I have successfully completed my second week of no added sugar! Whoo hoo! Not only that but I have continued to workout for 30 minutes everyday. It has been a great learning experience so far so let me share with you some insight.
The difficult:
- Going out to eat
- Being surrounded by sugar all the time
- Forgetting to check if sugar is in a product
- Confusing labels
- Refusing certain foods that are offered to me
Although I feel fortunate that I no longer even think about sweets or crave them, it has been an odd experience saying no in social settings. My family and I went out to eat and naturally we all wanted to save room for the amazing coconut ice cream. I had to politely remind everyone I could not have dessert but that if they want it, they should enjoy it. This did not feel too difficult but it was hard saying no to a sample being offered. Another challenge is reading labels. I am very good at reading labels because I have been decoding them for 11 years, BUT I am still learning. You might notice that some nutritional labels have 0 grams of sugar but in the ingredients sugar is listed. This is a mind trick! The reason the label says 0 grams is because it is based on the serving size. If the serving size is small enough, then technically there is not enough sugar to label it even though the recipe has it in it.
The Not So Difficult:
- Eating whole fruits
- Finding better snacks
- Enjoying feeling better
- Regaining willpower and determination
I am so proud that I can say no to sugar. It feels very rewarding to not need it and to be able to grab some nuts instead or eat vegetables with hummus. I realized that I do not really have a sweet tooth but instead I love savory foods. Luckily savory foods can be prepared very healthily with many vegetables and spices. I feel amazing after every daily exercise I accomplish because it was not long ago I couldn't physically make myself do what I am doing now.
I encourage you to empower yourself to say NO to added sugar and say YES to exercise, fresh whole fruits, and nutritious foods!
More wisdom and insight coming next week (week 3), so stay tuned!
- In Health,
Dr. Lauren Sanchez, ND