Sugar, Sugar!

Sweet, delicious sugar. It's everywhere. Especially during the holidays!  It seems like the holidays are one big reason to indulge mercilessly on every dessert imaginable.

Don't get me wrong, they are all delish! I love me some pie!!

But it's too easy. It's a slippery slope from one dessert once a week, to one dessert every night!  That hasn't happened to me any time this year, but it seems like it's creeping closer, that craving for sugary goodness.  I made both cookies and brownies in the last week, and luckily I was able to control myself from eating the whole lot of them.  But it also required me throwing them in the trash.  Oops!

So while this is probably the worst possible time to cut things from one's diet, I am attempting to cut most sugar out from my diet for the next 18 days.  Along with fake sugar. I know I consume too much fake sugar.  Real sugar I usually keep fairly low anyways.  But I drink Crystal Light Energy, use sugar free vanilla in my coffee, the list goes on.  Time to get a hold of things!  My plan is to keep my intake to 15g per day or less.

I am not cutting out carbs. I know that the 21-Day Sugar Detox plan doesn't allow for refined carbs and a lot of fruit. I am not following that plan. I am doing something that works for my lifestyle.  A friend of mine will be cutting sugar as well and we will weigh in with each other tomorrow and on Wednesdays. I hope she is ready to deal with my crankiness! LOL

Feel like you need to cut sugar?  Join me and post here!! 

The Skinny Rules

Otherwise known as "The Skinny Rules!"

Picture me fist-pumping when I say Rules.

Bob Harper - of Biggest Loser fame - has a newish book out called "The Skinny Rules." I haven't read the book (for shame), but I've read a ton of other "diet" books.

I hate the word diet.

My friend Betty posted these rules for our group during The Biggest Loser challenge I put together. 

Here are The Skinny Rules: 

1. Drink large glass of water (16 oz.) before every meal and snacks--5 a day
2. Don't drink your calories--stay away from fruit juices and sodas that are high in sugar. 2 cups coffee okay
3. Eat lowfat protein at every meal--protein doesn't have to be animal based. Protein minimizes hunger.
4. Slash intake of refined flour/grains--try brown rice, quinoa, barley, farro
5. Eat 30-50 grams of fiber
6. Eat apples and berries each day
7. No carbs after lunch--eat lean and green at night. Protein and veggies are best
8. Read labels--stay away from artificial ingredients or foods that sound like bad chemistry experiments
9. Get portion size right--you can bag some portions ahead of time
10. No artificial sweeteners
11. No white potatoes
12. One day a week meatless--eat more beans and nuts
13. No fast foods and fried foods
14. Eat a real breakfast: include protein, grains and fruit (lowfat plain yogurt is great protein source)
15. Make your own food and eat at least 10 meals a week at home
16. Banish high salt foods--use more herbs
17. Eat veggies--as much as possible
18. Go to bed hungry--try not to eat after 8 p.m. or 4 hours prior to bedtime
19. Sleep Right--get adequate sleep
20. Plan one splurge meal a week--but don't go crazy with the calories, fat and sugar in it

Seems like a no-brainer, right? It sounds like something I might be able to handle in my life.  I love my white carbs though!  Such a drug they are!

I think I'm going to give it a shot though.  I need to start making better food choices. Making good choices has always been my problem, and I need to start fixing it.

Anyone followed this approach?  How did it work for you?

Why Do I Do This?

I just finished lunch and was craving something sweet.  I'd made some caramel corn last night - it was okay.  Some of it turned out well, the rest was a wee bit....soft?  You want caramel corn to have a little crunch to it, right? 

Now I hate to waste calories on food that is just okay, but I do it all the freaking time! 

I am trying to lose weight. I work out 5-6 days a week and log most of my food.  Most.  I'm a lazy logger.

But last night I grabbed a bowl of caramel corn and had it for dessert.  Was it good?  Not really.  I didn't even finish the bowl.  Just ate enough to feel bad about it.

Today, what do I do?  Stop in the kitchen after lunch and pick at the damn caramel corn!  After eating some I got a little annoyed with myself.  Because it wasn't that good and I was still eating it.  And now I'm writing about it because it bugged me.

Sigh.

I may have a slight food addiction.  The food is there and I'm compelled to eat it.

I think I should just throw the whole container away.  Then I feel bad for wasting all that time making it! Does this happen to anyone else?

Lose-lose.