Pre-Thanksgiving Cravings!

It's been over 80 days since I started this blog and my sugar-free journey.  I can't say I've been completely without sugar, it has creeped its way into a few things that I've eaten, (like a couple of protein bars that had evaporated cane juice in them, a fortune cookie at the end of a Vietnamese meal, there was probably some sugar in the curry sauce, etc....) but I've been able to resist buying chocolate chip cookies at the Granary, muffins from Whole Foods, and I did not even have a single piece of candy at Halloween.  So, overall, I'd say I am so pleased with my experiment, and I'd also say it was a success!

Here's where it gets tricky... Thanksgiving is 2 days away.  There will be lots of pie.  There will be candied sweet potatoes.  There will be kuchen.  There will be all kinds of sweet, tempting treats, and I am feeling that it is OK to indulge myself for the day and sample whatever I feel like.  However... with this feeling is coming a sub-conscious "permission" to start now.  The little sabotaging devilish voice in my head is saying, "You know you're going to have some sugar on Thursday, so why don't you go ahead and just get that pumpkin latte you've been wanting ever since they rolled out at the beginning of September?  You've even got a coupon!"  Where does that little voice come from, anyway?

Here's where else it gets tricky.... there will be leftovers, so I'm pretty sure that going "off" my eating plan for a day is going to turn into more than one day, anyhow.  And then, it's only a month until Christmas- and one of my favorite things about Christmas is making cookies.  I already have plans for 2 holiday parties, at which I know there will be sweet treats.  It's not like eating any of them is going to be any kind of health issue, moral dilemma, or earth-shattering crisis, I'm really just interested in looking at my patterns, and trying to make mindful choices over the food I consume, and how it affects me on physical, emotional, and energetic levels. 

What are your issues with food around the holidays?  Feel free to leave a comment below.  Somehow, just writing about it has been helping me to gain clarity around my choices, and having the writing be public makes me feel like I have to be accountable for my actions.  So, to whomever is reading this blog, I thank you.  You have helped me make a huge shift in the way I think and feel (and eat!)  In yoga, this is called "matrika shakti," the power of words.  The word matrika means "little mothers," and it means that your words give birth, so to speak, to your actions and your reality. 

Happy Thanksgiving.  I'll let you know how it goes for me!
~Cheryl

Whoa- Day 36!

I wasn't expecting this.
I thought I'd do the 21 days, and then the sugar would creep back into my life, like it did last time when I tried this little experiment.
But apparently this time is different.  Maybe it's because of the blog.  Because I wrote the blog, a lot of people know what I did, and maybe subconsciously, I don't want to let you all down! 
So, what's been happening for the last 15 days?  It's so weird.  I have pretty much kept to my sugar-free diet, without really even trying, or feeling like I'm sacrificing anything.

I've been enjoying my protein toast with Earth Balance most mornings.  It's yummy and keeps me pretty full until lunchtime.  (Some days I put peanut butter on it instead.)

I've been enjoying a chai or sometimes a coffee with the unsweetened chocolate soy milk.  I actually bought a whole case of the stuff from the health food store.  Bulk discount, Baby!

Lunch has been pretty unremarkable- I've enjoyed blackened tofu, potato salad, left-over broccoli stir fry, soups, rice cakes, etc.

I've been enjoying a rice protein shake made with unsweetened almond milk in the late afternoon before I teach my evening classes.  It keeps me going through the 5:30 class!

I've been enjoying a bowl of rice and beans, or homemade lentil stew when I get home in the evening.  I don't really like to eat that late, but since I haven't been eating that much during the day, I've been feeling the need for sustenance when I get home.

I've enjoyed an occasional square or two of dark chocolate.  Yep.  You heard me right, a square or two.  I think I've had a total of 3 or maybe 4 squares in the last 2 weeks.  This is a HUGE change for me. 

I've had 2 occasions that have been remotely tempting, which both involved eating out with friends.  The first one, I pre-empted dessert by having a glass of wine with dinner, and figured that was enough sugar for one meal.  We all looked at the dessert menu, but nobody was really interested, although my husband tried to tempt me with the key lime pie... but no one ordered any dessert.  Whew!  The second occasion was out with different friends, and they ordered one piece of red velvet cake for the table with a bunch of forks.  This time, I caved.  I had one tiny bite of the cake.  And I really didn't care to have another.  It was waaaaaayyyyy too sweet. 

I'm really amazed at how I've resisted the temptation to buy vegan chocolate chip cookies, or eat all the Lara bars that are still in my desk from before the 21 day adventure.  I did have one bar one day, I was in a pinch for time and I was really hungry, and it was good and satisfying.  I bought one bar of Green and Black's Organic Dark Chocolate, and most of it is still there waiting.  I haven't been interested in very much fruit, but I've gone back to taking my Juice Plus vitamins, so I'm getting my fruit and veggies in a concentrated form, and eating lots of broccoli!  And apples.... I had a "honey crisp" the other day, and like WOW!  It was really good.  I haven't been interested in bananas or other sweet fruits....at least not yet. 

I know that Halloween is on its way, and there will be candy in the house, treats at parties, and lots of sugar pretty much everywhere.  Then it will be Thanksgiving...and I know there will be pies, lots of pies.  (I really like pie much more than cake.)  And then Christmas, which is pretty much synonymous with Cookies, right?  Yeah, I really like cookies.  I like everything about them- making them, decorating them, giving them to friends, and of course eating them.  But, one day at a time here.  No sense getting myself all hyped up on an imaginary sugar rush just yet!  We'll see where the journey continues to take me.  I'm continuing to feel really good, with lots of steady energy throughout the day, and I'm so happy about that.  I'm eating healthy, grounding foods, (beans, rice, soups) rather than feeling like a rabbit eating salads and fruit, and that's really great for my Vata constitution, especially in the fall season.  Overall, I feel great, and I'm so glad to be breaking out of old patterns and habits.  Hooray for me!

Day 22! Victory!

Woo Hoo!

So, I made it through 21 days without sugar, mostly, if you don't count the bite of chutney or the accidental rice syrup solids in the smoothie that one day.  So, what did I do today on Day 22?

I began the day like any other of the past 3 weeks, oatmeal with almond milk and pumpkin pie spice.  I toyed with the thought of adding maple syrup, just to live on the wild side, but decided against it, because it's been satisfying just on its own.  I took a cup of coffee with my unsweetened chocolate soy milk with me in the car on the way to the studio, and enjoyed it very much.  It pre-empted my desire to stop at Dunkin Donuts and get a pumpkin spice latte, like I thought I might want to do on Day 22 back when I started this whole thing.

I was pretty busy most of the day, and didn't really think about eating.  I ended up eating rice cakes for lunch (boring, right?) and for dinner we made a stir fry with broccoli, garlic, and seitan.  It was crunchy and delicious- I had 2 servings!  For an afternoon snack, I decided to go ahead and mix up a protein drink with that mix I had purchased. 

Ironically, I didn't even think about getting the celebratory dark chocolate bar that I was anticipating the other day.  I did eye up some fruit when I went into the store to pick up the broccoli on the way home.  Peaches, tangerines, honeydew melons.... they looked attractive, but they were shipped all the way from California, and none of them seemed ripe enough to eat today or tomorrow, so I didn't buy any.  I did buy some sweet potatoes that I will cook up tomorrow!

So, how do I feel?  I feel pretty darn good.  I stuck to my guns, and I have all of you to thank for helping me stay accountable.  You will continue to do so, too, when we see each other at the studio, online, etc, even if you don't realize it!  One of the best feelings about being out of the clutches of a sugar addiction is that I am waking up refreshed in the morning, and not feeling tired in the middle of the day.  My energy levels are steady and good.  This last week, I've even been able to stay up a little bit later without crashing, and I've been sleeping well.  To me, those are all signs that I'm doing something right.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences about the sugar detox, if you've been trying it along with me, or if you'd consider doing it in the future. 

Another very cool benefit of these 3 weeks is that I've been enjoying doing the blog.  I'd love to say I'll keep blogging, but I find it hard to do when I don't have a specific subject to focus on.  I do have a yoga blog going over at  http://inthebhav.blogspot.com/ but I haven't kept up with it very much... I just looked and the last entry was from almost a year ago!  So, maybe I'll pop back over there on a weekly or monthly basis and come up with some insightful things to write about.  Suggestions for topics are welcome and appreciated!

So overall, it was pretty easy for me to give up sugar for three weeks.  I guess I really am sweet enough!

Lots of love,
Cheryl

Day 20: The end is near!

So, people are asking me, "What happens on Day 22?  Are you going to binge on sugar?  Are you going to go back to your habitual way of eating?"

These are very good questions, ones which I didn't have a clear idea of an answer to when I started this 21 day adventure.  I knew what my goal was, and I was pretty sure what the results were going to be, but I didn't know where I wanted to take it when the time was over.

As of today, I realize that I am pretty happy eating the way I have been for the past 20 days, and could continue to do so with a few modifications.

I will incorporate more fruit back into my diet.  I think that eating a variety of fruit is a very good way to get lots of vitamins, phytochemicals, and moisture into my body.  I love the taste of fruit, much of it is portable, requires little preparation, and best of all, it isn't processed like rice cakes or tofu are, which have become staples in my diet these past 3 weeks!

I will not worry about whether there is a little bit of sugar in a sauce, a chutney, or a protein drink, as long as it's within reason.  I will continue to use unsweetened almond and soy milk (like I pretty much always have) but I won't worry about that 2 g of "rice syrup solids" that were in the vegan protein shake mix.  I will drink it with pleasure!

I will not eat candy, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pies, etc.  UNLESS there is a very good reason to do so.  One exception will be dark chocolate, of course.  But it will be a couple of squares, rather than half the bar.  In fact, this will probably be the first treat I give myself on Thursday, and I will do my best to limit it to once or twice a week, rather than on a daily kind of basis!  I can challenge myself to see "how long can I make this chocolate bar last?"

I've decided not to have cake tomorrow.  Nobody will really care if I eat cake or not, so why sabotage my discipline just for a piece of cake?  I'm only bringing the cake because the student said she really likes cake.  I will have some fruit or veggies that one of the other students are bringing.  Dilemma solved. 

I'm really looking forward to sweeter vegetables, like sweet potatoes- such a great autumn veggie!  I love them with cinnamon.  I will also get some acorn or kabocha squash for the weekend.  I'm also anticipating some yummy green smoothies!

So, to make a long story short, I do want to keep my sugar intake at a minimum, but I'm not going to be hyper vigilant about it.  Yea!

Is it really Day 19 already?

I actually just had to go and check the calendar to make sure I had counted correctly, because it really doesn't seem like it's been that long.  But, I guess it has been quite the adventure in sugarless-ness.  I feel like I've been surfing the waves of desire- for sweet, decadent foods, for quick fixes from hunger, for wanting to rid myself of a habitual pattern, for wanting to feel fabulous.

I actually do feel pretty fabulous!  I haven't felt tired at all, except for at night, when I totally crash as soon as I hit the pillow.  I wake up in the morning refreshed and energized and ready to face the day.  I've gotten lots of work done in these past 19 days, and haven't felt overwhelmed or overly emotional about stuff.  My stress level seems to have gone down.  These are all very good things!

So, I'm interested in the connection between sugar and stress.  I've done some initial exploration on the internet, and it appears to be common medical knowledge that stress causes people's blood sugar levels to rise or spike, especially in diabetics who do not have good insulin regulation.  Sources like the Mayo Clinic, the American Diabetes Association, and WebMD all agree that physical and mental stress can cause blood sugar to rise.  My question is, is the relationship reciprocal?  Does a diet high in sugar contribute to a stress response in the body?

Apparently, some researchers at USF wondered the same thing.  A 2010 study found that rats who ate a high sugar diet exhibited greater stress reactions than those who ate a low sugar diet, and the low sugar rats tended to be more social and curious that those who were stressed out on sugar.


So, I have to admit, I had a very minor confession from Saturday night.  We were at an Indian restaurant, and ordered a variety of dishes for the table.  Without even thinking about it, I took a good sized scoop of mango chutney for my naan.  Of course, at the first bite, I realized that it was full of sugar, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the rest of it!  There may have been sugar in some of the other sauces as well, you never really know when you're eating out.  But, I'm really pleased for the most part that I've been so conscious in what I've been consuming these past 2.5 weeks.

I think my biggest weakness after Wednesday is going to be chocolate.  It's the only sweet thing I'm really still craving.  Perhaps that's because I've been indulging my chocolate desire with the unsweetened chocolate milk in my tea, and the cacao powder in the almond butter concoction (which tasted much better when made with peanut butter, in my opinion!)  Maybe if I went totally cold turkey with the chocolate, I would lose that strong craving too, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to go there!  I think that I've done really well with accomplishing what I wanted to, and don't feel the need for further deprivation!

Because it's not about deprivation.  Over the weekend, at the philosophy workshop, we were talking about how desire is not a bad thing, how life is meant to be enjoyed and celebrated- all of life, the good, the bad, the sweet, the sour, and even the chocolatey.  (OK, I'm really paraphrasing here.)  Like one of my yoga students said to me early on, it's about balance.  And I'm really striving to find a middle way.  But sometimes to find the middle, you have to swing wildly to both sides, like a pendulum, and eventually find that stillness in the center.

Tomorrow, I have to either make or purchase a small birthday cake for one of my students who is turning 80 years old.  We'll be celebrating her awesomeness on Wednesday morning, which will be my Day 21.  And she said that her favorite is chocolate frosting.  So, I just may choose to take a small, sweet taste of that celebration with her.

Day 15: In which I was blissfully distracted

I spent most of the day today chanting kirtan.  Now that's a day full of sweetness, for sure.  I drove to Naples to visit my friend Missy, to practice for an upcoming kirtan event that we are doing together.  The whole drive down, I was chanting, to warm up and figure out what songs I wanted to rehearse with her.  We spent a couple of hours going over the set, and then a couple more hours talking, singing more, listening to kirtan cds, and generally goofing around.  She gave me some kirtan cds to listen to on my drive home, so I spent the whole ride home also singing kirtan!

I think that when most of us are blissfully involved in doing some activity that we really love, we don't feel the need/desire for sweets, or even for much food at all.  We get into the state known as "Flow," and time just flies by and we can become oblivious to everything other than what we are focused on.  I didn't even notice I was hungry until I got back in the car to drive home, and then realized that the almond butter toast I had eaten 6 hours prior had been completely digested and I was Ready. To. Eat. NOW.  So, I stopped at the 7-11 just before getting on the highway.  I didn't even look at the drink case, I had been sipping green tea and water all afternoon, and wasn't feeling thirsty at all.  (If I had looked, I would have found an assortment of colored, flavored, and naturally or chemically sweetened beverages- none of which would have been appealing, anyway.)  I walked to the "snack" aisle.  Candy, granola bars, pop-tarts, multigrain fruit bars, twinkies, cupcakes, trail mix, chips, crackers, pretzels, etc.  I opted for a bag of salted cashews.  Everything else looked so unappealing- so "fake."  Actually, the pretzels did look good, but they only came in a large bag, which I didn't want to get.

My eyes did linger for a moment on the " Combos."  If you don't know what Combos are, you're

actually not alone, because if you look at the ingredients, you still won't know what they are.  However, I will admit to eating more than a few bag-fulls over the course of my lifetime.  Basically they are either a tube-shaped pretzel or cracker, with a flavored "cheese" filling. (i.e. cheddar, nacho, pizza flavored.)  I remember getting a bag of them one time while I was waiting at the train station in NJ, eating most of the bag, and THEN looking at the nutritional information.  That was a mistake!  One modest sized bag of Combos had over 1400 calories!  I was actually floored.  Obviously it made an impression on me because I still remember the calorie count all these years later.  That's almost a whole day's worth of calories for some people.  I'd be willing to guess that they are loaded with fat and sugar, not to mention preservatives, artificial flavoring and coloring.  Anyway, the cashews did the trick, and when I did get home I warmed up some leftover lentil soup.

I'm going to be really busy for the next 3 days- we have a guest presenter coming in to the yoga studio for a weekend workshop (Bill Mahony!  If you are anywhere near Sarasota, FL this weekend, RUN don't walk to the Garden of the Heart to hear his discussions on yoga philosophy- you won't be disappointed!)  I'm super excited, and I know that I'm going to have little time to think about food, which puts me into dangerous territory, because when I forget to eat, I will suddenly find myself StArViNg and ready to eat anything that's in my path.  So, my game plan is to stop at the store tomorrow afternoon and stock up on healthful, sugar-free options.  (Blackened tofu, rice cakes, avocados, green apples, nuts, radishes, etc.)  In the past, I would have stocked up on very different items, like Lara bars, Endangered Species Chocolate, dried apricots, granola.  Those things still sound appealing at first, but thinking about them I realize how heavy and full of sugar all of those items are, compared to the first list, which are mostly light and energizing.  I think I'm making progress here in my choices, and THAT, readers, is blissful to me.

We are One,
Namaste!

Day 14: Just one week to go! But, where am I going?

Ah, today was blissfully easy to get through.  Oatmeal with almonds for breakfast, grilled tofu and potato salad from Earth Origins for lunch, a salad and rice cakes for dinner.  In between, I had a cup of coffee with almond milk, and today instead of chai, I had roasted dandelion tea, at the suggestion of a friend who is also doing 21 days without sugar. It has a carob-like flavor, and it is supposed to be good for detoxing.  I also drank a lot of water today, and had some hibiscus tea at Andy's house when I went for my Pilates session.

Hydration is really key for me.  If I forget to drink a lot of water during the day, I fizzle out, kinda like the Wicked Witch of the East when Dorothy removed her ruby slippers.  (That image always freaked me out as a little kid!)

Anyway, the question has come up:  What happens at the end of the 21 days?  Will I gorge on donuts and ice cream?  (Not likely.)  Will I continue to give up sugar entirely?  (Also not likely.)  What is my overall goal here, anyway?

The goal is not to unnecessarily restrict myself from life's sweet pleasures.  I am a yogini, yes, but I'm more of a Tantrika than an Ascetic.  I believe that life is to be lived fully, and that pleasures are not to be completely denied.  I will be happy to partake in birthday cake, (and even possibly a day early, as one of my students is turning 80 years old next week, and we are having a party for her!) happy to enjoy a spoon of sugar in my chai every now and then, and thrilled to eat a banana.  For me, this 21 day reset is really an exercise in mindfulness.  Noticing how much sugar was in my diet, being mindful of the ingredients in the foods I tend to reach for in a pinch, and awareness that a little bit of planning can go a long way in maintaining a clean diet and good energy levels throughout my day.  What I really wanted to get out of this was a restoration of balance, and I do feel like I'm getting there.  As a bonus, I have really been enjoying the blogging, and I'll have to think of something else to blog about after next week.  Hmmmm, maybe Yoga??

So, for week 3, I don't feel the need to make any big changes.  I'll continue to restrict sugar in most forms, with the exception of some fruit (apples mostly, but maybe this week coming up I'll feel like expanding into berries or citrus.  I was totally happy with just the apples in week 2.)  I think I may also add sweet potatoes, and/or squash- my friend told me about Kabocha squash, which looks similar to acorn squash, but has edible skin. So, I may try that.  Fall is a time of year when I like cooking squash and sweet potatoes- they are heavy and grounding and warming, especially with spices on them like cinnamon or garam masala.  Mmmmm.  I think I'll also add shredded coconut into my oatmeal this week- I'm getting bored with just almonds or walnuts!  And next week after that it will be raisins, for sure.  (Tim will be so happy!)

Thanks for following this blog, and thank you so much to those of you who have sent me private messages with questions, comments, and support.  You're holding me accountable, and I appreciate it!  Namaste,

Cheryl