One Week, Without Sugar
Last week on Friday I decided to embark on a two week No Sugar journey. This is the post in which I explained what and why. Yesterday was one week from the start of the journey and I thought I write down a few thoughts in this digital diary, as I did with my coffee journey. It will help me remember what's I've been through as time passes.
I had one week basically to reflect on what I've been doing and why and trust me, it gives you a better understanding on why you do things.
The challenge started on the 12th, which was Friday. I'm not gonna lie, on the 13th, which was a Saturday, I was thinking of something sweet for several times, especially while watching tv. During the week i have no time to wast with watching tv, but weekends are a different thing. So I can say temptation was huge, but I had no urge to break my rules and eat any actually. The goal was clear and I have no intention to give up.
You know what's funny? After lunch, most of the people prefer to have something sweet. This is why the dessert has been invented. If you go to any decent restaurant, where the waiters know what they are doing, you are offered dessert after lunch or even dinner.
Let's do an exercise. Let's tell people that after lunch, they can only have salty dessert, not sweet. Would you want any? After having eaten stake, French fries and vegetable salad for example? I bet you would say NO as who would want another salty snack after eating salty. If you're not allowed to eat sweet after lunch, I bet you won't eat dessert anymore and this is how you avoid overeating, as having a bunch of sweets as dessert after a decent lunch can be considered a huge abuse of calories.
Not being allowed to eat sugar, my mind was trying to find something that is sweet, but has no sugar. Could have had candies with no sugar, but that would have been cheating in my eyes. The main idea is to get rid of craving after all, not substitute one bad habit with another.
This is why I decided not to eat fruits either. Three are some fruits that have low sugar level, but then again, the idea is to train your mind not to ask for sugar. Instead I tried to change how I eat and drink certain food and drinks.
Have you ever had cocoa without sugar? I have and not just now, but way before this challenge started. At first it seems strange, but after a few sips it's like having dark chocolate. It's very doable actually, so why sweeten it? This is why I prefer to buy pure cocoa and not the one with added sugar.
Those of you who say you can't have cocoa without sugar, should think about why you have cocoa in the first place.
Let's take a classic example.
People drink tea worldwide and the way they drink it differs quite a lot. Here, many take their tea with sugar/honey and lemon. That's how tea is served at the restaurant as well, unless it's a special tea, that is served with milk or extra flavor added. Obviously you get the sugar/honey and lemon separately and use it if you like. Now take away the sugar/lemon from the tea and see how many would still want it. I can guarantee you there won't be many left. Then comes the question, why are these people drinking tea? Not because of the tea flavor, but because it's sweet. Lucky me, when I started drinking tea, I went for lemon only and now I'm at the point where even a drop of honey makes me not like the tea.
I know people who started drinking coffee because in some places this highly addictive black liquid comes with a biscuit, or two. There comes the question again. What are you buying the coffee for? For the liquid itself, or because the extra that comes with it? Another question for coffee drinkers. Can you drink your coffee without sugar? I bet a good part will say "Hell NO". When I was still a coffee addict, I gradually reduced the amount of sugar in my coffee and could also drink it without sugar, to the shock of quite many, around me.
This is a mind game, just like with any other addiction, just played a bit differently, in my opinion.
Yesterday was one week already and I decided to make some changes. Starting from yesterday, I allowed myself to have one fruit per day. Yesterday I had an apple and today I had one banana. These are not fruits with the lowest sugar quantity, but it'll do for now. The funny thing is, I had my fruit two days in a row and didn't feel like having another. One was enough and felt good.
So far I'm very satisfied with the progress I made. I was able to say no to croissant, candies and ice cream, that I've been offered. One time I had a sore throat and my first instinct was to take those candies that have honey, but didn't, because it would have been cheating. There are six days left of my challenge and I want to finish it with a new mindset. I know I'm not going to eat the whole bakery after my challenge ends and will look at sugar with different eyes. So stay tuned for the thoughts I'm going to share after finishing my journey.
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Tried this challenge early last year up until late December.
I experienced positive changes in my system and body
Congrats, good to know.
One week to go 😁 I'm glad to hear you have some different thoughts on it after it's all said and done. I commend you for not planning on eating the whole bakery when it's over, haha. I'd say a zero sugar mentality is a hard challenge like limiting carbs or sodium for that matter. I have a good feeling you may treat sugar better in moderation or really limit it all together but I will wait on those thoughts from you soon, hehe.
BTW No lie, I thought of you recently as I added sugar in something I was making recently. Take care and you got this, almost a single hand count down 😊
That's exactly my plan. I don't want to cut out sugar from my life as it would be difficult and quite pointless, but learning to limit myself is crucial for me. I still plan to post in your community, but it needs some time as I can't eat 5 ice creams one day, or one week 😂
Ewww, I hope it was a nice thought 😆
Thanks for the comment and enjoy the rest of your weekend, I hope the weather is a bit better over there. We had a bit of snow, which melted and now some low temperatures are announced, but only -10°C, which is not the end of the world.
Oh that is too much for even me. I might do twice a week but never 5 🤣
Well -15°C here which has been warm compared to what it's been. Starting Monday its suppose to be around 0°C and a few degrees warmer. No more snow we got enough of it at around 18 inches over the last week or so.
Thanks and you enjoy the rest of your weekend ☺️
A good plan. 👌🏻 More than sugar itself, the real problem for the body is refined sugar. However, keeping one or two fruits a day is super good. As long as it is not processed at all, everything is perfect, especially to prevent diabetes. The same should be done with salt and carbohydrates for those with hypertension or heart disease, reducing their use. Vegetable or fruit foods, the less processed the better. Daily juice and smoothies are a fatal mistake. I started with my diets as a habit and now if I eat something sweeter I don't feel bad, or I even know how to control my eating times or avoid feeling anxious or hungry. Here in Cuba, due to having few resources, most places do not give you dessert and sweets are rather given in places intended for eating sweets. Of course, coffee does tend to be drunk with sugar, coffee is also not very healthy, but hey, if the taste is bothersome, maybe using milk can improve it a little. Greetings and I wish you success with your diet.🫂
Looks like you know a lot about the topic and it's interesting to get some info about what's going on in Cuba. Thanks @nsdlau and good luck with your journey!
Yes @erikah, I am a Medicine Intern so I have some knowledge. Yes, the situation is quite complex. Greetings 🫂
Since you can go one week and you are not weak, you can complete it. It is obvious you will be thankful at the end.
Cheers
You're right, this week is way easier already.
How nice Erikah, you have managed to stick to your purpose despite the temptation. That shows the ability you have to control your impulses.
The week ahead of you will surely be a success. Hugs
Thank you for the nice words @mdrguez, I was determined from the start and I'm not gonna give up!
I really love sweets, especially chocolate and flour. I have never been in a diet without sugar for more than 3 days but it's definitely something I want to do, I heard sugar ages the skin... Nice cookies though 😋😋😂😂
Sugar doe a lot more damage to the body, than aging skin.
And yeah, all those nice cookies, made by me 😁
I can't even make it through your post without wanting some sweets. Such gorgeous photos. I drink tea without sugar/honey and also coffee without sugar or milk. Which begs your question - why do I drink it? Caffeine. I have started cutting my caffeine some, we will see how that goes.
This made me laugh, honestly. Imagine me, one week without anything sweet, selecting these photos.
This is good news! I'm really glad. Keep it up!
Great job on making it through without sweets! It's fascinating to read about your reflections and the changes you've noticed in your cravings. Actually I also love sweets but I only eat it moderately, my parents is diabetic and I'm afraid I inherited it. 😊
Then you're a smart lady! Being cautious now is way better than regret it later.
Just today that challenge came to mind and it was no coincidence that I came across your writing, quite interesting and reflective by the way, we have to maintain ourselves and have willpower to achieve our goal, and yes I imagine that in the end it will be change your mentality and make sure that sugar in our lives is not a priority before choosing our health and well-being.
That's the goal, a changed mentality and to be able to limit my sugar intake from now on. I hope you can do the challenge too one day!
Good luck on your no sugar challenge I myself enjoy sugar sometimes but never been too much of a fan for it
Thank you! Keep up your habit as it's a healthy one.
Oh no no... hahahaha... no sugar? And these sweets you have in your post? aren't you tempted by a biscuit? 😂
Well... I will be attentive to your thoughts at the end of your journey.
I need at least three spoonfuls of sugar a day. I recently bought 10 litres of ice cream and it lasted me less than a week. This I confess was excessive. 😵
Erikah, good luck with this challenge. 🙌
Trust me, I wasn't tempted at all, while posting these photos and as time passes, I'm thinking of eating sweets less and less.
😲 That's quit a lot!
😲😲🤦♀🤦♀ Are you working on killing yourself? 😁
Thank you @nanixxx and I hope you won't eat 10L ice cream in one week again soon :)
🤣 killing me softly like Roberta Flack 😂...
Exactly! 😁
Honestly, these are excesses that I rarely allow myself (ice cream), but normally I only use the sugar in my coffee during the day. And it's very little, just three tiny teaspoons (to sweeten four cups) Erikah. That's not so much. hahaha... I was just exaggerating to make you laugh a bit.
$WINE
Well done girl! I followed your advice and started eating less sugar before eliminating it all. Such an inspiration!
Thank you Gabriella! I'm glad you started reducing sugar, that is a good start already. Good lock! 👍
I did this last year for the purpose of losing weight. I avoided sugar and anything that produces sugar like rice and bread for two weeks, then continued it for two months.
Diets require that, so I understand. However, it's not so easy long term, so congratulations to you!
!LOL
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This is so cool of you to try. I'm just amazed because I myself couldn't even refrain from eating sweets in a day.
It's not easy, but doable. You get used to it. the first days are a bit challenging, but after that it becomes easier.
Bien primera semana y primera victoria. Me trajiste un recuerdo a la mente, en su momento siempre mi merienda la acompañaba con un alfajor de chocolate y en un momento me fui de vacaciones a la montaña estuve 15 días con abstinencia de chocolate y fue lo peor que me paso ahí recién me di cuenta mi dependencia al chocolate, tanto que tuve que ir a comprar unas barrar de chocolate para saciarme.
Luego los alfajores por aquí se hicieron muy caros y me cure JAJAJAJ
Lol, that's a funny story and you're gonna see something similar in my post, after I finish my challenge :) We have bunch of addictions and we don't even realize it, isn't it?
Looking at this photos, I kept wondering how you have zerod your mind without even having a bite of this sweet dessert. But I realised that it takes discipline to do something, you are doing well earnestly because somebody like me enn, it will be a serious battle for me to walk passed this dessert😂
You're right, it takes discipline to do any challenge, this one including. Trust me, I had zero temptation looking at these photos and that's a huge progress.
So I wanted to write a reply on your other post about the challenge. Or I did? LOL I can't remember. But I've read it and got me thinking too.
I was like: Erikah, count me in! 😄😄
Let's make it together but....nope. I forgot the other day.
Anyways, I'm glad you did it. I want to do it myself, hopefully from the beginning of February. I will be gone 3 days then and I want to try it only after I come home back. Until then, I'm just trying to cut all the sugary crap I am eating 🙃.
Btw, about coffee....I only drink coffee for about a half a year..I don't consider myself an addicted yet as I have days without.
I don't add sugar in my coffee, never. I just don't like the taste. I mean I can enjoy it sometimes but I don't need it. However, I drink my coffee with milk. And that's an issue because it's not healthy. I have an electric creme machine that makes milk amazingly creamy and fluffy and I love it with coffee and in top, a bit of dark cacao.
And btw, I saw that when I have this coffee in this form, I don't crave for sugar anymore. Somehow this taste its what I need. I can go without sugar if I have this coffee.
Let me see if I can find a photo of my coffee.
P.S. yesterday I was just thinking making your oatmeal cookie recipe. Lol 🤣🤣🤣 I am in love with it but hey! I will shut up as you are on a diet! Maybe next time we'll be on a sugar less diet together 🤔🤔😁💓
I've been meaning to reply to this comment and look at me, it's been 9 days already. Shame on me 😁
Not nice 😆
That is great as it means you're not addicted to sugar. However, you need to see if you can resist more than one day, without having any processed sugar.
My challenge ended on Friday 4 days ago. Since than, I had half of a shtrudel (I could not eat the other half as didn't feel good) and one biscuit. You know, the normal petit beurre biscuit and that's all. I want to keep it that way. The cravings are gone, especially after the awful feeling I had with the shtrudel. So far this challenge seems to be a big win for me.
That biscuit is calling my name, as I still remember the taste. I loved it too and was thinking about baking some, but I don't know how it would make me feel. As for now i want to avoid sugar as much as possible. I did a post about my thoughts on Friday and I'm thinking of writing another one in a month as I am discovering new things in thinking, that may help others too.
This was a crazy experience, but I'm really glad I did it! Looking forward to reading about yours 😆😜
Have a nice evening lovely lady 😘🤗
No worries! I dont get upset receving replies later. Dont worry about me with this, I can totally understand! 🥰
I've read your other post already, but didnt have time to reply yet. I'm happy that you achieved this, I think discipline is so important when we come to sugary foods. Sugat is a drug too, but many dont realize it.
About me....I also cut my sugar intake lately. And I'm happy seeing that slowly, I can improve my diet and chose not to have little treats. The less we serve, the less our body asks for, right?
I think you should write the one month timing challenge, in case I dont cut enough sugar out of my diet until then, I'll be motivated reading your post 😅😅. I mean it!
Again, cool thing you made it! I know it doesnt count much hearing it from me, but I'm proud of you even at the distance. I'm happy you did this step for a healthier you I know how hard it is letting behind all the delicious desserts 😅😆.
Hugs 🤗
te felicito impresionante fuerza de voluntad y determinación al logro de tus objetivos propuestos, el equilibrio en nuestro cuerpo es escencial y la reflexión nos ayuda también ha equilibrar nuestras energías.
Thank you very much @marin42. Balance is the keyword in life!
Amén 😇🙏