Put Down The M&Ms: 30 Day 'Cut Sugar' Trial

[Matt Willard]

Day 20!

I went to Denny's to have breakfast today, and I decided that I would try an experiment-could I have a good breakfast that didn't include eggs or meat? I eventually ended up with hash browns, wheat toast, seasonal fruit, and granola with milk. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have gotten so much food, but it was pretty satisfactory. (Except the mango, which outright sucked.) I'll have to try this a lot more often.

[Matt Willard]

Day 21!

Well, cutting back on sugar's been working great, but these days I find I'm facing different diet challenges. Many people I know from this forum advocate a healthier diet, but, you know, I've realized something. I want to try, say, going vegetarian or whatever, but I'm simply not ready to commit to that yet. I want to do research and gather recipes and other resources to prepare for that step. Until then, I'm not gonna beat myself up over my current choices. I'm only human. And I can only focus on one change at a time. It's a gradual process.

There's been some eagerness to condemn people for their dietary choices lately, but remember-some of us aren't ready to take the step yet. And you can push and prod all you like, but it's their choice alone. I want to make a lot of changes right now, but a lot of them will have to wait. Until then? I ain't gonna worry about what I'm doing wrong.

[Matt Willard]

Day 22!

I want juuuuuuice. I so can't wait to have some when this is over.

[WordKeeper]

Way to go Matt.

Can you have granola? If you know of a bakery or some place that makes their own it might do a couple of good things in addition to giving you some sweet honey. The oatmeal has fiber and iron and is a good grain. I love my homemade granola. Get the kind with almonds that have a sweetness as well.

[seafoam]

Hey Matt,

Good job! I gave up sugar and caffeine on August 1. And was off them til two days ago. And will be off them tomorrow.

Long ago, I started diluting juice with water. I read that juice was way full of sugar, and about how whole fruit is better for you and such. But I do occasionally get tired of just water. I like grapefruit juice and with a little water, it's darn near perfect.

Do you eat the natural peanut butter (with just peanuts and a wee bit of salt)? Because most of the commercial peanut butters are just loaded with sugar.

I've been getting sprouted bread (I love sprouted rye)(wheat is a whole 'nother issue) and I toast that, put a little peanut butter, and some apple slices on it for my breakfast. Then I have a banana for a snack (between breakfast and lunch). I like a big salad for lunch. I get bored sometimes and work, and sometimes just hungry (salad moves!) so I've been snacking the no sugar granola ~ nuts, raisins, other dried fruits. Then dinners have been meats and veggies mostly.

I was amazed at how easy it was. There was even a baby shower at work and no cake for me. I was so tempted one or two days to get candy from a friend's desk. I decided if I was going to blow it, it wouldn't be with cheap, waxy candy ~ it would be with Godiva chocolates.

The first time, when I did a trial, I was almost zero carbs. No fruit. It's been much easier with fruit this time.

Keep going!

[Matt Willard]

Er...no, it's been commercial peanut butter. If I see any natural next time I go shopping, I'll pick some up. But really, right now I can't get all the options I want to get, so I'll just do the best I can.

Same thing with the granola-I can eat it, but it may not be the BEST granola I can find. I just have to do what I can. I had some really tasty granola at Denny's, but God knows if it was jacked up on sweets or not. Eh, I ain't gonna beat myself up over it. I haven't touched ice cream or candy since I started, and that's pretty good.

Day 23!

I'm pretty picky when it comes to fruit, I notice. For example, I like crisp, crunchy Red Delicious apples. Wal-Mart's apples suck, while Publix and Winn-Dixie's apples are great. Conversely, Publix's grapes aren't that good, but Wal-Mart offers some great tasting ones. (Right now I've got Winn-Dixie grapes-MAN, they're good. For not being candy, it's a great alternative!)

Same goes with vegetables. I like corn, obviously, but most of the vegetables I eat need to be masked by some other flavor. Then there's stuff like onions, which I just plain dislike. When I do try to go vegetarian for a while, I want to research this and find ways to put vegetables in my diet while having them taste good, or at least hidden in other tastes.

[Matt Willard]

Day 24!

Hmmm. Need more fruit! Will eat later.

[Matt Willard]

Day 25!

Mmmm, obnoxiously large pizza...although Mom also did pick up a Kashi pizza, so I'm interested in trying that out. Gonna have some tasty grapes later after I digest~

[Matt Willard]

Day 26!

"Hey, no sugar, but I'll eat, like, three burgers and fries. That balances it out." Obviously cutting down on unhealthy fast food is in the future, but I think my next health trial will revolve around taking a daily morning walk. I got pretty tired today, so I think a good 20 minute jaunt will help out for now.

[Matt Willard]

Day 27!

Felt a bit more focused today. Helps that I started the morning with grapes! That juice is lonely. It will look great IN MY STOMACH.

[Matt Willard]

Day 28!

There's a lot of Gatorade in our fridge now, because my sister has gradually weaned herself off soda a bit. Unfortunately, the now unemptied soda bottles are taking up valuable space. Nice. Now I want some water.

[Matt Willard]

Day 29!

You know, today we ate lunch at Jason's Deli, and my sister both had a cookie and soft-serve ice cream, which she offered to me. I turned her down, but then I looked at her and said:

"I'm going to let myself have juice and sweets every so often when this is done. I don't feel like being perfect."

And, you know what, that's so right. I don't FEEL like being perfect. I don't FEEL like living up to all of Steve's standards, like I have felt like I needed to do before. I hate public schooling, I haven't stop eating meat yet, and I LIKE SUGAR.

Of course, I do want to control portions. I want to eat healthier and exercise. But I won't do all of these perfectly. I can't! So I will simply accept what I am-human.

Can't wait for juuuuuuice~

[Matt Willard]

Day 30!

Woot! Finally done. Final thoughts? Eh, I want to enjoy myself every now and again. Sugar is okay as long as I don't do stupid stuff like eat an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's. (Which I have done before.) A cookie here, a small bit of ice cream there. No biggie. Also juice.

Tomorrow I am gonna juice the hell out~

[yoda]

You might want to know that artificial sweeteners increases the desire for sweets, so I would stay away from the splanda! I suggest SweetLeaf stevia. It has 0 calories, 0 carbs, and a 0 gylcemic index, and the only sweetener on the market with all three of these properties!

Also, I hear there is nothing wrong with eating several healthful snacks throughout the day--it can actucally help you lose weight!

[Matt Willard]

I'll be sure to keep that sweetener in mind, yoda!