reader question…

one of my most loyal readers & favorite commenter’s, is…

rori.

rori has asked, in reference to this post…

“I would love to participate, for many reasons. But…I’m kind of slow….I’m still not quite sure what no sugar means? I know you put it right there on your blog, but my brain still refuses to participate. Like seriously, no chocolate? What does exactly no added sugars mean? I hope I’m not being too dense…..”

and…in reference to this post…

“Oooohhhh, I love good tips! Thanks for sharing! So, I know a while ago you spoke about how you got laser hair removal last year. I’m still contemplating it (i think slowly…:) What do you think a year(?) later? Are your results still impressive? Upkeep? Worth the money? Thanks!”

***

rori, you are not too dense, sugar and no-sugar, added sugar, carb, no carb, low carb, it leaves a lot to be mis-understood…

first of all, many of these terms are different words for the same meaning depending on the food it belongs to.

sugar which is a carbohydrate comes in many forms, in two main categories: artificial & natural. sugar cane and sugar beets are the sources of most of today’s sugar, also known as SUCROSE (which also comes from maple sap — MAPLE SUGAR. other common forms of sugar are DEXTROSE (grape or corn sugar), FRUCTOSE (fruit sugar), LACTOSE (milk sugar) and MALTOSE (malt sugar).

{then we also have all of the artificial sweeteners, which are in abundance in modern day, and is another slew of information to absorb.}

in my diet, ‘no sugar’ means i am NOT eating foods containing sucrose. and, i am choosing wisely and within a certain amount of carb intake the natural sugars i am eating. most of my sugar/carb intake is balanced between fructose, lactose, and fiber. plus a whole lot of green salads, green veggies, and fats.

“like seriously, no chocolate.” exactly.

no-added-sugar means: that no additional sugar was added to the product, that does not mean that there is no sugar in it. the naturally occurring sugars are in the products, and it might contain artificial sweeteners such as splenda, truvia, or aspartame.

the biggest key to knowing what you are eating with sugar, without sugar, with added sugar, or artificial sweeteners is to read your labels!

keep in mind, once you reach your physical goal, you can attempt to bring in sucrose on a weekly basis, to add more carbs to your diet. however, let me say, as i know from repeated experiences…you will either have a huge weight gain, bloat up like a whale, and/or have accompanying stomach pains. the body is very happy & healthy without sucrose.

yet, i still ride this roller coaster on a regular basis, balancing where i want to be. i am so far from perfect. i work very hard to live a low-carb lifestyle, allowing myself to enjoy holidays, special occasions, and vacations with more sugar. but i pay the price for it. i have to continually work my butt off literally to lose the sugar baggage!!!

my motivation is simple. my happy place is a healthy, fit place. i truly feel empowered and happy by being sugar-free. i totally find a parallel between my emotional, challenging days and the days i binge. they typically co-exist.

***

in regards to laser hair removal, i am still loving it. i’ve had really good results. while being blond and somewhat tan for most of the year, i am not a great candidate for laser hair removal. yet my results were above what i expected. the hair that does still grow is very fine, lighter, and sparse. i shave occasionally, once or twice a month. and i still have two follow-up visits that i need to schedule this coming winter.

it is best to do laser hair removal when your skin is the lightest, and it is not recommended to tan or be in the sun before/after treatments for one week, at least. also, i used a fantastic numbing cream that allowed me to be lasered at a higher level than going in for a treatment without the cream. it is an extra expense. but, you will achieve better results. and, i didn’t know until a friend recently went in for her laser appt. that the office does not tell everyone about the numbing cream! i think it’s a must. ask for it, before your first appt.

totally worth the money. if you are still skeptical, perhaps schedule one section of your body at a time, starting with the least expensive. maybe your underarms? then you can see how well the results are, and determine if you want to proceed with more.

good luck!!!