Hi there I'm the same with you about sugar... My suggestion make your own power drinks. I'm a vegetarian, every morning I make a protein shake. the powder I use is non animal based and a combination of proteins - they are also sweetened with stevia so they have no glycemic impact at all. I add flax oil, a bit of cottage cheese (budwig principle), chocolate, or vanilla unsweetened almond milk, fresh fruit, usually berries, and half a banana... It has 400 calories and the protein is in the 50's - I know the cottage cheese makes it sound unappetizing, but mixed with all the other stuff you can't taste it. If there's not enough sugar in it then add a bit of agave - which also has a low glycemic index. A couple of these types of drinks a day will help you gain or maintain if you use them to supplement your meals. Too much protein can be very hard on the kidneys, so cut the amount of protein powder you have in half that way you get the same amount but more calories because it's spread over two drinks and just add more fruit (fresh - or frozen) . One thing I do allow myself is ice cream. I buy organic, make sure it has the lowest amount of sugar possible (mine has 12 gms- per half cup - i generally have 1/2 a cup - read the labels, nutritionists say you shouldn't add more than 50 gms of sugar to your food daily. Most of my food is from scratch so I know what's in it, (canned crap, and most cereals have obscene amounts sugar - modified corn syrop, glucose fructose -and really anything that's processed - and if it's says sugar free, it's worse because it has Splenda or aspartame) so I avoid all that stuff so if I have half a cup of ice cream ocassionally, it's okay, since the only other "sugar" I've had is the complex carbs in any fruit I consume. I make my own hot cocoa but I add a tablespoon of agave instead of sugar... Before all this I was a sweet-a holic. So you could throw maybe half a cup of ice cream in as well. Nutrition is very important to healing, and you do need calories - but empty calories serve no purpose. There are some great recipes that are sugar free but filling, high calorie and nutritious. Before all this I was a microwave cook... (I hated cooking) these days I see someting I think looks good, check out the recipe, modify it to make it super healthy - and try it. My family has fallen in love with a few of them...

You can do this. Tonight's supper was a fresh from scratch pea soup, and a frittata made with egg whites fresh veggies, and one potato, 'twas delish.

Hugs...