Monday, March 19, 2012

on quitting sugar


today marks 21 days since i quit sugar. 
they say it takes 21 days to change a habit.
hooray for me!

cutting out sugar has meant none of the white stuff.
no tomato sauce, no muesli, no dried fruit, no lollies, no ice cream, no maple syrup, no chocolate, no juice, no gin & tonics, no cakes or muffins .... and no fruit.

in the place of sweet stuff, i'm having a love affair with fats. 
full fat everything. coconut oil. lashings of butter and cream. chicken skin. 
all guilt free.

my mummy tummy is deflating.
the numbers on the scales are coming down.
i can't tell you how good that feels.

my energy spikes and slumps have gone.
i feel satiated and no longer need to graze all day.
i'm feeling so much healthier.

i think i miss the making of sweet treats 
more than the actual eating.
i like to bake.

on a couple of special occasions i have eaten sugar. 
a taste of the honey from our bees and the apples we harvested. 
i was completely present and mindful and savoured ever mouthful.

i feel like i am no longer addicted to sugar. 
friends have waved numerous sweet temptations under my nose.
i'm honestly not that interested.

i have become aware of how much sugar my small people eat. 
they snack on dried and fresh fruit all day. 
i think i need to tackle this next.

veggies contain sugar,
 some much more than others. 
but i haven't restricted my intake of them at all.

i'm looking forward to reintroducing fruit to my diet.
but no more than a couple of pieces a day.
i think i've missed fruit most of all.

breakfast has required the most rejigging.
i start the day with eggs, spinach and tomatoes (from the backyard) and a slice of sourdough toast. 
this usually keeps me going until lunch time.

i started out being a bit curious about quitting sugar.
now i'm pretty obsessed!
{as my friends and family well know}

: :

 I've been following Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar program.
{If you buy her ebook via this link, i get a little something}



35 comments:

  1. Hooray for you! I have a jar of quinces preserved without sugar with your name on it. xx

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  2. Good on you lady! I quit sugar and most carbs for 3 months last year and lost 10kg. I felt incredible and my energy levels were so consistent... I used to experience sugar highs and valleys all day long.. Unfortunately I lapsed over Christmas period... But I am now facing a much bigger change after seeing a naturopath. No dairy, wheat and most sugars! Basically following a diet specific for my blood group...

    Good luck, sounds like you're through the hard part! X

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  3. That is wonderful to hear you are feeling so well. I have been studying Nutritional Medicine for the last 3 years and I think this low sugar/ full-fat trend that is sweeping the nation is fantastic. Tom has been sugar free for 4 months now.

    The only thing that I could suggest is that you do not limit your kids fruit in any way.. The natural sugars found in fruit are what fuels their little minds and it comes in a package that is full of fibre and phyto-nutrients that affect the way that the fructose is metabolised in the body. It does not have the same reaction as eating cake and active little kids need that source of energy.
    (Sarah book was written for adults that are trying to loose weight and the same guidelines do not apply for kids)

    Have you read Jude Blereau's book "Wholefood for Children"? I think it's brilliant!
    http://www.wholefoodcooking.com.au/01-books01.html

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  4. Wonderful news Rach, good for you! It's almost 6wks since I cut out sugar (though I do still eat a piece of fruit a day) dairy, wheat and most meat and health wise it's really showing. I feel fantastic and those numbers that continue to go down on the scale and tape measure are equally encouraging :)
    Keep up the good work!

    x

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  5. Wow you have inspired me, I have read some of Sarahs book but have been to scared to let go of the sugar...I know it is no good for me..I will finish the book...thank you xx

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  6. Just a question...I have the 'Sweet Poison' books, do you think Sarah's is along the same lines?

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  7. It is great, isn't it? :) I read Sweet Poison and quit in Jan last year. I fell off the bandwagon over Christmas though and have been paying for it since. I am almost completely sugar-free again :)

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  8. I so wish I had your strength and will power. I would love to feel super strength and clear foe the day. I think I should read tge book! Thankyou for shsring.

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  9. Well done! What strong willpower you have. I think I need some of that!

    Rach x

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  10. wow! well done you. that's quite an achievement. it was mother's day in the UK yesterday and my neice's birthday. i've eaten more cake in the last 2 days than all year...well, it feels like it anyway!
    thanks for visiting my blog. x

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  11. I always feel better when I cut out sugar .... although I haven't gone as far as you, it's a really interesting topic, my daughter just did a whole report on sugar for her HSC, from the effects on children, to depression and mood and even cancer, I think we are going to find sugar is a lot more evil than we know !!!
    Keep up the great work, well done you X

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  12. oh so brave!! i'd love to but too much of a sook ;)
    i kind of kid myself that raw/brown sugar isn't as bad as white so that's all i ever buy/use for baking.

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  13. That's so interesting! Dropping sugar is something I've been toying with for a while now. I've definitely cut back but to completely cut it out is such a big step. Well done!!!

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  14. Was there a reason, other then ridding yourself of Mummy tummy, for quitting sugar? I did the same for Lent a few years back (yep, only lasted 40 days) and I did see the results but I have to be honest-it was waaaaaaaay too hard to cut it all out forever.
    I'm just always going to be a little bit fat ;-)

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  15. Very inspiring!
    I am currently detoxing and sugar is a no go for me too - but its just so hard.
    Your post is just what I needed to read tonight.
    Well done, and thank you!

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  16. (covering my ears) la la la la la

    I KNOW I need to quit it as well. BUt MAN you have gone S.E.R.I.O.U.S!!!

    Phew not sure I can be that good!

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  17. very admirable! i dont have a lot of sugar but to cut it out altogether thats a pretty awesome effort! well done.

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  18. Ummm HELLO cute blog!! I have JUST stumbled upon this beauty of a corner of the blogosphere and I love it. and second Ummmm. You quit sugar?!? WHAT?! I am a total sugar addict.. it would be hard to give up, but good on you! Breakfast looks delish :)
    Newest follower :)
    Angie x

    http://aisforlove.blogspot.com

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  19. Morning! day two for me of no sugar, your blog inspired me, that and a book in my girl friends Loo called the Sweet Poison Quit Plan. I have woken with a Thumping headache this morning, hopefully a strong black coffee, sans sucre will fix that.
    I think the hardest thing will be to give up my step grandmas Fig Jam, it is a taste sensation. How long are you doing it for? I thought I would try 6 weeks and maybe have a little chocky on Easter Sunday - I do enjoy choc bunny ears :0)

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  20. Best thing to do EVER!

    Before falling preggy again I lost 24 kilos and started RUNNING. No Joke. The Couch to 5K program.

    I've let a bit of honey fall back in now that bubby is there... But am so looking forward to running and living well again.

    In the morning - my kids and I love "cinnamon eggs"

    2 eggs + 1 yolk
    splash of cream
    dash of cinnamon
    drop of vanilla essence (or pods?)

    fry up like an omelette in Coconut oil and butter.

    Well done you.
    Feels good, eh!?

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  21. Interesting. I've heard of quitting sugar, but I don't know how we would manage it. My husband especially.

    Which tells me that it really should be something that we seriously think about.

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  22. Yay for you. My husband and I gave up all forms of sugar (& dairy, wheat, caffeine & alcohol) for 12 weeks last year. I realised I was hooked on and overeating dried fruit, I feel so much better for cutting that out of my diet. As for weaning your children off sugar, our boys are age 2 and 5 and we don't have sugar, honey, tomato sauce, anything like that in the house and they don't even bat an eyelid. Now that we are over the 12 week detox I bake with the boys on the weekend, a cake or a batch of biscuits and we share that with friends. That way I still get my baking fix because like you I like to bake and by sharing what we bake we are not left with a whole cake to eat.

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  23. Good for you...I'm inspired! I currently have a high sugar diet (and chocolate addiction). But I'm ok with that with a newborn and toddler to look after. In a few months I might have to try the same thing :-)

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  24. Wow that's awesome. I love reading stories like yours. I've given up sugar for Lent, except for fruit, and so in 4 days' time it'll be back to normal, whatever normal is. Gave up sugar for Lent last year and realised with a shock how much I was addicted to it, so cut a lot back after Lent was over. Which made this year much much easier to give it up. Can't wait for that first bit of chocolate on Sunday and fingers crossed I won't go crazy. Those people who give up sugar AND wheat AND dairy are amazing. Can't imagine ever going that far.

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  25. Oh Rach, every day I take one step closer to cutting it out. perhaps easter will be the final catalyst. you are an inspiration and I am definitely going to buy sarah's ebook! xxx
    love your new blog look by the way x

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  26. Love Sarah Wilsons' e-book. Well done for sticking with it. Lovely to find other like minded people :)
    x

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  27. Hi Rachel, just found your quit sugar blog - well done! I'm in week 4 and seriously cruising through. I too am obsessed having read David's books and Sarah's 8 week program. Perhaps I've brainwashed myself but I'm not hanging to try chocolate once I've completed detox - were you? The way I feel right now, I believe quitting sugar will be my new way of life. Very exciting (for me anyway). Great to see so many people catching on!

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  28. Righto Rach, I am on day 24 of my 37 day sugar free challenge. And by sugar free I have only cut out obvious naughties like cakes, biscuits and sweets. Homemade or otherwise. When I have slipped up its been to munch on one of my "Bliss Bombs" which contain agave and molasses. I have been feeling heaps better for it, and after the first two weeks which highlighted my heavy, heavy need for sweet things - processed and refined or otherwise -I find now that I am no longer craving it. Never thought I would get to this point! I also decided to chuck on a pair of jeans I had written off ages ago, and I fit them comfortably again - no muffin top! Thing is, I think after my 37 days is over I don't think I'd go back. More astonishingly still, I've just realised that I am not a fan of ice cream!! Its all weird and wonderful at the same time ;-)

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  29. Store bought muesli contains sugar, but you can make your own with rolled oats and an assortment of seeds and nuts that you like! Sugar free. And it tastes so, so much better than anything from the store.

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  30. I'm on day 2 of quitting sugar and bread - bread being my fav thing to eat. The kgs are'nt shifting after having my youngest and the sweet cravings have'nt gone since I finished breastfeeding. So! Drastic measures. I hope it lasts as I don't have terribly good willpower. Wish me luck!

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  31. What a delicious breakfast! I need to take more time preparing mine since yours has me so jealous!

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  32. This is very inspiring! I have been chatting to my husband about getting started doing something similar and you have make me get serious about it. We eat far too much sugar here.

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  33. Oh me too! I didn't realise how much I craved sugar until I cut it all out! x

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  34. I love reading this post! I too have cut down the amount of sugar in my diet. I totally believe it made all the difference in being able to shift post pregnancy weight, way more quickly than ever before! Thank you for sharing!

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  35. This is extremely inspiring! So do you only eat sourdough bread and no other types of bread? What about white rice?
    Ronnie xo

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