A Life Less Sweet

It’s high time for the no sugar blues challenge update.  First off, if you’d like to learn more about sugar AND you’d like to be able to say ‘I read in the New York Times” (as well you should…), read this article. It does a great job of explaining why all sugar is not created equal (fruit really is much better for you) and why it is so, so bad. Like that guy on the motorcycle you "dated" for a summer. Or wanted to date. Whatever. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html

The surprising:  My healthy cereal, which I stir into my daily bowl of yogurt, had organic cane sugar listed as its third THIRD!! ingredient.  My organic and natural peanut butter also had organic cane sugar. Damn. Woe is me. Out went the cereal and the peanut butter. There was also sugar in my cottage cheese “double” which comes with a small amount of sweetened pineapple. Other than those  items, I didn’t find any hidden sugar. I did find PLENTY of unhidden, standing there in full sight, come to momma, sugar in the form of dark chocolate, scones, cookies, etc. 

Was it hard? Honestly, it was a little harder than I thought it would be. I missed dried fruit (my candy stand in). I missed sparkling water mixed with juice. I hated not being to marinate my chicken or beef and not being able to put on any sauces (teriyaki sauce was out., obviously). I missed mindlessly popping a little morsel of goodness into my mouth…

I heart gummies.

Was there any pay off at all? Surprisingly, there was. I no longer put two teaspoons of raw sugar into my morning coffee. YAY me!! Turns out this is a nice to have, not a need to have, and it was easy to give up altogether.  I also found that I do in fact tend to like a little sweet after I eat and I have continued to cut down on those.  I also started eating plain cottage cheese with cut up veggies in it and I love that. The coffee and the cottage cheese are both great daily changes I’ve made with little pain and suffering. 

How did you end your no sugar fast? Turned out, the day after my two days were over was crazy hot. I picked up my son and we went to Cold Stone Creamery where I enjoyed a kid size lemon sorbet.  Sitting, there enjoying my treat, I suddenly realized that I had broken my fast. I also realized that being able to sit and enjoy the heat and the company while we enjoyed our treats was exactly why I wouldn’t cut out all sugar all the time. 

How about you, did you make it the whole two days? Miss anything? Not miss anything? Do tell...