#8 Conflicting Information & Sugars (03/28/12)

Well, there is so much conflicting information out there.  You can never be sure.  The only thing you can be sure of is what your body is telling you. 

Prime example is, WW versus MFP.  Calories I'm over. But based on points I'm way under.  I'm beginning to feel better all around though.  So I'm using both systems as a tool, but not a strict ruling thumb.  Going through this and logging EVERYTHING. It is making me look, and think however, which in the end is the most important rule.  Think about everything you are eating.  But don't let it become obsessive.  Once portion sizes become a habit (not quite there yet) then hopefully things can relax a bit.  I don't want to have kids that become obsessive over food in the opposite I have been either. Extreme eating, bad, extreme starvation bad.  Everything needs balance, and that is what I hope to have as a natural habit for when I have kids.

I do need to bring into balance my processed sugar intake though, that is the next thing to work on.  Even if you look at my totals for the day, I'm ALWAYS over on sugar and ALWAYS will be.  Why, because even healthy foods have natural sugar.  I was looking at my basic day, of intake and it is 68-72 grams of sugar from natural sources.  For those who don't believe here is the breakdown of the natural foods I have on a regular week day. 

1.  Breakfast (New plan, used to be Slim fast shakes, too much added sugar)
• Dempsters 12 grain or flax whole bread 2 pc = 4 grams
• Plain no fat yogurt on the toast = 4 grams
• Strawberries or blueberries on the toast = 4-5 grams
2. Lunch
• Veggie Salad with Cottage cheese, my recipe measured ingredients include: Broccoli, cauliflower, red peppers, grated carrots, cucumber, grape tomatoes, celery, 1% cottage cheese, fat free miricle whip = 21 grams.  (4 from the fat free miricle whip, but not sure if that is natural or added or combination)
3. Dinner
• Dinners definitely vary.  Example for this purpose is yesterday.  Turkey taco salad.  = 16 Grams all from the veggies in the salsa.  No sugar added on that salsa
4. Healthy portion of my snacks (Note, I do have other snacks that aren't as healthy, but these are usual from my work day.)
• Cantaloupe = 14 Grams
• Prunes = 4-8

The recommended sugar intake is about 30 Grams.  The above is super health from my understanding but still has sugar.  It is hard to monitor your added sugar intake based on that suggestion. I guess I just need to be aware of my additional snacks that are above and beyond the natural sugars in my foods. 

Maybe I need to look closer at the bigger picture on nutrients; percentages. 

For averages you need 55% from Carbs, 15% Protein and 30% Fat. From the day that I took the above detail, then add the additional not 100% natural foods my percentages were 61% Carbs, 20% Fat and 19% protein.  This does show I went over in carbs because of my additional sugar.  I won't lie.  I had a sugary dessert that night which is where my calories went over. 

Today, when I had lunch, and wanted something sweet, instead of having my serving of sweet cereal, or the Girl Guide cookies that are trying to call my name from my co-worker's desk, I'm having a caramel rice cake.  I'm loosening the grip the Girl Guide cookies have on me.  Resisting them.  (See previous post regarding Girl Guide cookies)