Healthy Challenges

Erudite · #1 02-27-2007, 03:13 PM

I was trying this with my family and it seems like a really good idea to try here too. So I thought I'd ask if any one wanted to join in some healthy challenges.

My suggestion for the first one is the no-sugar challenge. For 7 days those taking the challenge, eat no overt sugars AND we give each other strategies for avoiding sugar, substitutes for sugar items, and supportive "way-to-gos" for when we are successful in avoiding sugar.

Who's with me?

***Big_Sissy*** · #2 02-27-2007, 06:00 PM

No sugar??? Are you nuts? or just crazy?

If I wasn't out of town, and a slave to the "fast food" chains, I'd do it, but at this point that also means I'd starve for 6 days.

**5ft Diva** · #3 02-27-2007, 10:39 PM

No, don't do that. We miss you too much.

What is overt sugar? I'm sure I could look it up in the dictionary but I'd like someone to enlighten me.

Erudite · #4 02-28-2007, 12:24 PM

"overt" means obvious...like I don't think we should avoid ALL sugar...just the really obvious ones like dessert....have fruit instead (which also has sugar, but not overtly).

Well, I have to say, I don't see this as being popular. Even I don't want to forgo my whipped cream on my sugar free desserts. I have a bunch of ideas for Health Challenges though. Is anyone interested in taking a challenge for better health?

LostnFound · #5 02-28-2007, 02:05 PM

Hey I'm up for a health challenge, I was just hesitant about seven days with no sugar. I was going to join you for a couple of the days but I doubt I could do seven. It sounds like you are doing great with your diet. Kudos to you!! You are a great example to me. Let me know of any challenge.

amberpatomo · #6 02-28-2007, 09:27 PM

I would love to try this! Can I handle it is the question? But I guess that's what a challenge is...

My Dad is a diabetic so I grew up in a home without sugar. Everything was diet or artificial sweeteners. Since having my 2nd daughter I crave sweets all the time. My husband is a candy and ice cream addict and doesn't gain a pound!

Good idea!

Erudite · #7 03-01-2007, 09:39 AM

Well, if some of you want to try them, cool! So here's my first supportive thinking idea. Share as you find them...AP it sounds like you'll have a lot! On Monday, I had hot chocolate when I got the kids home from school. It made me short with my kids, which I rarely am, and so I recognize that I really need to avoid that. I put a post-it on the can that says "avoid this! Have a protein drink instead". That way I have the specific reminder that that drink does bad things to me AND I gave myself a solution for when I want the bad drink (which is more often than it should be because I LOVE hot chocolate). BTW I keep it in the house for when the kids come if from playing in the snow...They love it too and I don't want to deny them.

Then I also made myself some sugar-free jello so that there is something "sweet" to eat.

What good ideas do you all have?

**5ft Diva** · #8 03-01-2007, 10:56 AM

It sound like you are able to be very aware of your triggers, Erudite. This might seem like a silly question, but how did you connect your hot chocolate to being short with your kids? I would like to become more aware of what food does to my body (especially in my relationships to other people) but need to know what I'm looking for and when. Remember - you're talking to a rookie here.

Erudite · #9 03-01-2007, 12:51 PM

Let's see...writing out loud here...I was hungry when I drank it and it's mostly sugar. It seems like I also may have had something else with it, but nothing much. Then I got on the computer for something for like a half an hour and the next thing I know the kids are fighting over something. My usual response is to attempt to help them help themselves to solve the problem, but I was talking loud (not yelling, mind you) and just solved the problem by sending everyone to their rooms to clean them up. Yeah, their rooms needed cleaning, but I don't usually approach it from the "loud command" point of view. I usually, patiently go help them. So I recognized that I wasn't me within a half an hour of the hot chocolate.

Since I know some sugars do that to me and it's nearly all I'd eaten, I identified that. I also know that I can't eat ice cream during the day for the same reason. I can eat either of them after a good dinner and not have too much problem, but not during the day and not on an empty stomach.

Does that answer the question?

**5ft Diva** · #10 03-01-2007, 02:02 PM

Yes, it does. Thanks for your insight.

amberpatomo · #11 03-01-2007, 02:49 PM

I remember finnican told me something about food and moods when he was studying. I can't remember. I will ask him about it. I know that many people get cranky when hungry. I am one of them!

**5ft Diva** · #12 03-01-2007, 03:31 PM

Me, too. In fact most of our fights when we were first married were started because I was hungry - then my husband figured out my short fuse was due to symptoms of hunger. Funny huh?

amberpatomo · #13 03-01-2007, 03:34 PM

That's funny. I had a friend who's wife was like that. They always seemed to bicker when she was hungry. When we would go and hang out usually he would say, "we better get some food before me and annette start arguing".

It was interesting to see her change after she ate. Much more calm.

Dia Minha · #14 03-01-2007, 05:48 PM

Nestle makes a really good sugar free fat free hot chocolate. I can only find it at Walmart, here in Tooele. I like to make it with my skim milk to make it more creamy and filling. Then I can also count one milk out of my three a day. It is better to heat your water or milk first, then add the mix, because the sugar substitute can go bitter in the heating process. I also like to make my oatmeal or cream of wheat and then stir in a packet. It's like eating chocolate cake for breakfast. Yummy!

Dia

**5ft Diva** · #15 03-01-2007, 06:01 PM

Hmm...thanks for the info, Dia.

Erudite · #16 03-01-2007, 08:34 PM

Great tip, Dia! Thanks for sharing.