Thirty days no sugar.....


So for me it has been #thirtydays no sugar so far.  I will not lie and say I have been 100% refined sugar free because that would be a big fat lie.  I have had a couple pieces of licorice, ate a highly over processed hot dog at the Man United game Saturday night and used *Dolmio’s pasta sauce last night to cook spag bog (gasps).   I have NOT however had soft drink, lollies, ice-cream, cake, chocolate of any kind (80% free, still has 20% sugar in it... DOH), light milk or light/sugar/fat free products.

Life isn’t meant to be perfect and either is this challenge. Yes I eat fruit, love my fruit and try and have 1-2 pieces a day, I love the taste of fresh strawberries, blueberries, mandarins, melons etc and if that is my only  intake of fructose then I am pretty happy!!  This challenge is about being in control of the food that goes into my mouth and learning from the trials and error of changing the foods I eat.  So no I don’t see that I have “failed” because I ate a piece of licorice, I didn’t enjoy it either, it wasn’t the good stuff, it was Coles brand, over processed and tasted like plastic.  I see this as a step forward. I tried, didn’t like, wasn’t particularly fussed, not missing out on anything. To be honest I don't even know why I grabbed it, curiosity I suppose?

I love the feeling of being in control without being obsessed about every bit of food I put in my mouth. I don’t feel like “I cannot have” something. I just don’t want to.   I am being relaxed with the other food elements for now (wedges, red wine, hotdogs) because I don’t feel like I should stress myself out too much just yet with other foods I am eating.  I feel happy with choices I make, my tummy didn’t like me much after the hotdog, but I didn’t have huge cramps or back aches associated with high levels of sugar (if I used to have a binge on lollies or chocolate etc).   Cutting out “light/lite/lowfat” products has also helped the bloat go away and associated pain. 

I have always known my body and how it functions, it has never processed sugars well, starting to believe that is because it isn’t supposed to – and yes I am talking about fructose.  I like the response Sarah Wilson gave after being asked why sugar isn’t good for us as it is naturally grown - "Yep, sure sugar is natural. Fruit is natural. But so is arsenic and petroleum". BOOM.  We have forgotten how to think and be in control. Trust your gut. I know I am trusting mine and reaping the benefits.

So for ME this is challenge has turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever MADE for MYSELF. It has made me re-think the foods that I eat, buy, and choose. I have always been curious about life and feel that sometimes we just ponder around like sheep eating this and that because that is what we have always done.  I like being different, I like being quirky and this challenge has just reminded me of how strong I am, how powerful I can be and my body will SO thank me for it (when I stop eating wedges at the pub all weekend)!

My next challenge is to start the muscle up challenge which starts next week. Bring it on – anything that challenges me, makes me progress and get back to doing pull-ups is going to be FUN! I look forward to sharing that with you!


*Think the entire jar had 2-3tsps sugar (8g) which would be split over into four portions.

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