So about a month ago I started my sugar-free experiment: one Sunday I stopped eating cereal, grains, breads, and processed sugar. I did this in conjunction with my intermittent fasting to make the process more successful, and overall, it worked. For two weeks my weight-loss proceeded swimmingly.
On the third week, however, things got a bit bumpy. For one thing, this happened to be Halloween week, and not only was I faced with the implicit temptation of Halloween treats, I also set an unrealistic fasting weight-loss goal that week I didn’t achieve. Furthermore, by then I was really missing carbs. I found myself thinking about cereal… oh sweet cereal… all the time! I missed my old carb-rich life. In fact, there was one moment where I nearly gave in… the cereal bowl was a few seconds from being filled. Yet I knowingly reached for some berries instead.
After hobbling to the finish line of my third sugar-free week, I decided to lighten up for the following week, which was last week. Each day I let myself eat some grains, and even some sugar: cereal, pretzels, a slice of pizza on Tuesday, some sweetened soy milk one day. Funny enough, by now something inside of me had changed. No longer was eating sugar, nor even grains, quite so automatic or normal.
For one thing, my perception of eating has changed. I have learned the value of low-carb meals. Having high fat, and high protein fills me up! Now every meal feels like a real meal. I think my life before was filled with snacking. Now I see that as empty calories.
Don’t get me wrong, I still have a place in my heart (and my stomach) for cereal, breads, pretzels, pizza, and the glorious world of carbs and sugars. However, my context has shifted. Now, these things are more an exception than the rule. Most of my life it was the opposite.
Granted, it is quite easy to make some of these dietary changes when my wife is already off sugar and eating a similar diet. I have supported her for the last few years as she made changes to her diet, and I’m sure that is rubbing off on me now.
I still consider myself in experimentation mode with the whole thing. Yet my attitude has definitely changed. In the future, I may continue permitting myself some grains and sugar fruits, yet it is unlikely that I will be so permissive about processed sugars. My fasting journey has shown me the benefit of staying away.
And so, for now I am (almost) sugar-free me!