Maintaining Change

Here comes the point where I always struggle.  I have done so well the last couple of weeks making a huge change and I feel amazing.  Now I need to maintain all of those good habits I have built and keep going.  As I have said a bunch of times sugar is gone forever.  I know myself well though and without the accountability level I had I need to work hard to keep from slipping.  So I will continue to log everything I eat, I will continue to post here and I will continue to reach out for support as needed.

I have always been told that making a big change is the easy part.  It's the maintenance that is a challenge.  Yesterday is a great example.  Since I "could" have honey or maple syrup and I have a recipe for delicious peanut butter cups made with just coconut oil, cacao powder, maple syrup and peanut butter, I couldn't stop thinking about them.  So I didn't make them.  I didn't need them and was in a place where I would have eaten more than I needed.  So I had a little peanut butter on a spoon and went to bed.  I was happy and got that peanut buttery goodness.  I will make some of the cups on the weekend when my head is in a better place.  Tonight I was feeling too lazy, after the  tiring task of shoe shopping for the girls, to bother making a mess:).

The girls are back to school on Tuesday and I can't wait.  The first few weeks I enjoy the lunch making process and this year they will be very involved in that process too.  They helped a lot last year but this year they will do more.  It's a great chance to help them learn to make healthy and balanced choices.

Thursday is the trip to the CNE.  I will make sure to document and share how it goes when we get home.

Challenge Complete!!

A few weeks ago I sent my Naturopath a message saying I wanted to work on cutting out refined and unnecessary added sugar from my life.  She came up with a plan that started with this two week challenge.    I started about a week later and am not finished with the challenge.  It's amazing to me how fast the two weeks has gone!!   I think the biggest accomplishment of this whole challenge is sticking with it through 2 birthday and our anniversary.  Not once did I take a bite of something with sugar in it.  Tonight I had a conversation with a couple of my aunt's and my mother in law about it and explained everything I am doing and why.  I wanted to be really clear with them that this isn't about weight loss but about better health.  I also wanted to be really clear that I can still eat anything I want as long as I make sure it is added sugar free.  They had a couple of questions and didn't agree so much with a couple of things I said but that is their choice.  I haven't felt at all deprived during this challenge and am very satisfied with what I am eating. 
I made a sugar free banana cake today that was pretty good and that other people said was good.  They were very honest and agreed that the "frosting" needed work but that the cake part was not bad at all.  Next up is a sugar free carrot cake.
What changes now that the challenge is done? Nothing really.  I have said all along that I don't intend to go back to eating sugar.  During the challenge we eliminated all added sugar. Tomorrow I can add natural added sugars in. I have set limits on those though.  Honey, maple syrup and dates will be the main ones added.  On occasion I may use some fresh fruit juice (like squeezed from an orange fresh) or Stevia but I don't like the taste of it much.  Otherwise if it isn't naturally sweetened I won't eat it.  It's that simple:)

Everyday Success

Day 13 has nearly come to an end.  This two week challenge is done after tomorrow and then the real work begins.  I won't have the same level of accountability as I do now. This means I have to be even more diligent than I am now.  I need some goals for this to happen.  I was asked today to set three things that I need to do daily to ensure success.  This isn't necessarily food related but just goals to drive my days.  One is personal, one is business or athletic and one is doing something for others.

My personal one is pretty easy: eat nutritious food that fuels my body and my exercise as well as ensuring that I get some sort of fitness in.  Whether that is a run, bike ride, yoga class, walk or strength training I needs to happen.

The business related goal: Make sure that I am keeping up on paperwork that needs to be done.  I can be terrible at keeping things up to date so this will be a good one.

Doing something for another: this will change day to day.  I work in a helping profession so I do something each day at work to help people but I will work on broadening this.  I won't say specifically what I will do but I will do it and I will start keeping track of it for a while.  Things like buying a coffee for someone, helping someone with bags at the store, helping someone in need.  All these things and more. 

Today has been a good day.  Saturdays are pretty routine around here.  We made our weekly trip to the market, went to Karate and did the rest of our shopping.  I had to get things done for Christina's party tomorrow. My kids (with lots of help from grandma) made us a wonderful anniversary dinner.  Now it's time to relax and wait for our surprise guests.  My stepdaughter and her girlfriend are on their way and no one but me knows:). I can't wait!! 

Nudge, Nudge

Today has been a busy but productive one.  We have a lot going on this weekend.  My stepdaughter and her girlfriend are coming for the night tomorrow, it's our 12th anniversary and Sunday is my daughter's birthday party. Lots to get done with not enough time so this may be a short one.

Sometimes we need a bit of a nudge to get started on something new.  Today I was asked to write about what I would tell someone who wants to start but needs a nudge, or what I would tell myself before starting.  I would tell them it isn't as scary as it sounds and it really isn't that hard.  If you take the time to prepare and give yourself time to shop there are still loads of things you can have.  The other thing I would encourage them is to not look at it as "I can't have..." But as "I can have whatever I want but I am choosing not to have...".  These two things have made a huge difference to me.  I also encourage finding a person or group who is doing the same.  It's been great being able to send a quick email or Facebook message when I have a question or success. 

Having that right mindset is going to be the key but you can't always wait for a click to happen. If you are even considering dropping refined sugars do it.  I happen to know a pretty good support person who can help you get started:)

It has been almost 2 weeks now and I am super excited with the changes I am feeling.  More energy, less craving bad food.  As I said the other day I haven't even really craved sweets much.  I baked a sugar free banana cake today and took a tiny bit off the top when it cooled to see what it tasted like and it was just sweet enough.  Once I get the cream cheese topping on it will be amazing I think.  I will know for sure on Sunday and will let you all know!!

Here's to an amazing, fun filled weekend!!

Community, it's more than where you live!

Community is all around us.  We tend to automatically think of community in the physical sense of where we live.  The places we can physically go.  It's so much more than that.  It's the people we surround ourselves with both in real life and often through social media.  It's the sense of connectedness we have when we are a part of something.  We all need community to be successful in everything we do. 

So part of becoming sugar free is going to involve community too of course.  I don't know many people in real life who are sugar free but I am certainly starting to share that I am.  In doing that I have had a few people ask questions and say they might be interested in trying it.  They know they can ask questions and I am happy to help any time they decide to try it. I would love to have a group of friends who live this way that I can share recipes with and get together with on a regular basis.  Throughout this initial challenge I have had the support of my Naturopath and it has been great. When she runs it with a group of people I will definitely connect with that group. I figure I can offer experience to the group but also make connections with like-minded people.

Probably where I have found the biggest community so far for this sugar free lifestyle has been online.  There is a blog I have followed for a while that is run by a guy who has been sugar free for a couple of years now.  I have also found a few Instagram accounts where I have seen recipes and suggestions.  While searching for recipes I have found other blogs and websites too.   I love the internet for that kind of thing, especially for something where there aren't a lot of people locally.

I am hoping that as people see the positive changes that come from not eating sugar they will start asking questions.  If even one person decides they want to make this change because of what I am doing that will be awesome!

Flexibility

Flexibility is something I am not good at.  I am not good at it physically and I am worse mentally.  I think I can be flexible but then something happens and I either dig my heals in or go along grudgingly.  It's not something I am proud of but it's the truth. However we have to be flexible at times so I need to learn it.

When it comes to sugar there will be times I will be faced with choices and we all know that denying the things we really want only makes us want them more so I need to be flexible.  I have always believed in the "everything in moderation" rule but these last 10 days I have learned that I don't know how to do sugar in moderation.  Not having it hasn't bothered me at all.  Sure I have missed chocolate but once this initial two week challenge is done I have a recipe for peanut butter cups that uses all natural and good ingredients like honey or maple syrup and is amazing.  What scares me is the fact that I know once I have something sugary I am going to want more and more.  I am hopeful that small amounts of natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup or dates won't have the same effect as the refined sugars.

So back to flexibility, how am I going to do it?  I have spent a good part of today thinking about it.  I know that I never want to go back to what I have just come from.  I feel good and I like that.  I honestly don't know how I am going to be flexible when it comes to sugar. However,  I also know that there will be times that I want something that everyone else is having rather than something "good" but I also know the slippery slope that "just this time" is for me.  So how do I do this?  I guess it will have to take a lot of thought.  For now I think it will look something like this.  If it is something really sugary I will have to consider things like where I am, what it is and how it will make me feel.  If I can have one or two bites and move on or if it is something that will sit on my counter or in the fridge tempting me. If there is something else that is equally yummy and less sugar filled.  If it is something that is going to hurt after I eat it by causing me heartburn or stomach pain it's not worth it no matter how good it tastes.  Sounds like a lot but knowing myself this will honestly take a couple of seconds.  If after I decide I don't want it I feel annoyed or frustrated that I am not having it I may have a taste but not often. 

Then there will be the things that may have added sugar but that I don't have much control over.  Things like sauces at restaurants or if we go somewhere and there becomes no choice around what I eat.  Then I will have to make the best choices I can and move on.  I can preplan all I want and bring things with me when I know there will be things I don't want to eat but there will come a day when I get stuck and I can't just not eat. 

There is also always the option to bring things with me when going to peoples houses.  I can learn to make the things I love with natural sweeteners rather than refined sugar and share them with everyone.

It's all going to be based on overall impact and long term effects.  I know it can be done and I know I can make good choices. 

So that is what flexibility looks like to me. There is a lot of rambling and it all could change depending on situations but all I can do is plan as much as possible, make the best choices and trust my instincts. I don't anticipate making many choices to eat stuff with added sugar but will be open to the fact that I can't always have control.  Really flexibility is also about giving up control sometimes:) 

Let's go to the Ex....Oh boy!!!

So far this change hasn't posed too many unknown or unpredictable moments.  I have been able to plan and control my meals quite easily and have had lots of options of good choices available.  That won't always be the case so I need to be able to deal with those unknown situations.  I asked for help today with it and was told to make a "if/then" plan.  So IF ? happens THEN I will.....

This conversation started because my daughter's favourite birthday outing is to go to the Canadian National Exhibition.  I was feeling pretty stressed about how I was going to manoeuvre things. There is a LOT of food and not good stuff.  I don't know if we are allowed to bring in our own food because we have always gotten food there.  It's part of the experience really.  The media tells us all the good and weird foods there are going to be weeks before it starts.  So I asked for help, was given it and have made an If/Then plan.  I feel much better now even if I don't know exactly what will happen I have a plan.

I have started with sending an email asking what the policy is on bringing food in.  I have also looked at the website to see all the options for food.  There are so many and no menus so it is near impossible to know what is going to fit my choices and what is not.  So I have a two tiered plan I think.  The first is, IF I can bring in food, THEN I will bring most of the food we need for the day. I will still buy the rest of the family one meal.  IF I can find something there THEN I will buy me one too. IF I can't THEN I'll make sure I have an extra peanut butter sandwich in my bag just in case:).

IF I can't bring food in THEN I will do way more research.  I have found a couple of places there that I know I can get a salad so that is always an option.  IF I have to buy my food there THEN I will spend some of the time before we are starving to walk around the booths and find something that fits my choices so that when we are ready to eat I can just get it.  It is always so crazy there that when it is time to eat you have to just pick something and go with it. Sometimes the lines are long, it's hot and the kids aren't terribly patient so planning is going to be key. I know I can do this.  I know it won't be as hard as I think (or maybe it will) BUT it will be totally worth it. Once I do this all other situations will be that much easier.

Today has been another good one.  I had a chocolate cake temptation but chose a pear instead.  I know it is no where near the same but it was still good.  The cake actually smelled too sweet.  Don't get me wrong there was a huge part of me who wanted a tiny bite but I just told myself that it wouldn't be as good as I thought, would give me incredibly bad heartburn and I would feel like crap after.  I made the good choice and won't regret it later.  It's amazing what you can do when you really decide you are ready.

Be Specific!!

When we make goals we have to be specific so that our body and brain can know exactly which way to go.  When I decided to quit eating all the refined sugar I was asked to say why or what the goal was.  Basically I wanted to eliminate something that I knew was not beneficial to my body and that I knew was stopping me from reaching my bigger goals of being a healthy strong person.  I would even go as far as saying I was addicted to it.  Once I had some I would want more.  One cookie always turned to more, something sweet always lead to something salty and so on.  It just needed to stop.  So now that I am a week added/refined sugar free I need to get more specific with those goals.  I was asked today to set some more specific goals that I will work on each day that will lead to the bigger goals.

One thing  that I believe has become very important is tracking everything I eat and reporting it to someone.  That didn't start as a goal but it truly is one now.  I will track every bite that goes into my mouth.  I am not so worry about tracking the calories since what I am eating now is mostly whole, natural foods the calories tend to naturally be lower and don't add up as quickly. 

Another step that needs to happen everyday and that I have really learned is important to me is checking in with someone.  I will also find someone that I can check in quickly with when I am in a situation where food is or may be an issue. 

My third but biggest goal that I have always struggled with is food prep.  I hate making things ahead but need to make time to get my breakfast and lunch made in the morning. When I don't do this I am more likely to end up with poor quality food or skipping lunch altogether.  Lunch is probably the one I need to work on most.  I can save a lot of money and stress if I am just prepared.  My husband is awesome and will make me a huge salad and then I just have to add a few other things for the day.  This may be an even bigger goal in the winter when I want warm lunches rather than salad. 

Now that I am done day 8 I really know that I can do it.  I haven't really missed anything except maybe a little bit of chocolate and that I am working on a solution for:).  Things are starting to taste better and I don't really worry about missing out on anything.  There will always be challenges but I will face them as they come and it will always work out.  Certain situations will require advance planning while others will just require creativity.  I feel better and will never regret this decision!

Week One Done

It has been a full week with no added or refined sugar.  Overall things have been easier than I expected.  I feel more energy most of the time and not near as much heartburn.  I have found that things taste differently now.  Salty is extra salty and sweet is extra sweet. 

Some challenges through the week were around specific foods that didn't seem to come without added sugar.  Ketchup being a big one.  Today I found a recipe and made my own.  It turned out pretty good. 
The other struggle was a little different.  I don't want my kids to think this is about can and can't have things.  I want them to understand that I am making a choice and why.  I try to talk about food being fuel for our bodies like gas for the car.  I explain that I want the best fuel I can get. I think they are starting to get it.

Something really cool that I have found this week is that my heart rate is lower.  I got a smartwatch about 2 weeks ago and have played with checking my heart rate a few times a day.  The readings have been considerably lower this week without the sugar and with better foods.

This coming week I will continue to find new foods and recipes that are refined sugar free.  I will also incorporate a couple more workouts.  I got 4 in this week.  I find that time at the gym a great time to relax and think.  I always feel much more refreshed at the end.  I think I will also try to get to a Yoga class at the YMCA.  I went to one before but the instructor wasn't great.  I will try again.  Of course I will also keep going with my meditation. 

I'm very happy I took this first step to eliminating refined sugar.  It only gets better from here!!!

Meditation Attempt

For a long time I have wanted to try out some meditation. I have heard many times how it can be a great start and/or end to the day.  How you can use it to mentally prepare for the day or to clear your mind before bed, or just to reset after a stressful situation I have just never known where to start.  Today I was given the task of doing a short meditation exercise so I jumped on it.  I downloaded a short guided meditation program.  I attempted the first recording after dinner today and here is what I learned.  I will be honest and say I had a hard time with it.  I don't feel like I picked the best time for it and I had a hard time shutting things out.  I think this will work better very early in the morning after a good workout. I felt more calm and relaxed afterward without a doubt but I couldn't shut things out because there was a lot of background noise. I enjoyed the process and the fact that I had that few minutes to focus on what is important right now.  I had a busy day out doing some shopping and was struggling to slow down after dinner.  I think the time I took to stop and attempt to focus on the meditation helped me to calm before spending a quiet evening with the family.  I liked it enough to give it a good try.  I will start with that bit of time I have after my morning workouts.  It will also be a good way to cool down before getting ready for work.  The program I downloaded is 21 days so I will report again when it is done.

As for day 6 with no refined or added sugar, it has gone well.  While the rest of the family had ice cream after dinner I made a peach sorbet type dessert for me.  I blended frozen peaches with unsweetened coconut milk and cinnamon.  It was delicious!!  I have been looking for a lot of refined sugar free recipes and have a lot of great fresh foods in the house.  Tomorrow is a relaxed day so I plan to do some experimenting in the kitchen.  If anything good comes out of it I'll be sure to share!

Looking Deeper

I have never thought of myself as an emotional eater.  When asked about why I eat I generally say do it from boredom or habit. That is true to an extent however this week I have learned a little more about myself.  I still won't say I am a hugely emotional eater but there have been times that I have wanted something when I wasn't hungry.  Often it came from discomfort. Like being in a place where I felt like people were judging, wondering what I am doing and why. I wanted chocolate!!  The other time was when I was annoyed with someone or something.  It's interesting how it works when you really pay attention.  It's going to be important to have strategies to deal with those things.  Things I am going to try to do are get up and move when I am uncomfortable.  I may have to go back to that situation but I can take the minute to walk and remind myself that whatever it is I am doing is fine and if someone doesn't like it then that is their thing to deal with.  When I am annoyed I will have to recognise that I have a choice to let whatever bother me or to move on and let go.  One of the favourite things someone once said to me is that you get to choose how you react in all situations. So I can react to things by going for food or I can react by moving on. I will choose moving on.

Day 5 is all but done. Today was not a hard day but harder.  I didn't get to the store last night for a few things so I had to buy stuff for lunch.  Instead of fast food I went to the store and picked a veggie box and hummus.  I also wanted some salty crunch and was looking at stuff for my daughter's party.  I found that Tostitos original don't have added sugar so I grabbed some of those.  I shared all my stuff with some volunteers that have been good to people I support.  I left the leftover chips and hummus behind because they are a weakness.

Tomorrow is the weekend and I am ready for some relaxation!

Use Your Strengths

We have all been in an interview where they ask you to list your strengths or say why we would be an asset.  We all know how hard that question is to answer.  No one likes to sounds like they are bragging. However, we need to recognise our strengths and embrace them so that we can be successful. 

Two of my biggest strengths are determination and stubbornness. If someone tells me I can't then I want to prove that I can. If someone says it will be too hard I want to show it is not.  I get frustrated when I am told it's impossible or not going to work.  So I am going to use that with this transition. There will be so many people who will say it's not worth the trouble or who will tell me all the things I can't have anymore. I will show them that it's not that hard and that I can still eat anything I want with modifications. If life was easy life would be boring.

I haven't actually told that many people what I am doing yet because I want to be well into this so people can actually see that I am doing it. I want to be able to say I haven't had the added/refined sugar in a long time to show that the work is worth it. That is the stubbornness.

Day four has almost come to an end and I have stayed strong. Before our team meeting I opened my cupboard at work to get my almonds out and found the tub of chocolate covered raisins that I bought a couple weeks ago. Without hesitation I took them out and walked to a co-workers office and handed them over. She likes them and will eat them so why waste them?  Someone may as well have them.  Determination!!

As for withdrawal symptoms I had a bit of a headache this morning and my stomach was doing some interesting things but it all seems to have worked itself out now.  I ran this morning and felt pretty good during it.  I had a moment about half way in where I felt a little nauseous but that could have been the heat too. 

The weekend is coming and that is probably going to be the hardest part.  I am going to do some experimenting and come up with some more on the go lunches for work. Of course a trip to the Farmer's Market will be in order.

Overcoming Setbacks and Moving On

We all start these journeys with the best of intentions.  We are determined, we do all the right things and yet we all deal with setbacks at some point. It's just part of life. I suppose there are some who sail though but I think that is the exception to the rule.  I know anyone who has read this blog knows that I have blundered my way along making lots of great progress just to step back and undo it.  Can I say where I went wrong or what I did wrong? If I am really honest I did it with the wrong mindset.  Maybe I wasn't really doing it for me. Maybe it was half hearted and maybe I wasn't viewing some of the changes as forever.  Whatever the reasons for the setbacks I certainly didn't handle them well.  I don't know why exactly.  So what am I going to learn from all that so that I can be successful and deal with setbacks moving forward? I am going to accept things as they are and I am going to ask for help where I need it and from the right people. I think some setbacks come from listening to that inner critic (or the outer ones) too much when they said I was failing and not listening to what I really want.  I want to run faster, lift heavier, fit in regular clothes and just be healthy!

Well it's almost the end of the third day with no refined/added sugar in my diet and strangely I feel good.  I have had small moments where I felt off but no major withdrawal. No headaches which is the best part. I ate well and got to the gym for a 45 minute strength workout. Overall I feel fine. Here's to tomorrow and another great day!

Slaying the Inner Critic

Ah that pesky voice in your head that tries to tell you what to do.  That inner critic that doubts and tries to sabotage.  We all have it and we all have a choice of whether to listen or ignore.  For me to be successful I need to ignore.  Sometimes that voice sounds an awful lot like ourselves and sometimes it sounds like someone we know. Either way we have to find a way to stop them. It's hard but worth it.  I think when it comes to this challenge the hardest thought is going to be the one that says "it's just a little sugar, it won't hurt". You know what? For some people that might be right but not for me.  I have learned that a little turns into a lot.  So to that voice I have to say stop and I have to say that I am worth this change no matter what happens. I am worth the effort it is going to take to make sure I am healthy and here for a very long time. The voice may tell me it's too much work to read every label and ask for information but I will remind that critic that it told me running a half marathon would be too much work and look where that ended.  The next couple days will probably be the worst when I start feeling the withdrawal and the voice tells me to just give up so that I won't feel sick. I just have to tell it to shut up and remind myself that the gross feeling will pass and I will be glad for it in the end.  We just have to keep shutting that inner critic down and in time (I hope) it will give up! 

I also know there will be outer critics who think this is silly or not necessary but to me it is and I just have to be strong and put their doubt aside. I am worth it and that's that.

Day two with no refined sugar is just about done and I am rather proud.  I had opportunities to slip today but I didn't.  I had two meetings that involved being around temptations and both times I made good choices. The first chance I chose a plain old black coffee but the choice I am most proud of is when it came to dinner. I was working late and one meeting involved dinner at a pub.  I didn't get to choose the location but I asked lots of questions and asked for modifications to ensure that my meal had no refined sugar in it.  That is a huge success for me because I don't like to be a bother but I put myself first this time. 

Changes, challenges and temptation!

Oh hi again.  It's been a really long time since I have posted because I got really tired of posting the same thing over and over.  The broken promises of better eating. The big plans that I didn't always fulfill. Today that changes. 

Today I take back power over food and over my life.  Today I have cut refined sugar from my life.  A few months ago I decided it was time for some changes. My stomach was in constant discomfort. I was tired and cranky. I was still exercising regularly but not eating well. I decided to see a Naturopath in hopes of being able to heal my body instead of treating symptoms. I am happy to say that the heartburn that used to plague me without meds is now mild to none most of the time. We are also working on my PCOS issues. A couple weeks ago I asked her for tips on cutting out refined sugar since I know it is a huge issue for me.  She ran with it which brings me to today.

Today is day one of my life without refined sugar. It starts with a two week challenge where I will keep accountable and receive support. Once that is over we will see what is next but the thing I know is that the sugar stays gone! 

So why did I come back here to talk about all this now?  Journalling!!  Each day I am encouraged to write about a topic she sends me.  Today's topic is Temptations!!

What are my biggest temptation spots? What am I going to do to deal with them?

The worst spots for me when it comes to sugar are Starbucks, Tim Horton's and my couch! The first two are easiest to avoid.  I love Starbucks but also have no problem just getting a black coffee. Tim Horton's I don't love as much but I go there with people I support at times and can just get black coffee there too.  How will I avoid getting more? I just won't bring my wallet in.
My couch is another story though. If the stuff isn't in my house it isn't going to be so bad. So I just won't buy it.  The trouble will be when other people bring it in. My mom likes sweets and will buy them for her. My kids now get their own money and can get to the corner store to get things.  The other issue with the couch is boredom. When I sit down in the evening after the kids go to bed is when I am most tempted to snack. I have been working on that over the last couple of months but still struggle. I have other things I can do but sometimes the best solution is to just go to bed when the kids do.  Since I want to be getting by at 5:30am to workout this is helpful.
I am sure other Temptations will come up as time goes on. Dinner out with friends, get togethers at other peoples houses and so on but I will deal with those as they come. I can look at menus ahead of time, bring something to share and just be mindful of what I am doing. It will all work itself out in the end.