image from www.feathersinournest.com
So I was trying to do my research on this No Sweet Treats challenge. I want to know if this is just a waste of my time or there's really merit to it. I realized there are a lot of people that are banning sugar in their diet. Poor Ms. Sweets.
The most interesting one I came across with is the story of Eve O. Schaub's Year of No Sugar. I think I saw this at one point on my Facebook feeds but didn't really thought about it that time. The blog chronicles the whole family's journey of giving up sugar in all forms for one whole year. It has sparked alot of interest about America's sugar-intake. They had been invited on different talk shows including Dr. Oz and now has a book on their year of no sugar. There was even a national #NoSugarChallenge where participants will give up sugar for a whole day. That means no cereal, bread, peanut butter, or even yogurt. Apparently sugar is found everywhere, even on simple condiments like ketchup, so you need to skip that too. I had no idea about the buzz this is creating because I was not interested.
Let me tell you now: I AM NOT READY TO GIVE UP SUGAR. My challenge for my self is just to give up on the treats - all the excess. That's no sugar-loaded snacks or dessert. You can ask me why not go all the way and make it a real challenge? Because I want to make it more realistic for me or I will just give up even before I start.
I need my sugar. Coffee keeps me sane at work and allows me to stay up until I've taken care of Mila's morning routine. I cannot drink my coffee without my sugar. I need to eat to keep my milk supply up. That may mean drinking Malunggay Tea or eating oatmeal, both served with Honey.
If I try to work on a year of no sugar, or even a day, I already know I'd fail. It's no easy task. Some who tried the #NoSugarChallenge shared their Lessons From A Day of No Sugar. Some had no idea they're eating sugar until they find themselves reading the label and it's already too late. Another ended up failing at the end of her day just because she was not thinking about it anymore. I find it funny because I know I will do the same - try the hardest to win the challenge the whole day, until I let my guard down and just mindlessly put that chocolate in my mouth. It was more of a habit to just pop that candy in. If I fail on day 1, it may take me a while to get back on the saddle.
So what is realistic for me? I don't want to get overwhelmed so I'm starting small. Minimizing rather than eliminating sweets from my daily diet - that's what I want. In fact, I'm already finding out alternative snacks and going back to eating fruits. I scheduled my meals for just breakfast, light lunch, dinner (only if I wake up early before going to work), and fruit snack during my 1 hour break at work. My in-betweens will be unsalted crackers or maybe an oatmeal. Gone are my chocolate wafer, cake, and pastries. I am able to catch myself when I open the fridge to grab a butterscotch. I exercise again only to make sure I keep my head off my treats. I think this is progress enough. I just need to make sure I stick to the plan.
This No Sweet Treats Challenge is something I know I can sustain for longer that 30 days. A year of no sweet treat? Yes. A year of no sugar? Nah!
