I know what you mean about the sugar fix.  I read an article online (sorry it was a while ago so no link) about how diet soda changes our brain chemistry.  I think it was in February?

It's not the chemicals in the soda itself, that causes problems but the fact that our taste receptors tell the brain that sweet stuff is on the way.  The brain sends out lots of chemicals to our body so that it can deal with the sugar. But it's sugar free stuff, so we psych out our bodies. By psyching out our bodies, the brain eventually "learns" not to send out the same amount of chemicals so when we actually do it sugar, the body isn't prepared for it so we get a huge blast.

You probably already know about this, though.

I'm having problems with sugar cravings so this is a big thing for me now. I hate when people tell me to eat more fruit to get my sugar fix.  I don't really like fruit.  I recommend brewed iced-tea with lemon (not the sugar powder wierdness but from real tea bags).   I also recommend iced-oolong tea that you make yourself.  It takes a while to get used to the lack of sweetness, but after a while one can taste some of the natural flavor.   Basically, I think it takes some time to retrain the tongue to taste something other than sugar.  It took me a couple of months before I learned to really taste the flavor, but now I have a really hard time drinking soda.

If you try the tea route, don't get cheap tea.  It has too much tanin and tastes icky.  One guy I met at a tea shop said never to buy tea in a teabag because that is the tea the swept up off the floor.  Twinings of London is usually a good bet.  It is not too cheap or too expensive.  I'm pretty sure that you can get it in the states.  The Lipton tea in the yellow tea bag is pretty famous but I think it has pretty strong tanin flavor.  My British friend swears by it, but if I drink it, I need cream to smooth it out.

 

Here is a fun tea link:  http://www.twiningsusa.com/

Marcie,

Being fairly big myself (http://web.mac.com/ajbrehm/Home/About_Me.html) and somewhat knowledgeable about carbs, I find myself compelled to share with you the method I found to lose weight slowly and at least not gain weight over time.

Maybe some of these points will help.

1. Stop drinking all sugary drinks (including fruit juices) except hot chocolate and milkshakes.

Apart from the obvious downside (if you want to lose weight) of too much sugar, the energy provided by the drinks, being made of pure sugar, hits your system immediately. Since you don't move around while drinking, you are not using up that energy and it becomes fat. Fat is less easily used than energy that isn't fat yet.

Another problem with sodas and fruit juices is that you drink them for thirst, not hunger. But their effects relevant here are those of food.

You can still drink hot chocolate and milkshakes because you won't drink too much of them and because they use milk sugar, which takes a bit longer to hit your system.

So enjoy as many milk shakes as you want, but don't drink sugary sodas or fruit juices! I like 7-Up Free. I hate Coke Light. The "light" versions of popular sodas really do not contain anything your body can use for energy. Drink them as much as you like.

2. If you eat bread, it will take about one hour for it to be converted to sugar and hit your system. If you take an hour-long walk (or even shorter) between one and two hours after eating bread, you can use the energy the bread gave you before it becomes fat.

Meat takes even longer to hit your system, but sometimes contains fat already. Eat chicken and lean meats. Don't eat pork, don't eat much beef. Eat as much chicken as you want. If you eat more chicken then bread, take a walk a few hours after eating. If you eat more bread than chicken, take a walk one hour after eating and before two hours after eating.

Incidentally, mayonaise is a lot better than its reputation! Eat mayonaise if you like it (but only if you walk it off an hour later!).

3. Don't exercise, simply walk. Find some place you have to reach every day and make sure you reach it by walking for half an hour (and half an hour return). You burn a lot of energy just walking.

4. (I am sure you know this.) Find out when you are the most carb-sensitive and don't eat many carbs at that point. You are probably carb-sensitive in the morning, so eat egg instead of bread for breakfast.

5. Don't focus on losing weight, focus on using the energy your body wants you to eat. Plan every meal in combination with some form of exercise (preferably walking). Don't eat less. Your body is obviously trained to require lots of energy, so the hunger will hit you if you limit the intake.

You mentioned you had Diabetes (I think), so you are probably Insulin-resistant (I assume it's Type-2). That is a genetic defect (and don't let people tell you that it isn't!) that also causes you to be a better food-user than others. That's why so much of the food you eat gets converted to fat and that's why you are hungry (the energy is not used but converted to fat for slower times, hence your body wants more energy for normal operation).

So your best shot is to stop food from being converted to fat. Use the energy before it happens. The fat reserves will be used automatically by the body. If you have the time, lose weight slowly. I have seen pictures of you. It does not look TOO dramatic. (Sorry!)

So to summarise:

- Don't drink sugary sodas and fruit juices.

- Enjoy milk shakes and hot chocolate.

- Don't eat fat meats.

- Eat chicken.

- Don't exercise.

- Go for nice walks after eating.

Basically enjoy life in the way that one traditionally enjoys life! Have good food and a walk in the park.

Note that none of this is scientific. The only credential I have is a licence to handle toxic materials and the associated study requirements.

 

Good for you, Marcie, for trying to get healthy. It's hard...I battle with my weight, too(I'm a double digit sized girl myself). Leauki has some pretty good tips for you already, so I have nothing much to add except to say don't give up...even when there are setbacks for ya.

Congrats on finding that willpower to do something Marcie! You have the right idea, just keep on moving! It's hard, I'm not going to lie to you, dang hard, but so worth it when you lose even .2 oz! You will feel more energize and most of all you will love yourself again! Good luck with it, you can do it!