Being Sick - an update so far.

For the past month (yes month) we have all had various colds, throat infections and ear infections. I've been particularly sick the last few weeks and have had trouble shaking it off. Probably due to being pregnant.

Because of my pregnancy I am unable (and unwilling) to take most medication. I finally had to take panadol and a short course of antibiotics but up until then I was easing my symptoms with the usual cough lollies and hot honey and lemon tea. All of which contain sugar!

Vicks vapor drops, butter menthols, lemsip and even homemade honey and lemon tea all have sugar and that was really all I could take. Now that I am slowly getting better and am beginning to be interested in food again (I haven't been able to taste anything for 2 weeks), I am craving sweet foods.

Even when I can't taste anything I eat I was still searching for sweet things. Is this because my desire to eat sugar is purely in my mind? Perhaps. I have no scientific evidence to back this up. This is purely anecdotal evidence based on me. But, it does help me to understand my sugar addiction and my bodies response to it.

I am only having a couple of cough lollies a day now and over the next couple of days will probably no longer need them. After that I will have to go through the process of ridding my body of sugar (again). I don't feel so overwhelmed by this and I don't think it will be the same as the first time.

I think some of the reasons are because of the habits we had begun to put in place before becoming sick:

• There is no sugar/junk/processed food in the house.
• I am still in the right frame of mind to avoid sugar.
• We no longer eat take-away or fast food as a regular meal (less than once a fortnight now)
• I can comfortably say no to food in a social setting.

And I know it will only be a day or two before I no longer crave sugar. Also I must admit the craving is not as intense as before I quit sugar and it is quite easy to distract myself for the feeling to pass.

We are doing well.

Quitting Sugar - Day 22

Just a very quick post today.

We've been sugar free for 3 weeks now. There has been a little bit of sugar now and then. Miss Berry's birthday for example, but on a day to day basis there is no sugar in our diet now.

And the verdict so far - we feel great. Both Mr Berry and myself agree we feel more rested when we wake up in the morning so we're sleeping better. We feel lighter (for want of a better description). I would probably describe it as less bloated except that my belly is getting bigger every day now. We have clearer minds and neither of us are spending a huge amount of time thinking about food.

Food is tasting better now. Not only is fruit tasting a lot sweeter but other food is beginning to taste more complex (in a good way).

I still have to make sure I stop myself from picking up a chocolate bar at the check out. I think that will take a long time to break that habit, but I'm not feeling deprived when I don't have chocolate. I never thought I would feel that way - ever.

Quitting Sugar - Day 17

As I mentioned here, the past weekend was Miss Berry's birthday party and we did have some sugar. But on Sunday we removed the cake from the house and became sugar free again. I found myself searching for sugar on Sunday and Monday afternoons but the cravings weren't as intense as they were before we quit.

Today I've been back on track and didn't get any sugar cravings. I was expecting a really hard couple of days after having a bit of sugar but it's been quite manageable. The important thing was to keep remembering why we are doing this. I am so determined to stay sugar free that it is becoming easier to say no to sugar foods.

I've also noticed that I am not snacking as much now. I am eating enough at mealtimes to carry me through to the next meal. I do wake up hungry but that's hardly surprising and I think it's the way it should be. After all it's been around 12 hours since dinner. 

Links - Recipes

I've been cruising the internet looking for recipes and inspiration lately. And because I obviously have way too much time on my hands.

Here are some sites worth checking out:

Sarah Wilson
http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/
I've bought both her I Quit Sugar Program and the Cookbook and there are some great recipes I am trying out. In particular are some breakfast recipes here.

 

 

Holistic Kid
http://www.holistickid.com/
I've only had a brief look but there are some good recipes here. I am going to try out some of the snacks for the kids.

Nom Nom Paleo
http://nomnompaleo.com/
Once again, another paleo based site but heaps of yummy recipes to try out.

Michael Pollan
http://michaelpollan.com/
I love his 7 favourite food rules here.

Quitting Sugar - Week 2

Well this week has really flown. We've had some challenges this week but I think we've made it through really well. We planned ahead and whilst haven't avoided sugar completely we have minimised it as best we could.

Miss Berry turned 5 this week so you can only imagine the amount of sugar usually involved in a 5 year old's birthday. Normally we go a bit over board for Birthdays and have three cakes (one for the actual birthday, one for the family party and one for the friends party) as well as all the lollies, food, soft drink and juices that go with Birthdays.

This year we scaled it right back - although admittedly not for the sugar reason. But it certainly helped minimise our exposure to sugar.

Here is a quick run down of the sugar I ate over the past couple of days:

• The Birthday Dinner (McDonalds - her choice, not ours)
• McChicken (0.75 tsp)
• Fries (0 tsp)
• Water (0 tsp obviously)
• Apple Pie (1.75 tsp)
• The Birthday Party
• Birthday Cake
• A couple of lollies

I looked up the sugar amounts in McDonalds from The Sweet Poison Quit Plan before we left for dinner. For the record, the apple pie really put me over the edge. I felt so very sick that night. Really uncomfortable in the stomach with a really heavy feeling. Could have been the sugar or just the McDonalds in general. Not sure but either way we won't be rushing back for a while.

I don't even want to think of the amount of sugar in the lollies or the cake (I made the cake, there was a lot of sugar). But I could only manage the smallest piece of cake as it was too sweet.

All in all I'm ok with what I've eaten over the past couple of days. It was a Birthday Party after all and my other meals were our usual sugar free fare. Miss Berry has had a fair bit of sugar and I think we will have a few rough days next week as she gets it out of her system again. On a positive note she tried a fruit roll up for the first time and took a couple of bites then threw it out. I think we might be getting through to her taste buds.

Quitting Sugar - Day 10

This week is Miss Berry's 5th birthday and it will be my biggest challenge this week.

We are having a small party for her on Saturday which will obviously require a cake. She also takes some little cupcakes to preschool so they can celebrate her birthday.

Usually we would also have a cake for dessert on the night of her birthday as well as a family party (as in with the extended family). Yes, that's a lot of cake and a lot of party food. This year we've decided to keep the cakes for the party and preschool and we're not going to have a family party. Our extended family will be dropping in here and there to wish her Happy Birthday over the week.

I am not sure whether I will have a piece of her cake on Saturday. At the moment I don't feel like eating cake. I really don't want to have to start all over again and am worried a but of refined sugar will do that to me. I'll think about it over the next couple of days and make a firm decision before Saturday. I can keep myself really busy during the party so I'm not standing there watching everyone else eat cake. That will help.

Quitting Sugar - Day 8 & 9

Days 8 & 9 (otherwise known as the weekend).

I'm not going to post over the weekends. Purely because we spend a lot of time as a family on the weekend and I don't want to eat into that precious time. So here is a run down of the main sugar event during our second weekend sugar free.

I found a packet of M&Ms in the cupboard Saturday afternoon. I'd forgotten about them and they fell out when I pulled out another Tupperware container. I didn't throw them out but put them back in the cupboard and went about my afternoon.

I didn't feel any desire to eat them when I found them but as the afternoon wore on I began thinking about them more and more. It was like it was my little secret and I began obsessing about them. I felt like I was turning into a monster that needed to sniff out sugar to survive. They were in the cupboard taunting me.

After the kids went to bed we sat down on the lounge and this is usually the time we would indulge in sugar. I ended up blurting out my secret to Mr Berry almost as soon as we sat down. It was like I couldn't contain it any longer and had to unburden myself. As soon as I told him it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Mr Berry put them in the big bin outside (he was going to put them in the kitchen bin but I am sorry to say I felt I could have taken them out of there and eaten them anyway).

Once they were in the bin I forgot about them and no longer felt I needed sugar. I think it was the fact they were in the house and we were no longer eating sugar that made them so tempting. They were the forbidden fruit.

I think this just goes to show that whilst my cravings for sugar are diminishing, it will be a long time before I can have chocolate or confectionery in the house without wanting to eat it. I am definitely not ready to have my will power tested. (Actually, I have no will power at all. I think I've just proven that.)

But Sunday night came around and we are still sugar free and feeling great. Not only are we starting to feel less sluggish and tired but I think we both feel a real sense of achievement for continuing this journey.

Quitting Sugar - Day 7

Our first week has come to a close and I am really proud of all of us. We made it through the first week and things have become a little easier. I think the desire for sugary foods is more psychological now rather than physical. Chocolate was the first thing I reached for when I was stressed or upset or tired or happy or .....

.... you get the picture right?

As I was saying, junk food (particularly chocolate) has been my emotional crutch for a long long time so it will take me a while to not want chocolate in emotional situations. I am working on using other coping mechanism such as getting out of the house or doing housework.

I have also pulled out some embroidery I started ages ago to help keep my hands busy at night. Instead of snacking on junk food in front of the TV after dinner I am keeping my hands busy by sewing. Also there is no way I would put chocolate anywhere near my embroidery. All that hard work!

I met up with a known saboteur today. You know the ones? When you are trying to lose weight or start an exercising routine or simply trying to eat more wholesome foods they tell you "You don't need to lose weight, you'd look too scrawny" or they pop in just when you are about to go on your walk with a massive cake even though they know you are trying to lose weight. You know, those ones.

I didn't mention we had stopped eating sugar because frankly they would not be interested. I was able to stay away from sugar and just had a coffee but it's harder with the kids. I did manage to minimise the damage though. I'd brought some snacks for the kids so they didn't 'need' cupcakes. So it was just their drinks that contained sugar.

I'd love your suggestions on how to deal with saboteurs.

Quitting Sugar - Day 6

We are almost at the end of the first week and I am really happy we have got this far. When we had previously tried to cut down on sugar we only managed a few days before we were back to our old habits. This time it really does feel different. By taking the hard line and saying we won't eat any sugar there are no decisions to make when we are faced with sugary foods. I don't have to think about it I just know if there is sugar in it I don't eat it because it will make me sick.

I did have a brief moment when I felt really deprived. Not because I wanted sugar but because I was thinking about all the 'nice' foods I wouldn't get to eat again - chocolate, ice cream etc. I know it sounds really melodramatic now that I am writing it and I did snap myself out of it pretty quickly at the time.

I think that kind of thinking can be really dangerous. If I start thinking I am depriving myself then I will feel like I am missing out on something. If I think I am breaking an addiction and eating sugar will make me sick and fat then I am not depriving myself. It's just the way you look at it I suppose.

On another note, I gave away my tomato and BBQ sauces, maple syrup and sweet chili sauce. That was a big move I mentioned needed doing here. And I feel liberated now that I've done it. I need to check the Asian sauces I have in the fridge next.

Quitting Sugar - Day 5

Over the past 24 hours I have been feeling really agitated. I'm finding it hard to focus or concentrate. Is that from sugar withdrawal or is that just me? Who knows.

I guess that's it though isn't it. Side effects from withdrawal can be subtle and I'm not really sure if I'm feeling these things or if I just think I am. It's also possible that they're not side effects and just a by product of being pregnant and running around after a toddler and young child and not getting nearly enough sleep because of said toddler and child.

I went to the supermarket today and accidentally walked through the chocolate isle (yes, it was an accident. It was a store I haven't been to before). That was hard but I didn't give in and once I had decided to not buy any it did become easier to continue and go past other sugary foods.

Mr Berry and myself have also been a lot thirstier than usual. We're drinking a lot more water but it has been warmer lately. Once again we could just be seeing things when really it's nothing.

A Sugar Free Kitchen

This week our goal is to get our heads around not having sugar as well as clearing the kitchen of sugar and foods with sugar in them. Of course we have also stopped eating sugar.

On Saturday I began clearing out the fridge and pantry of all the foods with sugar in them. If the food is not in the house then we can not eat them. Simple no?

Actually, it's made things a lot easier. When we've been craving sugar there isn't anything to eat that will satisfy the craving except for fruit. And let's be honest that's not what we are craving. It's the sickly sweet stuff - chocolate, ice cream, chocolate biscuits, lollies. And we don't just want a little bit. We want to eat it ALL. Not having any of that food taunting us has made the last few days a lot more manageable.

I might also add that we are doing this as a family. No one is eating sugar. I can only imagine how hard it would be if one family member was going through withdrawals in a house full of sugary foods.

Here is a quick list of the foods that went straight in the bin on Day 1:

• Milk Arrowroots
• Tiny Teddies
• A couple of jars of jam
• Hot Chocolate
• Ice Cream

And the foods that are still in the kitchen that need to go:

• Tomato Sauce
• BBQ Sauce
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• White Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Caster Sugar
• Icing Sugar
• Hot Chocolate (different brand - this is Miss Berry's)
• One last jar of jam
• Honey
• Maple Syrup
• Molasses
• Golden Syrup

Wow, that is a long list. Not sure why some of these aren't already in the bin. We haven't used any of them and I don't need to. The withdrawals certainly aren't so bad that I would drink the maple syrup. I think it is a psychological thing. These items have been in our fridge forever, and I grew up with them being there (obviously not the same jars). A bit of me thinks they 'have' to be there. I'll be working on throwing them out or giving them away over the remainder of the week.

And finally some more things (mainly that the kids eat) that we will simply run out of:

• Flavoured Yoghurt (already gone)
• Dried Fruit (sultanas, apricots, prunes, cranberries)
• LCM's (I know - worst things ever)

We have given the responsibility of the LCM's to Miss Berry. They are hers and we have explained they have a lot of sugar in them but she can choose to keep them and eat them or throw them away. She's kept them in the cupboard but I think she's forgotten about them. She hasn't had any this week.

I am sure there will be other things there that have sugar hidden in them. I am checking the labels as I use things so we will find them. If any one has any tips of which foods have sugar added that you just wouldn't expect please let me know.

 Here is today's lunch. A meat pie. Since tomato sauce is out of the question I am trying a bit of Australian mustard. It was nice and I didn't feel like I was missing out by not having tomato sauce. Oh, and yes, I eat my pie with a knife and fork. Not very Australian I know but that's just the way I like to do it.

Quitting Sugar - Day 4

I think we are now heading into withdrawal mode. I feel like I am on edge a lot, especially in the afternoons when I would usually look to chocolate or lollies. I am trying not to take it out on the kids but they did get a lot of Cranky Mummy yesterday.

My breakfast at the moment. Home made sugar-free toasted muesli, natural yoghurt, full cream milk and berries.

The worrying thing is that I think Miss Berry (who is almost 5) is going through something similar. All yesterday and today she kept asking for food that had a lot of sugar in it. And not necessarily obvious junk food either. There was of course the requests for honey sandwiches and a glass of apple juice, but she also wanted spring rolls with the Thai dipping sauce (the sauce is super sweet). She has never asked for spring rolls before.

I must admit I feel like the worst mother in the world. My 4-year-old is craving sugar! This has reinforced our belief in quitting sugar being the best thing for our family.

My plan this afternoon is to work on some housework as well as sorting through the kids winter clothes and packing up the ones that are too small or too warm now the weather is warmer. I think keeping busy (and moving) is going to be a good distraction as I often snack on sugar in the afternoons because of boredom.

Quitting Sugar - The Beginning

For well over a year I have been reading and re-reading David Gillespies books Sweet Poison, The Sweet Poison Quit Plan and Big Fat Lies. Every time I read them I am convinced we (as a family) should stop eating sugar and we try for about 3 or 4 days before it gets way too hard and I get major sugar cravings. Then I usually binge on sugar and we go back to eating as we normally do.

The three books that started my journey, all by David Gillespie

After a long discussion with my husband the other night we came to the conclusion that the health of our family is a top priority. And the best thing we could do for our children is to quit sugar.

So how is this time going to be different?

Firstly, I'm starting this blog. The aim being that I can write about our progress (or setbacks) and that will help to keep me motivated over the month or so it should take for us to break the sugar addiction.

Secondly, I am pregnant. Baby number 3 is due early February and now that I am well into the second trimester I am finding my cravings for any food in general has been tempered somewhat. Whereas before I could inhale a block of chocolate, now I am well and truly stuffed after half a block and can put the chocolate away. I still have trouble leaving anything sweet in the house uneaten for more than a day or two but it is better than before. I've had ice cream in the fridge for over a week - a big step for me. Also, I think this pregnancy is going to be about savoury foods rather than sweet. So why not take advantage of that?

The reality is that the idea of quitting sugar (which I admit is going to be very hard anyway) with 3 children, one of them a newborn is frankly absurd and impossible. If we don't do it now we won't be able to quit for at least a year or so and in the mean time the kids will becoming more and more addicted to sugar.

So here goes, I am now on Day 3 of our sugar-free lives. This week we are concentrating on getting our head around the idea of no sugar and trying to eliminate the obvious culprits in our diet. I write more about this later.