No Sugar New Year Challenge (Page 18)

My Intro:

I'm 38years old, married for 20 years to Gary (gslye here on BT). We have 2 daughters ages 20 and 18. I've worked at quite a few different jobs throughout the years, but was primarily a Mom. Now I travel fulltime around the Pacific Northwest with Gary. It's nice to be able to travel with him now that our girls are grown. We are learning to live together again after 10 years of him being on the road most of the time while I stayed home with the kids He got inspired after watching me complete my first triathlon 1-1/2 years ago, and now we train together.

I was never very athletic, and had never run a mile straight in my life until 2 years ago. I decided I wanted to do a sprint tri that the local gym was putting on so I had to learn to run. Since then I have done 3 sprints and an olympic distance triathlon, 3 half marathons, and lots of shorter running races. I'm training now for a marathon in the Spring, and am registered for Boise 70.3 in June. My long term goal is IMCDA in 2010.

Nutrition wise I lost 50 lbs and have kept it off for 1 1/2 years by counting calories and logging everything I eat. It is a constant struggle though, and I would still like to reduce my body fat percentage. I just finished reading "The Paleo Diet for Athletes" and am giving that a shot as of yesterday. It works really well with this challenge too!

goodday2tri - 2008-12-30 11:40 AM I accumulated a Ding at lunch - and it wasn't even a sweet treat. It was a bag of sunchips from Subway. At least I picked the healthier option of processed chips which is not really a problem for me in a situation like that. I just couldn't resist today. AbbieR - I love the necklace! I have one just like it

Thank you!  I love my M-dot.  I am a self-proclaimed M-dot slut....I love wearing anything M-dot every chance I get

anyone else at the office today?  I'm making the best of it.....have been doing a ton of reading about sugar cravings.  Many sugar craving are actually a result of DEHYDRATION!!  Now I know why my cravings are at bay when I'm guzzling H2O!! 

My names is Ray I am 32 years old, about to be 33 on Jan 1! I work a s a cruise consultant/Travel Agent from home for WTH a large corporation that does fulfillment for names you've heard Orbitz, Priceline, Yahoo etc. Been doing this for 8 of the last 12 years. I also placed Nurses at an agency for about 1.5 and was a Pit Boss/Tournament Director of a poker room for about 3 years. I was very active in sports through high school and beginning of college, but I have yoyo'ed my weight for much of the last 12 years or so.

My biggest motivation truly was not wanting to cross the 300 lb mark when I left on my cruise in early December and was 293 lbs when I left. I began working out right away, and had been lurking around the site for some time earlier. I am very competitive which is what drives, and sports are my biggest motivator. Since, I have been back I have been working out 6 to 7 days a week and really listening to my body. I am down to 281 as of today, and -3 since the start of our competition.

Not sure what else, oh single and never been married no kids or pets. Everytime I think I want kids I take my two nieces out to lunch 10 and 3 years old. Just kidding they are great. I went through some real tough periods over the last 5 years, most self-induced some not. I guess you could say I was depressed, but I felt it was more a string of self-pity coupled with procrastination and excuse making.

I have not felt better than I feel today in a long time. Nothing quite like punching a new hole in an old belt, the right direction that is. Glad to be here, and the support and advice cannot be beat. Thank you all!

Just today, I had the thought that a water challenge would be a good idea! I, too, have been trying to do better lately, but for me, that means 2-3 cups instead of none...sad, huh?

I'm planning to use my Mulligan tomorrow. Going out for dinner and that will include dessert. I just have to make it through until March 1.

Anyone have a late night sweet substitute idea?

I'm in the office today until 1:00 pm.  I definitely notice an increase in cravings for fruit juice when I am dehydrated.  I drink a lot of water normally, so I don't get dehydrated normally, but when I do, I want the crazy sugary fruit juices.

I have found that when I want to raid the fridge at 10 pm at night, if I eat a handful, about 10-12 ( OH, yes I count them), raw almonds one by one, it seems to satisfy my cravings.

Another ding for me last night.  Went to some friends house (one from Ireland, one from Mauritius - notice a theme with our friends?), and she made some killer deserts.

I didn't want to be rude....

If you're stuck at the sign on, the username is btchallenge, and the password is challengeforum

Let me know if that doesn't work, and I'll add your email address.

very interesting!  I've noticed when I keep a 6 pack of water, I go through them!  when I don't have water around, I don't drink it. oops!  I need all the sugar help I can get.

I got my second ding today.  I had an intense craving for sugar and ended up at the nearby deli to buy a piece of chocolate cake.  I'm pretty happy with 5 straight days without sugar, which is my longest ever.  Starting tomorrow, I'll try for 6 days.  I think I have to go slowly on this one, as I don't want to fall completely off and quit the whole challenge.  This is really, really hard for me.  I have realized that I was eating about 600 calories/day in sugar (mostly cookies), which is a whole lot of wasted calories.

By the way, I am incredibly impressed with those of you who have no dings yet.  I just went into the spreadsheet and saw 10 people without dings.  Now, some of those 10 may have dings and have not recorded them yet, but that still leaves a good number of people who have been successful for the first 10 days of this challenge.

I have been drinking chamomile tea with a spoonful of honey. I only crave sugar at night. This has been helping me get through. I would much rather have my ice cream snackie or dark chocolate!

Made it through last night  - phew!  There was some of that white chocolate "bark" calling my name, but I held out.  Luckily I brought chili made with ground sirloin and veggies /dip to the party, so I had those....I made the dip with real sour cream, so it wasn't exactly healthy, but it wasn't sugar!

My name is Bobby and I'm a cookie-aholic.  Really.  Check my dings out on the spreadsheet.  I even just dinged this morning!! Doh! What a way to start the New Year.  My wife is the problem ... sort of.  She bakes like she's running a bakery: rainbow cookies, chocolate mint fudge, sugar cookies with chocolate chips, she's leaves them all out - all the time - and it's killing me.  I'm going to have a talk with her...

Oh, my name is Bobby.  I'm 34 years old and have been married 7 years with an almost three-year-old girl and five-year-old boy (who drives me crazy on a daily basis ).  I'm an electronic components salesman and I also own a small publishing company.  2008 was my first year of Triathlon and I competed in 10 triathlons, including two HIM's.  I plan to do 3 more HIM's this year and would like to compete in my first IM in July of 2010.  I created and am participating in the No Sugar Challenge because I'm addicted to sugar and ulitmately I feel it is one of the biggest obstacles keeping me from competing at the highest level that I capable of. 

Bobby, who is she making the cookies for? The kids? herself? you?

My family goes without some stuff when I try to eat healthier. They do have some yummy left over Christmas cookies that have been calling my name. They are wrapped up and hidden. 

Hope it gets better..out of site helps, not having them in the house is even easier.

Down 7.2!

Iit is strange that weight is coming off easily. I didn't really eat much sugar before the challenge but the two things I know my body doesn't like is processed foods and sugar substitutes and I ate some of those. When I first started losing weight in '03 I went with drinking water only and after awhile I stared drinking diet soda and eating foods with splenda or sugar substitutes and my weight loss slowed down. Hard to pin point what exactly was the difference but having the same experience now I think it may be a key. I'm thinking this year will be my year to finish losing weight and come to terms with this is how I will be..sub Athena?

I'm hungry a lot and feel my stomach rumbling but am better able to handle it. My temptation factor is way down most things don't temp me anymore..weird I know but good.

Bobby I wasn't happy with the no sugar substitute clause in the challenge but now I'm glad you put it in there. I think it has helped me see part of what was causing me to not finally reach my goal. I so want to have lost 100 pounds..at IM I was at 97..really want to get to maybe 105 or so.

Used the mulligan last night at dinner. My husband and I shared our desserts with each other. I had a mascarpone a berry triffle and my husband had chocolate chunk bread pudding. Both were wonderful and a great use of the mulligan.

However .... I didn't feel great afterwards and realized that being off the sugar for a couple weeks my body had "detoxed" and I felt much better without the processed sugar.

Wow, I can't believe I'm saying that I'm better off without the sugar.

In addition I found some herbal tea (decaf chai) that is great with a splash of milk, brewed in apple juice or just plain. Thanks for the suggestion.

I feel you Bobby, Only reason I think I haven't dinged is because the stuff isn't around. I planned on not using my mulligan on Christmas but fresh chocalte chip cookies, couldn't resist. I imagine I would have a few dings if I had someone baking.