I have just challenged myself and I was wondering…anyone want to take the challenge with me?!?!?!
Please?
Pretty please with sugar on top?
OH WAIT! NO, NOT with sugar on top!
That’s what this challenge is about!
I have decided that I eat ENTIRELY TOO MUCH SUGAR.
I pride myself on eating well and feeding my family well.
And here I am eating valentine candy like a junky. (I tell myself that if I eat it, the candy won’t be around for the kids to eat…oh I’m such a good mother…thinking of the health of my children.)
AND, I also realllllly love to bake and have goodies on hand. I make them with unproccessed sugar and whole wheat flour so they are better…but it’s still sugar.
Sugar is so stinkin’ good. (as in yummy…not as in good for you)
And it is VERY addicting. Our bodies begin to crave it and that’s a fact.
So, in an effort to cleanse my system and feel great, I decided to challenge myself.
I started off with a small goal: Don’t eat sugar in any form for one whole day.
For those of you who go for days at a time without sugar, just never mind okay? Just leave me alone.
I don’t want to hear how easy that goal might seem to you.
YOU JUST DON’T KNOW HOW IT IS! IT’S HARD, OKAY?
(Wow, sounds like someone is having a little sugar withdrawl and is a little grouchy.)
Anyway, I went all day yesterday without sugar of any form. And I went to bed feeling great!
So then I decided to increase my goal: Don’t eat sugar for one week.
Maybe, just maybe, I’ll increase my goal after this week. I’m trying to be realistic with myself and not bite off more than I can chew (of course I’m not biting off anything that’s chewy, ooey, gooey…).
And then I decided that I needed help to do this thing, which is why I’m telling you about it.
And I also figured there might be others who want to take the challenge with me.
Any form of the challenge. One day, one week…even just cutting back to less sugar.
C’mon…we’re all sweet enough as it is. It’ll be good for you.
So give it some thought. I know you can do it!
If you decide to take the challenge…leave a comment or email me! Tell me what goal you have set for yourself. Maybe you have a different “health goal” you’ve set for yourself. Let us know about it.
If nothing else, leave me a comment and tell me what a good job I’m doing and how I’ll be so glad that I did this and I’m gonna feel so much better and have so much more energy… But whatever you do…do not mention chocola…
I SAID DON’T MENTION IT!
I’m an addict, remember?
Be sure to check back with me here tomorrow and find out how it’s going! I’ll be ready to fill you in on all the struggles and triumphs of this wonderful No Sugar Plunge!
C’mon and jump in with me!
Char says
Ok, it’s a little scary how much we’re on the same wavelength, but I was just thinking about this last night. Of course I only THOUGHT about it – I just finished up something sugary that rhymes with blocolate.
:-)
So, since I can’t start today, I’ll start tomorrow. I’ll have to start with no sugar for “one day”, because I’m not sure I can do an entire week… we’ll see how the day goes!
Oh, and does my artificial sweetner in my tea count? Cause if it does… I’m sunk.
Devildogwife says
I just wanted to wish you the best on your “quest”. I tried to do this several years ago, and did well for several months. Then, reality set in when hubby deployed. lol! Since he’s deployed again… I’ll just sit on the sidelines and cheer you along.
jayme says
I’m all in for tomorrow. I am NOT all in for Thursday (it is valentines day). I have BOGO coupons for Cold Stone Creamery and I am going to use them. You cannot stop me. But I’ll be all in again on Friday, Sat, and Sunday. And I will report back in to you on Monday. *gulp*
The Happy Housewife says
I wish I could join in but I don’t have the willpower! I could care less about candy and ice cream but if I don’t have my Pepsi at noon I can be an evil mom.
Wishing all the rest the best!
Blessings~
Donna says
Ok, I’m with you, I think. (As I lick the extra dark chocolate from my teeth, and I’m not kidding…) I have been wanting to do this as I am worried what I’m doing to my health but I can’t seem to find Healthy alternatives and I, like you, fix lots of baked goods for snacks (its better than little Debbie cakes!) but if there is a sweet to be had, I will eat it. I am a sugar-aholic, I admit it (whew!). ……But I am very much interested in “snack” recipes to replace cookies, cake, muffins, ahhhh, and the like! Lemme know if you come up with some goodies, please. ( I can’t believe I ran across you’re article right after sneaking a block of you know what….busted!);-)~
Jeanette says
Go you!! I have been thinking about this a lot. I have cut way back and actually lost almost 10 pounds in 2 weeks by just cutting back on sugar. Imagine how well I could do if I cut it all out!? Good luck!
christine says
There really should be a SAA (sugar addict anonymous!). I was a TOTAL addict.
My first week was like a detox. Good days and bad (with strict avoidance, we also found that we had a day or two of ‘the runs’ – which we were warned about – our bodies actually readjusting to functioning without the overload). At the end of the second week, I noticed a DRASTIC change in my cravings. Now, I allow myself one sugar treat about once a week. I have my kids on VERY low sugar consumption. For instance, we make more regular treats with honey or sweetened with fruits. All candy from parties and holidays goes into a basket. They are allowed one piece each day (at 3:30 – which is “candy time” in our house). If we eat out, they have to decide if they want a sugar ladened soda in exchange for “candy time.”
This was huge for me (HUGE). Before I took the plunge, I would lay awake at night craving something sweet. When I finished a big meal, and was stuffed to the gourd, the thought of more “dinner” disgusted me, but I could still down a piece of cheesecake without blinking an eye.
That has changed since I cut out refined sugars. Granted, you still have those days, occasionally (especially when the ole cycle and hormones are fluctuating – ugh). Yet, I can’t tell you how different things are now.
I can’t say that I WAS a sugar addict. Once an addict, always an addict. Just one too many brownies will shoot me right back off the wagon.
I jest, but you understand. It’s hard. It’s constant. Sometimes you feel like the sweet cravings completely rule your body. Hmmmm … because they do!
So, it’s worth it!! Email or write me anytime if you need a place to cry, or talk through a craving!!!!!
Melissa Markham says
I need to do this, but Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and I just got finished baking…well, we won’t talk about this. My head knows it is the right thing to do, but the rest of me isn’t ready.
Kudos to you. I know how tough a day can be!
Lilly says
You do know if you gave up sugar in any form you would be giving up fruit, vegetables, and most breads, all integral parts of a healthy diet.
The human body needs sugar to function correctly. If you gave up all sugar, glucose and fructose, which are very important to the human metabolism, would be abolished. It is virtually impossible to eliminate all sugar. Instead, you can eliminate sweets from your diet. I define sweets as cookies, candy, desserts, and–I’ll say it–chocolate.
Happy sweet-abstaining!
Jack's Mommy says
I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with gestational diabetes (high blood sugar durin pregnancy). I am currently on a no-sugar diet and lemmetellyou it is very very hard! lol …i almost choked up when i had to remind hubby not to get me any chocolaates for valentines. *sniff* :( the health of my baby is the only thing giving me enough willpower to say no to all the sugar in the world.
Melinda says
Ok I’m in. First I will try to make it one day without sugar. I am trully an addict and I found my self laughing when reading your post because I have told myself the same thing “if I eat this candy it won’t be around for the kids to eat so I need to eat this candy for their health.”
I also love to bake and have homemade treats for my family so I will definatly be trying the Peanut Butter Honey Bar recipe you posted today.
Good luck and thanks for inspiring me to give this a try.
darlenes says
I am with you on the whole “we eat healthy with fresh milled flour, everything from scratch” etc. But, boy, do I eat sugar to end it all off – everytime!!!
I’m with you for the challenge. At least tomorrow – I’ve already had two lemon squares this morning…
Erin says
I know I’m really late at joining, but I’ve thought about it, and I’m ready. At least for 30 days. I just wrote a whole post about it. You can check it out if you’d like. I could use the support
http://erin.fugal.net/blog/articles/2008/03/28/the-power-of-30-days-and-some-really-cute-aprons
How are things coming for you in this aspect?
Edna says
I just found your Blog today, May 22, 2008. It’s late but I’m jumping in tomorrow May 23, 2008 no more surgar for a month, (need to catch up). After a month, who needs sugar any way, right? Your page is wonderful!
Debbie says
At our home we made a rule that we were allowed three “treats” a week. That way I didn’t have to be the meanie and my kids had some kind of input as to when they got something sugary. This has worked really well for us. It’s amazing how much more fruit we eat now that we’re not filling ourselves up with junk.
Carla says
I’ll do it with you! My husband and I are giving up sugar for Lent, as a form of fasting before Easter. We did this last year as well. It’s amazing how sweet everyday foods begin to taste once you aren’t bombarding your taste buds with it in the form of cookies, etc. So I’ll be on the bandwagon with you as of Feb 25. (And I will try your pretzels too! )
Roseann says
I too am diabetic and I am having a hard time controling it. Giving up the chocolate, sodas, wouldn’t be so hard. I can sometimes go as long and I do mean as long as a week. However, sugar is found in pretty much everything we eat except for some protein foods. I love pasta, bread, tortillas, fruit and vegetables. I imagine if I were to cut out all sugar intake, I guess I would be on a all protein diet, excluding peanut butter, and then to much protein is bad for your liver. What to do, what to do? If I was craving something like chocolate, I could trade my dinner for a candy bar the only difference is the empty calories and the nutrition value. All I can say is pretty much good luck on achieving your goal. I would say that just about everyone is some type of an addict in one form or another. The carbohydrates are the pushers and we are the junkies.
Karen says
Wow – I’m lovin’ your site! I know you did this challenge last year. But I just wanted to say that I try to limit our sugar intake – natural and white alike. I don’t buy white sugar and flour. We eat a whole foods style diet. When I revamped our diet, I tried to not have any sugar that whole first week. And I succeeded. I splurged on that Saturday. Unfortunately, I splurged too much. I allowed myself one cheat day a week. However, I’ve found that I need to eat this way EVERY day and I allow myself a treat now and again. Now, I limit our sugar intake daily. We actually even eat oatmeal with no sugar – just fruit. I treat myself to a cup of coffee in the evening if I get all my water in during the day. I use 1 tsp. evaporated cane juice for my sweetener. I love your posts during the no-sugar challenge. Thanks for being so real and sharing your struggles with us all! And thanks for the info. regarding natural sweeteners. I’m going to check into the rapadura from Azure.
Take care,
Karen
Tracy N says
I see you started this challenge about 2 years ago now. Have you made honey, maple syrup, molasses, or stevia substitutions with any of your recipes listed here? If so, I would be interested in knowing what they are. I have been making a lot of your recipes and they are delicious! I make them the first time using only your listed ingredients and then I try to replace the rapadura with one of the sweeteners listed above. If you have already done this,it would save me lots of time and money to know what works and what does not. I will also let you know what substitutions work for me. Thank you very much!
Deborah says
I just wanted to say how much I love that you do this blog. I recently became a Christian, and have recently developed some deep convictions about the way I eat. I try to eat ‘Biblically’ as I call it, trying to follow the food laws set down by God through Moses. It’s been really difficult, but I’m just starting to add sweets back into my diet. I’m finding great luck with sweets on Gluten-Free recipe blogs. Honey candy and skinny monkey cookies are both sugar free, but no chemicals!
My current rules:
No white sugar (honey and agave are OK, but only in small quantities.)
No white flour (I’m making an exception for my birthday next week, though. I’m not the one making the cake.)
Nothing I cannot pronounce or define (While I can pronounce Maltodextrin, I have no idea what it actually is. The same goes for MSG and any food dyes)
No fast food.
No meat unless it’s Organic
I’m not quite to the raw, whole milk thing yet, but I will probably go there when I start eating cereal again. As long as I can predict what I’m going to be eating. I have a bad habit of getting too busy and forgetting what food I have in the fridge.