Sugar-free self-test: “I haven’t eaten any sugar for eight weeks?” and this is what happened to my body!?
?Sugar-free happy in 8 weeks? is written on Sarah Wilson's book cover, which I discover on our editorial bookshelf. ?Happy?. The word irritates me in connection with “sugar-free”. something. Happy without sugar, is that possible?
I'll grab thisand my thoughts start to circle. To be honest, I haven't been as happy with my handling of sugar as I always thought I would be. Just the sight of chocolate puts a smile on my face. But unfortunately I'm not one of those people who likes a piece of the chocolate bar, but to those who feel a very strong desire to make the entire board disappear within a few minutes. Like I was getting a prize for being the fastest. By the way, only siblings have this idea? have I ever heard? and I can't get rid of it even after more than ten years of self-determined sugar consumption without hungry siblings.
Sugar is like a drug
I have always envied anyone who, feeling full and satisfied after a meal, gratefully forgoes dessert. For as long as I can remember, I've been looking forward to dessert before the main meal was even cooked. “When you've eaten well, there'll be dessert,” my mother always said to us children, making me believe that the best comes last. Far from it. The fact that sugar has a negative impact on our bodies is nothing new. Nevertheless, I eat it regularly, uncontrollably and especially in the evening. For me, sugar is like a drug that I struggle with almost every night. I am aware of the effects of sugar such as headaches, tiredness, a feeling of fullness and an accelerated aging process, but so far I have successfully suppressed them. But that's over now. Getting my body sugar-free in eight weeks can't be that hard, can it? Sarah Wilson's book serves as a guide for me.
The small print ingredient lists
Before the challenge, I look at the sugar content of foods. The change begins primarily in the head. So far I've had itno great thought was given to industrial products. Of course, I was always aware that my Sprite and my milk chocolate contained a lot of sugar. However, I didn't realize that even my beloved cream cheese, tomatoes and vegetable spreads contain a lot of sugar. So I start looking at the packaging and ingredient lists (even though the fact that they are printed so small is annoying).to keep track of all sugar quantities.
Week 1 without sugar: Make your own muesli, bread, etc
In the first week of my detox, I cleaned out my refrigerator and made a plan of which foods I would avoid from now on: table sugar, honey, all kinds of processed products, fruit (at least in the first four weeks) and light bread. Of course, the sugar content cannot be determined in every meal and in every slice of bread. However, if you cook freshly and bake your own bread, you will quickly get a feel for it. The first thing I do is change my breakfast habits. I replace the beloved muesli mix with a delicious homemade oneand instead of the sandwiches from the bakery, from now on there is homemade cheese bread. This not only saves sugar, but also money. The lunch break is the next hurdle. At the Asian store I order sushi instead of tofu curry (snack bars often use curry pastes with a lot of sugar) and salad is the only optionand pepper (ready-made dressings often contain honey and balsamic, which in turn contain a lot of sugar).
Week 2 without sugar: Shopping at the organic store
From the second week onwards I'll try new onesfor example an autumnal pumpkin mix. I learn that fats are important and control our appetite. My favorite isIt is heat-resistant, antibacterial and can be used for frying. In search of all the healthy ingredients that the sugar-free book recommends, I get to know the various health food stores in my neighborhood. At the checkout I remember why I have rarely or never shopped here: healthy food is expensive!
Week 3 without sugar: read food labels correctly
From the third week onwards, I have a connoisseur's eye when checking the ingredient labels and detect most sugary products almost by the font on the packaging. The basic rule is: the more information on the packaging on the topicon it, the more colorful and unhealthy the mix of ingredients is. Also, this is the first time I've made cream cheese and baked bread myself? No need for a ready-made mix, but still super easy. Afterwards I feel like I've planted a tree.
Week 4 without sugar: Activate nuts
In the fourth week I'm starting to get the hang of cooking for myself and no longer give a thought to fruit. Suddenly it's normal to snack on a few cashews instead of an apple. I even activate nuts! It works like this: First you soak the nuts in water, then you bake them in the oven. This is supposed to start the germination process and thus activate the enzymes it contains. This process ensures that the indigestible toxins in thethe nut can be digested by the human body. You can also simply freeze activated nuts if you have made too many.
Week 5 without sugar: Reached rock bottom
The fifth week of sugar withdrawal is one of the hardest for me. Although I've now gotten used to avoiding certain foods, I find it increasingly difficult to compromise in restaurants and bars with friends. I would love to just drink a glass of tap water at every meeting. I realize that changing your diet also means that you can no longer easily go to your favorite Thai restaurant around the corner every week. Unless you enjoy going through the menu with the waiter to have the exact ingredients of each dish explained to you and then end up with a salad without dressing.
Week 6 without sugar: Little tricks help
Because after 42 days of being sugar-free I feel an increasing craving for sweets, I have to come up with a few tricks. For example, I brush my teeth immediately after dinner (note: there is also a small amount of sugar in conventional toothpaste, so don't use more than necessary.) and put a stick of cinnamon in my ginger tea to satisfy my sugar cravings. Overall, I feel happier and fitter than ever during my weekly yoga classes.
Week 7 without sugar: Everything gets better with spices
My freezer is too small for healthy ones. I noticed this in the week before last, considering my stash of vegetables, nuts, bread and pre-cooked meals. Cooking is now part of my everyday life and I imagine I even understand the chefs on various cooking shows a little better. Not that I can suddenly conjure up fancy five-star menus. But I feel more confident and now I know what to do with turmeric, cinnamon, sage, mint and clove spice. And these are by no means all the spices that are in minewith salt and pepper.
Week 8 without sugar: The fruit is back
In the eighth and final week of the challenge, I allow myself fruits with a low sugar content, such as blueberries and raspberries. It's only now that I realize how much fruit I actually ate before my sugar-free weeks. Because fructose is converted directly into fat in the body, you shouldn't overdo it with apples, bananas, etc. I'm also trying out tart and muffin recipes now. I simply replace the sugar with rice syrup. And ? I admit it? one day I'll be weak. I just can't live without a piece of my friend's birthday cake. Ultimately, it's not about total renunciation, but rather about self-control.
My conclusion after 8 weeks without sugar
After the 8-week sugar-free challenge, I now have the lifelong sugar control challenge ahead of me. I can happily do without all kinds of soft drinks. When it comes to chocolate and cake, giving up chocolate and cake permanently will never be an option for me. But I can incorporate sugar alternatives into my everyday life and control my sugar consumption. To make one thing clear: I'm not interested in completely restricting myself and forcing myself to do something completely renounced. After all, we live in a world with many delicious temptations. However, I have gotten to know the world of sugar better and can now deal with it more consciously and therefore in a healthier way. And that fact makes me a little happier.
