In short. Pretty good.
Most days I manage to avoid sugar completely. I've been able to resist all forms of sweet baking at recent social events - of which there have been many. At home I'm also mostly able to steer clear of sugar, as I've been making fruit-based treats when I've desired something sweet. (Banana coconut pikelets, homemade fruit icecream, Smoothies and Deceptively delicious chocolate pudding have become staples).
However, Paul is quick to remind me of the scorched almond incident of 2011, where I ate half a box of his scorched almonds in one sitting.
The silly thing was, I kept eating them even though they tasted weird to me. I guess my palate is already adjusting to life without sugar. I should have just put them down after the first one, but I was in a pointless, "I-deserve-a-chocolate-treat, gosh-darn-it" kind of mood. Don't you hate those? I'm getting better at saying "no" to them.
Apart from giving in to the scorched almonds, plus eating a few of the star-shaped cookies Lily and I baked last week, I've managed to refrain from sugar these past (almost) three weeks. And I'm already noticing a difference in how I feel within my own skin. I'm sure it's not visibly noticeable yet, but I feel like my body is tightening up, in a good way.
I haven't noticed any change health-wise yet, but I am hoping my decision to cut out sugar will result in better long-term health. (Written while fighting back the beginnings of a cold.)
The reason I think I've been able to (mostly) stick to this decision to cut out sugar is because it's the only thing about my diet I'm changing. I can eat as much other food as I want (bring on the cream baby!), so don't feel like I'm depriving myself.
David Gillespie was so right, when he wrote in Sweet Poison that you don't get any hungrier when you cut out sugar, since your body didn't recognise it was there in the first place. This means you actually end up eating less food all around, without even trying or noticing it.
The true test for me will be this Christmas, when there's sure to be copious amounts of chocolate flying around the place. I'm not looking forward to exercising the will-power it will take to say no to all of that. I'll give it my best shot though.
You will do great at Christmas. I gave up sugar two weeks before last Christmas and it wasn't as hard as I thought, but in saying that I am coeliac with dairy and egg intolerances so I am used to missing out.
ReplyDeleteI sadly slipped back into the sugar trap so Im about to start it again (right before Christmas of course!! haha)..
Wow what a great idea. I'm a total choc beast and would love to cut more out. normally I cut some much out that I cant stick to it but I could give this a go. Thanks xx
ReplyDeleteI'm all for less chocolate at Christmas - my will power is about nil in refusing it. Have been much better lately, but still, it's about convincing those boys!! Or maybe sneaking it out lol I say the less rubbish at the beach the better!!
ReplyDeleteWell done Emma. I am still waiting for a copy of Sweet Poison at the library but I did manage to take out the Sweet Poison Quit Plan so I've read a bit of that and it is very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have a 2kg container of Xylitol (from Annies if you are interested) which I bought for dental health purposes and was glad to read that it is safe. I might try doing a bit of baking with it and see how it turns out.
I agree that it is easier to cut out sugar if you are not cutting anything else out and are able to eat as much as you want. I have been trying not to eat sugar (not worrying about sugar in sauces etc) which basically means cutting out chocolate, ice-cream, baking, desserts for me. I am not a big fruit eater so that isn't a problem either.
I don't think I will ever fully cut out sugar but cutting down on how much sugar I consume will hopefully improve my health and aid in weight loss.
Go, Girl! That is great! I don't want to lose weight, but I have been noticing massive blood sugar imbalances lately. And although I'm normally a total veg-head, the only things that appeal to me right now are muffins (rice flour w/sweet potato and chia seeds) and pancakes (those banana pinkelets are awesome) which is SUPER frustrating!
ReplyDeletePerhaps getting a copy of the book will give me the motivation to eat things that don't sound good but might make me feel better overall!
Louise - you sound similar to me in what you're cutting out, although I love fruit so I eat heaps of it - and I don't think that's a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteJana - how can you tell when you're having blood sugar imbalances? I'd love to know.
Hi Emma, I love scorched almonds....please don't mention those to me:) Hey I know what Jana means about blood sugar imbalances. For me the main signs that my blod sugar is out of whack are constant carb cravings (as Jana mentions) and feeling constantly hungry no matter what I eat. If I'm in balance, I can eat a meal and feel satisfied, but if blood sugar is out of balance I have almost constant gnawing hunger. Not pleasant!
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