VSG Maintenance Group
Salty or Sweet?
Devon's recent struggle with sugar has reminded me of some things I've learned along the way about myself, related to what has been also described in the literature as a carb addict's natural preference for salty or sweet tastes. It seems most of us have a strong preference. I'd be interested in hearing what you've learned about whether you have a strong preference for either salty or sweet carbs, and how that impacts your food choices.
I know for me, I'm something like Devon in that I've always had a strong preference for sweet tastes - in my case, the sweeter the better. (Hence, my avoidance of candy). Not to suggest that I wouldn't eat a bag of nacho chips if I was in full blown addiction mode, but speaking generally, salty things have no real pull for me. Even things that are usually seasoned with salt. Consequently, I can pass on the potatoes, pasta and rice all day long with very little effort - as long as I'm not in full blown addiction mode.
But put a piece of cake, pie, cookie, ice cream in front of me and not only do I struggle with saying no to any of it, I really don't care how well prepared, fresh or what actual flavour it is. I've never met a sweet I didn't like. Ever. Yes, I might prefer something in the moment, but I can't recall a single time that I honestly felt I didn't want something because it was peanut butter flavored instead of chocolate. Or strawberry, or vanilla.
I'm only chancing saying this here in our highly intelligent and trustworthy maintenance group, but after almost three years of back to back success in maintenance, I consistently make good choices quite easily with salty carbs while the sweet choices continue to draw me in by abandoning my logic.
How have things worked for you? Strong preference for one or the other? Can you dabble more easily in the taste that is not your preference?
LINDA
Ht: 5'2" | HW 225, BMI 41.2 | CW 115, BMI 21.0
Had you asked me 25 years ago my answer would have been different. I rarely ate sweets, but happily shared desserts with friends, but never ordered my own. I never thought of buying chocolate or cookies. I loved "savory" carbs, which I guess is salty. I also worked in restaurants at the time and drank wine or ****tails pretty much daily. It was simply part of the gig and it's what we did. So with regular alcohol, a love of savory carbs and being a smoker back then, sweets weren't really a draw.
Not sure when that all changed, but it was sometime in my thirties. Since I no longer smoke or drink and can't eat great volumes of food (which was one of my "things" - I loved being full) my sugar drive seems to have intensified. HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS INTENSIFIED OR IF I'M SIMPLY MUCH, MUCH MORE AWARE!
So, yes, for me it is the sugar. I had a fleeting realization this afternoon while sitting with the nutritionist that there was Cowboy Bark in the house. My immediate thought was to rationalize how I could justify eating it. Happily, my resolve is strong today and I set a very simple goal of no sugar, but refined flour, savory carbs, etc... were okay. So, no Cowboy Bark. At the same time I bought a bag of "healthier" chips for dinner (I made a venison taco salad). The chips were mighty flavorful and made out of beans and brown rice, so they actually had protein. After dinner I folded up the bag, chip clipped it and put it away. No pull, tug or compulsion to eat more.
Like Linda, I can pass the savory, salty carbs with far greater ease. When I'm balanced I have an easier time with the sweets, too. But being totally whacked right now, the sugar has a draw like I have not experienced in months and months and months.
I really appreciated the way the nutritionist put it this afternoon. She said, "So, I'm hearing that sugar isn't a safe choice for you right now. Not forever, but for right now. Is that what you are feeling?" My appreciation for phrasing in just that way is boundless. Sugar is simply not a safe food choice for me right now.
Off to bed. Up too late again. Oops!
Oh my... are we ever all of one mind !!! I fourth the motion. Simple sugar derails me. For me, it doesn't take much. After a relatively small amount, I typically feel shaky and my stomach gets unsettled. THEN, I immediately crave salty carbs... which my head tells me will "neutralize or calm" the feeling from the sugar. Fortunately, the sick feeling from the sugar is dramatic and vivid enough to resonate long enough to reduce the amount of sweets I ingest. Once the carb cravings are unleashed, that is harder for me to recover from. I rarely crave salty carbs in the absence of an initial foray with sugar.
Age: 64; 5' 5"; High weight: 345; Start weight: 271 (01/05/15); Surgery weight: 218 (05/27/15); Pre-Op (-53); M 1 (-18); M 2 (-1.5); M 3 (-13.5 ); M 4 (-13); M 5 (- 8); M 6 (-12) M 7 (-5, Xmas); M 8 (- 9) Under surgeon's goal and REACHED HEALTHY BMI 12/07/15!! (Six months and one week.) AT GOAL month 8. Maintaining at goal range (139- 144) ~ four (4) years !!
I had to think about this overnight. I don't currently (never say never) had a particular problem with sweets. Environment, proximity and the desire for volume matter much more to me than the type of calorie. If I awaken the volume trigger with vegetables, it will eventually translate into something much more calorie dense, but I will probably eat both the sweet and savory, starting with the one that is closest to me.
Ick, I hate all of that. But, I suppose it must be fully faced to be controlled.
HW:361 SW:304 (VSG 12/04/2014)Mo 1:-32 Mo 2:-13.5 Mo 3: -13.5 Mo 4 -9.5 Mo 5: -15 Mo 6: -15 Mo 7: -13.5 Mo 8: -17 Mo 9: -13 Mo 10: -12.5 11/3/2015 Healthy BMI Reached! Mo 11: -9 Mo 12: -8 12/27/2015 Goal Weight Reached!
Sugar has always been my drug of choice, hands down. As with others, I can definitely overeat salty carbs, but they have never had the pull that sugar has. When I started this journey, I knew that, one day at a time, I would need to choose to not eat sugar laden foods. Luckily, I've been able to manage to meet that goal, as my huge fear is that, once I open that door, I can be in major trouble with food. Not to say that I haven't struggled with other foods that are triggers, or indulging in other foods too much. However, instead of a 25lb. gain, it would be much more and continuing to climb.