Starting a diet. Foods to avoid?

[rxcats]

Splenda does not cause an insulin spike; I have never read any studies to indicate it does and fail to see how it would since it is not metabolized except in trace amounts. The sensation of "tasting sweet" is not the mechanism that triggers pancreatic beta cell insulin release. This is why people still have an insulin spike following IV administration of dextrose (sugar) even though they are not tasting anything at all. There has been some conflicting data on the possibility that some sugar alcohols (ie. sorbitol, maltitol, etc.) causing a spike in insulin in some (not most) people.

I personally try to completely avoid sugar. I have known since childhood that I am sensitive to it. If I eat a meal high in simple sugars, I crash! I use lots of Splenda and Equal and it works for me.

With regard to people dropping a lot of weight on artifical sweeteners and then gaining it back; I think you can say that about every diet and weight loss program there is. Unfortunately, most people eventially "find" the weight they "lost". In order to have any hope of maintaining weight loss, one must look at permanent lifestyle changes. This may include both dietary modifications and physical activity or both.

 

[whacked]

Originally Posted by MCsommerreid

Don't do that, just be reasonable with your sugar intake. Fake sugar still causes insulin to be released, which does weirdness with the human body. Also avoid empty sugars like soda, commercial fruit juice, and lots of candy.

It depends on the sugar alcohol they use; generally, Splenda and Sweet'n'Low are considered safe substitute
Here's a link
Some good info can be found here as well

 

[fracmeister]

Originally Posted by ken

You should never eat less if you are exercising more. You should eat more. You should also eat better. And, you should also exercise better. You should also get some more better.

Hmmm. I guess that depends on how much you were eating. Remember, you should eat the right amount and right stuff for your activity level. There are plenty of sedentary people who eat way more than they should even if they were very active. I should know.

Diets all work....briefly. My favorite diet to describe, the broccoli and anything you want diet. Eat a cup of broccoli before each meal and then you can eat anything you want. If you followed this you'd rarely overeat and your caloric intake would fall. Of course no one would ever keep this up as it is a ridiculous way to eat.

The key is to eat right and exercise.

 

[greg_atlanta]

Artificial sweeteners ruin your sense of taste, they destroy all subtlety in food. They also feed your craving for real sweets, and since you are losing your sense of taste you're likely to eat more real sugar given the opportunity.

Add pure maple syrup and cinnamon to oatmeal, maybe a small pat of butter.

 

[adversity04]

Why does everyone insist on adding pure sugar. Add some blueberries/raspberries/strawberries and it'll be sweet and healthier than your alternatives.

 

[rxcats]

Originally Posted by greg_atlanta

Artificial sweeteners ruin your sense of taste, they destroy all subtlety in food. They also feed your craving for real sweets, and since you are losing your sense of taste you're likely to eat more real sugar given the opportunity.

Add pure maple syrup and cinnamon to oatmeal, maybe a small pat of butter.

There is no scientific basis for your above statements. I would like to know what study you are citing and from what journal or is this just your own personal experience. Are you suggesting that diabetics use real sugars like maple syrup and honey? I use artificial sweeteners exclusively (for the last 4 years) and have not noticed any adverse effects at all. This includes sense of taste and cravings. The only big difference is a maintained weight loss of 25 pounds, no more crashing after a high-carb meal and MUCH better control of blood sugar.

 

[Eason]

I will back him up saying that they feed your craving for other sweets. We try and get people to avoid diet sodas while on a meal plan because they will continue craving sweet things more than if they cut all sugars out of their diet.

 

[MCsommerreid]

Originally Posted by rxcats

Are you suggesting that diabetics use real sugars like maple syrup and honey?.

Diabetes is an entirely different creature than otherwise healthy individuals trying to loose weight. Just like a person with a severe wheat allergy wouldn't be eating whole wheat, a person with diabetes wouldn't be eating sugar. Apples and oranges.

 

[greg_atlanta]

Originally Posted by rxcats

There is no scientific basis for your above statements. I would like to know what study you are citing and from what journal or is this just your own personal experience.

No studies, just my own palette and my observation of people around me with sugar cravings (esp. middle-aged women).

There was an article in the New Yorker a few years ago about sweeteners, and it explained that splenda was originally developed as a pesticide -- its discovery as a sweetening agent was accidental. So that helps.

I used to put sugar in my coffee and eat a fair amount of sweets, but I learned to give up sugar altogether. I like black coffee, unsweetened green tea, plain yogurt, dark chocolate, green apples, and many other things sugarholics would find disgusting without added sweetness. It just takes a while to retrain your palette, then you can enjoy food in its natural state.

From a sociological perspective, sugar is very low class.

 

[Houndstooth]

Read this site, many great ideas.

http://www.arthurdevany.com/

 

[smw356]

sucralose, which is the sweetner used in splenda does not cause a insulin spike, but splenda itself is sucralose mixed with bulking agents, either dextrose (packets) or maltodextrin(bulk) which while in small quantities will still cause a small insulin response. Not that that really matters though, its still a enormous factor better than sugar.

 

[skunkworks]

Just a quick addendum to the above post: Splenda is indeed mixed with dextrose, at least in the packets. Look at the ingredients list. It's definitely not a true 0 calorie food; it's just that it's rounded to 0 (I'm guessing it's > 0 but < 5).

Dextrose and maltodextrin btw are sugars that are rapidly metabolized into glucose, and are valued most in post-workout shakes for their ability to produce a disproportionate insulin reponse. Thankfully it looks like there isn't much of it in a packet of Splenda to do much.

 

[Philosoph]

It's also possible to buy sucralose in its liquid form without the dextrose or maltodextrin if you're really concerned about them.

 

[ts4them]

Originally Posted by ken

Here's what I ate yesterday:
3 eggs + 3 egg whites
Protein supplement
3/4 c Blueberries

2 oz. Almonds
1 oz. Beef Jerky
Apple

6 oz Chicken
1 1/2 c Broccoli
Plenty of Olive Oil

4 oz Turkey
1 slice Wheat Bread
3 Pickles
Orange
4 g Fish Oil

Protein Supplement
1 can Tuna
1 slice Wheat Bread
3/4 c Blueberries

8 oz Venison
1 1/2 c Broccoli & Cauliflower
Plenty of Olive Oil
4 g Fish Oil


Friggin' health nut.

 

[JaCet]

Originally Posted by Connemara

I think I've been doing well over the past week. Today, I woke up (at 11:30

) and had a bowl of McCann's oatmeal. For lunch, a couple slices of turkey and a thin piece of cheese on a wheat hardroll. A banana in between lunch and dinner, as well as a handful of peanut M&M's at grandma's. Dinner, a pan-seared halibut fillet with sage, thyme, parsley and pepper; a few bites of a T-bone steak; and two tiny baked potatoes with some pepper and a pinch of salt.

I'm baking some brownies right now but I don't think I'll have more than one. Sort of for the family.



.... no one else finds a problem with this

Three meals.... no vegetables.... maybe 60 grams of protein... no healthy fat

banana an insulin spiker
m&m's.....
baked potatoes another insulin spiker and towards the end of the day
brownies... please store fat on me

best diet ever if you having trouble is

follow that did it ever live and did it ever grow from the ground......

apply that to atkins.... and disregard his idiotic plan for eating random fat.
substitute that for healthy fat and protein and all the vegetables you can manage

how can you not lose weight... supermodel in no time