The 'Towards a Sugar-Free Future' Challenge

Honey_Bear

Well done on yesterday Cookie!  I'm sorry you've started the day with cravings because they're tough enough when they start at 3.30pm.  You've mentioned the chocolate rooibos tea before, and frankly whatever works is well worth mentioning.  We never know who else is reading and who each positive comment or suggetion might help.  One of the lessons I learned in my sugary days is that the earlier I ate sugar in the day, the more I craved and ate it later.  As you say, just getting through a meal without any sugar can be an achievement, and it certainly was for me for years. 

I'm sorry to hear about your relative with pre-diabetes.  I want to hug everyone who struggles to that extent because we all know when we're putting on weight and in my experience we just feel helpless, mean to do something about it, indulge ourselves because we're worried, and put off tackling it until tomorrow.  I've listened to a lot of scientists talk about weight gain and most of them say that losing weight is not about willpower, it's about life circumstances that cause the gain the first place.  Without getting political, blaming people for their circumstances isn't a successful way forward, so the sooner we start supporting people out of situation rather than condemning them, the faster we'll turn this situation around.

I'm very curious as to why I don't feel unbearable cravings at the moment.  I am very, very frightened of falling over again which means I'm reluctant to do a whole lot of activity on this broken ankle, which is supposed to be elevated above hip height 90% of the time anyway.  I can't reach the tin wirh my chocolate stash in it, so that limits me, but I've got those date bars in easy reach and I don't even think about them.  I am eating a lot of fruit and veg, some fish, very little meat, cheese or eggs because I need to keep things moviing on the drugs I'm on and those three things are unfortunate for me, and not much else.  I will never know if the year long battle with sugar is paying off, but I think it's really helping me right now.  I am exercising as the physiotherapist told me to, I'm not being a complete slug but until I have a better sense of balance I'm reluctant to be upright.  Falling over in your 20s is disconcerting and uncomfortable; it's a lot more unsettling in your 60s!

Some years ago I was involved in a political campaign and one of the other activists who also happens to have been a nurse during her working life is coming to visit today.  We were going out to lunch but in the circumstances we're settling for coffee and cake this morning.  I know, I know, but it's carrot cake so obviously 100% healthy - not.

Honey_Bear

I was abstemious and only had one slice.  However, the cake is still in existence because she also only ate one slice.  I fear it may turn up at teatime.  Won't that be a shame - not.

Morning_walker

Doh, just lost my post by going back to check a spelling in the thread! Start again: I've dipped out as was not managing to do the challenge at all, but I restarted yesterday morning. 

Honey_Bear I am so glad that you've had your surgery and all went well. Wishing you a smooth and speedy recovery. 

Interesting to read your post, prowla, as drinking tonic water is a new thing that I've been enjoying this summer. I've been buying an upmarket brand too, which is often discounted at Sainsbury's. I then add fresh lime, fresh mint leaves and ice cubes... and it's super refreshing and feels like a treat. 

Yes, Cookie, I'm finding the smell thing helpful - well, I mean - I have yesterday and so far today, so the method has not been thoroughly tested yet . I'll keep going with it. 

Got to be honest that I had a cinnamon bun this morning with my coffee... but no chocolate, which is a big step forward for me and no other sugary treats, just the added sugars that would be in tonic water, bread etc. 

Aim for this week is to get to Saturday without having chocolate. I'll decide then whether it's best to continue cutting out chocolate or if I allow myself a small amount at the weekend. 

Honey_Bear

Hi there Morning Walker! The fact that it's a bit hit and miss sometimes is part of what happens to all of us, so you're in good company.

I find I work best when I have successess and very few failures.  I aim for achieveable, realistic goals and don't try to kid myself that I'm going to be a new person tomorrow any more - I've done that so many times I've learned from experience that I won't be able to be my ideal person just by turning over a new leaf.  I can, however, go one day, or a morning or an afternoon or an evening without chocolate because I know I can have some at a point in the future.  That's what kept me going on the tough days early on and it made all the difference sometimes.

Good luck with it,however you decide to tackle it.

I ate so much fruit today (blueberries and yoghurt at lunch time, a nectarine, a tangerine and two dried figs) that I couldn't face the thought of carrot cake for tea!  That's blown my mind.

cookie02

Morning_walker said:

Interesting to read your post, prowla, as drinking tonic water is a new thing that I've been enjoying this summer. I've been buying an upmarket brand too, which is often discounted at Sainsbury's. I then add fresh lime, fresh mint leaves and ice cubes... and it's super refreshing and feels like a treat. 

Thanks for the idea with the tonic water, Morning_walker.  I might try that too.  I flavour cold water with cucumber, mint and lime sometimes but I never thought of trying it with tonic water!  That will feel more like a treat, I think.  Well done on being chocolate-free so far this week.  

Honey_Bear said:

I ate so much fruit today (blueberries and yoghurt at lunch time, a nectarine, a tangerine and two dried figs) that I couldn't face the thought of carrot cake for tea!  That's blown my mind.

Wow! That's amazing, Honey_Bear 🏅.  

I've been sugar-free so far today but we have more cake here and I've been thinking about this cake all morning. Part of me really wants to eat the cake, meanwhile, another voice is telling me to avoid it so I can rack up another sugar-free day.  I'm really not sure whether I'll make it or not as both voices are screaming at me equally loudly!  The things that happen on this challenge...

Honey_Bear

I'm conscious that the carrot cake is still downstairs, and still haven't had any more of it which a year ago wouldn't have been possible - I'd probably have eaten the rest of half of it yesterday and polished off the second half on my own today if Belovéd didn't want any of it.  As it is, I haven't.

What's so gratifying is that although we're both tempted we've been able to resist the cakes we both know are lurking, temptingly, around us.  Look how much thought we've put into not having any, and if and when we do we're not going to beat ourselves up about it because we've resisted for so long.  I'm really happy with that.

I love tonic water with lemon or lime and ice on a Sunday evening.  It used to have gin in it, then fake gin for a while and now if I need that taste I just squash a juniper berry or two and fling them in.  Works every time.

Morning_walker

That's great, Honey_Bear re. the carrot cake. 

Ooh, I have some juniper berries in from doing red cabbage last Autumn - love it! I'll definitely try that. 

Day three of no chocolate for me.  No cakes or biscuits either. Have just got some Sunbites crisps which are reasonably low fat. 

Honey_Bear

I think we finished the carrot cake, so that temptation is now gone.  I don't feel guilty, either.

Morning_walker

Ha! Carrot cake is delicious. 

Day four of no chocolate, cakes or biscuits. Today was challenging. My one sugary thing is a piece of toast with butter and marmalade that I'm about to have . 

Hope everyone's weeks have gone well. 

Honey_Bear

That sounds delicious Morning Walker and congratulations on achieving four days sugar-free.  (Friday evening is the weekend, so it doesn't count.)

Apart from the carrot cake I think I was sugar-free too, which in the circumstances has amazed me.  But then, I did eat that carrot cake, so I wasn't 100% sugar-free and a friend brought a box of chocolates around for me this evening so I've indulged, but then, it is is Friday evening.  If I'd broken my ankle a year ago I'd have had a carrot cake every day, and I don't mean just a slice!

How did you do the tail end of the week Cookie and Prowla?