07/27/2024
A BODYMIND RENAISSANCE, Part 11:
Quitting Sugar wasn’t as hard as I expected
Despite knowing that eating sugary desserts was literally making life difficult for EVERY system in my body, I didn’t want to give it up. I can’t think of any one thing that has more potential positive ramifications for the entire bodymind. Still, I put it off for months. I didn’t think I could do it.
Then, one day I had a sit-down talk with myself; I was tired of feeling powerless in the matter. I reached a conclusion, “I should be able to figure out a way to do this that doesn’t rely heavily on my limited supply of willpower or make me feel miserable. I’m gonna put sugar in its place!”
And so I did it. I found a way. Despite my fondness for dessert and other sweet things, I’m currently eating very little sugar**. It’s a New Me.
It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I imagined! And that’s NOT because I’m a master of willpower. I found a way to do it that was as much about body awareness, focus and habit formation as it was about FOOD!
I feel SO much better now, eating almost no Sugar. My blood sugar has stabilized. I’m gradually losing the last 20 pounds that have been on my agenda for a while -- without working hard at it. I have more energy! I’m more mentally focused. I sleep better. I even feel more optimistic. In summary:
I feel like I’ve solved a dozen problems with just one change in my Self Care!
Note: ** Here’s what “sugar-free” means in my particular case: I don’t eat dessert foods, candy, cakes, ice cream, etc. except in tiny amounts on special occasions (I allow myself to have a small dessert every Sunday -- if I want it). I also don’t drink sodas, eat honey or maple syrup, agave nectar or most artificial sweeteners. What I do eat occasionally is Stevia, and I eat FRUIT, fresh and frozen, and small amounts of fruit juices. I am not a maniac about checking every label for the tiniest appearance of high fructose corn syrup, malto-dextrin, dextrose or any of the other disguises that sugar adopts. However, I want to eat as little sugar as possible, period. After all, I’ve nearly given up dessert! Might as well go the distance and get the benefits.
………………………
*In case you missed my initial post on July 12…
16 months ago I was diagnosed with stage one endometrial cancer. In the coming weeks I learned so much about myself... how I react to bad news, how long it takes me to pick myself off the floor and get to work doing something about it, etc. I know SO many people have been through similar experiences, where your perspective shifts suddenly. I want to keep writing about this, because there's a lot to say... p.s. I appear to be cancer-free at present, thank you Jesus, other deities and universal cosmic influencers!
Photo credit: Elena Leya, from Unsplash