Everyday Systems

Hello,
I've been on the No S for bout 2 weeks now and I've been wondering: are Honey Nut Cheerios ok to eat? there are aout 9g of sugar per 3/4 cup and I eat 1- 1.5 cups for breakfast~18g sugar. I love that cereal because its not too sweet for me. I used to like lucky charms and all that but that was years ago.
Does anyone else have suggestions for cereal I can purchase at a Safeway or Lucky's?

My memory (and I didn't go back and look this up so my memory might be a scary place to go!) is that something counts as a sweet if it's something you would consider as a dessert--at least when you're starting out. After you've mastered the "vanilla" version of the diet--simplistically speaking, you may need to rethink your cereal choices. I suspect that this one would not be an issue. It is a whole wheat choice with a couple of grams of fiber per 3/4 cup.

Also, since, according to the box, a 'serving' size' is supposed to be 3/4 cup, your choice of eating up to double that might actually amount to "seconds." But again, as you start building your habits, that might not be a problem, especially if that's all you're eating for breakfast. It might count a generous portions as Reinhard suggests starting out with generous portions but no seconds rather than worrying at the beginning about portion sizes.

My cereal of choice is Kashi Go Lean. Lots of fiber- 8 grams- but doesn't taste like cardboard. I mix 1 cup of any of the varieties with 1 cup of non-fat yogurt with some Splenda stirred in. (both suggested serving sizes on the containers)--quite filling and good for me too. Right now I'm choosing the Honey Almond Flax variety. I think the extra fiber and the yogurt help make it quite filling and help me last till lunch.

Again, think about the "rule of thumb"--would you get a handful of this cereal to eat for dessert?

Welcome to No S. You'll find a lot of support here. Over the course of the next few weeks, try to find time to cruise the topics already discussed here; you'll find a lot of your questions may have already been answered!

Good luck.

la loser

I asked this question early on in my No-S experience, only it was with Life cereal which I consider sweet. My husband was the one eating it and he does not consider it a sweet. The answer I received was that with cereals it's pretty much individual. If you consider it a sweet, don't have it. If you think it's fine and you aren't dreaming of having another bowl all day long, enjoy it and move on.

Remember, you're not avoiding sugar, you're avoiding "sweets" -- things you would eat for a sweet snack or dessert.

I eat Honey Nut Cheerios on occasion. Why "on occasion"? I don't like cold cereals that much.

It's your call, Pepper. Definitely borderline.

I tend to avoid products that have the word "sugar" in any of its forms in the name, but that's obviously somewhat arbitrary (and insufficient -- just because marketers don't draw attention to it doesn't mean it's not there).

Puffins are really good. Surprisingly sweet tasting for their mere 5 grams of sugar (plus 5 grams of fiber vs 2 for honey nut).

If you really love honey nut cheerios but want to reduce the sugar a bit, "cut" them 50/50 with a very low sugar cereal (I like Ezekiel 4:9 for such purposes).

Just to put this all in perspective, a 12 ounce can of coke has 40 grams of sugar. So don't waste too much time obsessing over 9 vs. 5.

Reinhard

alright, cool. Well the only reason I eat 2 servings is because it's not alot to me, it's about 3/5 of my cereal bowl which holds less than 3 cups. I eat until I'm full and I know for sure that eating ~1.3 cups makes me full, with a plum or something. I'll try the Kali go Lean cereal next.

I usually eat fiber one for breakfakfast to help get my daily fiber.

I'm not a cereal eater per se. (I know I've said that before.) But, when I eat a bowl it is Wheaties.

Jon