 | 17 Feb 10 |
Did you receive a box of chocolates for Valentines Day? If you are really lucky, perhaps it was a two-pound box of See’s dark chocolate assortment.
No chocolate for us this year – Junior’s doctor has put her on a no-sugar diet. I am doing it along with her as a show of support. We’re to give it a three week test run, after which the three of us will get together and talk about next steps.
Lots of medical type folks have recently agreed that sugar’s not much good for anyone, and even celebrities are jumping on the bandwagon. But I’ve never been one to listen to experts or particularly inclined to do what’s good for me. 
Given Junior’s reaction to going cold turkey on her Eggo Chocolate-chip waffles, I’d say it’s going to be a tough sell for her as well.
Still, we’re giving it our best shot.
I was frankly astonished to discover how many of my favorite foods were hiding sinister amounts of sugar within them. I mean, whose idea was it to shovel it into the spaghetti sauce? The orange juice? The peanut butter? C’mon, is nothing safe to eat?
I went grumpily to the grocery to stock up on items from the one aisle of the store I had sworn I’d never, ever frequent. You know the one…with those horrible faux potato chips,
“fruit leathers” with pictures of happy kids on them (sure, you try giving your kid something that looks like it was a byproduct of a salamander skinning and see how happy he is about it), and macaroni-and-cheese that doesn’t come with a single smidge of the orange stuff. I bought a variety of organic, sugar-free, preservative-free, fun-free “snacks,” lined them up on the counter and then Junior and I stared at it all skeptically for a while, our dejected tummies rumbling.
But we Littlefields are a crafty, determined bunch. It wasn’t long before we’d figured out how to game the system. Turns out a whole bunch of yummy things are A-okay – - we just had to be resourceful. Smokehouse almonds, for instance. Cambazola (sighhhh!!!) Steel-cut oatmeal with cinnamon and cream…popcorn made on the stove the old-fashioned way…gooey grilled cheese sandwiches…and damned if we’re ever going to give up our precious salt-and-pepper kettle chips!
Thriller writer Carla Buckley said this to me the other day: “If a researcher analyzed my blood, they’d see it’s fifty percent french fries and potato chips, fifty percent chocolate.”
Oh sister, I hear ya. I’m one of those who just can’t work without a little somethin’ at hand, usually Ghiradelli Bittersweet chocolate chips or Walker’s shortbread. 
But I have to say that a plate full of Carr’s cracked pepper water crackers slathered with boursault does the trick. That researcher of yours might discover that my blood is saturated with triple-creme…but at least I don’t miss the sugar much.
PS When I’m out and about, I miss my stops at the AM/PM for tootsie roll pops and rolls of SweetTarts, but I’ve found something almost as good…I’m an absolute fiend for the Tazo Passion Tea at Starbucks. 
Tart, luscious, and with the added benefit that you can kind of give yourself a little mini-facial if you get a Venti with two tea bags and carefully take a nap in your car with the cup propped up on a hardback book in your lap while you wait for a) your kids to deign to acknowledge your existence and detach themselves from their after-school peer clusters and b) your tea to cool down below the eight thousand degrees fahrenheit at which they serve it.
Junior with Gramma and her sugar-free valentine cookies
What about you guys? Have you ever had to give up a beloved food, and if so, how did you cope? I’ve got a lovely little $15 Starbucks card for a randomly-selected commenter, so you can go try that Passion Tea for yourself!
© 2010, Sophie Littlefield. All rights reserved.
Sophie grew up in central Missouri, daughter of a history professor father and an artist mother. She earned a degree in computer science and made very little use of it. After living in Chicago for ten years, she and her husband packed up the kids and moved to Northern California in 1998.
Most important influences on Sophie's work? The critique group she's belonged to for a decade; her brother, writer Mike Wiecek; and members of the romance and mystery writing communities, who have made for excellent company along the road.
Subscribe to Posts 
Why did you have to include picture in your post !! That’s torture ! Seriously, I’m on a diet these days. Not a particularly hard one but still. I try to eat less sugar and fat as possible. That means no more cheese or cookies. Being a mom at home and a baker it also means no more brioche or cinnamon rolls… nightmare ! lol
by Emmanuelle February 17th, 2010 at 5:35 amHow do I cope ? I drink a lot of tea too. I hae different kind at home. My favorite is the Hazzelnut/vanilla flavor (smells exactly like nutella hmmm).
I also found a recipe for fat free croissants. I know it’s in theory not possible but I baked them a few times and my kids love them. Of course they’re hard as stone the day after but right out of the oven they’re delicious (and it’s just milk, salt, honey, flour and active dry yeast).
Emmanuelle, seriously??? Fat free croissants!!!! You should be knighted or something for that
One of the things that’s saving me is that my kids aren’t really into a lot of baked goods. That was tough for me, a baker from a long line of Polish women, to take – I know how to bake just about every dessert there is, and the kids turn their noses up at lovely cakes and flaky pie crusts, so I gave up baking those a long time ago.
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 10:17 amI completely agree about sugar! Back when I was a regular person and worked at NASA I had a colleague who was on a diet of some sort all the time. She once told me that sugar is like a poison to us, we just don’t know it. I promptly ignored her assertion which might explain my present weight. My addiction has always been Coca Cola or Dr. Pepper or Pepsi (6 or 7 a day). I’ve cut myself back to one a day and way back on my portions at meals. I’m not a big snacker inbetween. We had a big old homemade chocolate cake for V day and it was so good! The way I managed that on my new eating style (I refuse to call it a diet–it’s a lifestyle change) is that I have decided I can have two bites of anything I want. Two bites of chocolate cake was perfect for me!
by Debra Webb February 17th, 2010 at 7:54 amThat two-bite rule is genius. I’ve never been much of a dieter and when we started this, I made the mistake of trying to go 100%. For instance I tried to make cornbread with no sugar. Now I realize that those tiny bits aren’t the villain, and big changes are possible without making yourself crazy. And 1/4 cup of sugar really isn’t much for a whole pan of cornbread (even if a certain mom-and-daughter team managed to demolish the whole thing….)
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 10:19 amAs kids, my little brother had a mouthful of cavities and my mom went whole hog with no sugar, and only whole wheat flour (this was LONG before the current push for whole grains). She started shopping at the health food store. Then he was allergic to chocolate, so all we could have in the house was carob.
by Terry Odell February 17th, 2010 at 8:06 amoh Terry, I *remember* carob well. In the late 70s my dad joined a food coop with the handful of other hippies in our town. Big bins of sunflower seeds and carob chips. And halvah…that was always my treat if I went with him, and I still associate it with my dad – probably the only other person on the planet that thinks it’s tasty. Gotta admit that I thought about trying carob for Junior – for about two seconds. I think what we’ll do instead is keep some Scharffenberger squares around for emergency treats…they’re little!!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 10:22 amHalvah! Yes. My dad loved it. Haven’t thought about it in ages. I never cared much for it, but I’d always have some for him when he came to visit.
by Terry Odell February 17th, 2010 at 8:48 pmAs I have absolutely NO self control, I have never tried to give up something I love. Unless you count when I quit smoking, but that’s not food and it was trying to kill me…
Anyway, I love Starbuck’s Passion tea, I have never had it hot though, I always get it iced. A facial you say??? I may have to give it a try.
Best of luck to you and your daughter on the sugar-free diet, I’ll be sending sugar-free thoughts your way.
by Erika February 17th, 2010 at 8:55 amHey Erica, you gave up smoking which makes you 1000% badass in my book. You make me look like a sissy! Seriously giant gold crown for you. And yes, try it hot and put your face right over the steam…ahhhhh!!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 10:23 amI enjoyed your sweet post today. Being an avid tea drinker from way back this fulfils my greatest fantasies. The lovely flavors provide me with the delights that I must forfeit and I become used to this lifestyle.
by ruth February 17th, 2010 at 10:00 amhi Ruth, I was never much of a tea drinker until, of all things, my first child was born and the lactation consultant recommended Fenugreek tea. I dutifully drank it even though it tasted like, uh….mud, to be polite. Now I love all those Tazo teas and whenever I’m in an ethnic restaurant and there’s tea from another part of the world I try them. My sister and I had the most amazing Thai green tea the other day – delicious!!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 10:25 amSophie, I have a recipe for homemade waffles that calls for only a tablespoon of sugar (and I bet this could be switched to Splenda) and I use sugar-free syrup. I’ll happily share to help Junior get over her cravings for Eggos.
Many years ago, I went on a modified Atkins. Giving up carbs was hard! (We love homemade breads!) On this diet, you followed it strictly for 12 days and then on day 13 and 14, you could eat anything you wanted. Then you started over. Knowing you could satisfy your cravings at the end of two weeks made it easier to face. Surprisingly, in a short time, I lost the cravings. Even now, years later, I don’t crave sweets like I used to. The one thing I refuse to give up is red meat. Sorry. I’m a carnivore and it just ain’t happenin’! Nuh-uh. No way.
Good luck to you both! Hang in there.
by Silver James February 17th, 2010 at 10:08 amhey Silver, that recipe sounds great! Waffles are a fun tradition and I love getting the waffle iron out, so much fun to pop them out of there. And sugar-free syrup was a happy discovery. Despite all my whining, I was surprised to see all the things that come in a sugar-free version.
I’m with you on the red meat. One of my biggest fears when we moved to CA was that no one would eat red meat. Well, I needn’t have worried, and we have a great local source – Nieman Ranch for wonderful steaks.
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 10:28 amI’ve never been able to quit anything 100%. Although, considering how much I used to drink and how rarely I drink now, I guess I could call that a success. Daughter and I are trying to lose weight and cutting back on calories is hard enough. I can’t imagine cutting sugar out of the diet entirely. Thank goodness for fat-free, sugar-free whipped cream. =o)
by B.E. Sanderson February 17th, 2010 at 10:43 amB.E., that sugar free CoolWhip is a guilty pleasure. I just leave the spoon right on top of the lid the fridge so’s it’s always ready to go. Knowing that it came out of a mad scientist laboratory rather than nature almost makes it taste better
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 11:06 amI feel better when I don’t eat sugar. Seriously. But it’s hard to give up. Sigh.
Next week. No sugar for me. Stop laughing.
I’m happy to see lots of sugar free and gluten free products for people who have issues with both.
When we were kids, my mom never let us have Cocoa Puffs or Frosted Flakes because they had too much sugar. So what did we do? Dump about 1/4 cup of sugar on our bowl of Cheerios every morning to make them palatable — probably she’d been better off letting us have the damn Cookie Crisp!
by Lori Armstrong February 17th, 2010 at 11:00 amLori, isn’t that the truth?? When I started really reading the labels it was pretty amazing what I found. Some things you would swear don’t have much sugar are just infested, and visa versa. One thing that seems to be pretty consistent is that making stuff at home cuts wayyyy down on the level of sugar added. I was reading all these blogs and yes, there are lots of kind of wacky zealots out there but a lot of them seem to agree that restaurants routinely add a lot of sugar to their dishes. A little bit, in a salad dressing or something, is no big deal. But you can sure pack a ton o’ high fructose corn syrup into a tiny little snack if you have in mind to market to toddlers, it turns out.
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 11:09 amLOL! Lori, we did the same thing with our Cheerios at our house growing up. But we could always rely on Grandma to have the Fruit Loops or Lucky Charms at her house!
by Christine February 17th, 2010 at 2:18 pmBeing on a restrictive diet means avoiding sweets of all types. Chocolate, candies, cakes etc. You become used to this and substitute other delectable items instead. I have to be creative and love teas of all types. Your grilled cheese looks wonderful. I try to have plenty of grilled veggies and dry roasted peanuts.
by anne February 17th, 2010 at 11:10 amAnne, I can already see that Planters is going to become a major food group for me. Actually, living in California where we have a lot of nut orchards, I can get fresh nuts which really are much tastier. Our aunt used to shell walnuts from her trees for us every Thanksgiving – delectable!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 11:15 amThe last time I did the watch what you eat routine was three years ago when I was pregnant. I was determined not to gain unnecessary weight – since I am one that doesn’t lose weight easily. My doctor recommended that I ditch the carbs and go for a more protein heavy diet. I never realized how many of my favorite foods were outlawed under that plan. While I loved eating fistfulls of peanuts, I really missed my salty pretzels. But it was worth it. Hopefully, your family experiment will have the same positive results.
by Joelle Charbonneau February 17th, 2010 at 11:43 amThanks Joelle…my husband did carb-free for a while and had luck with it. I’m too stubborn to do that though. I’ll cut back on the Hi-gly ones – the white flours and so forth – but I think i was spawned from the Planet Carb. My sister’s the same way, I think we’d perish without a biscuit now and then.
unrelated and none of my biz, but does your baby have that beautiful hair??
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 11:49 amToday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. As a child, my typical Lenten sacrifice was to give up eating candy during the season. (As an adult, my Lenten observance involves things I will do, versus things I won’t do. But that’s for another column.) Today, we’re talking about giving up foods we love and yes, I have very clear recollections of going without my beloved chocolate candy for six weeks at a time. I chewed gum—lots and lots of gum. I thought of the end, with that huge reward waiting. (Easter chocolate would taste wonderful!) When I think of it now, giving up candy was harder than going without caffeine and margaritas later in life, during pregnancy. But that’s why the thought brings satisfaction. Because it was hard to do. Good luck to you and Junior.
by GSM February 17th, 2010 at 12:05 pmGSM, I’m with you on the Lenten observances…my husband and I now try to do something positive rather than something that’s about denial. When the kids were little we had a “job jar” and each day we all had to take a slip of paper out and do the job on the jar – it was meant to be about serving others so it had things like “read to your sister” or “Play with the dog”. I quit doing it when the kids got to middle school but i wish I hadn’t stopped – they still remember it fondly!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 3:03 pmThe only thing I gave up completely, once, was diet cokes. I gave them up cold turkey and did great, for about six months. The problem is, I’m not a big tea drinker, and I was trying to find substitutes and never really got hooked on something healthier. (Water is fine, but really, when I’m eating a meal, I crave a flavor.)
Then, there was some stress and I had one. Then another. And now I’m back to several a day, which I really really would love to quit completely again. I need to find some teas that work, that don’t need a heaping amount of sugar. (I’m from the deep south–we have a little tea with our sugar.)
by toni mcgee causey February 17th, 2010 at 12:19 pmToni, I’m a diet coke aholic for sure. I have managed to cut back to one of the big ones from the AM/PM per day, but for a while there I was drinking a few, and that’s the tankard size, that you could take a bath in. I believe they have secretly put something addictive in…perhaps not the cocaine of legend, but something.
If you ever decided to quit again, let me know and I’ll (gulp) do it with you. I do best on things like this when I have a buddy…
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 3:06 pmwow, Sophie. That just might help, because if I had one, I’d feel guilty. And I really really need to quit.
Um, I only have two left in the box (a 24 pack that went too quickly!)
So… how about… er… tomorrow? Say, check in once a week?
by toni mcgee causey February 17th, 2010 at 7:32 pmuhhhhh….GULP yeah!!!! OK darlin – I had the last one about an hour ago. Wow. That was easy – at least so far!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 8:02 pmLOL… okay, I’m drinking my last one now. I think. I hope. Cross fingers.
Yikes.
by toni mcgee causey February 17th, 2010 at 9:17 pmGiving up sugar is hard and it really takes more like six weeks to really appreciate how much better you feel. Even thinking and memory improve. I’m not currently sugar free but I’ve cut WAY down after a 40 day clean up routine.
by Jane George February 17th, 2010 at 12:32 pmDried fruits like cherries are great for when a sugar craving strikes. Mix ‘em with almonds for a tasty treat. I shop at Trader Joe’s because I’m allergic to corn syrup and it’s in just about everything at Safeways. Trader Joe’s has lots of good healthy stuff for less $ than Whole Foods. Try agave syrup as a sweetener, it’s low on the glycolic index.
And I second the Tazo! I get a cup at the movies. It’s better than succumbing to the lure of Red Vines and then feeling crabby and itchy.
And a nutritionist told me that cutting down on sugar cleans up skin problems because of glycation end products. Vanity is a huge motivator for me.
Good Luck on the diet and kudos to you for being a supportive mom!
Jane, I should have guessed you’d know about this stuff! Yeah, good old vanity…hate to admit it but that’s the key to my few healthy habits.
T. Joes is going to be our main go-to place from now on, it appears. We already went there quite a bit, but with the whole grains, cheese, and nuts it’s almost imperative. We just tried the agave syrup (as a glaze on nuts) for the first time and it was really good. That’s an example of something I would have never, ever tried on my own because it just sounds too weird – but it’s tasty! Also we’re using honey in baking, just breads and stuff like that. Luckily I’d prefer a piece of bread with butter to a cookie any day – just sad I have to give up my challah for the whole-grain stuff.
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 3:09 pmI was captivated with your interesting post today. I enjoy looking at all the amazing treats available but rarely indulge. That would be catastrophic. One bite and it would never be enough. I don’t think I would be satisfied and the sampling would never end. So instead I savor my collection of teas which satisfy my cravings.
by ellie February 17th, 2010 at 1:07 pmHi Ellie,
I’m really enjoying trying different teas. Some, like the Tazo, are really worth the splurge. I have yet to find a green tea I really love, but I’m going to keep looking.
I know what you mean about starting and not being able to stop. For me, really good bread is that way. I can say no to almost anything else but I could eat an entire loaf of french bread. Especially with a nice creamy brie…heaven!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 3:12 pmohmygod, we *are* twins. Me, hot French bread, cheese (brie especially)… (sigh)
by toni mcgee causey February 17th, 2010 at 11:46 pmmy sister was diagnosed with gestational diabetes that turned in to type stoo we all tried the sugar free and honestly i still eat some ofthe sugar free stuff still today unfortunatly i waslater dignosed with hypoglasimia so i couldnt avoid sugar and constantly eat sugar free talk about a shock her not being able to have any and me actually needing it we managed to balance it so once and a while she can eat a lil bit of sugar long as her blood sugar is ok and such and i still eat sugar free snacks with her its a win win
by Beverly G February 17th, 2010 at 1:18 pmwow, that’s such a strange coincidence, that one of you has to cut back and the other has to have more! My own sister and I have pretty much identical tastes…we both love butter and carbs and salt. She’s more adventurous, though – she’ll try anything. We both love trying new ethnic foods, but I stick to the familiar ingredients and she will eat anything at all, and I think she tries the really strange stuff just to get a reaction from me!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 3:14 pmI gave up carbs for ten days once. All for a stunning loss of 1.5 lbs. Broke the diet when my husband offered to take me to an extravagant restaurant with one condition: eat a piece of bread.
by Shizuka February 17th, 2010 at 1:24 pmShizuka – your husband is my kind of guy.
I tried carb free when my husband did and for about four days I was in heaven – steak and cheese every meal. But then I got to craving a biscuit. I was ready to trade my kingdom for a single fluffy biscuit with butter melted all over it. 
That’s when I had to throw in the towel and admit I couldn’t do it!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 3:15 pmIn my house, we’ve been avoiding sugar as much as possible for the last six years or so. We got serious about it when we started the Atkins diet and while we’ve hopped on and off that wagon over the years, the low-sugar habit stuck with us. We found that retuning to sugary foods/products made us sleepy and lethargic and we didn’t like it. So we’ve continued to use stevia and Splenda and other alternatives.
I read an article about how much sugar creeps into our diets through things like spaghetti sauce, ketchup, salad dressings, etc. Deliberately adding sugar on top of all the “hidden” sugar in our foods is really overkill.
Good luck to you and your family! It’s really a great way to go. The added energy alone is worth the price of admission.
by S. J. Day February 17th, 2010 at 1:36 pmHey Syl, thanks for the encouragement! It’s only been a couple of weeks but I already feel like it’s made a difference. (Junior steadfastly insists it isn’t doing a thing for her, but this is a 14-year-old girl who REALLY misses her waffles!!!) Most intriguing to me is the power of sugar to really contribute to mood disorders. That’s enough to make me stick with this. I need to look into some substitutes, the stevia and all – if I can provide some sweet alternatives for Junior I think she’s more likely to stick with it.
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 3:18 pmI live on sugar, but my FIL is on a no-sugar diet, so I bake with Splenda when he comes for dinner. It’s not horrible, especially in fruit pies and strongly flavored baked stuff like choco brownies. Processed packaged foods actually add more sugar to the average American’s diet than sweets, even stuff like bread.
by Poppy February 17th, 2010 at 3:19 pmyeah Poppy, that’s what I’m discovering. It seems like if I avoid the processed stuff we’ll automatically reduce our consumption drastically. Junior’s favorite dessert is brownies made with the Ghiradelli bittersweet – I think I’m going to offer to make them once a month and look into the Splenda like you suggest.
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 3:23 pmI have never had to give up anything but I did give up sugar one time when my sister develope diabetis! I lost some weight but as soon as I went back the weight came back on. I need to start watching stuff again because I didn’t like my numbers on my last blood work.
by Quilt Lady February 17th, 2010 at 3:41 pmno i have a sweet tooth cant give it up
by kh February 17th, 2010 at 3:57 pmlove everything chocatlae and beef jerky lol
food looks great
Beef jerky – that’s a funny complement to the chocolate, LOL! I used to love Slim Jims when i was a kid – now the nitrates scare me enough to keep me away! (but I still love bacon….)
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 6:54 pmI applaud your efforts to give up sugar (especially chocolate)!! If only I didn’t have a dining room filled with bleeping Girl Scout cookies! The diabolical person who invented the Carmel Delights should be forced to go on The Biggest Loser.
by Laura Griffin February 17th, 2010 at 4:35 pmLaura – dang it, I totally forgot about the girl scout cookies my husband and I ordered. (We both ordered without the other knowing so we have about eleven thousand boxes on the way.) But I am a Trefoil girl – always have been. Nothing beats the original!!
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 6:55 pmSophie, you have my sympathy! You’re right,it’s very hard to find any foods with no sugar (or no salt).
I should follow your example, but I’m not big on self denial
by Jen Lyon February 17th, 2010 at 5:10 pmHey Jen, I’m trying hard not to think of it as self-denial…i just squint my eyes reallly hard and call it “alternate self indulgence” – and truly, if I can have a Dorito and a tumbler of scotch, who needs the sugar?? (and don’t remind me of that whole alcohol=sugar thing, I’m pretending I never heard it…)
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 6:57 pmWhen I found out I had acid reflux I thought I was going to die when I gave up my beloved coffee. I try to drink it in moderation now, but usually go overboard and flare the reflux up again. I’m hopeless!
by Janel February 17th, 2010 at 5:54 pmOh, poor Janel!!
I don’t know what I’d do without coffee. My husband makes GREAT coffee – when he is working out of town I’m just despondent. I think that’s another thing the FDA is secretly working on – coffee that contains iron and protein…
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 6:58 pmSome years back I had to give up caffeine for about 3 years and it just about did me in. Eventually I could drink it again and it didn’t bother me, but I watch my intake now.
by Linda Henderson February 17th, 2010 at 6:01 pmyou know what’s kind of funny Linda is the medical community is actually promoting caffeine in some cases. My son, who is 17, has been told to try it in combination with some other things for helping with academic and sports performance. Raised me up an eyebrow, but I think I prefer this idea to black-market ritalin…
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 7:00 pmwe have gave up alot of extra sugar, like went to sugar freee jello, and hard candies we go thru a ton of suagr free crystal lights for water here to for our teas
by tami/blackroze February 17th, 2010 at 6:46 pmTami, the “secret ingredient” in Junior’s valentines cookies was sugar-free jello – and they came out great!! Her Gramma made us guess and guess, but we never thought of the jello. I’m going to make lime shamrock cookies for st. pats
by Sophie Littlefield February 17th, 2010 at 7:02 pmIf everyone took their sugar intake sseriously I think that it would be a good thing. There is nothing particularly healthy about consuming so much sugar. Instead we should concentrate on healthy foods, veggies, protein and fruit. There would still be alot to enjoy and at the same time stay healthy and learn to love new foods and prepare healthy, nutritious meals. I also bake with splenda which works every well.
by pearl February 17th, 2010 at 7:53 pmhey pearl, i have got to try that baking with splenda. even my dad has tried it. maybe i’ll start with my favorite – shortbread, or lemon bars.
by Sophie Littlefield February 18th, 2010 at 3:20 amI gave up regular cokes when my sister was diagnosed with diabetes when we were in high school. Actually, she sort of decided if she couldn’t have a regular coke then I should give it up too. I’ve been drinking diet drinks every since and really don’t miss soft drinks with sugar unless I’m sick. When I’m sick, I want a regular sprite. Now I limit myself to only 1 diet drink a day.
by Liza February 17th, 2010 at 10:11 pmha ha, i’m the bossy sister in our family
i actually do love to drink a diet coke when i’m sick…it feels like the chemicals would just kind of cut through all the yuck. But now, Toni and I have officially decided to quit the Diet Coke together! Wow, can’t believe we’re doing it…
by Sophie Littlefield February 18th, 2010 at 3:21 amI can’t seem give up soda and chips. I used to drink at least a can of soda a day, but now I only indulge about twice a week.
by Jane February 17th, 2010 at 10:22 pmTwice a week? wow, that seems like the definition of moderation, Jane…well done!
by Sophie Littlefield February 18th, 2010 at 3:21 amNever had to give something up, of course there’s lot’s I *should* give up.
by Karin Tabke February 18th, 2010 at 12:39 amoh, those pesky “shoulds”!!
by Sophie Littlefield February 18th, 2010 at 3:22 amIt is definitely surprising when you start reading labels. Good luck with your family’s new diet. When I found out I was pregnant with our daughter many years ago I gave up coffee and it was not pleasant.
by Maureen February 18th, 2010 at 5:50 amGood luck with the diet. I remember years ago when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter and I gave up coffee during my pregnancy. It was not fun.
by Maureen February 18th, 2010 at 1:36 pmI had to give up red meat a few years ago because I found out it was making me sick (like food poisoning sick). Because of that it wasn’t so difficult. Hmm, be sick or don’t eat meat. Sometimes I do still miss it, but a turkey burger is just as good a hamburger, and it’s healthier. Yay, bonus!
by Lisa B. February 19th, 2010 at 5:31 pm