give up sugar for ever.

I am actually allergic to sugar (as said by the Mayo Clinic). So, although I didn’t actually have a choice in doing this, it is pretty cool! If you are interested in alternative sweetners, try honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, xylitol (birch bark sugar), erythitol (made from corn), or stevia. Stevia and erythitol are zero calorie (and all natural) but I’d recommend only using stevia in drinks. It doesn’t work well in baked goods. An erythitol and stevia blend works better in baking. Xylitol is the closest substitute I’ve found for sugar. Diabetics may want to use the agave nectar (low glycemic), stevia, erythitol, or xylitol (have zero glycemic effect).
Also, be vigilant in checking labels. Chips, rice cakes, cereals, bread, meat, and comidents (especially soy sauce!) can have loads of sugar. However, if you don’t worry about every microscopic gram, you’ll be ok.

I’m giving up this goal. I cannot give up sugar forever. It is in almost everything. I can avoid candy, cakes, sweets, etc. but in order to give it up forever, my life would be very complicated and strict. And so, I will avoid candy, brownies etc. and not eat them, but…if there is a little sugar in my soymilk, so be it. Its everywhere, and that is just the way it is. I’ve got a life to live…and…I’m going to live it. Good luck to those who will attempt this goal in the future. My only advice is to not eat completely sugar laden foods and you will be ok, eat a lot of protein and veggies and fruits and that is all I can say. Peace.

As if I could think for one second that eating that cadburry egg wouldn’t have an effect. Yes, the last week has been busy, but it has also been filled with sugar, and hence, I have not written on this page for a week. I thought maybe I could do a “moderation” type deal and it looks as though if I am going to give it up forever, then, I can’t have any…ever. So I either need to get with the program and be serious about my goal, or quit. It just seems so strict. I did seem much happier this week because I wasn’t thinking about how I couldn’t eat sugar and when I did, it hurt my tummy, and that is enough to make me want to avoid it…but the cravings for it were immense. And my skin isn’t looking too good since the introduction of it…so I am back on the wagon, because anything worth doing is hard. Here we go, starting over. Today is day one. Cold turkey can’t be that hard, its just a decision you make and instead of documenting daily, I am going to check in weekly instead to report my progress. Not that anyone is reading this or anything anyway:-)

So I needed to get change at the gas station today and they would not let me get change without a purchase and there were these cadberry eggs sitting on the counter, so I bought one. I thought to myself, I should just throw it away and then I thought, why not try an experiment. The premise was, if I eat this egg full of sugar can I counteract the adverse effect of the sugar high and crash? The answer is yes, but it isn’t easy and if there were something with more sugar I’m not sure I could. I ate it, it wasn’t even that tasty, and then I had a spinach, apple, raisin and almond salad with balsamic vinegrette and a ton of water and took a multivitimin, calcium and magnesium and B12. Sugar does deplete your body of vital nutrients, thats why I took the vitamins and I had the salad and water to buffer the glucose. I still didn’t feel very well after eating it…but…the mood swing was kept to a minimum and I think after 2 hours I am feeling back to normal and am not craving any sugar. I did this because I did not want to feel as though if I ever ate any sugar that I wouldn’t be able to manage it…and it is managable, and the adverse effects of it are real and true but can be counteracted. Would I choose to eat sugar again for this purpose, definitely not, and I did this when I wasn’t craving it or hungry or emotionally down and I think that is why it worked. I have no desire for it, and that was worth the uncomfortable feeling of the sugar rush. It really was actually pretty gross and the salad was so much more satisfying:-) Until another day.

I just thought how if 30 days is the time it takes to break the cravings for sugar, I am over half way there. That’s positive. I seem to want to start other goals now as well, but I am trying to stay focused on this one first. As soon as I pile on too many expectations that is where I begin to fail. Before you know it I am feeling empowered by doing well with this one, and then I think I’ll do a bunch of other things too and then I end up eating chocolate or something because I am overwhelmed. So…I am going to finish working out this goal first and then…after I am pretty sure I have accomplished it, I will move on to another. Maybe writing a list of goals that I would like to achieve and picking one at a time to accomplish is a good idea….hey…wait…isn’t that what 43 things is all about…hmmm:-)

I had another crazy dream last night about eating chocolates. Specifically, bubble gum that was covered in chocolate and difficult to chew. Strange. Maybe my subconscious is working out some sugar issues of its own. I’m just happy every morning that I wake up and realize it was just a dream:-)

Well, I made it through my sister’s graduation and the weekend without eating any sugar. Being around family and milano cookies was tough, but I stuck to my guns and everything worked out ok. I’m not really even looking at the candy aisle at the grocery store anymore, maybe because I wasn’t craving any today. I’m sure I will have cravings again and that is hard, but as long as I don’t pick up the sugar or candy, I’m ok.

I’ve found that after a busy and stressful weekend, I bounce back much faster if I haven’t had any sugar and have much more motivation to get things done. I found myself tidying up the house this morning without even having a negative thought about doing it and low and behold, it was done before I knew it! Maybe a more positive attitude is a side effect of this no sugar thing…lets hope so! Until another time….

I had this crazy dream last night that it was my sister’s birthday and that my mom had gotten her a 3 tiered pink wedding cake for her birthday and they had eaten a little and left it at my house. I had a piece, and then another, and it wasn’t even that delicious, but I couldn’t stop. I felt so bad about it and was thinking how I would blog about that, and then I thought, well, I’ll just have to start over again with my goal. And then I woke up and I was very happy that I hadn’t eaten the cake:-) I also thought during my dream that if I had never had that one piece, I would have been alright and wouldn’t have wanted any more, and that likens to an alcoholic with the drinks, you can’t even have one bite or else your off the wagon. Well, I’m glad it was just a dream. But my sister’s graduation is tomorrow, and I’m sure there might be cake involved, and I will have to resist! Until another time.

So, I have read it takes at least 30 days for the cravings of sugar to go away, and it must be true. When you rely on it in and emotional way, it is hard to deny what you once used and come up with something new that works. I never thought I was one of those people who turned to junk food if I was bored or in need of some love and affection…but I see it clear as day now that I did use it for that reason, and maybe I just never realized it. So…instead I try a crunchy granola bar and a little blogging about my woes, and maybe I’ll go read for a bit or do some work and I will feel better later.

Well, if sugar is the devil, then the grocery store is an accomplice because sugar is in every aisle and in the check out line. Now I know why parents hate that stuff in the check out line. Why is it that at every store you go to, they all have candy hanging out by the register? They are making fools of us all! We just can’t resist the temptation, so much so, that even circuit city has candy at their registers and they sell electronics. Now, I’m not saying that the candy shouldn’t be there, its a free country, and its an easy way to make an extra buck because they’re betting on us caving and buying that stuff. I guess it didn’t seem as noticeable prior to this goal of mine, but now, its everywhere, our society has a problem with sugar!