LittleTurtle - Slaying the Sugar Dragon

[LittleTurtle]

 

Sleep.  GOOD.

Squats. GOOOOD.

Sugar.  BAD!  

 

(Okay...when I typed that, this particular scene from "Friends" totally popped into my head):

 

SLEEP GOAL:

My sleep goal is simple.  I must go to bed (actually go to bed and not fall asleep on my couch). 

 

SQUAT GOAL:

My squat (and other exercise goal) is simple.  I must get my butt on my treadmill in the basement and walk at a steep incline for 40 minutes 3-5 times per week.  I must also do ALL the squats.  Right now, I can do 3 sets/5 reps of bodyweight squats.  In fact, I posted a Nerd Fitness Women's Academy Facebook post about how I will do a squat for every "like" I got...aaaandd...there's like...over 100 "likes" so far.  So, I'll probably be doing squats until I die.  (***UPDATE*** The total amount of squats I need to do is 363!! )

 

SLAYING THE SUGAR DRAGON GOAL:

My sugar goal will probably be the end of me.  I can't do cold turkey (I went for somewhere around 50 days or so once and almost went completely mental), but I have a tendency to binge.  My goal is to find a happy medium.  Somewhere between none and just enough to keep my happy which is hopefully no more than one or two indulgences a week.

 

 

Also, I'm really damn tired of measuring my success (or failure, if you will) in pounds lost.  I am a happy, healthy woman who happens to be about 10-15 pounds overweight (if I go by my doctor's recommendation, I'm only about 5 pounds away from a good weight).  So, it's really just "vanity pounds", but I don't like what I look like naked.  I have cellulite and bumps in places that should be smooth.  Now, I've done a "Whole30" before and I've done the whole clean eating thing and the Paleo "diet", but I'm a crabby bitch when I have to be that strict with my diet.  I don't eat fast food.  I don't drink soda.  I drink tons of water.  Most of our meals are homemade and I eat so many veggies!  Every once in a while, I treat myself to a cheeseburger or pizza...although since gluten seems to trigger my migraines, I've been avoiding the cheeseburgers, bread, pastas, etc.  It's easy to give up wheat:  I ask myself, "Is this worth potentially getting a migraine?"  The answer is usually no.  But sugar?  Oh, sweet, sweet sugar?!  Eating it does not make me sick or hate myself or...anything negative really.  I just know that it's bad and that it should be avoided, but how do I turn that into not eating it?  Maybe I should try hypnotism!  HA!  

 

Anyway...I totally stole @Heidi's chart idea, so I'll be posting weekly progress reports with my fancy new charts!  (I'm super excited about my charts!!)

 

OH!  One last thing.  I'm not actually starting for reals until November 1st.  I mean...I never really stopped since the last challenge ended, but I've been a bit lax and accidentally let my sugar dragon get out of control.  Mostly, I think Sunday starts don't really work so well for me and because...well Monday is Halloween for crying out loud!  I'm gonna need some candy *tee-hee*!  But I will go for a few extra days after the official 4 Week Challenge ends.  Deal?  Deal.

 

And because no challenge is complete with the awesomeness that is David Bowie and/or the Labyrinth:

[Heidi]

BOWIE!

LABYRINTH!

 

~contentment.

[Leimanu]

Waiting on your challenge.

 

[LittleTurtle]

4 hours ago, Leimanu said:

Waiting on your challenge.

 

Good God, I love Jareth.  

 

 

 

[LittleTurtle]

Here is a look-see at my fancy charts (thanks, @Heidi!!)

 

WEEK 1: 11/1/16 - 11/5/16

	Sunday 10/30	Monday 10/31	Tuesday 11/1	Wednesday 11/2	Thursday 11/3	Friday 11/4	Saturday 11/5
Log Sugar
Log Exercise
Go to Bed

 

 

 

[Heidi]

Woot! I love charts!

[LittleTurtle]

There are currently 325 "likes" on my Nerd Fitness Women's Academy Facebook post, and the number is still climbing.  THAT'S 325 SQUATS, PEOPLE!  My butt is going to be so sore!  

[Vibrantella]

1 hour ago, LittleTurtle said:

My butt is going to be so sore!  

 

[Stronkey Kong]

 

What's the longest you've gone with sugar cold turkey?

 

I ask because I've gone keto before. For me at least, there is a time period in the beginning where it's best to simply lay in bed and binge watch something on Netfilx and/or sleep.

 

BUT! If you can get through it, the other side isn't so bad. You just have to be able to set aside some time to deal with that crash.

[LittleTurtle]

38 minutes ago, Curl Brogo said:

 

What's the longest you've gone with sugar cold turkey?

 

I ask because I've gone keto before. For me at least, there is a time period in the beginning where it's best to simply lay in bed and binge watch something on Netfilx and/or sleep.

 

BUT! If you can get through it, the other side isn't so bad. You just have to be able to set aside some time to deal with that crash.

The longest I've ever gone cold turkey without sugar was somewhere between 40-60 days.  I can't remember exactly, but I bet I could find the exact number in one of my old challenges.  I figured after 20 days or so, I'd be fine and the addiction would be kicked.  I was not.  It was not.  And it never got easier for me.  I was dreaming about pillows made out of candy!  

 

Same thing happened to me when I did the Whole30.  The first 15 days (to be exact) were a piece of cake (mmmm...cake!) but days 16-30 were pure hell.  

[Stronkey Kong]

Would you say your main problem is sugar bingeing? You get a taste and then you want more... and more... and MOAR!!!!

 

I read about a trick used in The Serotonin Power Diet, which is a whole book that can be summed up as:

 

Eat 25-50g of starchy/glucose carbs 30-60 min before a meal. NO PROTEIN, NO FAT.

 

So give yourself a taste of the sweet, sweet beast, and let it settle, and give yourself time for that taste to subdue the cravings. Supposedly, the research says the insulin spike following glucose/starch increases tryptophan uptake into the brain leading to increased serotonin and feelings of satiety as well as better emotional well-being, and the other good effects of serotonin.

 

The presence of additional amino acids interferes with tryptophan uptake... hence no protein.

Insulin spikes lead to preferential sugar metabolism and fat storage... hence no fat.

 

It's easy and worth a shot if you haven't tried it... and gummi bears were my favorite serotonin carb snack. (see also Low-fat grahm crackers).

[LittleTurtle]

5 hours ago, Curl Brogo said:

Would you say your main problem is sugar bingeing? You get a taste and then you want more... and more... and MOAR!!!!

 

I read about a trick used in The Serotonin Power Diet, which is a whole book that can be summed up as:

 

Eat 25-50g of starchy/glucose carbs 30-60 min before a meal. NO PROTEIN, NO FAT.

 

So give yourself a taste of the sweet, sweet beast, and let it settle, and give yourself time for that taste to subdue the cravings. Supposedly, the research says the insulin spike following glucose/starch increases tryptophan uptake into the brain leading to increased serotonin and feelings of satiety as well as better emotional well-being, and the other good effects of serotonin.

 

The presence of additional amino acids interferes with tryptophan uptake... hence no protein.

Insulin spikes lead to preferential sugar metabolism and fat storage... hence no fat.

 

It's easy and worth a shot if you haven't tried it... and gummi bears were my favorite serotonin carb snack. (see also Low-fat grahm crackers).

I might have to purchase this book.  I'm reading reviews and am seeing a lot of people talking about weight gain on antidepressants.  I gained about 15 pounds while on Prozac and ever since I weaned myself off (with my doctor's help), it's been hard:  Weight loss has been impossible and diet has been screwy ever since.    Thank you for the recommendation!

[Stronkey Kong]

7 hours ago, LittleTurtle said:

I might have to purchase this book.  I'm reading reviews and am seeing a lot of people talking about weight gain on antidepressants.  I gained about 15 pounds while on Prozac and ever since I weaned myself off (with my doctor's help), it's been hard:  Weight loss has been impossible and diet has been screwy ever since.    Thank you for the recommendation!

 

Yup. The book caught my attention because I was on an SSRI and gained about 20 lbs. The book may or may not be worth it to you. I only read the first three or so chapters where they describe the science, then explain the carb snack trick.

 

The rest is testimony, recipes, and example diets which I skimmed.

[animuse]

Sugar dragon!

I like dragons and am now thinking of a super cute one made out of sugar. Don't eat the baby dragon! XD

I've been low sugar for a pretty long time now, the way I've been able to sustain it is to limit sugars to 10g per hour. Since the recommended sugar intake per day is around 50-60, that gives me enough for meals and snacks. This way if I have a craving I allow myself a small amount, then wait an hour to see if it's still going, most of the time it's not.

I've noticed if I sugar binge I get reaaally bad cravings for 3-5 days after. And that includes carbs.

Anywho, that's what helped me, let me know if you have questions

Also I didn't give you a like on your post so there would be slightly less squats, you'd had enough when I saw it Doing mini sets throughout the day could help? O.o

Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk

[LittleTurtle]

3 hours ago, animuse said:

Also I didn't give you a like on your post so there would be slightly less squats, you'd had enough when I saw it Doing mini sets throughout the day could help? O.o

Haha!  Thanks!  I have a grand total of 363 to do!  And I totally plan to do mini sets throughout the days.  Maybe 10 squats every time I go to the bathroom?  That seems doable.

 

[LittleTurtle]

9 hours ago, Curl Brogo said:

Yup. The book caught my attention because I was on an SSRI and gained about 20 lbs. The book may or may not be worth it to you. I only read the first three or so chapters where they describe the science, then explain the carb snack trick.

 

The rest is testimony, recipes, and example diets which I skimmed.

Did this way of eating help you lose that weight gain from the SSRI?

[Stronkey Kong]

34 minutes ago, LittleTurtle said:

Did this way of eating help you lose that weight gain from the SSRI?

 

I wasn't able to keep it up regularly. I work 10 hour days, and I only get to eat in 15-30 min breaks every 2.5 hours. Basically, I wasn't able to maintain the schedule it demands for every meal. So I can't say it helped me lose the SSRI gain.

 

I have lost my SSRI weight, but mostly I attribute that to tracking my intake and the fact that those 4, 10-hour days I'm in a warehouse, walking, lifting, dragging, piling etc... staying active.

 

However, I did try it, mostly on the weekends, and I still use the trick whenever I feel like I'm in a depressive slump, or if I feel like I've been eating too much or getting cravings and it seems to even things out. Usually, I'll skip breakfast and maybe even lunch like a mini fast. Then I'll eat something starchy like a few crackers about an hour before dinner. I usually notice that I don't overeat or go back to the kitchen after dinner to snack.

 

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT!!!

 

Not all carbs are equal. You need glucose/starch. And not fructose or sucrose. Fructose (and the fructose half of sucrose) use a different metabolic pathway and don't spike insulin. So do your research on ingredients. Most things that are plain and starchy are best... think saltines or breadsticks. While fruit and sodas and candy (mostly sucrose or HFCS) are bad ideas.

 

You could go for low fat Ritz crackers or low fat Netwons if you need some taste or want to make a treat of it. And a dozen Haribo Gold Bears has 26g of just glucose (aka dextrose).

 

Also, beware that to do this you'll have carby snacks nearby. It's best to pick ones that are not too tasty. And/or portion them ahead of time and know that once you get that 25-30g YOU MUST STOP and WAIT 30 min before you eat anything else or it won't work and you'll just faceplant into a bag of oreos.
 

[LittleTurtle]

1 hour ago, Curl Brogo said:

 

I wasn't able to keep it up regularly. I work 10 hour days, and I only get to eat in 15-30 min breaks every 2.5 hours. Basically, I wasn't able to maintain the schedule it demands for every meal. So I can't say it helped me lose the SSRI gain.

 

I have lost my SSRI weight, but mostly I attribute that to tracking my intake and the fact that those 4, 10-hour days I'm in a warehouse, walking, lifting, dragging, piling etc... staying active.

 

However, I did try it, mostly on the weekends, and I still use the trick whenever I feel like I'm in a depressive slump, or if I feel like I've been eating too much or getting cravings and it seems to even things out. Usually, I'll skip breakfast and maybe even lunch like a mini fast. Then I'll eat something starchy like a few crackers about an hour before dinner. I usually notice that I don't overeat or go back to the kitchen after dinner to snack.

 

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT!!!

 

Not all carbs are equal. You need glucose/starch. And not fructose or sucrose. Fructose (and the fructose half of sucrose) use a different metabolic pathway and don't spike insulin. So do your research on ingredients. Most things that are plain and starchy are best... think saltines or breadsticks. While fruit and sodas and candy (mostly sucrose or HFCS) are bad ideas.

 

You could go for low fat Ritz crackers or low fat Netwons if you need some taste or want to make a treat of it. And a dozen Haribo Gold Bears has 26g of just glucose (aka dextrose).

 

Also, beware that to do this you'll have carby snacks nearby. It's best to pick ones that are not too tasty. And/or portion them ahead of time and know that once you get that 25-30g YOU MUST STOP and WAIT 30 min before you eat anything else or it won't work and you'll just faceplant into a bag of oreos.
 

Thank you for all this info!  It's very helpful.  

[Heidi]

On this note, I found that eating a white potato before bedtime made a huge difference in my sleep quality when I was trying to kick antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. It also seemed to make a big difference for my son, who was struggling mightily with mood swings, panic attacks and all sorts of thigns associated with being an Aspie teenager nerd. I also found, coincidentally, that I didn't crave sugar as much the next day. So take it for what it's worth.

 

I got the idea from Potatoes, Not Prozac.

[Stronkey Kong]

1 hour ago, Heidi said:

On this note, I found that eating a white potato before bedtime made a huge difference in my sleep quality when I was trying to kick antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. It also seemed to make a big difference for my son, who was struggling mightily with mood swings, panic attacks and all sorts of thigns associated with being an Aspie teenager nerd. I also found, coincidentally, that I didn't crave sugar as much the next day. So take it for what it's worth.

 

I got the idea from Potatoes, Not Prozac.

 

I've read in multiple places that carb snacks before bedtime are good for sleep hygeine... Because if you've been on an SSRI you've probably had your share of sleep problems (with and without them).

 

Its all about that serotonin.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

Since I'm currently on SSRI's I think I better pay attention here.

Sent from the dragon's lair

[minx34]

On 10/27/2016 at 8:41 PM, LittleTurtle said:

Here is a look-see at my fancy charts (thanks, @Heidi!!)

 

 

 

WEEK 1: 11/1/16 - 11/5/16

	Sunday 10/30	Monday 10/31	Tuesday 11/1	Wednesday 11/2	Thursday 11/3	Friday 11/4	Saturday 11/5
Log Sugar
Log Exercise
Go to Bed

 

 

 

This chart is awesome!!!

[LittleTurtle]

YIKES!!  I had my annual Health Assessment lab/blood work done yesterday, and my TSH level has jumped to 6.27 (it was 3.47 on 4/29/16).  Also, my triglycerides jumped from 88 (10/20/15) to 151!!  What the hell?!

 

On the bright side, my total cholesterol dropped a bit and is the lowest it's been in several years.  But I'm super freaked out about my thyroid and triglycerides.  

 

In other news:  I went ONE WHOLE ENTIRE DAY without sugar!!!  I mean...I ate an apple, but I eat an apple almost every day because I heard someone, somewhere say something about how they keep doctors away or something...  

But seriously.  No sugar.  Not even tricky sneaky sugar!  Just one apple!

[Bee]

I can't get it to quote, but hooray for not using weight loss as the only measure of success! When I finally gave that up (for reals) it was ridiculously liberating. It has its place, but at some point I just love the intuitiveness of paying attention to how my clothes fit and my energy levels. Great challenge!

[minx34]

Woot on the no sugar! That's awesome!!

 

Boo on the high TSH and Triglycerides :l Maybe more iodide and foods with HDL in your diet might help? Keep rocking on!