Things that change when you stop eating junk food...

[Overmind One]

I thought it strange that I would be disgusted by the smell of french fries, but Im sitting here in my office smelling the McDonalds lunch my co-worker is enjoying at his desk about 10 feet away, and am totally disgusted by the smell. I used to drool over that smell, and now it is borderline nauseous. And they do NOT smell like fried potatoes that I make at home occasionally for breakfast. The burger does not have that "beef" smell I know from cooking with beef. Anyway, other things that change:

• Foods containing sugar taste way too sweet.
• Salad dressings do not taste the same.
• Salt is more easily detected in foods by taste.
• Water seems more refreshing.
• The SIGHT of certain foods is no longer appealing (for me, strawberry shortcake with whipped cream)
• Candy is no longer irresistable.
• Cheating with sugar sometimes results in a headache or nausea.
• Fruit tastes sweeter and has more distinct flavors.

Anybody else who has changed their diet experience these things? Different things? Discuss.

 

[shavedape]

Since giving up sugar things that are mildly sweet, like fruit, taste much sweeter. And things that are sweetened taste wayyyyy too sweet to eat now.

Also, I discovered sugar was one of the causes for migraines because since cutting back I rarely get them anymore. I used to wonder why I would wake up in the morning with a small migraine that would build throughout the day but then realized that I was eating sugary stuff the night before. I'm pretty convinced that was a primary cause of migraines now.

After giving up coffee I began sleeping better and I no longer had any stomach issues. Unfortunately decaf isn't a good alternative as it can mess up my stomach after awhile, so it's only a rare treat, that's it. As you mention OM1, water is also my drink of choice these days and has been for a few years now.

And I've cut back on salt too. But this comes along with cutting packaged foods out of my diet as much as possible. This includes snack chips. Years ago I got sick from eating a bunch of Doritos and I haven't been able to go back to stuff like that to any great degree. As it is I don't relish the idea of "burning" my tongue on all that salt salt salt. That's just nasty. Besides, if I eat too much salt I notice I get really tired. That's not the kind of feeling I want in the middle of the day when I have a ton of stuff to get done.

I should mention that I'm not a culinary buzz kill. I can still indulge on occasion (but am less apt to do it for the reasons listed above) and in fact I'm going out for some great Mexican food with friends tomorrow; followed by a small brewery tour -- where I will no doubt imbibe some carb-filled pints. Mmm!

 

[Gatefan1976]

I have 1 cup of large coffee per weekday (2 sugars), and 2 cans of coke.
That is the extent of my sugar intake.
It's probably still too much

 

[Illiterati]

No matter what Dr Idiot says, I'm not giving up my (good) beers.

I drink ridiculously expensive stuff that is NOT the crap people buy commercially.

I had several mugs of tea tonight, the first with sugar, but the subsequent ones only had milk added. (whole milk)

Dinner was fish. Tilapia, which I have decided I actively dislike.

Tomorrow's going to be marinated chicken leg quarters. The local Mexican market's got a decent marinade for them and they were only 69 cents a pound. Far cheaper than "American" markets would offer them for.

 

[Gatefan1976]

You mean chicken Marylands??

 

[Illiterati]

Marinade, not Maryland. The Eastern part of this country can go hang.

 

[Jim of WVa]

Since giving up sugar things that are mildly sweet, like fruit, taste much sweeter. And things that are sweetened taste wayyyyy too sweet to eat now.

Also, I discovered sugar was one of the causes for migraines because since cutting back I rarely get them anymore. I used to wonder why I would wake up in the morning with a small migraine that would build throughout the day but then realized that I was eating sugary stuff the night before. I'm pretty convinced that was a primary cause of migraines now.

After giving up coffee I began sleeping better and I no longer had any stomach issues. Unfortunately decaf isn't a good alternative as it can mess up my stomach after awhile, so it's only a rare treat, that's it. As you mention OM1, water is also my drink of choice these days and has been for a few years now.

And I've cut back on salt too. But this comes along with cutting packaged foods out of my diet as much as possible. This includes snack chips. Years ago I got sick from eating a bunch of Doritos and I haven't been able to go back to stuff like that to any great degree. As it is I don't relish the idea of "burning" my tongue on all that salt salt salt. That's just nasty. Besides, if I eat too much salt I notice I get really tired. That's not the kind of feeling I want in the middle of the day when I have a ton of stuff to get done.

I should mention that I'm not a culinary buzz kill. I can still indulge on occasion (but am less apt to do it for the reasons listed above) and in fact I'm going out for some great Mexican food with friends tomorrow; followed by a small brewery tour -- where I will no doubt imbibe some carb-filled pints. Mmm!

Most of the carbohydrates in beer is either processed very slowly by the liver or passed through via urine. For most beers, you don't have to worry about the carbohydrates.

 

[Gatefan1976]

I was just thinking of the leg/thigh combo in chickens
Don't whup me mistress..............

 

[Overmind One]

Since giving up sugar things that are mildly sweet, like fruit, taste much sweeter. And things that are sweetened taste wayyyyy too sweet to eat now.

Also, I discovered sugar was one of the causes for migraines because since cutting back I rarely get them anymore. I used to wonder why I would wake up in the morning with a small migraine that would build throughout the day but then realized that I was eating sugary stuff the night before. I'm pretty convinced that was a primary cause of migraines now.

Im wondering now if sugar was the cause of my chronic migraines since age 18....it just occurred to me that only when I went low carb did I give up sugar. Before gaining weight, when I was in my 20s and 30s, I had a higher metabolism, and was slim but still consuming mad amounts of sugars, It wasnt until age 40 or so when I became less active and my metabolism slowed down that I gained weight. But I was still having regular migraines. Then when the Imitrex stopped working and I went low carb and also started MM, no more migraines. Also, surprisingly, no munchies either.

After giving up coffee I began sleeping better and I no longer had any stomach issues. Unfortunately decaf isn't a good alternative as it can mess up my stomach after awhile, so it's only a rare treat, that's it. As you mention OM1, water is also my drink of choice these days and has been for a few years now.

Im still probably drinking too much coffee. I make a pot in the morning from whole beans, have one cup and leave the rest in the carafe and go to work. Then, I come home and use the cold coffee in iced coffee with cream and half a packet of Splenda. So, that is a pot a day. . Water is a wonderful beverage because although it has no taste, it refreshes like no other. I love to sip it cold over ice, or to even fill my liter bottle and chug it at room temperature. Occasionally I will drop a lemon or orange slice in it, but just plain water is still the best.

And I've cut back on salt too. But this comes along with cutting packaged foods out of my diet as much as possible. This includes snack chips. Years ago I got sick from eating a bunch of Doritos and I haven't been able to go back to stuff like that to any great degree. As it is I don't relish the idea of "burning" my tongue on all that salt salt salt. That's just nasty. Besides, if I eat too much salt I notice I get really tired. That's not the kind of feeling I want in the middle of the day when I have a ton of stuff to get done.

I love the taste of salt especially in meats. But now, much smaller amounts of it do the trick and when I taste prepared meals from restaurants they taste like they have too much salt. You sure said it about those snack chips. They still get me at work. The company provides them and none of them are healthy.

I should mention that I'm not a culinary buzz kill. I can still indulge on occasion (but am less apt to do it for the reasons listed above) and in fact I'm going out for some great Mexican food with friends tomorrow; followed by a small brewery tour -- where I will no doubt imbibe some carb-filled pints. Mmm!

Me too! I dont do the alcohol thing, it just doesnt agree with me. But I cheat with ice cream or sorbet or gelato or a cookie now and then. Its all about burning it up before it gets stored. That means none of that stuff before bed or a nap. Mexican food is awesome. I eat it and make it a lot. Great seasonings, and I love spicy foods! Another thing that changed for me was that peppers seem less hot than before. Jalapenos used to be hot to me but now they are just spicy. Jabaneros are still hot though. I wonder if sugars affect the chemicals that detect taste in the mouth?

 

[Overmind One]

I have 1 cup of large coffee per weekday (2 sugars), and 2 cans of coke.
That is the extent of my sugar intake.
It's probably still too much

TWO cans of Coke? Regular coke?

EACH can has 39g of sugar (and 39 g of carbs). That is equivalent to 3 tablespoons for every 12oz of Coke.

 

[Overmind One]

I was just thinking of the leg/thigh combo in chickens
Don't whup me mistress..............

I love that. Or half chickens. Sometimes it feels like eating like Henry the VIII. Serve it up on a metal plate, eat with hands and fingers only, and grunt whilst biting, for added effect.

 

[Bluce Ree]

I had several mugs of tea tonight, the first with sugar, but the subsequent ones only had milk added. (whole milk)

You're not doing yourself any good with regular pasteurized milk. It contributes to calcium depletion unless your diet heavily supplements that loss and counterbalances the effects. Get your hands on raw milk.

http://www.organicpastures.com/

It's apparently available and quite legal in California.

 

[Overmind One]

OMG, sweet wines are GROSS now!!!! I just had breakfast with some friends, and they served a white wine that was sweet. HATED IT! I dont know what kind of wine it was, but it bordered on syrupy sweet and I could not get past more than one sip. YUCK! So, how to play it off without insulting my host? Dont laugh...I "accidentally" spilled the glass. . When my host offered to refill the glass I asked for coffee instead, saying that I had "probably had enough". I dont have any alcohol most of the time, so this was an exception I am sorry I made. Also, what is the deal with people who want everything they eat to be sweet? Sweet coffee, with sweetened banana pancakes and full sugar maple syrup with sweet butter and whipped cream? YUCKERS! Top it with that awful sweet wine and honey cured bacon and it was a terrible brunch to me. I should mention that both the husband and wife are significantly overweight.

Why so hard to dump sugar for some people?

 

[Gatefan1976]

Ya just shoulda passed on the wine altogeather and said you don't really drink.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Yeah, that glass was a good $12 on the floor I bet.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Sounds like it was a sauternes by OM's description, a frigging dessert wine.
Great for breakfast!!!!

 

[Overmind One]

Yeah, that glass was a good $12 on the floor I bet.

I think you are probably right. This couple is very into the high end stuff. They were raving about how the bacon was aged with honey and cured in special chambers and such. I had to put my eyeroll lock on full to stay polite. And those pancakes...they were loaded with sugar and tasted like banana cake. They were served with whipped cream and maple syrup drizzled on top. It was so sickeningly sweet I could hardly eat them. They put sugar and cream in my coffee which I do not prefer. And the other couple there was all "Mmmmmm this is delicious!" whilst I was trying to keep from spewing on my plate. But that wine....it put me over the top.

BTW, this was a patio breakfast, so the spilt wine was harmlessly spilled on the brick. The wine glass survived too. This same couple has jars of various candies dispersed throughout the house, even in the bathroom. . Im not talking mints, Im talking mini Snickers and Hersheys and Mounds and little rolls of Smarties and stuff. Like you would buy for Halloween. It seems weird to see a 12-pack of Diet Coke in the fridge next to the jumbo bag of assorted chocolate mini candy bars.

 

[Overmind One]

Sounds like it was a sauternes by OM's description, a frigging dessert wine.
Great for breakfast!!!!

What the hell is it? Is it made from distilled sugar? It was like wine flavored cough syrup.

 

[SciphonicStranger]

I've never been a wine drinker, but I've cut down on sugar and salt lately myself. Cutting out the fast food is a must - I think that really does damage to the system.

 

[Overmind One]

Sounds like it was a sauternes by OM's description, a frigging dessert wine.
Great for breakfast!!!!

Damn....I think you might be right. This sure sounds and looks like what they served (I did not see the bottle):


I feel a bit guilty now. But it was still by far the nastiest, sweetest wine I have ever tasted. YUCK!