Episode Summary
In this episode, Dr. Wickham Simonds and Michelle Kennedy, NP-C, answer questions about sugar and its alternatives. We offer recommendations on healthy sugar alternatives and tips on aligning your weight loss approach with your weight goals.
Top Takeaways
- “Nothing is worse than real sugar.”
– [Michelle Kennedy, NP-C] - “Honey is sugar, and your body recognizes it as sugar.”
– [Dr. Wickham Simonds] - “If you decide you’ll learn to be okay with drinking supplements that don’t have a ton of sweetness, you will get there.”
– [Michelle Kennedy, NP-C] - “Rather than pretending that you’re perfect, it’s easier to acknowledge that you’re not.”
– [Dr. Wickham Simonds] - “Nobody tries to lose weight once; it’s not a thing… it’s a daily decision.”
– [Michelle Kennedy, NP-C]
Episode Highlights
- [05:55] How safe are sugar substitutes, and how much can I have in a day?
- [10:38] Honey is sugar.
- [11:34] How does sugar alcohol impact blood sugar?
- [16:05] Where’s the best place to start when attempting to lose weight?
- [18:14] What are we eating today, and how should I plan my meals?
- [22:17] Can you send your Lasagna recipe?
- [22:32] When do I know it is time to stop losing weight and move to maintenance?
- [25:08] I’ve read that I should have a plan for failure; what does that mean?
- [27:40] Can you lose weight and build muscle at the same time; what’s the best way to do this?
Episode Notes
How safe are sugar substitutes, and how much can I have in a day?
Sugar substitutes are calorie-free and sugar-free and used as sweeteners. There are different categories:
- Real sugars: white sugar, brown sugar, or cane sugar. We recommend avoiding these.
- Calorie-free natural sweeteners: Stevia, Erythritol, Trivia, Monk fruit, and Allulose. Each of these alternatives needs time to get used to, especially for someone transitioning from real sugar. Taking some of them in excess, like maltitol, erythritol, or xylitol, can cause stomach cramping with loosening of the bowel movements.
- Artificial sweeteners that are sugar-free: Splenda, or Aspartame which are lab-made to taste sweet to the tongue.
Generally speaking, the most critical point is to avoid real sugar. Try out natural sweeteners but if you cannot tolerate them, go for artificial sweeteners over real sugar.
On the other hand, honey is sugar, even if it comes from the beehive. Therefore, it is not a good option for use, especially for low-carb, ketogenic diets or when trying to lose weight. The same goes for maple syrup.
How does sugar alcohol impact blood sugar?
There have been reports of blood sugar spikes from people who consumed sugar alcohol. For those who notice difficulty losing weight, it could indicate that some sugar is absorbed.
In addition, sugar alcohol may cause cravings, increasing food intake and lowering the chances of success with weight loss.
There is often a significant drop in blood sugar one hour after ingesting sugar alcohol because you secrete insulin in response to sweet taste. This process leads to hunger and more food consumption. Avoid sugar alcohol if such hunger happens.
It can be challenging to adapt to the taste of sugar alternatives, but it is very achievable.
Where’s the best place to start when attempting to lose weight?
You can start this anywhere. Start by making changes, even one thing at a time.
You may also get professional help by contacting our offices to get a metabolic assessment with action steps tailored to your needs.
How should I go about planning my meals?
With meal planning, it is critical to have a plan that details your shopping. The more you can plan, the better off you are.
Eat dinner meals for breakfast, challenge the construct of where you think a meal should be and open up more opportunities.
Additionally, make a list of meals you have enjoyed eating to highlight your options when planning meals. Resources like the Casual Keto Dr. provides providing meal ideas.
When do I know that it is time to stop losing weight and move to maintenance, and what’s the difference between those stages?
Usually, your body will let you know when it is the right time. However, sometimes the weight on the scale is different from what you were expecting. Losing any more would require drastic steps that are likely, not sustainable.
Notably, there is little difference between the weight loss and maintenance phases. Weight maintenance involves keeping your activities the same while watching your weight to ensure it stays the same.
I’ve read that I should have a plan for failure; what does that mean?
First of all, you should not plan to fail. But you should be prepared for it if and when it does happen.
Although we are all human, it helps to remember that no one is perfect. Therefore, rather than wallow in failure whenever you go off track, be proactive and create a plan for your response.
Can you lose weight and build muscle at the same time? What’s the best way to do this?
Bodybuilders are very good at this. Retaining your muscle mass is best during weight loss because it is challenging to combine weight loss with bodybuilding. It may be preferable to start with the loss of fat, and when you are at your maintenance phase, that’s when the muscle building starts.
It is also not advisable to eat a high-carb diet. Instead, eating your protein and doing strength or resistance training will help more with this.
