Sugar-Free

I was inspired by a post on Clover Lane--to see if I could quit sugar. Sarah has done a great job with her Sugar-Detoxing Guide.

me. quit. sugar.

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Now, some background: I'm a life-long weight-watcher. Lost 33 lbs 7 years ago, gained a few back, but not bad. I still fit into my goal-size pants. Most of my bad habits, including bingeing, waiting till everyone was asleep to systemactically raid the halloween/easter/valentine's day stash, having zero breakfast and lunch but pigging out at dinner, and hiding food to eat later-- well, those horrible ways(thank goodness) for the most part got banished by WeightWatchers, which is great.

However, I have been known to consider pudding as a it's own food group, and ice cream as a nutritional supplement. I have elevated eating valentine's day see's candy heart to a science, start with the truffles, move on to the fruity-chewies, end with the nuts..begin again.... I had a full-blown celebration when the news broke that dark chocolate is good for you! I told you so!

But.

Lately, I'd been experiencing some strong cravings...for sugary stuff. Not just chocolate, anything sugary. I realized I was like a clock: after breakfast, I wanted something "sweet"..and nothing other than a sugary treat would do. After lunch, same thing. By 4pm, I'd be cooking dinner haphazardly(do you think hubs will notice we're having tacos 3 nights in a row? nah...), while meticulously plotting out what I'd have for dessert afterwards (mmmm....that banana-mocha-cream pie Emeril made doesn't look that complicated) When we attended a party a couple of weeks ago, the host asked us to bring some wine. I brought wine, along with 2 desserts, stashing cookies away for "later". I knew right then I had a problem.

So the very next day, I decided to go sugar free. It has not been without lapse; Saturday night, I had a small slice of apple pie, and I ate some honey and peanut butter on a cracker one night. However, the past 2 weeks' victories were amazing to me: On Mother's Day. which included grandma's birthday, I passed on home-made biscotti and red-velvet birthday cake. Didn't even want any! Huh? On Friday, my daughter brought home 300 chocolate candy bars to sell for a fundraiser. I DID NOT EVEN TASTE ANY. And they are the good ones. And they cost only 1.00 apiece(anyone want to buy a chocolate bar? it's for a good cause) They are sitting on my kitchen counter as we speak, and no, they are not taunting me one bit.

I don't know, maybe it's about me proving to myself that I actually do possess willpower, and I can do anything (just about) that I set my mind to. Also I was worried that I was addicted. I've read accounts of people having migraines, losing sleep, not having an ounce of energy..but honestly, I've been fine. Just this weekend I was a little headachey, but I think it was because of my monthly bill, not because I quit eating sugar.

I'm not planning to be sugar free forever, but I'm glad I am able to stop, if even for a week, a day, 2 weeks! I plan on doing this for as long as I feel I need to, but for at least 21 days which is the magic number of days needed to "break a habit".

So, if you've been thinking about it, give it a try. If I can do it, so can you, trust me. I've ordered the book "Sugar Blues" and will read it and let you know what I think of it.

Ann