It’s Sunday Everyone!!! Happy day to everyone:)It is also an National Independence Day in my country Poland ( my country did not exist for 123 years…until 11 november 1918. For those of you, who would like to find out more i give the link to a short Wiki description in English :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Independence_Day)
I would like to tell you about my challenge and I hope you will find it inspiring.
You don’t know this, but I’m addicted to sugar and always have been. While eating main dish I was already dreaming about the desert. Every success, every disappointment, sad day, great day, party, car trip (I could go on and on this) i was crunching sugar. The more I ate the more I wanted it.Well anyway….after having the first hour boost I then felt anxious, tired and sad..almost deppressed!! It was a horrible feeling. This drug actually sabotage my creativity and success in many things.My skin was dry, dull, my nails weak. Belive me , I was always trying to avoid sugar. I put aspartame to my tea/coffee.In my recipes I would swap the confectionary sugar with the substitute, but soon stopped doing this as I read all those horrible things about what the chemical substitute actually do to the body.
so yeap…I was really trying to stop….but the lasted a while only…to my dissapintment.I can tell you though ,that my biggest success was in 2007-no sugar for 4 months!!!huraaaayyy and I was never that creative, that full of energy and smiled as at that time
I always wanted to get to the bottom of my addiction and this is what I’ve learned:
1) I ‘ve found out that my beautiful mom , while being pregnant with me, desired sugar all the time. She said that she was constantly thinking about chocolate, biscuits and pies. Strangely, she did not put much on weight at all, but admitted that the sugar crunch was unbearable. I’ve never blamed her for this, why should I. Pregnant ladies have their rights.
2) The other reason for my addiction happened when I was growing up. Since my mom seen her little girl looking for sweet things in all the kitchen cupboards, she would hide the sweet from me and she would give me a piece of chocolate or biscuit as a reward, for getting a good grade at school, cleaning my room…etc., so what did I do?… I would always get great grades and be a good girl to get what i wanted. I was doing this for the sweet reward unfortunately this process programmed my brain to reward myself with sugar in my adult live and expand to reward myself for all sorts of reasons….
….wow, it reminds me the Ivan Pavlov’s experiments 😦
You could ask… why do I want to try again, if I’ve failed before. Firstly …Well, I’m a believer that if you want something you should never ever give up and secondly, I’m a Christian and in Christian faith, before the Christmas, we have Advent. It is 4 weeks=4 Sundays of preparation for the arrival of baby Jesus. It is a symbolic time of self-awareness,contemplation. It is for some people a time of fasting, giving up things they love, they are addicted to or desire in for God.
I thought, it is a perfect time for me to start fight my addiction. My sacrifice was to not only to remove the sugar from my menu but to expand the challenge to 40 days . I have decided to do this as my way to pray for the health, piece and well-being of my whole family my sisters, parents, granny, cousins. I truly believe this will hold me strong in my decision.
I’m in my first week now and it was not easy. The first 3 days I had a horrible headache. My whole body hurt. I was in a very, very bad mood and everything annoyed me ( good that my hubby was at work, ‘coz I do not think he could handle it). I drank hectoliters of still water and eat only steamed vegetables chicken and fish. my snack almonds-15 a day. I’ve decided not to exercise for one week, not to exhaust my body. Most times I felt I would not cope, that I will fail, but I’ve survived. After the third day the temptation disappeared and I’m very proud of myself. I’ve even managed to bake (Pear and Frangipene Tart) without tasting the half-products or the ready tart.
I have to tell you , that I’ve prepared myself prior to the first week – I’ve made sure I do not have any sweets at home and that I will not go out to avoid the allurement. i have filled my fridge with healthy stuff only veggies, low-fat cheese, poultry and fish. I even took more drastic decision and gave all my cards and cash to my husband to avoid temptation :D….crazy but worked! Also, I advice you to start on the weekend. Sleep helps.
I really encourage you to challenge yourself on stopping doing thinks that are harmful to you , your bodies. Belive in yourself, you can do it:). Be strong
I will keep you updated. Wish me luck.
’til the next one
Iza
IzabelaDemarais 
Wow! When I read your post it was like you were writing about me. I have felt this way my whole life. I am surprised that I didn’t put on weight with my sugar addiction.
A few weeks ago, I have decided that since this addiction was controlling my life, something drastic had to be done. I am a very “all or nothing” personality so I cleared my cupboards, and went shopping. Eggs, lean meat, nuts, and lots of kale and green veggies. No fruit, nothing! Anything else would create a temptation that I did not need or could handle.
First few days were pure misery for me as well. Mood swings, anger, headaches..just pure misery. After I passed that hard part I told myself “ok try it until your birthday (Nov 10) And guess what? I have been successful because I set up a plan. So even though I had 2 kinds (yes 2 🙂 tarts, I know that today I can re-start and continue without sugar.
Thank you so much for sharing you experience with people. I am sure just like me, a lot of people can relate.
Sincerely,
Éva
Really? I was not sure whether anyone will be able to understand my bad ”relationship” with sugar. I don’t eat fruits as consider them to be a trigger too. I avoid Well done on your commitment, especially having two bundles of joy at home which could make the challenge even more challenging. I wish you happy Birthday and may all your dreams come true:)
Thank you very much for the wishes, I truly appreciate it, I had a wonderful day yesterday 🙂 And yes, I have had this battle for ages. My father had sweets with his every meal. My mother never craves them. So strange. Fruit is a bad trigger for me too. Your body processes even “good” sugar the same way. Also, having protein and good fats, I don’t even crave this stuff anymore…thank goodness 🙂
I hope your journey without sugar stays strong as well and I am sure you feel so much better without it.
Sincerely,
Éva
You’re definitely nothing like one of Pavlov’s dogs! As you might have seen in another one of my posts, sugar really is a borderline addiction. The irritability that you went through was your bodies reaction to it’s dependency! Your body creates a lot of chemical reactions. For example, if you get injured your body creates a chemical that is similar to a pain killer, but not as strong. If every time you hurt yourself, you take a pain killer, eventually pain without the pain killer will be much worse because your body is no longer creating that same reaction and is now dependent upon the drugs. That’s what happened with your sugar addition and applaud your 40 days without sugar! Remember, now that you’ve cut it out cold turkey, you can work your way back to moderation. Just try to stay away from those refined sugars! Best of luck! ~Allana
Hi Allana,
You are so right. i will spend a lot of time reading your posts today, as I find them really inspiring. I am still worried to bring back the sugar(like fructose) back to my life, not to trigger the craving.
Maybe i should wait a little bit longer? Also, even eating carrots, I have good body reaction when eating together with a low-fat cheese. Carrot alone, makes me want more of it. I think the cheese slowest down the digestion of natural sugar in the carrot, isn’t it?
🙂 My lovely Izunia:) I always rmember you making kogel mogel and while you tried teach me this sweet desert:)))) Fingers crossed for you 😀 Hope you’ll never stop making delicious pies and cakes for family:) don’t you dare darling:) you may not eat them but keep doing them :))) heheh , Love ya sis!
Good luck! And good for you!
🙂 I am takeing one day at the time. I hope this will work.
Thank you for visiting my blog
Hang in there! You are doing well. I give you so much credit : )
I appreciate it.
thank you for visiting my blog and thank you for sharing all your great recipies with us. They look delicious.
Have a beautiful day!
Iza
good luck! i agree, sugar IS a drug. i hope you accomplish this great and worthy challenge you’ve set on yourself ^^
I totally understand your addiction to sugar. I think I’m somewhat addicted to sugar myself, but I so admire your quest to last 40 days without sugar!! I’m sure you’ll feel amazing by the end!
Hi Erika
thank you for your message. I actually feel better already. My under eye circles are gone and my skin is amazingly soft. I am calm and relaxed.
Ohh..I love your blog!
All the best 😀
If u succeed,then may be I’ll take up the challenge too 🙂