Have you been thinking about getting off sugar, but you just can’t imagine living without it? Maybe you’ve been following my experiment on eliminating all refined sugar, however you think it would just be too boring to live without it.
When I first read Sugar Blues
In 2004 I did cut out sugar and stayed true to it for approximately 7 or 8 months. I wasn’t as thorough as I have been these past few weeks since I began my experiment, but I lost weight and felt great with high energy and motivation for life. I was still eating raisins here and there, and I ate protein bars, so I did still struggle with sugar cravings.
I ended up eating sugar again and I still remember that I binged on a bunch of cheesecake when I gave in to my cravings for it. Obviously just by getting off the sugar for months, I still had no control when eating it again. I then went back and forth between healthy and non-healthy eating, and I eventually gained back much of the weight that I had previously lost. That sugared, processed food really does me in and I sabotage all of my best efforts to maintain a high level of health and fitness when I eat it.
A large reason that I never wanted to give up sugar in the first place was because I thought that life would be so boring without it. Of course, this is part of the craziness of my addiction to sugar talking, but I thought it was a good excuse. 😉 What would my days be like, how could I exist without my chocolate candies, ice cream, pie, cake…OK, I have to stop writing this because I don’t want to think about it!
What I have learned through my experiences with giving up sugar is that life is not boring, and in fact, it is much more peaceful and enjoyable. I have actually discovered that there are foods that I love that I never used to eat, and I still eat sweets! These sweets are all natural though, and one of the biggest surprises that I have had is learning that I love grapefruit. I only recently discovered this 4 months ago, and it’s very interesting since I cannot remember the last time that I tried it, although I was certain that I didn’t like it!
Here are the foods that I love to eat now that are my sweet foods:
- Grapefruit
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Bananas
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Peaches
- Apples
- Pears
- Plums
- Sweet Potatoes
There are even veggies that I love to eat now, that I never would have thought that I would enjoy:
- Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Bell Peppers
- Cabbage
There are other veggies that I have liked all along and I eat even more of them now. What is very interesting though, is that if I start eating processed, or fast, or any foods (even if homemade) containing sugar, my interest for the above whole foods drops drastically. I notice that I am not as hungry, and then all I want is more processed, sugared foods.
If you have the desire to kick your sugar habit, I hope that this article has given you some inspiration. In my experience, life is so much better when I am off sugar. I never would have thought that I would crave healthy foods, and although it has been a process (remember, I started eating like this initially in 2004), I can honestly say now that I look forward to my meals.
Has my desire for processed, sugared foods been completely erased? No, but it is greatly diminished, especially since I have cut out not only refined sugar, but also sugarless gum and protein bars (eliminates sugar alcohols), as well as foods high in natural sugar (raisins, oranges, Larabars) from my diet.
Life doesn’t have to be boring without sugar; it’s all what you make of it! 🙂
If this is the first time you have heard of Sugar Blues by William Dufty, I highly recommend it. You can find it here on Amazon:
On June 1, 2007 I decided to give up eating refined sugar and artificial sweeteners. I have been sugar-free for 7 weeks (with the exception of an occassional square of dark chocolate)- l and am very happy. I no longer crave sugar or the foods that contain it, I have lost weight and feel very energetic. I can now taste and enjoy the natural sweetness of the foods that I eat and this is very satisfying. My only regret is that I waited so long to do so. My goal is to work towards getting my children and husband sugar-free.
Billy, thank you so much for your comment, you are an inspiration!! 🙂
You know what, if you had been ready to get off of the sugar before, then you would have done it. So, I hope you don’t spend any more of your valuable time with regrets. 😉
I don’t know if I could do the occasional dark chocolate though…what are the ingredients of it, is it sweetened with sugar? I’d like to be able to moderate myself and do the same as you, but so far I have a problem if I eat even a little of those sweets. There is one time that I ate a dessert and then went right back to my healthy eating routine, so perhaps one day I can do that.
All the best to you with your children and husband. It is so true that your tastes actually change and you can taste the natural sweetness in whole foods….if your family is willing, they will also experience that! 🙂