I kept meaning to post on this, but in my everyday rush I always forgot until after I had finished my post and was busy doing something else, like trying to avoid sugar! I have a very hard time with this challenge on multiple levels. This will brief since I have to leave for work in ten minutes, but here is a quick synopsis of the last nine days of the challenge.
Two small kids and a husband that love sugar. I can't believe how many times I popped a chocolate chip or piece of cereal in my mouth because it had been spilled on the counter. I did spit many of these back out.
I tried dried fruits like raisins and craisins for long run fuel, but didn't like it as well. It felt like I had no energy so I went back to my gels and GU chomps for my longer runs after 5 days, did I give up to soon?
The whole challenge did make me very conscious of all the sugar added to foods. Especially my favorites like ketchup and salad dressing, even added to bread.
I had about three days of complete no sugar and the rest have been very low sugar, except for the maple bar donut that I inhaled at work on Tuesday and immediatly regretted. It just smelled so good and I was so hungry. You would think nurses would know better than to bring in sugary fatty donuts for their co-workers.
I know that I will not stay with a sugar free diet, but I am making an effort to keep it much lower in sugar. I haven't missed adding honey to my oatmeal or whip cream to my coffee and I am going to stick to that. I am going to continue to not eat ketchup on everything and have found some great alternative salad dressings.
I will indulge myself with a little sweetness now and then so I don't panic and consume a large donut in two bites again. I did learn a lot from all the others, so thanks to everyone who did the challenge and thanks to Amanda for bringing it on. However it there were prizes for least sugar consumed, I won't win :)
Have a great Friday everyone!
I think you did great! Sugar-free is so hard because the stuff is everywhere. I'm like you with the popping in the mouth behavior. Such a hard habit to break.
ReplyDeleteThere is reduced sugar ketchup! I found it the other day b/c Ryan is diabetic. Tastes the same. Also, I make my own ranch. (Don't know how much sugar is in the powder, but it's gotta be better than the bottled stuff, right?!)
ReplyDeleteBTW: You absolutely rock for going 3 whole days sans sugar. I bow down to you.
Great job! I am with you on limitting sugar but not cutting it out completely. I seem to do better that way and when I eliminate it completely I tend to go crazy and eat 5 donuts. ha!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
It is crazy how much sugar and artificial sweeteners are in the foods we eat. 3 days long without sugar is awesome! That must have been a ton of work to plan meals accordingly!
ReplyDeleteGood for you. It is hard, but good to be aware, right?
ReplyDeleteCouldn't imagine giving up sugar!!!
ReplyDeletewhat i have learned about not eating sugar in ANY form is how much your body needs it and it is important to incorporate it into your diet! in healthy ways of course. ;) fruits and other natural sources are the best! our bodies need fuel, and a little sugar on a long run is exactly what your body needs! ;)
ReplyDeletesugar is tough. it's hidden in so many things! i'm sure you can find no-sugar-added dried fruit but i know craisins have sugar in them. it's tough to be perfect at cutting it out so in my opinion making an effort to avoid the obvious sources is valiant enough :)
ReplyDeletemy husband has TONS of sugar in the house, so that was my problem because if I wanted to cave i had to work harder not too!
ReplyDeleteI did about the same as you and just stayed very low sugar, which is what I hope to maintain
Kudos to you for going through a sugar free challenge. The second that I say that I can't have something, that is when I want it more.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm lucky that my husband is NOT a huge sugar inhaler--he actually has very few food vices, lucky him (beer is the only one I can think of, and since I'm not a beer person this doesn't hurt me). So we just don't have it in the house.
ReplyDeleteWork is the real challenge for me, but I'm there less than I'm here and there's usually enough going on that I have been able to avoid the candy-bowl hotspots.
Sounds to me like you did great given the obstacles!
Well you may not win, but you definitely learned something from the challenge. I too could not sacrifice KETCHUP! Everything in moderation, right?
ReplyDeletegreat job!
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine not having ketchup. I love ketchup too much.
ReplyDelete(P.S.: I find small-town "days/festivals" interesting. Around us, we have a Watermelon Festival, Chicken Festival, Peach Festival, Armadillo Festival ... Weird names .... )
We never realize how much sugar we intake until we give it up! I have never gone cold-turkey, but we have significantly reduced our sugar intake in this house in the last 6 months.
ReplyDeleteSarah @ Thinfluenced