Saturday, January 28, 2012

Avoiding Sugar Can Change Your Life

The countdown begins. Today is Saturday and Monday begins the juice fast/feast (depending on how you look at it).

All those little bouts of purging sugar from my kitchen ended badly. I kept caving. How is it possible to go almost 3 years without sugar and then have this much trouble quitting again?

My hope is that with 2 months of juicing I will know better than to dabble with sugar. If I play with sugar, it wins. If I abstain from sugar, I win.

Quitting sugar changed my life once. I know quitting again will have the same profound affects. It's what motivates me this time around. Valuable lesson learned? I really can't balance moderation with sugar, I wish I could. It's easier to just go without it 100%.


Check out this interview:

How Avoiding Refined Sugar Changed a Woman's Life

7 comments:

Mini Me said...

I was sugar-free for two years, about 3 years ago I got off track and have struggled since then - I have followed your blog for quite a while and just wanted you to know that you are not alone, it's a daily struggle. But I remember how amazing I felt when I was off sugar, and I keep going back to that.

Keep working toward the goal, you have done it once and I KNOW you can do it again - I know the same goes for me. (although it is much easier for me to be encouraging for you than to try to do it on my own again, haha) You were always an encouragement to me when I was looking for support, so please know that what you have done has affected someone else.

Oh, and people who say sugar isn't addicting are CRAZY!

diagnonsence said...

Sounds just like giving up alcohol or cigarettes, you are a great inspiration to me :)

MHK said...

Hi there,
I found it is hard for me to live without sugar, so struggle. Your blog give me some inspirational.

Cheers,
Sugar Free Birthday Cakes for Diabetics

Unknown said...

I am so glad to have found this blog. I am searching the internet about what I think my problem could be. I am very overweight and constantly craving food. I think its the sugar! This evening after work I am going to really get down to looking through this blog. I can use all the help I can get. I tried to email you (top of the blog) but I am unable to:/ I truly think this is my problem. I feel as if I start off the day doing well (oatmeal/toast,etc) but I am ravenously all day. I am thankful to have found this blog.

My Year Without said...

Mini Me-Wow, sounds like we have similar stories! Of course we can go 100% without sugar again, but the commitment and getting started again is so slow going. Yes, sugar is absolutely addictive! I think down the road we will see warning labels on packaging, kind of like what we see now on cigarettes. That's my hope, anyway.

Diagnonsence-Thanks! I think no matter the addiction, we all struggle with the same willpower issues.

MHK-Thanks!

Fran T-I think so many of us have this ravenous appetite...and it is a mystery. The sugar aspect must play a part, right? What doesn't help are all the ads we see for junk food and how convenient/cheap junk food is in general. So wrong! Why is it this hard to eat healthy?

Just_Jon said...

I gave up soft drinks a few weeks ban and when lent came around I decided to give up all sugar. Today is my second day and I haven't noticed much difference maybe a bit of light headedness but I don't know if that is the sugar or not. Any tips on tasteful drinks would be appreciated, I can't stand the taste of aspertain

My Year Without said...

Hi Just_Jon,

Good for you for giving up soda....and now sugar for Lent! I think you're in for a real treat (pun intended). Not sure about the light headedness (withdrawal?). You are wise to look for substitutes. That's what ultimately led me to being successful going without sugar for so long.
So in answer to your question, I have a question for you: Are you drinking juice? Are sugars from fruit okay? If so, there are a plethora of soda-like drinks that are basically fruit juice with carbonation, such as Izze drinks, Reed's Ginger drinks (may use honey as a sweetener?) and some other similar beverages found at a health food store. Do you live in an area with a Whole Foods or other health food store? Someone in the grocery department will show you what they have without sugar or gross sugar substitutes.
Also, if you're drinking juice, the grocery store always has those little cans of pineapple and apple juice. Those are nice to have with me, tucked in a bag.
I hope this helps!
Sounds like you're doing great.