Eighteen months ago I decided to take a 30 day No Added Sugar Challenge and it completely changed my relationship with food! The challenge was amazing and it’s something that I’m so grateful I did. All these months later, I am still free from sugar.
Often when I tell people that I don’t really eat sugar, they look at me funny. I’ll then clarify; I eat natural sugars daily, but almost no added sugar. I love my breakfast to be loaded with fresh berries and I’m a super big fan of carrots, tomatoes and many other fruits and veggies that have natural sugar. I find these delicious sweets to be a wonderful part of my day and I crave/love them!
I’ll admit, I used to be very much addicted to processed sugar. I loved candy and sugar cereals. I would “healthy up” my homemade desserts, but I still found that I always had some sort of homemade cookie or bread in my house. Freeing myself from this daily habit made me feel amazing. It also made it very easy for my weight not to fluctuate. Even though I’d always work out and eat right around the holidays, I seemed to gain at least five or more pounds before I broke my addiction. The No Added Sugar challenge broke it once and for all.
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I went 30 days without eating any sweets whatsoever. No cakes, cookies, ice cream, or pies etc. That was 18 months ago and I’m a bit more lenient now. If someone has made a dessert, I usually try a little bite. Most of the time it is extremely sweet and a small sliver is all I want. There are even more times when I pass on dessert altogether. I honestly can only handle a little bit of added sugar. I still love ice cream and that is the one sweet I have no problem buying and putting in my freezer. But I do not go overboard like I once did. Before I’d eat a bowl of ice cream at night and not think anything of it. Now I truly savor just a little bit of ice cream as a special treat!
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Eighteen months later, I’m still super aware of the sugar that is added to food. I’m picky about the salad dressing I buy, if I buy any. I love blue cheese dressing, so I have no problem buying it as a treat. But all of my grocery store adventures now involve me checking labels and seeing if there is sugar added to the pre-packaged foods. I don’t care how that makes me look, because seeing sugar added to random foods makes me question why I’m buying and eating it. Usually I do not.
I love that I still don’t feel a need to eat dessert when I go out to dinner, even when I’m with others that do. I also don’t feel guilty about skipping it, because I know dessert is just a treat and by no means will I ever go back to my secret sugar ways. Never again!
I’m conscious of what I put in my body and I’m super picky when I do splurge, because it honestly makes those items even better! I’ve rid myself of my sugar drink habit of lattes and milkshakes, and I’m better for it. I can enjoy them if I want a treat! I don’t become numb to the sugar. I know when I’m eating it and I know when it is too much!
Even 18 months after the No Added Sugar Challenge, I’m still grateful for the lessons I learned and the freedom I gained. I’m no longer a slave to sugar!
Mandi Mellen is Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Vlogger at BuzzChomp. She’s an actress, writer, and producer. Get lost in her youtube comedy channel PillowTalk TV. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Instagram
Photo Credits to: www.mesothelioma.com
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