I've been doing this!!! Seven weeks, no sugar/sweets, and I'll tell you, people are more offended by not eating sweets with them than quitting alcohol, and by people I mean husbands. I'm taking a little break for the holidays, but getting back into it in the New Year. Good luck Donna!
Bravo Donna. In sharing your struggle with sugar and how you’ve devised a plan to kick it — you are inspiring the rest of us to reflect on what our souls may be nudging us to do.
Also, given that you have helped me out in innumerable ways, and given that I have kicked the sugar bug (which, also being an addict, was not easy) I’d like to offer my two cents, even though you’ve probably heard it before.
I found that breaking the sugar habit really wasn’t as bad as some of my other addictions, simply because there was a point (maybe two weeks in) where my stomachs mirco-biome stopped sending signals to my brain telling me I wanted sugar. I didn’t know that’s what was going on, I learnt it later, but it made sense as to why, after about a month, I had essentially no desire to eat anything sugary. Whereas, for me, with drugs and alcohol, even four and half years sober, there are still times when I have desires.
The tricky thing with trying to kick sugar though, is that non-addicts don’t take your desire to kick the habit as seriously. In fact, it almost feels like they want you to eat it haha! I mean, I swear, I can’t go to my mums house, my dads house, or even in the kitchen when my partner is having something sweet without them offering me some. “Go on, just have one little bit of cake/cookie/chocolate” they say. Whereas, with drugs and alcohol they see I had a problem and so they certainly don’t offer me any of that shit.
Point being: it’s slippery coz it’s seems more innocuous.
Thanks a million for bringing up these excellent points Michael. I know my microbiome will heal and alter my craving but the way you put it so straightforwardly is an excellent reminder that I appreciate. Changing my microbiome is one of the biggest reasons for tackling this situation so it's helpful to keep that particular reason front and center.
I believe sugar will catch up to where alcohol is currently in our cultural taboos in that it will become totally acceptable in almost all circles to simply decline without a reason. However, I know we are not there yet and many people will not even try to understand it. Did you have a specific line you'd just roll out to get them to shut up about it? Just curious🤣 because I might steal it!
I certainly agree that it will catch up to being another cultural taboo that needs no explaining.
As for a specific line I used that’s a good question... nothing really springs to mind. I’d just decline, they’d insist, I’d decline, they’d insist. Although, I guess, something I would say, was something like, “it’s not good for inflammation, and I’m doing all this stuff to help my back, so I don’t want to ruin any of it just to have a cookie”. I guess that was sort of my final word, which helped because people around me knew how seriously I took my back issue. :)
Sugar, sugar, sugar. Oh, how I love you!! We've had a good run, but it's time to say goodbye. I miss you already, that is why I stuffed myself up on all my favourites before we broke up last week. I am slowly detoxing from our binge-y long goodbye. My last hoorah....CAKE! Vanilla double layered with vanilla pudding in between the layers, whipped cream sweetened with icing sugar topped with fresh strawberries and sprinkles. You were so good to me. But alas, it's been a week without you and I find I'm doing ok. Thanks for the memories sugar.
This is my Ode to Sugar. Timely piece, I literally stuffed myself silly at my grandsons birthday knowing I was going off it. I felt so sick after that it's been easy to stay off. At least this week. Nothing too stressful to kick me out of it so far and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I visualize the sugar bugs causing inflammation in my joints and I know it feeds cancer, so if there is any hint of it in my body (knock on wood), I'd prefer not to feed it. I'm thinking ahead and being pre-emptive because my mom died of cancer at 67. As I'll be turning 60 in 2025, it's time to kick it. In 2017 I did go a whole year without sugar. It was good and I noticed a big difference. I fell off the wagon in Montreal having a chocolate mousse dessert and that was it, I was back on the S-train. I don't count really good dark chocolate as sugar. A piece or two will be allowed. If that's cheating, so be it.
Great timing. I'm crossing off the days on a calendar and I've gone 8 so far. So, I'm in with you on this one. :)
I love that you are with me on this journey! I know that a dessert, or treat, for me is likely the same as a glass of wine - it will be a no-go zone because once I reactivate that very rich brain pathway there will be no turning it off.
The inflammatory response which drives so many pathologies including ones that could potentially hit home for me such as dementia, joint pain, cancer and heart disease is a huge reason I want to do this. The good thing about quitting something like sugar is we see both immediate and long term benefits.
The watershed book for me, after being insulin resistant (and kinda ignoring it) for years was Ben Bikman's book, Why We Get Sick. He's one of a very small group of scientists who can explain things so clearly, you'd have to be asleep to not "get it."
My most notable sugar binge came AFTER I knew I had IR (but kinda forgot, as my skin no longer went bonkers with eruptions after a sweet treat) was a holiday fair 3 years back. I had this amazing Indian sweet called Ras Malai, creamy sweet cheese balls, delicately seasoned.
Wow! All my circuits were blown. So, I got a 2nd to give to my friend. "No, no, I already had it!" he exclaimed. Well, someone's got to eat it, and so I did.
The third bowl was pure addictive greed. The other shoe dropped days later when I had zero energy, brain fog, I don't remember all what, but it was hell. Went to my local allopath, thinking maybe my familial hypothyroidism had finally gotten me.
Nope: Blood pressure of 210/100+ ! What?? And worse: that BP knocked out kidney tissue (once gone, forever gone) and explained why I'd had wavy vision on and off a year earlier, as it blew out those little retinal vessels as well.
Sobered up. Now it's stevia, monk fruit extract, and allulose. Sugar is Enemy #1, but I still love the sweet taste.
Will thanks so much for suggesting Bikman's book, I haven't read it so will be sure to pick it up. I always appreciate a clear explanation.
Did you say sweet cheese ball?! Oh boy, that would certainly be my downfall too! Who could ever resist. Well you obviously would now resist, and I will fall into that camp as well. Thanks for sharing your story about how you felt after you ate it. I think so many of us simply don't pay attention to how we feel after we eat something and yet that's where the information lies. If we could check our blood markers after every meal (I think some very wealthy folks actually do this) it would be pretty fascinating.
Thanks for taking the time to leave such an interesting comment, I appreciate it!
Thanks so much for the mention and for including me among such amazing resources. Similar to you, I found devouring books and podcasts to be a powerful support when quitting alcohol. Prior to that - more than a decade ago - devouring research and practical guidance in the form of blogs was a key factor in my decision to radically change my diet and escape my addiction to sugar and grain-based carbs. I also did a no-cheat Whole30 at that time, which forever altered my awareness of what different foods did to my body and mind.
As for willpower, I’ll admit I have a robust reserve! But it still runs out unless I consciously teach myself to crave what truly nourishes me and brings me more sustained relief and contentment. From there, I can source discipline from devotion, do the next right thing, then do it again and again. Our bodies and minds are so miraculous and resilient! I find that, before long, I’m immensely grateful I managed to change my trajectory.
Thank you again for sharing, Donna. Unhelpful patterns around food and eating are a thing for so many of us, and I have no doubt that sharing your journey will help and expand possibilities for others. xo
I enjoyed your series on food noise very much and appreciate the abundance of easy to use steps you suggest. I think you nailed it when you mentioned you did a no-cheat Whole30 to get started and carried on from there (sorry if I got that wrong but it sounded like you started that way). We need to clear the noise to be able to see what nurtures our body. I remember the first time I quit drinking (a spontaneous declaration that, while successful, was a white knuckle experience to get to the finish line because I had no plan) I was surprised to discover that I was going to need to eliminate caffeine because it made me want to drink later in the day. Eliminate the noise to listen to our highest self.
I love your words sustained relief and contentment! THAT is what I'm going for!
“Die young as late as possible.” Love this. Sugar should be the next Tobacco. There ought to be skull and cross bones on every food package that contains white, processed cane sugar or corn syrup. It’s addictive. I noticed a huge difference in my anxiety level when I cut processed sugar. And then I found coconut sugar. While it’s a healthier alternative it’s still a type of sugar. I need to reel in my intake of Hu Dark chocolate. Hehe.
Mark Hyman is awesome. I’m curious about his 10 day plan.
Thanks for sharing that you noticed a difference with your anxiety CK. It makes sense because of what happens to our brain when we eat sugar. I notice I feel much more negative in general which is something I want to change. It's an older book of Hyman' that I'm using and is just the basic full elimination for a reset but I like the way he lays it out so thoroughly.
Hi Donna, I've had a love affair with sugar my entire life. About four years ago, I attended a webinar on the connection between sugar and dementia - and cut way back. I felt better and lost weight. I was doing reasonably well - not cutting it out entirely, but mostly. However, I've allowed myself more sugar over the last few months. I've gained weight and haven't felt as good. I was thinking about it this morning and then read your article. Very serendipitous timing - or validation for the change - either way, it's time to rethink my choices here.
Janice I love the timing of this! It's like a bit of magic dust in the air nudging you to do what needs to be done to feel better. The implications of sugar and dementia are one of the motivators behind my desire for change as well as both my Mom and Aunt suffered terribly. Hopefully by writing this vulnerable piece I will now have many partners in my desire to quit and we can hold each other up when the cravings hit!
There you go! Sounds like a plan - our very own support system. Yes, it was after Dan's experience that I began checking into it more thoroughly. While it was not the sole cause of his dementia, he loved his sugar, and it may well have been a contributing factor.
Yes, I don’t think the research shows a direct link but there’s a possibility that the elevated inflammation that’s a result of sugar could contribute. I’m very glad we’ll be a team!
Hi Donna, I really look forward to your posts ….especially Sunday mornings 🙏🏻 Todays is VERY timely and thought provoking. I really appreciated our coaching session a few months back when we discussed the importance of getting clear on the “Why I want to be alcohol free” I am armed with more resources and educational tools that you provided. It has taken me a couple more stops and starts since then as I wasn’t quite ready to draw the line in the sand and say this time no more. Well I did draw the line in the sand Dec 1. (easier to do that when you live in Mexico 6 months of the year as the sand is the reminder and you see it everyday. I also see alcohol around me day and night as it is often excepted as the norm .
So Dec 1 and Day 15 AF . I’m feeling well equipped and supported by you, my yoga community and enough friends that also understand how much better life can be without alcohol. I’m sleeping amazingly well and have enough energy that last through the day. My mind is so much clearer ( hopefully the memory will improve soon and that will help with my Spanish. 🙃🧐 🙏🏻)
I have noticed more of an interest in sugar lately and am so grateful for your post. I too will source those books and further educate myself on how the brain works around addictions.
Sending you a huge hug filled with love and gratitude, and
Wahoo Lynn this is awesome!!!! Well done my friend👏👏👏
I laughed when you said you can more easily draw a line in the sand because the sand is right there! If you haven't already done this I might suggest actually drawing a line in the sand, declaring your intention and then step right over it to the other side. I have done that in the past (although, sadly, not with real sand). It's bizarrely effective.
Getting through the first few weeks alcohol free is a huge deal although living alcohol or sugar free is not something we will ever take for granted because it's very easy to go back. I am SO glad you look forward to my posts on Sunday mornings, thank you for sharing that with me❤️Here's to a clearer mind!
I struggle with it too. For me, when I eat sugar or drink it, all of the junk food cravings hit. And if I don’t find enough healthy food fast enough, all I can think about is a giant binge of every kind of fast food I ever wanted, followed by a pound of chocolate.
So if some sorry son-ofa-gun offers me Christmas baking at work this week, Snap! Gonna lose it!
Or
Maybe I’ll have some. Then I’ll be derailed yet again.
I hear you buddy, one bite is all it takes for me too. For many of us abstaining fully is much, much easier than trying to manage that monster by moderating so that's what I'm going for with this change. Good luck this week!
I KNOW I need that cake Kat! Haha. Your description sounds very tasty. The problem is that, for me, it doesn't stop there and after I've eaten the cake I don't want to eat real food and I feel terrible. I will settle with enjoying pictures of the cake🤣
Thanks for dropping into my comments section, it's lovely to see you here!
Well you just KNOW this is entirely me too Donna. I could get addicted to...cotton wool 🤣 Social media of course has been my nemesis...but I'm slowly working my away and adjusting myself accordingly. Sugar is one that I am very keen to kick in 2025 too x
Luisa, we can be partners in facing down the monster of our cravings. One good thing is that I know those cravings go away over time. Social media is a tricky one, especially for folks who need it for work. I am thankful I am not one of them. Even our beloved Substack Notes is starting to be too much for me and I find myself there less and less. I'm planning on reading many good books in the coming months to scratch the itch of wanting a treat and I know you're on board with that❤️
My challenge at age 71, is to lose the excess weight that has snuck up on me. And sugar is the culprit,, anything that I read about cutting out this or that to lose weight always goes first to sugar, cut out sugar. And what is the main ingredient of wine?,, sugar, of course. Addictions are so sneaky; once you cut out one source of something you just go find it in another. I can remember my younger sister telling me over 35 years ago after she left her first husband (to get clean and sober) who was her main source of a constant supply of cocaine that her alcohol consumption went through the roof, she immediately became a raging alcoholic from what had been just a garden variety party girl going through a nice bottle of wine ‘with dinner’ like nobody’s business. It was quite a time in her life, and ours also as we worried that when she got in her car and drove off high as a kite that she was going to kill somebody. AA was her saviour to get sober but it did not ‘fix’ the hole in her brain, that has kept her always an addict, emotionally.
Ah yes, that's why it's called recovery. Quitting a substance or activity that fills a hole is the easy part, the hard part is staying present with the emotions that thing was trying to fill. Often we eat or drink simply by habit but once we explore the neurology behind it it's easier to see what we are doing and catch ourselves in the act.
Intuitive eating is a wonderful approach to life but for those of us addicted to sugar or alcohol I believe that substance has to go before we are able to listen to our brain and eat what our body needs.
Yes, I agree with you. And I do not think that I consume either to any great degree, but I do wish that when I went in to work at my office these days that there was a plate of veggie sticks sitting there as a snack, rather than a box of salted caramels or whatever, that some kind soul of a colleague or client has brought in for us to share!! So hard to resist those sugar bombs showing up this time of year
Yes, I think the social aspect of both eating and drinking get us into more trouble than we would otherwise. It's one thing to not have that stuff at home but in the office you can have a stressful call or are extra tired and, without even realizing it, find one of those caramels in your mouth! It's amazing how our brains are hard wired. I've found the only way around this is to come prepared - possibly with my own snacks and also talking to myself before I go in to tell myself how it's going to be.
I've been doing this!!! Seven weeks, no sugar/sweets, and I'll tell you, people are more offended by not eating sweets with them than quitting alcohol, and by people I mean husbands. I'm taking a little break for the holidays, but getting back into it in the New Year. Good luck Donna!
Bravo Troy! I love how many partners I am going to have on this no-sugar journey.
Bravo Donna. In sharing your struggle with sugar and how you’ve devised a plan to kick it — you are inspiring the rest of us to reflect on what our souls may be nudging us to do.
Also, given that you have helped me out in innumerable ways, and given that I have kicked the sugar bug (which, also being an addict, was not easy) I’d like to offer my two cents, even though you’ve probably heard it before.
I found that breaking the sugar habit really wasn’t as bad as some of my other addictions, simply because there was a point (maybe two weeks in) where my stomachs mirco-biome stopped sending signals to my brain telling me I wanted sugar. I didn’t know that’s what was going on, I learnt it later, but it made sense as to why, after about a month, I had essentially no desire to eat anything sugary. Whereas, for me, with drugs and alcohol, even four and half years sober, there are still times when I have desires.
The tricky thing with trying to kick sugar though, is that non-addicts don’t take your desire to kick the habit as seriously. In fact, it almost feels like they want you to eat it haha! I mean, I swear, I can’t go to my mums house, my dads house, or even in the kitchen when my partner is having something sweet without them offering me some. “Go on, just have one little bit of cake/cookie/chocolate” they say. Whereas, with drugs and alcohol they see I had a problem and so they certainly don’t offer me any of that shit.
Point being: it’s slippery coz it’s seems more innocuous.
Thanks Donna :)
Thanks a million for bringing up these excellent points Michael. I know my microbiome will heal and alter my craving but the way you put it so straightforwardly is an excellent reminder that I appreciate. Changing my microbiome is one of the biggest reasons for tackling this situation so it's helpful to keep that particular reason front and center.
I believe sugar will catch up to where alcohol is currently in our cultural taboos in that it will become totally acceptable in almost all circles to simply decline without a reason. However, I know we are not there yet and many people will not even try to understand it. Did you have a specific line you'd just roll out to get them to shut up about it? Just curious🤣 because I might steal it!
I certainly agree that it will catch up to being another cultural taboo that needs no explaining.
As for a specific line I used that’s a good question... nothing really springs to mind. I’d just decline, they’d insist, I’d decline, they’d insist. Although, I guess, something I would say, was something like, “it’s not good for inflammation, and I’m doing all this stuff to help my back, so I don’t want to ruin any of it just to have a cookie”. I guess that was sort of my final word, which helped because people around me knew how seriously I took my back issue. :)
Yes, that makes sense. I'll think of something.
Sugar, sugar, sugar. Oh, how I love you!! We've had a good run, but it's time to say goodbye. I miss you already, that is why I stuffed myself up on all my favourites before we broke up last week. I am slowly detoxing from our binge-y long goodbye. My last hoorah....CAKE! Vanilla double layered with vanilla pudding in between the layers, whipped cream sweetened with icing sugar topped with fresh strawberries and sprinkles. You were so good to me. But alas, it's been a week without you and I find I'm doing ok. Thanks for the memories sugar.
This is my Ode to Sugar. Timely piece, I literally stuffed myself silly at my grandsons birthday knowing I was going off it. I felt so sick after that it's been easy to stay off. At least this week. Nothing too stressful to kick me out of it so far and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I visualize the sugar bugs causing inflammation in my joints and I know it feeds cancer, so if there is any hint of it in my body (knock on wood), I'd prefer not to feed it. I'm thinking ahead and being pre-emptive because my mom died of cancer at 67. As I'll be turning 60 in 2025, it's time to kick it. In 2017 I did go a whole year without sugar. It was good and I noticed a big difference. I fell off the wagon in Montreal having a chocolate mousse dessert and that was it, I was back on the S-train. I don't count really good dark chocolate as sugar. A piece or two will be allowed. If that's cheating, so be it.
Great timing. I'm crossing off the days on a calendar and I've gone 8 so far. So, I'm in with you on this one. :)
I love that you are with me on this journey! I know that a dessert, or treat, for me is likely the same as a glass of wine - it will be a no-go zone because once I reactivate that very rich brain pathway there will be no turning it off.
The inflammatory response which drives so many pathologies including ones that could potentially hit home for me such as dementia, joint pain, cancer and heart disease is a huge reason I want to do this. The good thing about quitting something like sugar is we see both immediate and long term benefits.
The watershed book for me, after being insulin resistant (and kinda ignoring it) for years was Ben Bikman's book, Why We Get Sick. He's one of a very small group of scientists who can explain things so clearly, you'd have to be asleep to not "get it."
My most notable sugar binge came AFTER I knew I had IR (but kinda forgot, as my skin no longer went bonkers with eruptions after a sweet treat) was a holiday fair 3 years back. I had this amazing Indian sweet called Ras Malai, creamy sweet cheese balls, delicately seasoned.
Wow! All my circuits were blown. So, I got a 2nd to give to my friend. "No, no, I already had it!" he exclaimed. Well, someone's got to eat it, and so I did.
The third bowl was pure addictive greed. The other shoe dropped days later when I had zero energy, brain fog, I don't remember all what, but it was hell. Went to my local allopath, thinking maybe my familial hypothyroidism had finally gotten me.
Nope: Blood pressure of 210/100+ ! What?? And worse: that BP knocked out kidney tissue (once gone, forever gone) and explained why I'd had wavy vision on and off a year earlier, as it blew out those little retinal vessels as well.
Sobered up. Now it's stevia, monk fruit extract, and allulose. Sugar is Enemy #1, but I still love the sweet taste.
Will thanks so much for suggesting Bikman's book, I haven't read it so will be sure to pick it up. I always appreciate a clear explanation.
Did you say sweet cheese ball?! Oh boy, that would certainly be my downfall too! Who could ever resist. Well you obviously would now resist, and I will fall into that camp as well. Thanks for sharing your story about how you felt after you ate it. I think so many of us simply don't pay attention to how we feel after we eat something and yet that's where the information lies. If we could check our blood markers after every meal (I think some very wealthy folks actually do this) it would be pretty fascinating.
Thanks for taking the time to leave such an interesting comment, I appreciate it!
Thanks so much for the mention and for including me among such amazing resources. Similar to you, I found devouring books and podcasts to be a powerful support when quitting alcohol. Prior to that - more than a decade ago - devouring research and practical guidance in the form of blogs was a key factor in my decision to radically change my diet and escape my addiction to sugar and grain-based carbs. I also did a no-cheat Whole30 at that time, which forever altered my awareness of what different foods did to my body and mind.
As for willpower, I’ll admit I have a robust reserve! But it still runs out unless I consciously teach myself to crave what truly nourishes me and brings me more sustained relief and contentment. From there, I can source discipline from devotion, do the next right thing, then do it again and again. Our bodies and minds are so miraculous and resilient! I find that, before long, I’m immensely grateful I managed to change my trajectory.
Thank you again for sharing, Donna. Unhelpful patterns around food and eating are a thing for so many of us, and I have no doubt that sharing your journey will help and expand possibilities for others. xo
I enjoyed your series on food noise very much and appreciate the abundance of easy to use steps you suggest. I think you nailed it when you mentioned you did a no-cheat Whole30 to get started and carried on from there (sorry if I got that wrong but it sounded like you started that way). We need to clear the noise to be able to see what nurtures our body. I remember the first time I quit drinking (a spontaneous declaration that, while successful, was a white knuckle experience to get to the finish line because I had no plan) I was surprised to discover that I was going to need to eliminate caffeine because it made me want to drink later in the day. Eliminate the noise to listen to our highest self.
I love your words sustained relief and contentment! THAT is what I'm going for!
“Die young as late as possible.” Love this. Sugar should be the next Tobacco. There ought to be skull and cross bones on every food package that contains white, processed cane sugar or corn syrup. It’s addictive. I noticed a huge difference in my anxiety level when I cut processed sugar. And then I found coconut sugar. While it’s a healthier alternative it’s still a type of sugar. I need to reel in my intake of Hu Dark chocolate. Hehe.
Mark Hyman is awesome. I’m curious about his 10 day plan.
Thanks for sharing that you noticed a difference with your anxiety CK. It makes sense because of what happens to our brain when we eat sugar. I notice I feel much more negative in general which is something I want to change. It's an older book of Hyman' that I'm using and is just the basic full elimination for a reset but I like the way he lays it out so thoroughly.
Hi Donna, I've had a love affair with sugar my entire life. About four years ago, I attended a webinar on the connection between sugar and dementia - and cut way back. I felt better and lost weight. I was doing reasonably well - not cutting it out entirely, but mostly. However, I've allowed myself more sugar over the last few months. I've gained weight and haven't felt as good. I was thinking about it this morning and then read your article. Very serendipitous timing - or validation for the change - either way, it's time to rethink my choices here.
Janice I love the timing of this! It's like a bit of magic dust in the air nudging you to do what needs to be done to feel better. The implications of sugar and dementia are one of the motivators behind my desire for change as well as both my Mom and Aunt suffered terribly. Hopefully by writing this vulnerable piece I will now have many partners in my desire to quit and we can hold each other up when the cravings hit!
There you go! Sounds like a plan - our very own support system. Yes, it was after Dan's experience that I began checking into it more thoroughly. While it was not the sole cause of his dementia, he loved his sugar, and it may well have been a contributing factor.
Yes, I don’t think the research shows a direct link but there’s a possibility that the elevated inflammation that’s a result of sugar could contribute. I’m very glad we’ll be a team!
Hi Donna, I really look forward to your posts ….especially Sunday mornings 🙏🏻 Todays is VERY timely and thought provoking. I really appreciated our coaching session a few months back when we discussed the importance of getting clear on the “Why I want to be alcohol free” I am armed with more resources and educational tools that you provided. It has taken me a couple more stops and starts since then as I wasn’t quite ready to draw the line in the sand and say this time no more. Well I did draw the line in the sand Dec 1. (easier to do that when you live in Mexico 6 months of the year as the sand is the reminder and you see it everyday. I also see alcohol around me day and night as it is often excepted as the norm .
So Dec 1 and Day 15 AF . I’m feeling well equipped and supported by you, my yoga community and enough friends that also understand how much better life can be without alcohol. I’m sleeping amazingly well and have enough energy that last through the day. My mind is so much clearer ( hopefully the memory will improve soon and that will help with my Spanish. 🙃🧐 🙏🏻)
I have noticed more of an interest in sugar lately and am so grateful for your post. I too will source those books and further educate myself on how the brain works around addictions.
Sending you a huge hug filled with love and gratitude, and
Muchas gracias 🙏🏻 🥰😎
Lynn
Wahoo Lynn this is awesome!!!! Well done my friend👏👏👏
I laughed when you said you can more easily draw a line in the sand because the sand is right there! If you haven't already done this I might suggest actually drawing a line in the sand, declaring your intention and then step right over it to the other side. I have done that in the past (although, sadly, not with real sand). It's bizarrely effective.
Getting through the first few weeks alcohol free is a huge deal although living alcohol or sugar free is not something we will ever take for granted because it's very easy to go back. I am SO glad you look forward to my posts on Sunday mornings, thank you for sharing that with me❤️Here's to a clearer mind!
Sugar is the root of all evil. lol
I struggle with it too. For me, when I eat sugar or drink it, all of the junk food cravings hit. And if I don’t find enough healthy food fast enough, all I can think about is a giant binge of every kind of fast food I ever wanted, followed by a pound of chocolate.
So if some sorry son-ofa-gun offers me Christmas baking at work this week, Snap! Gonna lose it!
Or
Maybe I’ll have some. Then I’ll be derailed yet again.
I hear you buddy, one bite is all it takes for me too. For many of us abstaining fully is much, much easier than trying to manage that monster by moderating so that's what I'm going for with this change. Good luck this week!
Haha! This is the truth! I think I need a homemade, three layer strawberry cake with buttercream strawberry frosting! Real strawberries!🤗
I KNOW I need that cake Kat! Haha. Your description sounds very tasty. The problem is that, for me, it doesn't stop there and after I've eaten the cake I don't want to eat real food and I feel terrible. I will settle with enjoying pictures of the cake🤣
Thanks for dropping into my comments section, it's lovely to see you here!
Well you just KNOW this is entirely me too Donna. I could get addicted to...cotton wool 🤣 Social media of course has been my nemesis...but I'm slowly working my away and adjusting myself accordingly. Sugar is one that I am very keen to kick in 2025 too x
Luisa, we can be partners in facing down the monster of our cravings. One good thing is that I know those cravings go away over time. Social media is a tricky one, especially for folks who need it for work. I am thankful I am not one of them. Even our beloved Substack Notes is starting to be too much for me and I find myself there less and less. I'm planning on reading many good books in the coming months to scratch the itch of wanting a treat and I know you're on board with that❤️
My challenge at age 71, is to lose the excess weight that has snuck up on me. And sugar is the culprit,, anything that I read about cutting out this or that to lose weight always goes first to sugar, cut out sugar. And what is the main ingredient of wine?,, sugar, of course. Addictions are so sneaky; once you cut out one source of something you just go find it in another. I can remember my younger sister telling me over 35 years ago after she left her first husband (to get clean and sober) who was her main source of a constant supply of cocaine that her alcohol consumption went through the roof, she immediately became a raging alcoholic from what had been just a garden variety party girl going through a nice bottle of wine ‘with dinner’ like nobody’s business. It was quite a time in her life, and ours also as we worried that when she got in her car and drove off high as a kite that she was going to kill somebody. AA was her saviour to get sober but it did not ‘fix’ the hole in her brain, that has kept her always an addict, emotionally.
Ah yes, that's why it's called recovery. Quitting a substance or activity that fills a hole is the easy part, the hard part is staying present with the emotions that thing was trying to fill. Often we eat or drink simply by habit but once we explore the neurology behind it it's easier to see what we are doing and catch ourselves in the act.
Intuitive eating is a wonderful approach to life but for those of us addicted to sugar or alcohol I believe that substance has to go before we are able to listen to our brain and eat what our body needs.
Yes, I agree with you. And I do not think that I consume either to any great degree, but I do wish that when I went in to work at my office these days that there was a plate of veggie sticks sitting there as a snack, rather than a box of salted caramels or whatever, that some kind soul of a colleague or client has brought in for us to share!! So hard to resist those sugar bombs showing up this time of year
Yes, I think the social aspect of both eating and drinking get us into more trouble than we would otherwise. It's one thing to not have that stuff at home but in the office you can have a stressful call or are extra tired and, without even realizing it, find one of those caramels in your mouth! It's amazing how our brains are hard wired. I've found the only way around this is to come prepared - possibly with my own snacks and also talking to myself before I go in to tell myself how it's going to be.