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No Sugar New Year Challenge
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 2008-12-15 11:28 AM |
 Subject: No Sugar New Year Challenge
A study released last week by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that money (big surprise Only participants with a sweet tooth are allowed to enter. If you don't have a problem with sweets, please do not enter. Please at some point, and only once, post your starting weight. You must post your weight before the official start date. There is a chance this contest may end in a tie, and the tie breaker will be the biggest weight loss percentage. The official Start Date is Sunday December 21st Midnight. No Exceptions. Sorry, but if you have not posted your desire to join by midnight, Sunday December 21st (the first day of Winter) you cannot join. Sorry I had a friend who was enormous. 6' 7" tall, and an unbelievably huge belly. He moved out of state, than 6 months later visited and his gut was completely gone! We all asked him what diet he was on. He simply said he cut out added sugars. The Rules: a.) No added sugars: fructose, corn-syrup, high-fructose, maltose, evaporated cane juice etc... If you read the ingredients on an item, and one of the first three ingredients is sugar (or any form of sugar) it's banned. No Junk Food. Junk food defined as any processed snack. There are exceptions and I will list them below, along with examples of what can be eaten and what can't. b.) If you relapse/ cheat/ screw-up ... it's okay. Not the end of the world. But you must report it. Every time you cheat - you must post it in this thread and an "X" will be marked next to your name on an excel spreadsheet c.) We are going on the Honor System here people. Us triathlete's are very honest people so I don't see this as being a problem. Like the famous phrase goes: "You can quit and no one will care if you do. But you'll know." Just the same, if you cheat - it will be on you and you will know. And I'm a firm believer in Karma Please read these rules again. What you Cannot eat: 1.) No junk food - NO SODA. Junk food defined as: dorito's, potatoe chips, pretzels, ring dings, candy, cookies, lifesavers,licorice, lifesavers, buttered popcorn, ... use common sense. Also no muffins, no cakes, pastries, etc... We all know what junk food is 2.) No added or refined sugars. No sugar in your coffee. If an item has ingredients, and sugar is in the top three ingredients - it's banned. If sugar or a form of sugar is ingredient number four ...it is allowed. 3.) No Chocolate!! Yes, NO CHOCOLATE. Sure this will be a deal-breaker or often slip-up item for many ... but no chocolate of any kind is allowed. This will be so damn hard for me especially! 4.) Artificial Sweetners - splenda, sucralose, sacchrin, etc.. they are NOT allowed. No you cannot have diet soda or sugar-free snacks. They are unhealthy and they are a crutch and they will lead you back to the real thing - studies have proven it. If you want to get healthy and lose weight, let's get honest. Let's get really honest. Artificial Sugar is just as bad, if not worse for our bodies. Every packet of sweet and low is a slip!! What you Can eat: 1.) Don't fret, there is lots you can eat, like: Natural Sugar. Any natural fruit - apples, strawberries (no whipcream on them though!) raisins, raw nuts (no honey-roasted), bananas, cherries, etc... You also can eat popcorn, but without the artifical butter. If you want to melt your own natural butter, that's fine and allowed. But the artifical butter is not allowed. 2.) Exceptions List: Training Aids are allowed. An hour before training - During Training - and Up to an Hour after training you are allowed to use any training-specific foods, meaning YES you CAN drink gatorade, infinit, gels, any powerbar, hammer nutrition products etc... You can have a chocolate powerbar, you can have a chocolate protein shake - but only one hour before - during - or one hour after training. That's the window, and it has to be a training specific nutrition food. And Please Use your Discretion. Example: If you normally eat a snickers on your long ride, than you eat one. If you normally don't, and now want to start - you're fooling yourself. Another exception is in case of illness - like a sore throat, Yes you can have lozenges. Again, use your discretion. 3.) We all get one Holiday Free Pass (mulligan). That's right, we all get ONE FREE SLIP. I choose to use mine on Christmas. And by one free pass I mean one slice of cherry pie, or one piece of cake. Not an entire night of eating. One snack. 4.) Birthday Cake Exception. I'm superstitious. I admit it. If you go to a birthday party, or it is your birthday - Yes, you can have one regular-sized piece of cake, regardless of what kind of cake it is. You will not be dinged. This is allowed. If you'd like you can include Weddings and Anniversary parties, so long as the person is close to you. Use your discretion. When in doubt, use the Neanderthal man rule. Ask yourself this question: Could neanderthal man eat this snack? If the answer is YES, than you can eat it. If the answer is NO, than it's banned. If you still are unsure, post it here and we will vote as to whether it is allowed. If you wish to enter please think about it for a while and see if you are really ready to commit to a plan like this. Here's a quick rehash: You must post "Yes" I want to join. Then, before December 21st midnight, you must post your weight. A spreadsheet accessible in this thread will post your name/ username and your weight. Any and every time you slip-up you must post it in this thread and an "X" will be placed next to your name. The BT'er with the least amount of "X's" on the finish date of February 28th, midnight is the winner and I will promptly mail them a $100.00 gift certificate to triathlonlab.com - I will mail it via UPS or FedEx, trackable/signature service. (I hosted a Biggest Loser's Competition in the Spring and also put up an award which I made good on. I promise to make good on this one as well, although I hope to win myself!). No honey in your tea, no sugar in your coffee, no candy bars, no artifical goodies of any kind. If you know a BT friend who might be interested tell them about this contest as, again, it starts promptly in one week. This is challenge is a huge commitment and undertaking. It will not interfere with your normal square meal intake during the day. You can eat all the meats, veggies, fish, potatoes, sandwiches you want ... and you can eat any processed food you want... so long as a form of sugar is not in the first three ingredients listed. Example: Total cereal - second ingredient is Sugar. You Cannot eat it! Thomas's English muffins, corn syrup is the fifth ingredient so YOU CAN eat it! Please post any questions you may have. |
) is the best motivator for losing weight. So the winner of this contest will win a $100.00 Gift Certificate to Triathlon Lab (
The contest will end on February 28th at 12 midnight. Tie-breaker weights must be posted before midnight that night. 
The person with the least amount of "X's" on February 28th midnight is the winner. If there is a tie, then weight loss percentage will be the tie-breaker.| 2008-12-15 11:33 AM in reply to: #1854600 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge p.s. I need a volunteer to post everyone's name, starting weight to an excel spreadsheet and post an "X" update every week. I'd do it, but the filters at work will not allow me. Any volunteers? |
| 2008-12-15 12:05 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Master  1591    San Diego, CA | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge |
| 2008-12-15 12:11 PM in reply to: #1854676 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge jezzieswims - 2008-12-15 1:05 PM I'm actually considering this challenge. Are sports drinks considered fair game during training? Various sugars are in the first few ingredients and I'm in HIM training right now. Sports drinks and any and all training nuritional supplements are allowed one hour before - during - and one hour after training. And I mean, if you normally drink Recoverite or a similar TRAINING PRODUCT before bed after a Long Run, you can still do that. There are plenty of exceptions you CAN allow, but be honest with yourself - is it truly something that is training related and beneficial? Sports drinks are allowed during training. If it's a rest day, than NO it's not allowed. You can drink natural drinks for sugar and recovery like 100% orange juice or pineapple juice. But you cannot drink Kool-aid or processed juice, or a juice with added sugars!! 100% natural only, or milk, or water, or tea with lemon, or coffee with a splash of milk. You can have yogurt drink, but you have to find one where a sugar product is not in the first three ingredients. Edited by Dream Chaser 2008-12-15 12:13 PM |
| 2008-12-15 12:39 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Master 1591 San Diego, CA | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge I should have read through the post completely before I posted. I read it the 2nd time and saw the info on the training aids. Thanks for the clarification. |
| 2008-12-15 12:54 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Champion 8766   Evergreen, Colorado | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Ooooo...I should so do this. Let me think on it this afternoon a little bit more before totally committing...but I like the idea. One request though. No honey? Seriously? Honey is completely natural and should be allowed. |
| 2008-12-15 1:03 PM in reply to: #1854749 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge jezzieswims - 2008-12-15 1:39 PM I should have read through the post completely before I posted. I read it the 2nd time and saw the info on the training aids. Thanks for the clarification.
No problemo. It's a very confusing contest ... it's not you
Love your tag line btw. I'm a big, huuuuge Darko fan. Seen the movie around a dozen times. |
| 2008-12-15 1:07 PM in reply to: #1854792 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge jldicarlo - 2008-12-15 1:54 PM Ooooo...I should so do this. Let me think on it this afternoon a little bit more before totally committing...but I like the idea. One request though. No honey? Seriously? Honey is completely natural and should be allowed. I gave a lot of thought to honey... cause obviously it is natural ... but it's super sweet and may activate the sweet tooth demon. One could also get through everyday without a sweet knowing that they can have tea with lots of honey at night, which is kind of counterproductive. And if I allowed honey then we can make an argument for evaporated cane juice ... which is also natural, and it's a top three ingredient in lots of products. Think of it this way, it's like Lent, your only giving it up for a short period of time and then you can have it again. Tea with a splash of milk ain't bad. So sorry, no honey. Edited by Dream Chaser 2008-12-15 1:10 PM |
| 2008-12-15 1:16 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Regular 60 Cincinnati | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge what a great idea! I know sugar is an addictive substance for me...was just watching a show on drug addicts and the way they were describing it...having to get one more high in before trying to get clean is EXACTLY the way I feel about trying to stay away from sugar. I honestly don't know if I can do it, but I have some pretty big goals for this spring.......gonna ponder it today. again, great idea! Edited by jellomom 2008-12-15 1:20 PM |
| 2008-12-15 1:22 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Regular 158 South AL | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Great idea! I will admit seeing the No Honey ban was a real heart breaker for me. I was already pondering how I could probably handle it and make do with a little honey. I am going to give this challenge some real thought as it is one I could really benefit from doing. I hope I can get up the courage to join in! Thanks. Debbie |
| 2008-12-15 1:36 PM in reply to: #1854819 |
| Extreme Veteran 533 Vermont | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Wow, I too am going to have to give this some thought. You are a sick twisted man starting this just before Christmas, but then again, I like that about you. If you can stay focused this time of year, you should be good to go after the holidays. I was okay with the no sweets for the most part. This will be tough though. I was even still on board with the no junk food such as pretzels and chips and such. No diet coke or artificial sweetners might just push me over the edge. At least you have not included martinis as things on the naughty list. This is much more challenging than lent whereby you might give up one item. This sounds a lot tougher. I really need to give this some thought. |
| 2008-12-15 1:40 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Master 1591 San Diego, CA | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge How does the no sugar rule apply to homemade items? Example: a couple of tablespoons when baking helps to feed the yeast or a small amount of honey in a marinade or dressing if it isn't the main ingredient. Should I plan to toss out all the sugar and honey for the challenge? |
| 2008-12-15 1:41 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Fine, since honey seems to be the Deal Breaker we will add just one more exception: Honey in moderation is allowed!
Edited by Dream Chaser 2008-12-15 1:42 PM |
| 2008-12-15 1:47 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Hard core but probably the best way to go...I try not to eat much sugar but have slipped a lot lately and am a big diet soda junkie. When I lost the most weight I was pure hard core..meat, veggies, no processed food at all, and some fruit. I know it is good for me but not sure I'm tough enough to do it...just before the holidays too. I'll think about it. |
| 2008-12-15 1:55 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge How does the no sugar rule apply to homemade items? Example: a couple of tablespoons when baking helps to feed the yeast or a small amount of honey in a marinade or dressing if it isn't the main ingredient. Should I plan to toss out all the sugar and honey for the challenge? Great question and I knew it would come up. Honey in moderation (used in a recipe or a teaspoon in your tea) is allowed. As for home baked goods... estimate whether sugar will be the number 1, 2 or 3 ingredient. Is it? If so, use a little less so that if you were to sell it and had to list the ingredients it would be fourth or fifth. And when you eat that baked good have a serving, not two or three If you are baking sugar cookies, brownies or chocolate chips, the answer is obvious - I hope!! I hope that answers your question and anyone elses Here's to eating and living healthy in 2009. Diets high in sugar are linked to cardiovascular diease, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Here's to living long happy and healthy, and losing weight to gain some free speeeed in '09. The Holidays are the #1 time of year when we consume the most sugar. Now is the best time to start this diet. You can have all the ham, turkey, veggies, cranberries you want. And you get a FREE HOLIDAY Mulligan - so you can have a desert on Christmas guilt free. Get healthy, lose weight, start an entire new lifestyle, and win 100 bucks ... it doesn't get better than this Edited by Dream Chaser 2008-12-15 1:59 PM |
| 2008-12-15 2:45 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Member 52 | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge I'm on the fence like everyone else, but definitely interested in this challenge. It's amazing how much of a hold sweets can have on you, when the idea of a limited period of time without them is so frightening. |
| 2008-12-15 2:58 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Champion 8766 Evergreen, Colorado | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge I was going to ask about Beer.... :whistle: |
| 2008-12-15 3:00 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Believe it or not, Budweiser beer nutrition chart states it has zero sugars. The same with Vodka. I guess your body converts the alcohol into sugar once inside of you. So drink up! Again, I know this is a tough contest ... but we're triathletes, the tougher the better. I am personally doing this for a life changing experience. I am not going to white knuckle it for 9 weeks and then go back to sugar. I want to drop the weight, keep it off, get healthier, live longer and be more succesful at the sport of triathlon. I am convinced this diet change will do it. And really, we are still having sugar - just natural sugar and processed sugars in very small amounts. Come on people!! |
| 2008-12-15 3:03 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it ... but look http://www.thedailyplate.com/nutrition-calories/food/budweiser/bud-light-12-fl-oz.-bottle Sugars = 0 I would imagine liqeurs though may have sugar. Before imbibing just do a google search. Put the name of the alcoholic beverage and then write "nutrition" and you'll quickly find out if you can drink it or not. Personally, I do not drink any alcohol. I haven't had a drink in almost a year |
| 2008-12-15 3:10 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Veteran 136 | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge I'll start by saying that I'm not going to do this - I'm gonna carry on eating everything/anything in moderation - it's hard enough getting the kids to eat properly without Dad getting faddy too! The Rum question? The bad news is that alcohol has more energy in it per gram than normal cane sugar, so if you're end plan is to loose weight, I'm afraid that booze is pretty much out of the picture. (Although, not going by the rules of this challenge and it's Christmas, so go for it! Keef PS - good luck to the sick, sick people who do sign up! |
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You're stronger than me - hope I never meet you in competition with this kind of will power!!| 2008-12-15 3:40 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Master 1591 San Diego, CA | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge I'm really tempted to sign up. I would like to drop some weight before my first HIM. The last time I gave up sugar I had great results. Hmmm .... I'll have to ponder this one. |
| 2008-12-15 3:45 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge I thought back to when I first started losing weight April 21, 2003, I just sucked it up and did it..after three days it became easier after a month or two, I just always said no and wasn't tempted by anything...not anything...friends thought it was weird. It was a good but strange place to just not be tempted. It takes a few days to get that crap out of your system and a few weeks to get the no muscle in your head to work so that you are not tempted at all...no question you only eat stuff you plan or want to eat that is on your program. I get in trouble when I sometimes eat stuff as when is enough, when will I say yes or when I would have one of something or two. My mental strength was gone and I was always tempted. The how to live the rest of your life while doing endurance events is the hard part. During IM training I ate stuff I hadn't eatten since before April 2003 and could and my weight went down gradually. After IM my mental strength to not have stuff was gone but my workout weeks were much more moderate and I've gained weight. It sucks, I hate it, I feel chubby again, and I'm slow. Okay I'm in, I need it, and my goal is to be perfect..get to that place I'm not tempted as it is really much much easier at least for me. No chcolate will be really really hard. I can probably improve my Ironman bike split more by losing weight than training hard..power/weight ratio is key on hilly course and IM Canada has some hills. Our #4 kid's birthday is December 22nd...ahh starting with a day I will be allowed birthday cake...weird way to start. Edited by KathyG 2008-12-15 4:01 PM |
| 2008-12-15 6:33 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
| Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Congrats for joining Kathy!! OMG am I dreading the first week of being on this. I'm going to be a mean, cranky SOB ... glad to read that after a while it gets easier. I really need to do this. All the feedback I've gotten so far is that this is a tough diet and a lot of people are not even attempting it because they no they'd fail immediately. What's so damn suprising to me is that all of us have boldly stated to ourselves "I Can"... I can push myself and I am willing to put myself through months and months of grueling training to swim, bike and run 20 miles, or even 70.3 miles ... and some of us have said I Can even louder, and have trained 20+ hours a week for several months to race 140.6 miles. And yet, sadly, when it comes to doing something so seemingly simple as giving up sugar we say, "No. I Can't". |
| 2008-12-15 8:33 PM in reply to: #1855377 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Dream Chaser - 2008-12-15 7:33 PM Congrats for joining Kathy!! OMG am I dreading the first week of being on this. I'm going to be a mean, cranky SOB ... glad to read that after a while it gets easier. I really need to do this. All the feedback I've gotten so far is that this is a tough diet and a lot of people are not even attempting it because they no they'd fail immediately. What's so damn suprising to me is that all of us have boldly stated to ourselves "I Can"... I can push myself and I am willing to put myself through months and months of grueling training to swim, bike and run 20 miles, or even 70.3 miles ... and some of us have said I Can even louder, and have trained 20+ hours a week for several months to race 140.6 miles. And yet, sadly, when it comes to doing something so seemingly simple as giving up sugar we say, "No. I Can't". This last paragraph is so true. I trained for IM for so long but cutting out crap out of my diet would helped me more than another long ride or two. Everyone needs to be ready. Funny thing when I started to lose weight the time it worked I had zero belief it would work it just did. Most every diet book, concept talks about having faith it will work and being positive. I was pretty sure it wouldn't work but for me cutting out processed carbs and sugars made me feel different and the hunger really went away. It was strange really it was. Also I felt like a fog lifted off my head that will be something to really look forward to. It will be an adventure for sure...here's to a healthier, leaner and faster bodies in '09!!! |
| 2008-12-15 9:05 PM in reply to: #1854600 |
Science Nerd 28760 Redwood City, California | Subject: RE: No Sugar New Year Challenge Wow...this is a hard core, kind of evil challenge. That said, I'm considering it. I eat WAY WAY WAY too much sugar and I'm totally addicted to diet soda. Going to pay attention more closely to the things I eat and see exactly how much I have to give up and let you know in a few days. |
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