My Personal New Year’s Resolution
Since yesterday was Wednesday (the day of the week when I never get anything home-related done), I thought I’d share something a little more personal with y’all today. If you’ve been around here for long, you know that I love the beginning of a new year. It’s a fresh start, a clean slate, and a great chance to create new goals for the new year. That’s why I love making my master list of home goals at the beginning of each year.
But I also love making personal new year’s resolutions. I don’t always share those on the blog, but this year is a really big one, so I want to share it with you so that I can put it out here in writing for all to see. I feel more accountable when I’ve shared goals and resolutions with more people instead of just keeping it between me, Matt, and my mom.
So this is a big one for me. My new year’s resolution for 2024 is to go the whole year without eating sugar, with the exception of six free days. Those days will be my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, with three additional free days of my choosing. Other than those six free days, my goal is no sugar for a year.
I know that may sound extreme to some people, but I’ve learned through experience that it’s best for me to just go cold turkey if I need to get something like my sugar consumption under control. Just saying, “I’ll only eat a little bit! Everything in moderation,” doesn’t work for me. Because eating one cookie makes me want a second, and a third, and before I know it, I’ve eaten a dozen cookies. When it comes to sugar, I have a complete lack of self-control.
I know some of you will remember back in 2018 and 2019 when I got really serious about losing weight and getting in shape. I did the keto diet (with a few months of carnivore there towards the end of 2019), and I lost about 45 pounds. I was feeling great, looking so much better, and feeing strong and confident. And then 2020 hit, the world spun out of control, and I channeled my stress of that year into eating and buying shoes. Mostly eating. But also a lot of shoe buying. While eating. 😀
But I don’t know if I ever shared what got me into that place of gaining all of that weight in the first place prior to starting keto in 2018. When Matt and I lived in our little condo over by the university here in town (Baylor University), we lived less than a mile from every conceivable fast food restaurant, and we made some really bad habits of relying on those restaurants for just about every meal. It was awful, and the fact that we’re both still alive today after abusing our bodies like that is a testament to the resilience of the human body.
And while I enjoyed the convenience of the food, and enjoyed eating it (can I hear it for Schlotzky’s? 😀 ), my vice was Dr. Pepper. My Dr. Pepper habit got so bad that on some days, I’d drink it for every meal. That’s three times a day. And I don’t mean that I’d drink a small Dr. Pepper. I mean that I’d get a 32-ounce Dr. Pepper. Or if I’d go to Sonic, I’d up that to their 44-ounce size.
Now I wouldn’t drink three of those every single day, but I’d at least drink one a day, and very often I’d drink two. Probably about once a week, I’d drink three a day. Just imagine how much sugar that is!
Edit: I just looked that up, and each ounce of Dr. Pepper has 3.17 grams of sugar. And 12 grams equals one tablespoon. So I was consuming between about 9 tablespoons and 26 tablespoons of sugar every single day just in the Dr. Pepper I was drinking! And that doesn’t even include the sugar that I was actually eating in the food I was consuming.
And obviously, when I was drinking that much Dr. Pepper, I wasn’t thirsty for anything else. So I wasn’t drinking any water at all. Again, I have no idea how my body survived that type of abuse, and I have no idea how I didn’t end up diabetic from that abuse. I was definitely pre-diabetic, though.
So at the beginning of 2018, I made a new year’s resolution that I was going to go a year without Dr. Pepper. I was just going to cut it off cold turkey. Making that kind of commitment scared the heck out of me, but I knew there was no way I could ever lose the weight if I didn’t kick the Dr. Pepper habit.
While I didn’t make it an entire year, I did make it until about October of that year before I had my first Dr. Pepper. And do you know what? It didn’t even taste all that great to me. In those ten months, I had completely lost my craving for it, and it just didn’t do anything for me anymore. And while I didn’t make it a whole year, I can say very proudly that it was enough to help me kick the habit. I am not a Dr. Pepper drinker anymore. On the rare occasion that I do drink a Dr. Pepper these days, I’ll order the smallest one they have a Sonic (which I think is a 16-ounce cup filled with nugget ice), and that’s plenty for me. But I only find myself wanting that treat during the hot Texas summer months, and at most, I order that maybe once a month.
So that new year’s resolution worked, and has had a lasting effect on my life. Had I not done that back in 2018, I have no doubt that I was running headlong into type 2 diabetes. I think that that new year’s resolution, followed by two years of keto and carnivore eating, saved me from that inevitable outcome had I continued on that path.
But here I am, post-2020, after that awful year of funneling my stress into eating and buying shoes and gaining a lot (but not all) of that weight back, and I’m finally feeling mentally ready to tackle this challenge once again. I’ve coasted along for the last three years, not completely losing control, but also not taking my eating very seriously. Being a part of a community that gathers very often around food has been nice, but I’ve used that as an excuse for why I need to give myself way too many allowances with eating things I know aren’t benefiting my health.
So that’s why I decided to do another extreme (for me) new year’s resolution. Sugar is my downfall, and if I keep giving myself those allowances two or three times a week, I’ll never reach my personal health goals. So this year, in 2024, sugar has to go. And to be honest with you, after I got past those first few days at the beginning of this month, I don’t really crave it anymore. In fact, just last night, we had a birthday party for a friend, complete with the most delicious-looking chocolate cake, and I very easily passed on it. I didn’t feel tempted at all.
We’ll see how this year goes, and y’all can hold me accountable. I’m very excited to see how cutting out sugar altogether affects my overall health this year and helps me get closer to my personal health goals. I may be feeling so great by my birthday in June that I decide I don’t even want sugar on that day! 😀 We’ll see, though, because when it comes to sugary treats, there’s nothing I love more than a moist white sheet cake with buttercream icing. I can’t imagine my birthday being complete without it!
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
YAYYY! GOOD FOR YOU. 🙂
I’m 82 years old and I have gone without sugar for years for two reasons: I feel SO much better; and for some reason, sugar puts on the weight for me more than any other type of food. And after such a long time without it, ‘normal’ sweets taste much too sweet for me. Also I find it important, for me, to not do food/drinks with artificial sweetener in them. Once in a great while I get a sugar craving, so I’ll make a bowl of sugar-free jello, eat a couple of spoonfuls at a time, and am satisfied for another long time. So I encourage you to stick with this. Sometimes it’s hard, when others try to ‘force’ sugar on you, but just stay strong. As I’ve heard many times, “NO is a complete sentence.” 🙂
Good goal! I’ve thought about cutting back on sugar as well but I didn’t know where to draw the line. Are you referring to all added sugar and all it’s derivatives (honey, corn syrup, agave syrup, apple juice…etc)? So if pasta sauce or crackers, for example, had corn syrup added then they are part of the “no sugar” list? I’ve noticed that pretty much any pre-packaged food has added sugar. 🙁
That’s not part of my new year’s resolution, but it doesn’t really need to be since we don’t eat those things anyway. Matt eats a 100% carnivore diet. And because his diet is so restrictive, I never make elaborate meals for myself. On those five days a week that I eat at home and cook for myself, I either eat a carnivore or keto meals made with fresh ingredients (meat and veggies, cheese, and maybe some salsa). I don’t eat boxed food. I don’t eat canned food. Nothing like that. My two years of strict keto/carnivore back in 2018 and 2019 broke me of that habit, and I never went back to buying that stuff. I stick to the outer walls of the grocery store–produce, meat, and dairy (just cheese, butter, and heavy cream).
The issue for me became those three days a week when I eat out or cook for my group on Wednesday nights. Those are the days that have been sabotaging me. I had gotten into the habit of not carefully choosing my meals at the restaurant on Sunday after church, and at the restaurant on Wednesdays when I eat lunch with my mom and brother. And then I was allowing way too much sugar consumption on those days with desserts. And then very often on Wednesday nights, any desserts and other treats that had been brought to our house would be left here, and I’d eat those the next day, and sometimes the next two days. So it was all of those careless meal choices, and the extra desserts and treats that were causing the issues for me. If I didn’t have those meals out, or our Wednesday night gatherings, I’d be fine because when it comes to cooking for myself, I really never venture from fresh meat, fresh veggies, cheese, butter, and coffee with heavy cream. When it comes to cooking for myself, my diet is VERY simple.
An idea – have a list of no-sugar snacks for your Wednesday night group. Deviled eggs, cheese board, etc. Find a book of appetizers, make a big list, and then rotate what you make.
Of course, you know what you’re doing! I’m just thinking out loud here!!
Hi, I was wondering about this too.
Veg with dip, hummus n chips, cut fruit or hard boiled eggs or those lunch meat-cheese roll ups are good, as are seeds n nuts.
When it comes to desserts, say things you make for your church or family, would you consider making keto desserts with keto-friendly sweeteners, allulose or fruit sugars, like date syrup or apple sauce? There are many muffin, quick bread and cookie recipes out there that have been adapted to be made with very little sugar. Sometimes I use date syrup in place of brown sugar or maple syrup as it works the same. Date syrup can be found in natural food stores and middle eastern grocers. I’ve also made nut butter muffins sweetened with applesauce or banana, and they’re pretty good.
Try searching Keto, paleo, sugar-free type desserts.
Detoxinista is the website I’ve used.
Deviled eggs do contain sugar. It’s in the mayonnaise. Of course you could make your own mayonnaise without the sugar. I remember my mother making her own when I was young.
I was going to say that too, mayonnaise has sugar, and most fresh fruits also contain sugar, as does some nut butters, salsas, bread products and so many foods you would not expect! And I think “diet” foods are fooling lots of people!
Dukes mayo has no added sugar and it’s really good! I get mine at Kroger or Aldi if you have those available in your area.
Duke’s mayonnaise has no carbs – therefore, no sugar! I had no idea that other brands had sugar.
I think having simple rules/guidelines is always a good idea and I do it too. It takes the thinking out of the process. Bad habits are the absence of good habits and it takes the brain about a month of consistency to form new habits. So if you get through the first month it will get easier.
Kristi….ummmmmmm! Sugar treats are so good. I applaud you on your 2024 New Years resolution of giving it up. Good Luck to you. I will be high fiving you every step of the way. Treat yourself good, and keep the faith.
Good luck Kristi! I’m sure many of us would appreciate regular updates. Adult onset diabetes is such an avoidable disease.
I’ve done this more than once and truly all cravings for sugar die. And pretty quickly. Unfortunately if I get overwhelmed or stressed the first thing I go to is sugar so each time it has not lasted for me. But one Thankswhen I wasn’t eating it I was at a friend’s house for dinner and there were many sugar laden items and I could have cared less.
So more power to you!
I wish you much success with your resolution! My Goddaughter had bariatric surgery last February. She bled internally, had 3 blood transfusions and then her spleen removed in a 15 hour long surgery. I didn’t want that to happen to me. I needed to lose about 40 pounds and know how easily the pounds creep up. I have lost 25 pounds so far on a not so strict low carb diet. I’ve allowed myself one cookie per day and occasional days off. I could never stick with a plan where I could never have sugar. I believe everyone needs to find a plan that works best for them. Please update us on your journey!
I agree! We all know what our vices are, and if we are honest with ourselves, we know what triggers us too. So fighting those triggers is the biggest step we can make! Then it’s easier to fight the vices.
Oh, girl! I’m with you!! I too have a bad Dr. Pepper habit that I need to kick. Sugar is so bad for us, but so addictive. Even if you don’t drop all the weight you are hoping, you will feel so much better in the end!! Best of luck to you.
Do you listen to podcasts? I thought this was very informative. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/243-why-sugary-drinks-can-cause-weight-gain-and-low/id1563263076?i=1000642089748
Wow. Good for you. When my husband had a heart attack we modified our diet and can attest that you really can change your palate.
I’m curious if no sugar also includes carbs.
So much of what you have said has resonated with me, Kristi. Keto, cravings – so much.
I’m thinking that since you are the main meal planner, purchaser, and cook – this will be something achievable!
I know, once I cut out a lot of my sugar intake – it changed me for good. Now I can taste the sugar in everything – and it is usually just way too much! Some things look so delicious, then you realize they are way too sweet – it ends up leaving a bitter taste in your mouth!
You have done this, you will be able to do this.
Great idea! I need to be inspired by your example. Cutting out sugar also helps you avoid liver diseases like NASH and NAFLD.
That is awesome and I am cheering you on from the sidelines:) Sugar is one of the worst things for the human body.
Like you I’ve done all the things you have Keto Carnivore Paleo starting back in the 1980’s with Dr. Atkins (original keto) but one of the best was Whole 30-you cut out sugar (among other things) for 30 days to “reset your metabolism and insulin resistance” and you can slowly add things back after 30 days or not Except sugar. If you do eat something restricted you have to start again at day 1. It’s a very real incentive
Also the book is good filled with some great information and some good recipes that I still use.
Kristi –My jaw dropped when I read that you would quit all sugar cold turkey. Good for you! I know you can do it. I also have a sweet tooth, so I know how addicting sugar is, but that means once you get through the “detox period” your cravings will greatly diminish. My own experience of living sugar-free for more than 20 years is that it is life-changing. I predict you’ll not only feel and look better physically but your mind and emotions will benefit from the mental clarity that comes from living without sugar’s effects on the body’s chemistry. I applaud your decision and am cheering for you! Thank you for your continued honesty and willingness to share so much of your life with others.
If you’re anything like me Kristi, those 6 days will ruin you. I find that once I step off I fail to step back on – for weeks and months!! Wishing you well!
This is exactly what happened to me when I allowed myself the rare cheats. I had a bit of sugar (birthday cake for my daughter’s birthday), and a little bit of pecan pie at Thanksgiving. All the cravings for sugar that had gone away completely with eliminating sugar CAME BACK, and all I could think about was having more and more sweets and sugars. It took a few days to subside. I am not a moderator when it comes to sweet foods; I have to be an abstainer. A great book that explains why this true for many people (but not all) is Gary Taubes’ book “The Case for Keto.”
Good for you. I really need to do that too!
I cook for church, but only vegetarian meals, and rarely fix a dessert. So carnivore is out for me, but I have learned a trick for NOT using sugary drinks. I brew my tea with herbs, even Wal Mart has herb teas, and my coffee is flavored, but not sweetened. I find I never miss the sugar when I use the flavored teas/coffee, even tho I love sweet tea. I don’t use cream either.
Go for it Kristi! My husband and I are both Type II Diabetics, we have almost reversed it, I am so very close to being in the normal zone for my sugar and he is right behind me, and his was soooo bad. Medications are also terrible. Getting healthy has been fun for us, we do it together, and the plan we are on is so easy. I have lost 47 pounds since June 3 and I feel better than I have in over 20 years. I will have the energy to run and play with my grandkids now. And clothes shopping is so much more fun for me now that I don’t have to worry about my big ole mid section! Best of luck to you! I also only shop the perimeter of the store, it saves some money and it is so much better tasting.
Kristi,
I actually did Keto with you and Matt back in 2018/2019 and lost about 30 lbs. I’ve done low carb and sugar on and off since then. Last year was a rough year for several reasons so in September I just decided I was not going to worry about what went in my mouth and spent 4 months eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted regardless of whether I was hungry or not. But on January 2nd I was going no sugar, no processed food and low carb; not Keto per say but low sugar/low carb. I was eating the way you ate during your condo days, fast food every day for lunch, McDonalds cokes daily with no water and sweets by the fistful. I love to bake so I baked a lot. I gained 30 lbs in 4 months. I had to go on high blood pressure and cholesterol medication. My lower back hurt to move, bending was a joke and my sciatic nerve pain in my hips was seriously affecting my walking. After the first week of my new eating plan, my back pain subsided and by the end of the second week my sciatic nerve pain was about 1/3 of what it had been. Like you deserts and bread are not really appealing to me for the first time in my 65 years. I am feeling full after much less food and can stop eating when I feel full. For some reason my “clean your plate” approach to eating has changed. I obviously feel better, am hoping to lose some weight and keep my ongoing inflammation at bay. I’m staying off the scale and focusing on how I feel verses how much I weigh. By the end of the year I hope to be healthier and feel better than I have in years. Good luck to both of us on this new and permanent way of eating.
That’s a courageous goal. I’m sure you can do it! Once someone told me that if I was craving sweets all the time, I wasn’t getting enough protein. Now I don’t know if that’s scientifically true, but I did find if I had Greek yogurt and eggs with breakfast, and larger protein sources for the other meals, it seemed to fill me up more. I wasn’t wanting to eat a sleeve of Oreos at bedtime 🙂
I find that to be 100% true. I haven’t been craving sweets at all, and I attribute that to the fact that I’m focusing on high (animal) protein and high (animal) fat meals. When I eat that way, I stay satiated and don’t crave sweets, and don’t constantly think about snacking.
We need protein, and we need fat. We don’t actually need carbohydrates. High protein and high fat meals are very satiating, as you have already found, and help eliminate cravings, with no need for snacks. Snacks spike insulin, our body’s fat storage hormone. “The Case for Keto” by Gary Taubes and “Why We Get Sick: The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease” are very readable books on this subject.
Kristi, You have inspired me and as of this moment I will be joining you in this no sugar resolution! Like you, I can’t “eat just one” so none it is! Good luck to us both!
Six years ago I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes…surprisingly enough sugar doesn’t affect my blood sugars. But white carbs sure do! I don’t eat sugar…as it gives me terrible heartburn. My one cheat all summer…on Sunday hubby & I would go for an ice cream – chocolate peanut butter cup is my fav! It’s only a summer treat. And since June I’ve lost nearly 40 lbs and have joined a Bounce class this winter…the most fun I’ve had exercising! Good luck with your no sugar regime! I don’t miss it…same with salt.
Salt has long been blamed for what sugar does. We actually need salt. 🙂 A great book to explain the “why” is “The Salt Fix” by Dr. James DiNicolantonio. I started adding salt to my diet, and my blood pressure came down.
So true! Several other things have been blamed for what sugar, processed carbs, and seed oils have done to our bodies. Just the other day, I was describing my daily diet (high anima protein, moderate to high animal fat, depending on what I need to stay satiated), and her first question was, “Don’t you worry about all of that cholesterol clogging your arteries?” I had to explain to her that the reason cholesterol builds up in our blood vessels is because it’s trying to patch the damage being done by the sugar. Sugar is doing the damage, our bodies send in cholesterol to repair and patch over the damage, and then cholesterol gets blamed for causing the problems. But if we’d stop eating the sugar, processed carbs, and seed oils that does the damage in the first place, our bodies would have no reason to send in the cholesterol to patch over the damage. That’s why people who eat 100% carnivore diets for a year or more may have high cholesterol, but almost always have CAC scores of zero. And high cholesterol with a zero or very low carb diet (free of sugar, processed carbs, and seed oils) is amazing for the body (helps the body to repair damage quickly and easily), and protective of the brain. I remember listening to Dr. David Perlmutter (neurologist and author of Grain Brain) say that if he had a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia or any similar neurological disease, the first thing he’d tell them is to cut out the sugar and processed carbs, and start eating a dozen eggs a day for breakfast scrambled in a whole lot of butter.
I have been eating carnivore since April 5, 2023. And I have never felt better. I have “cheated” with sugar about 3 times since then, and regretted the cheats (my daughter’s birthday, Thanksgiving, and my birthday) as my sugar cravings came back. I have come to the realization that I must be an abstainer. “The Case for Keto” by Gary Taubes lays out really well why this is true for some of us, while others (like my husband) can have carbs “in moderation.” Future me is completely reliant on today’s me to make good dietary choices.
Grain Brain is an interesting read. I also learned a lot about uric acid from Dr. Perlmutter in his book “Drop Acid.”
Hi Kristy,
Do I ever wish I could do what you’re doing…giving up sugar.
Kudos to you for recognizing its a cold turkey thing you need!!!
For me, I’m definitely addicted to sugar. Don’t care about Chios, potatoes, bread…bit sugar, give me something everyday. I look forward ro hearing your progress!!! And YOU GO GIRL!!!
Hi Kristi,
I gave up sugar for almost 2 years, years ago. Although I don’t have a sweet tooth and didn’t really miss desserts, I never realized how much I was using sugar in other things! I added a little to cooked carrots, many asian sauces have sugar, etc. Those were the things that were really difficult at first and like you said, it gets easier. I wish you well!
What a goal. You can do it. My 2024 goal is to read my Bible daily. This will be the 3rd time to read it through and I still learn something every day. My second goal is to organize my fabric scraps. I have 8 years worth of scraps….8 years. I am a keeper. I just can’t throw anything away. Well, somethings, but not fabric, or good strong boxes or magazines. Weird, I know. Boxes are stored in the barn and I give my magazines away. But I haven’t been able to part with my material. So 2024 is the year of cleaning out. I’m cutting the fabric into 2.5” strips, 2” strips, 1” strips and 10” squares, 5” squares, 4.5” squares, 2.5” squares and hexagons. Then all that material will be donated to the Waco Quilt Guild. It will be gone and will have found a good new home. I said all of that to say those are my only 2 goals. Can’t give up sugar and can’t give up Coca-Cola. I do limit myself to 1 16.9 fl oz a day. I sure would like to drop 45 pounds, however?????????
I am addicted to sugar too. Cookies, cakes, candy, ice cream, anything with sugar in it. Ughhh. I keep telling myself I need to change that, but…..I don’t. It’s so hard to give up my lemon Oreos daily. LOL. One of these days, maybe. What’s crazy, my A1C is fine. No understanding of how that is. My Dr just shakes his head.
If I could suggest a book to you, I learned a lot by reading Ben Bikman’s book “Why We Get Sick,” which explains well the process of insulin resistance.
I have no doubt that you can do anything you put your mind to! I also kicked the Dr. pepper habit cold turkey. My last one was in 2002 and I do not miss it one bit. I would definitely not like one now as even the smell of it makes me gag a little. 😂 You’ve got this girl!!
Good for you. I stopped eating chocolate about 35 years ago, giving myself permission to have a Cadbury egg at Easter. Well, in the third year, I almost gagged on that horrible egg and stopped eating them and chocolate all together. It’s in the mind!!! I stopped eating cake, cookies, pies and donuts in 2018 and AGAIN, it was a non-event. It’s your Brain that controls everything and it becomes such a Non-event. I have no desire to eat any of that. ALSO, I stopped eating sugar Years ago and use Monkfruit sweetner instead. My health is just so much better and I’ve been losing weight, ounce by ounce. Strangely enough, it’s the so-called friends who will say, “Oh, it’s such a special day and I made this cake Just for you!!!!” Do yourself a favor and trip them on the way out the door, lol!!!!
I have a personal problem with giving up sugar… I cannot use ANY form of alternative sugars without getting a migraine out of this world! I can’t even chew gum anymore, because it all has artificial sugar. But on your note about Dr. Pepper, I had my gall bladder removed back in the 90’s and was told not to have soda for six weeks at least, after surgery. I was a Pepsi addict then, and if we did not have a 2 liter of it in the house at all times, I would panic! I abruptly gave it up and had only water or lightly sweetened iced tea, and started feeling so much more energetic! I stayed away from soda totally for about six months then tried to have my 1st Pepsi — it was so sweet I couldn’t drink it, and never went back. I now have clear soda only, and only one can a day of Squirt, my favorite. But I think I want to try again to give soda the ax and see if it helps my weight at all. I too gained in the last 3 years, and have so many clothes that I cannot wear, I could open a store! I’ve gained 3 sizes! I’ll be checking in with you !
Do you listen to podcasts? I thought this one was very interesting. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/levels-a-whole-new-level/id1563263076?i=1000642089748
The link is to “A Whole New Level” podcast entitled “Why Sugary Drinks can cause weight gain and low energy” with Dr. Richard Johnson and Dr. Dominic D’Agostino.
I’m so excited to read this! One, your body will love you. Two, ladies at my church are doing a sugar fast using Wendy Speaks’ book called 40 Day Sugar Fast. We are on day 12. It’s a Bible study\devotional that goes along with the fast. It is excellent! We have a Facebook group where we encourage each other, and meet weekly.
It has been amazing. She dives deeply into all the issues. I so love how our Father empowers us when we make these choices!
Blessings on your choice and your journey!
I know you’ve already read a lot of Keto stuff, which is what really motivates me to stay away from processed stuff and sugar, but if you haven’t read _Wheat Belly_, then add it to your list. Great read. Sounds like you are off to a good start on your goal.
Your gut microbiome will thank you. It will put up a fight, but if you hang tight, the sugar-loving microbes will finally die off and the cravings will stop.
What a great, inspirational post! You’ve inspired me to get more serious about avoiding sugar myself. I’m like you–I’m an “abstainer,” not a “moderator.” (These are terms coined by Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project. She’s so right!) “Moderators” can hold themselves to moderate treats and feel trapped and deprived if they cut something out completely. “Abstainers” have a hard time holding the line if they allow ANY treats and do best with hard limits. I toggle between pre-diabetes and Type 2 depending on sugar intake and exercise levels. So thank you for the challenge! I like the 6-day limit. Also, another very funny source about cutting out sugar: “The Year of No Sugar” by Eve Schaub. She’s a hoot!
Your Keto diet challenge in 2018 was incredible liberating for me. I’d been diagnosed that spring with an autoimmune disorder. Cutting out everything in my diet was so good for me!
You can do this!!
Awesome!!
Cutting out sugar makes a huge difference for me. Weight, mood, sleep, even the ability to dream. I started keto with you in 2018–which my body was so happy with, I got pregnant, so full keto didn’t last too long. 🙂
I’ve spent the last few years doing a ton of research on different types of sugars and their affects, and come to realize that the really nastiest, most addictive stuff is glucose (derived from corn syrup, in EVERYTHING) and hydrogenated oils, also in everything. I couldn’t figure out why the kids and I were sick all the time, in spite of eating a raw dairy/home grown vegetables/animal products diet. We purged the mayo, the peanut butter, the corn chips, everything, and are generally sugar free, except for real maple syrup and local honey. Those don’t seem to feed cravings for more sugar.
Have you ever done a gut cleanse? That may be another piece of the puzzle for you. A lot of that “legacy” junk that we eat just…never…digests. It sits there, for ever. It is wild, and is a major cause of what we call leaky gut and autoimmune symptoms.
Here is a great article. I bit the bullet and am doing this guy’s cleanse right now–it is definitely stirring up some long-dormant Stuff.
https://edits.thedoctorwithin.com/journey-to-the-center-of-your-colon-the-best-detox-and-cleanse/
God bless you, and thank you so much for talking about your and Matt’s health! You’re like a Jesus-loving, truth- and health- and beauty-seeking friend out there in the wilderness, and I’m so grateful for you.
I’ve never done a gut cleanse, so I’ll check it out. Thank you! I might see if Matt can do it, too. We’ve done extensive reading about the connection between leaky gut and autoimmune diseases, which is what led us to the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet years ago. That’s what started us on this whole journey of finding a diet that benefits him, so I have no doubt that he needs help and repair in the area of gut health.
It’s hard to research and compare gut cleanse protocols…everyone is a salesman! What I like about Tim O’Shea’s is that it’s comprehensive. Probiotics, enzymes, minerals, collagen, colon detox and heavy metal detox, all together, and for a long enough period (60 days) to hopefully get down through years of sludge.
It’s kind of spendy, but it would probably be a big deal for both of you. Anyway, there is tons and tons to read on his website. Can’t recommend it enough, if you can handle a more than a little anti-pharma snark and cynicism. https://edits.thedoctorwithin.com/chapters/
In your MS research, have you come across the work of Dr Evers? He treated MS from the 1940s through 70s with a raw food diet–sounds like you’re on the same track.
A very quick overview: http://www.doctoryourself.com/ms_2.html
I don’t think this is extreme in the way you are thinking….I think it’s extreme that we consume as much sugar as we do! Not eating sugar is better for us all around. I follow a plan called bright line eating and haven’t had sugar in 6 months. I’ve lost 45 lbs and don’t miss sugar at all. All that said, I know it’s not easy and I think this is a great new year’s resolution and I wish you freedom from cravings and good luck!
I think we have ALL struggled with a bad habit. But how about some little encouragement (that you may or may not have already heard)? I drink water, even at home; we go out to eat, I might enjoy iced tea. BUT, my home is fully stocked with soft drinks, and the reason is so that my guests (or delivery people) are offered a treat. I have learned to NOT beat myself up if I decide to partake in one of our soft drinks, like I used to. “Oh, no! I have to restart my diet!” After losing weight and working to keep it off, my desire to drink soft drinks is gone, whether at home or away. But food is meant to be enjoyed, and life is short. TLDR: do NOT beat yourself up if you enjoy a sugary beverage before October.
I’m curious what you mean by no sugar. Because everything has sugar (or what the body processes as sugar). Pasta sauce, bread, fruit, salad dressing, honey, etc… Obviously you mean to cut sodas and desserts and such, but what else? And if you mean anything more extensive- how?? Wouldn’t you need to completely strip your pantry, restock, be really prepared with recipes and meal plans, buy special ingredients? I’m not asking as a challenge- I’m truly interested in understanding how one goes about this (and affords to go about it- financially, organizationally, mentally, time-wise). I don’t think I could go cold-Turkey on sugar without months of preparation and education and literally, tens of thousands of dollars (esp with current prices). I know that sounds ridiculous but sugar-filled, highly processed foods are the super cheap foods. The idea of what you’re doing is so mentally overwhelming it makes me just want to crawl into bed. Id really appreciate you explaining your process and meaning.
You can do it! I totally see how you would be an all or nothing girl on this kind of thing. Don’t even hesitate to toss those leftover Bible study cookies in the trash at the end of the night.
I have done zero-sugar for extended periods of time to heal my gut and kill off candida (basically just eating meat, eggs, vegetables, plain whole yogurt) and I must be a Moderator, not Abstainer, because I sure did feel deprived and trapped from such limitations. I’m so glad I can feel good now with a little sugar in my diet. I can’t/don’t eat any grains or nightshades, and I’m fine with that, but I love a small amount of bittersweet chocolate every day, and maybe another weekly treat. Plus not having to be super vigilant about seasonings and condiments is nice.
I tried quitting sugar a few years ago. I lasted three days.
Oh Kristi! I am right there with you, Girl! I quit sugar three days ago and I am determined to break this addiction! I finally had to say to myself, “It’s the sugar!” As long as I’m addicted to it, I’m never going to meet my weight loss goals. I find that if I start, I can’t stop so now that it’s almost out of my system, I’m determined not to start it up again. Talk about a vicious cycle, right? The more I have, the more I want. I love your idea of having six sugar days a year- I’m going to think about that. Anyway, I know you’ll be successful – with your self-determination you are unstoppable! Also, I love your new profile photo! I’d love to see you showing off some outfit photos with your cute new shoes, sweater and gorgeous necklaces. Here’s to 2024!
Well, as you learned with Dr Pepper, when you go without it, your tastebuds change, and to try it later, it’s terrible. I did that with my cokes. But same for total sugar free. The only reason I got to eating sugar again was after my cancer diagnosis. The dr wanted me to put weight on; at the same time, the ice cream factory in town closed. I was sad I would never have their rocky road again, even though I hadn’t had it in 2 years! Hubby went around buying up all the rocky road in town! I told him—oh honey I do not want to eat that…it was hard kicking sugar! But he was working on the instruction from the dr to gain weight. He served me a half cup at the end of the evening, in bed with the tv on. During those scary strange cancer days, that became a safe and pleasant routine, though at first it tasted like I was pouring syrup in my mouth. But that began to change, and The half cup became a cup; then a bowl during those 2 years…and I’ve had sugar in my every day ever since!
You may find though, you won’t even want those 6 days a year! You can do this!
Thank you, Kristi, for sharing and being so transparent and encouraging!
I gave up sugar in my coffee and tea 30 years ago and to this day, I cannot put sweet tea in my mouth. Now I just need to work on all the other sweets. We win the war on our knees and saying no to one temptation after another. Blessings!