Sugar blues

I thought this might be topical with the holidays fast approaching :eek:

As I get older, I find that I'm much less tolerant of substances that might have mood altering affects. Sugar is one such animal, but I find that I crave it - to the point that I'll completely forget what it does to my body. After the brief high, I get a huge crash and then suffer through crankiness that is proportional to the amount of sugar (almost always chocolate..sigh) that I've ingested. Simple carbs do the same thing but not as dramatically as chocolate. I'm also becoming intolerant of gluten (irritable bowel) but that's another story.

Does anybody else have this? How do you get through the cravings? Yesterday at the grocery store, I put a small chocolate bar in my cart & was eating it on the way home having totally forgotten what it does to me! It was when I felt the sugar rush that I realized what I'd done.

I find that the Luna bars with chocolate in them satisfy my need for a chocolate fix. Fortunately, they have protein and other things in them so I don't crash. Can you handle milk? A nice cup of hot chocolate is my recovery fuel after a hard ride---it also is a good way to satisfy craving for something sweet.

I use Luna Bars when I'm riding, but as an off-the-bike chocolate fix they just don't work for me. Instead I keep a bag of Dove chocolate (pieces). I find that eating just one piece satisfies my chocolate cravings and keeps me from rummaging through too many calories worth of other useless snacks. According to the "nutritional" information, the dark chocolate Dove pieces that I like are 210 calories for 5 pieces, which pegs my 1-piece treat at 42 calories. Not too bad... and Dogmama, maybe something like this can satisfy your craving but have less of a sugar-effect on your body.

Oh, and I've found that just any chocolate won't work - trying the same thing with something like Hershey's kisses doesn't satisfy me. I need decent quality dark chocolate (yes, you're right, I am fussy!).

--- Denise

Some people can be virtuous like Denise, and unfortunately for me, also my husband. It doesn't matter what the quality of the "kick", this time of year if I yield to the slightest temptation, I will binge. I'm already at my winter weight for this year. I didn't get there until January last winter. This will be a long, difficult winter for me, regardless of the weather.

Luna bars~I don't favor the chocolate ones, they just feel too sweet. I like the more "savory" flavors, citrus, orange, green tea....on longer rides the Cliff bar chocolate mint is my "secret weapon", just enough caffeine to kick in and get me going.

But you're right, seems I don't crave sweets. I'll have coffee with chocolate soy milk or chocolate almond milk in the morning but I don't crave it much. I don't know if it's age realted or just that I'm tryng to do less simple carbs.

As for "mind altering substances" I never could handle alchohol, 1/4th of a glass of wine and I have a buzz. :cool: ;) So I don't drink.

Denise, your self-control is inspiring! I've tried to just have one dark chocolate Dove. TRIED. haha.

Trek-have you tried the Dulce de Leche, Peanutbutter Cookie and Chai Tea Luna bars? They are my new favorites (no chocolate in any of them, though).

How can anyone eat just one dove chocolate? ;) I tend to like the orange, key lime and lemonzest Luna bars. Haven't tried any of the new ones. Also for me an apple pie larabar with tea in the morning is a great way to start the day.

I guess I won't live that down... I'd love to eat the whole bag, but I don't want to deal with the consequences! I give myself permission to have one piece, and that works for me. Maybe it might work for you too...

There are a couple of sentences in Liz Applegate's Eat Smart Play Hard sports nutrition book that really hit home here. She says she's a certified chocohalic. She also says she failed at not eating chocolate. Her solution:

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Now, I eat some choloate just about every day. My chocolate fix consists of chunks of dark chocolate dipped in peanut butter. I don't even try to make it low-fat or low-calorie. (Quote from page 132 of Eat Smart Play Hard)

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She goes on to recommend that you

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Decide what food you really love. Whatever it might be, don't deprive yourself; eat a controlled portion of this food every day.(Quote from page 133 of Eat Smart Play Hard)

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and she also says that whatever it is, eat it slowly, and enjoy. And that approach works for me. Like I said before, eating a small portion of what I really crave keeps me from eating a lot of other things that probably add up to more calories than the treat I really want.

--- Denise

Is there any other kind? OK, there is milk chocolate in a pinch!

When I crave, I eat until I don't crave. Sometimes that's one piece and sometimes not. Of course, there is apple pie then apple pie a la mode, oh, and cookies, ice cream, and cheese cake, um, carrot cake, chocolate cake, oooo, chocolate cream pie, and so many other delicious treats.

I was born one big sweet tooth! I only have trouble if my blood sugar drops too low then it's the shakes time. But I don't eat as many sweets as I used to or desire to now. Metabolism slowed down too much when I hit 41. What a bummer!

I'm on the Dove dark chocolate thing, but I'm not so good. I have 2 at a time. And I take tiny bites.

And then sometimes I can't resist the m and m's.

But at heart I am a salt aholic. I could kill myself with quality potato chips. Talk about feeling like s**t. But because I could I can't and haven't had a potato chip in a very long time.

The Dove promises are a nice substitute and much healthier, I think.

SKM

For those dark chocolate lovers, like me--have you tried Ghirardelli Bittersweet chocolate? It comes in a big bar, in the baking aisle. One scored section, snapped off in the pantry, and eaten while walking away, does me a world of good. I can't carry the whole big bar out of the pantry with me, cuz I'll keep eating it. I eat some chocolate just about every day. I'd probably lose at least 5# if I quit that, but maybe not. And I'd be unhappier!

I also adore this kind of sesame candy, where they make thin little sheets of sugar/honey just crammed with sesame seeds. In fact, I'm eating some right now! Seeds--good, right? Honey, oh, so natural! Health food! I live in Chicago, where there are a lot of Polish people, and a lot of Mexican people. I work in a clinic, caring for the Mexican people, and the Walgreens down the street carries the candy imported from Poland. Best of all worlds.

In one of the Harry Potter books, Dumbledore gives Harry chocolate to help him recover from a Dementor attack. So many things in life fall under that category, don't you agree? :D

most of the time when we women are craving chocolate, what we're really craving is Magnesium. Especially if our hormones are doin their monthly dance! yippee skippee! You can always try adding/increasing your magnesium until the cravings die down. or.................

I keep dates in the house, when I'm craving sugar I eat some dates. They're a sweeter fruit and seem to satisfy the craving. Or I'll try PB and an apple or rice cakes. I know it doesn't sound like a good replacement for the sugar but - like you - I KNOW what will happen if I eat it so I'm trying to find something to "eat" that will help me get through it.

On the days I just can't stand it anymore and I'm basically in a "screw the world I'm gonna just eat chocolate Anyway" I've found a chocolate fugde at my local health food store that is fruit-juice sweetened. It's a very deep, rich, dark chocolate fudge that I pretty much just eat right out of the jar! Because they use fruit juice (I think grape...has no "taste" but it does sweeten the chocolate) I don't have the sugar highs/lows/migraines I would get with normal chocolate.

http://waxorchards.com/fudge.htm

(I've been getting the Oh, Fudge! one but I've had some of the others!)

:rolleyes: *sigh* Only the Americans would think to put fudge in a jar... :p ;)

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Originally Posted by CorsairMac

I've found a chocolate fugde at my local health food store that is fruit-juice sweetened. It's a very deep, rich, dark chocolate fudge that I pretty much just eat right out of the jar! Because they use fruit juice (I think grape...has no "taste" but it does sweeten the chocolate) I don't have the sugar highs/lows/migraines I would get with normal chocolate.

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My mom is 69 years old (she'll be 70 this month, but she'd kill me if I advanced her age even 16 days!). She's been an avid bicyclist since age 55 or so. (In my family we experience adult-onset athleticism) She adores fudge. She was diagnosed diabetic 2+ years ago, and is just this year really getting a handle on it. Denial is tough. She got motivated to stop sneaking sweets and start checking her blood sugar when she got so ill that she couldn't ride her bike any more. Now she's working with a doc and RN that she really likes, and feeling so much better.

She won't be able to eat much of this fudge at a time, but boy, oh, boy will she be tickled when I bring her some. Thanks, CM, for the link--turns out they sell it at the Whole Foods in my neighborhood!

Did I mention Mom's birthday is in 16 days?! Plus, I think a jar for my own fridge. You're right, tlkiwi, it's not really the same as fudge candy--it's more like a thick fudge sauce.

One more note about chocolate--I just made mole for the first time (mole-ay). It's a Mexican sauce made with dark chocolate, raisins, chipoltle peppers, and so on. You eat it with chicken and tortillas. I need to tweak it a bit yet, but it is yum. A recipe from an exercise mag, so low fat (probably why it's not as delicious as I've had in restaurants).

Hmmm, long ride tomorrow to work off the chocolate! :cool:

L.

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Originally Posted by tlkiwi

:rolleyes: *sigh* Only the Americans would think to put fudge in a jar... :p ;)

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*nods head enthusiatically yet increduously in complete understanding...*

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Originally Posted by tlkiwi

:rolleyes: *sigh* Only the Americans would think to put fudge in a jar... :p ;)

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Originally Posted by RoadRaven

*nods head enthusiatically yet increduously in complete understanding...*

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well yeah - any other way might involve - welllll - WORK and we wouldn't want to have to do That in our spare time now would we??
But I'll make a deal with both of you - ya'll ever get over here on my side of the pond - I'll make sure I have several jars in the fridge for ya!

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Originally Posted by Lise

My mom is 69 years old (she'll be 70 this month, but she'd kill me if I advanced her age even 16 days!). She adores fudge. She was diagnosed diabetic 2+ years ago, and is just this year really getting a handle on it. Denial is tough.
She won't be able to eat much of this fudge at a time, but boy, oh, boy will she be tickled when I bring her some. Thanks, CM, for the link--turns out they sell it at the Whole Foods in my neighborhood!
Hmmm, long ride tomorrow to work off the chocolate! :cool:
L.

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You'll both find you won't want to eat much - it's pretty thick and very rich, but it's exactly what the body is looking for when nothing else will do. Also, it has no dairy in it - yet another reason I can eat it. And not only does Whole Foods carry it - they carry several of the different flavours - so try them all! :p



and thanks ya'll.....coz of this thread guess what CMac went out and bought some more of last night? and here I had just convinced myself I was Over my chocolate lust! *mumbles to self that I have to stop spending so much time here.....something about evil influences and temptations*

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Originally Posted by Lise

For those dark chocolate lovers, like me--have you tried Ghirardelli Bittersweet chocolate? It comes in a big bar, in the baking aisle.

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I'm pretty sure Momma used to make chocolate chip cookies with bittersweet chocolate chips. At least, when I couldn't find the bag of chocolate chips.

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Originally Posted by CorsairMac

well yeah - any other way might involve - welllll - WORK and we wouldn't want to have to do That in our spare time now would we??
But I'll make a deal with both of you - ya'll ever get over here on my side of the pond - I'll make sure I have several jars in the fridge for ya!

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You're on!!! *starts to salivate*

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Originally Posted by CorsairMac

You'll both find you won't want to eat much - it's pretty thick and very rich, but it's exactly what the body is looking for when nothing else will do. Also, it has no dairy in it - yet another reason I can eat it. And not only does Whole Foods carry it - they carry several of the different flavours - so try them all! :p

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Just one flavour for me... chocolate *drools* (although I am partial to a little Russian too... ;) )

OMG, can you get Fudge Cottage fudge anywhere up in Hawkes Bay? (You are up that way, eh?) You must be able to somewhere. Every single flavour is to die for! :drool:

I can't quite hold to one Dove either. I bring it in to work and put it in the office candy jar, where at least I don't get *all* of it.

Going to try really, really hard to get in the habit of walking by that candy jar, though. I've done it before - and if I can resist the first cravings, they pass. Adn I know they will pass.

Sixteen degrees on the ride in yesterday - and a big 21 on the ride home. Not quite as much fun as Monday's 35 degrees with the 20 mph headwind - afraid I was ten minutes late to work because I just couldn't go fast! But it felt good trying... (I'm afraid I drove Tuesday because there was a nice 10% chance of actual tornadoes.)

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Originally Posted by tlkiwi

OMG, can you get Fudge Cottage fudge anywhere up in Hawkes Bay? (You are up that way, eh?) You must be able to somewhere. Every single flavour is to die for! :drool:

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Fudge Cottage is the brand name? Is it a UK brand or something you have seen in NZ?

We do have the Silky Oak Chocolate Factory about 10 minutes walk from work with a cafe and the factory chocolate shop... :cool:

You can get it lots of places in Chch, but it's made at the Arts Centre. They have a shop there too. If you're ever there you ought to check it out. They have little bits out to taste too. :D

Fudge in a jar..i'll nod just like the others...

I understand Tim Tams...I buy a pack now & then, put it in my freezer & treat myself...ian on the other hand just gobbles them all down...

I could always send you some margaret river chocolate....looks delic....

c

Hmmm... Christchurch huh? Hasn't made it to north Island that I know of. But my son and partner are entering the Nationals next year, so a family trip is being planned and Christchurch will be part of that... thanks TL...

And as for TimTams (or ChitChats) ... the only way to have them is with a glass of cold milk or hot chocolate (some people I know use a hot cup of tea or coffee)
Bite two corners off, diagonally opposite from each other, then use like a straw to suck the drink through (one bitten corner in drink, other bitten corner in your mouth)... then pop the whole biscuit/cookie in your mouth and let it melt onto your tongue... mmm, sensuously divine...
As shallow as it sounds, eating a TimTam or ChitChat like this has to be on your list of things to do before you die.

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Originally Posted by RoadRaven

As shallow as it sounds, eating a TimTam or ChitChat like this has to be on your list of things to do before you die.

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Yet another reason to travel to NZ. :D L.

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Originally Posted by RoadRaven

Hmmm... Christchurch huh? Hasn't made it to north Island that I know of. But my son and partner are entering the Nationals next year, so a family trip is being planned and Christchurch will be part of that... thanks TL...

And as for TimTams (or ChitChats) ... the only way to have them is with a glass of cold milk or hot chocolate (some people I know use a hot cup of tea or coffee)
Bite two corners off, diagonally opposite from each other, then use like a straw to suck the drink through (one bitten corner in drink, other bitten corner in your mouth)... then pop the whole biscuit/cookie in your mouth and let it melt onto your tongue... mmm, sensuously divine...
As shallow as it sounds, eating a TimTam or ChitChat like this has to be on your list of things to do before you die.

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LOL - I had a coffee night here in the states with the wives of the guys my husband works with. I ordered some TimTams from an Aussie product company here in the states as I thought it would be a nice treat for them to taste some yummies from Aust. Guess what (and I know for any TimTam addict this will be hard to believe) they were not a big hit????? I just though as Rove would say (Aussie TV host) What The???

Now I wish Id kept them all to myself. :D :D

Tim Tams not a hit...WTH>????? If we ever meet Trek & other kiwi ladies we;ll have to share a few packs of tim tams...

Also, Trek I've watched Rove a few times and still don't like him..

c

Ah, they don't understand a good chocky bicky in that part of the world ;) - just check out the paltry selection at the supermarket... There is more to life than Mallowmars! :p

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Originally Posted by crazycanuck

Also, Trek I've watched Rove a few times and still don't like him..

c

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Hey I can understand that. Not a big TV fan - dont actually have one but have seen Rove from time to time when in Aust and thought the "What The" segment was pretty funny. :)

One day we might get all the Kiwis/Aussies together for a ride with Tim Tams provided at rest stops. :D

You described me to a tee. I get off the stuff only to return to it. My cycling, weight lifting and other things I enjoy suffer when I am into my sugar thing.

Well, my answer is try the Vitamin B complex. Sometimes a deficiency will trigger a desire for sugar, salt, etc.

I take a multivitamin (Trader Joes) with the VitB Complex in it, and have no cravings for sugar anymore. I discovered this trick about 30 years ago as I too craved sweets.

OK, I'll "bite". Where do you keep fudge in New Zealand?:confused:

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Originally Posted by Quillfred

OK, I'll "bite". Where do you keep fudge in New Zealand?:confused:

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LOL... fudge resurfaces...

I don't keep it much myself, tooooo sweet and as I get fitter, I just can't have more than a mouthful so I guess when i do have it... I keep it in my tummy...

Chocolate-type sauces (which i am thinking fudge in a jar in like) we keep in the fridge in summer and in the pantry/a cupboard in the winter.

Traditional fudge (that sets and you can cut into squares) I have always kept in airtight containers... of course, it usually disappears fairly quickly, but on the occasional time everyone has forgotten about it, it will keep for several weeks

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Originally Posted by Trekhawk

I ordered some TimTams from an Aussie product company here in the states ..................

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I have a friend who just got back from Aussie/NZ and has fallen in LOVE with Tim Tams! Do you have the website of that company?? I told her I'd try and get it for her? I'll also pass on the "bite the corners" thing to her.

Thanks

oh - and thanks again, I was out of chocolate fudge in the jar and was doing just fine....until now! rofl