64 oz of water for the day, I've exercised, and all in all I've stayed within my calorie range for the day! Granted that I splurged and had a small bag of doritos and some Junior Mints when I found out that I passed a MAJOR test for Nursing school...but hey it all worked out in the end!

I've found my new favorite Chinese dish, chicken chowmein. I've always seen chicken chowmein served with noodles, thus why it has never appealed to me. Due to a mistake while ordering, I got a pint of delicious steamed cabbage, onions, garlic and chicken with a side of steamed rice. Awesome mistake!

Day #1 SUCCESS!!