It’s about time I gave you an update from my earlier Sugar, Sugar post. It’s been just shy of two months, the dictated time Sarah Wilson gives for a complete sugar-removal process.
Well, I’ve succeeded and failed, I’d like to think in equal measure, but we’ll see what you think.
For me, lessening sugar is a lifestyle choice. I don’t like the idea of a no-sugar binge, a “diet” to grab on to and remove at a moment’s notice. There is so much proof (as those of you who’ve read Sweet Poison will know) and the list of reasons against consuming sugar is growing as people lessen their hold on purely low-fat ideologies. For these reasons, it’s been enough of an incentive for me to lower my sugar intake.
The headaches were a killer. Did anyone else find this? It’s a side effect I hadn’t expected from cutting out sugar – worse even than caffeine-withdrawal. Dehydration may have influenced have been a factor (I know, I know), but there had to be more than that to account for the ear splitting headache that ravaged my eyes and head for two days. The good news? This entirely disappeared just as I was about to start shouting and pointing fingers…or close indeed to giving up. The discomfort passes, and when you stop living in that moment, it doesn’t seem so bad.
Throughout this process, I’ve learned things about myself, about the way I need to approach food. I’ve never been good at the all-or-nothing method. Sends me mad. I’ve been much better at the “eat-right-for-five-days-and-spoil-yourself-on-the-weekend” method of madness. And you know what? If I allow myself this mental process, on the weekend I don’t binge. If you’ve just spent five days eating well, congratulating yourself on your choices, then spending two days on a chocolate high holds no appeal. It does mean that dried fruit felt decadent…that discovering and trying chocolate with a ridiculously high cocoa level was interesting and not torture. It meant that every time I did have sugar, I noticed how sweet it was, and I allowed my body the decision (and my mind for that matter) whether I really, truly, liked it or not.
The answer, most of the time, was that I could live without sugar.
And that was the beautiful conclusion I’d come to and lived with for weeks… until I had visitors.
The joy of company, and other eating habits.
It’s a story title with a predictable ending and it’s seen me revert back to my old ways, consuming WAY too much sugar and feeling slightly green for it. But you know the good thing? I’m noticing. This is a huge tool for me in implementing change. If i can see, feel and experience a different in how life is, in how I’m thinking, sleeping etc, a long-lasting change is possible. I’ve noticed myself make active and relieved choices about lowering my sugar instead of feeling like I’m abandoning my favourite foods. Cutting out sugar completely allowed me to sense what my body needed. Eating sugar again has highlighted a blocker, a drowning of my own inner voice.
It may not be what the experts advocate, but for me, moderation and balance is key. It’s what keeps me sane, it’s what keeps me believing I can make changes for the long haul. So, while I can’t report that I stuck with the no-sugar crowd, I learnt a lot more about myself in the process. I think my “experiment” was a successful one, because it proved how much better I could feel and encouraged me to implement a longer-lasting change.
Back to being sugar-less. Hoorah!
What are your thoughts?
I think noticing the difference and having the choice to say ‘no’ is a great way to be. Knowing that it is ok to indulge once in a while, but respecting your body enough to cut down the amount of sugar in cooking for example, is a great step! A bit like salt, the body needs a little bit, but not so much that it drowns out all other flavours!
I ended up buying sea salt – it’s so much tastier and you only need a little bit! 🙂
so good to hear that the headache goes away eventually! i’m on day five (of no sugar and CONSTANT headache) and was starting to worry the pain was here for good…how long did it take to disappear for you?
I can’t quite recall when it went away… around a week if my memory serves correctly! Hang in there! It’s worth it 🙂