Three weeks ago, I officially restarted my step-by-step process of cutting sugar out of my diet. I haven't checked in since then and honestly, it's difficult to determine exactly how much - or how little - progress I've made.
On the one hand, I am much more aware of how much sugar I eat. I check everything from breakfast cereal to a package of frozen veggies in light butter sauce to Goldfish crackers. Whenever possible, I try to peg what I'm craving. Sometimes I just need to eat something else, so I'll whip up a salad or have crackers with cheese. Other times I really do want something sweet, so I reach for fruit.
On the other hand, however, I haven't exactly followed the plan I set out for myself. The last week of March was supposed to be completely free of sugary snacks... most days, I still had some cookies or a scoop of ice cream after dinner.
Part of the problem is that I get so hungry after dinner. My old eating habits were: eat dinner, eat dessert, crave something salty/savory again, crave something sweet again, and on and on. As soon as I finish a salty snack or a small post-dinner meal, my body revs up for a sweet treat. Combine that with low will power and a house full of snacks, and there I am, eating dessert every night.
I'm trying to acknowledge the progress I've made in noticing sugar content in my food and avoiding temptation as often as possible. That's a huge improvement considering half of my snacking after dinner, as I mentioned above, used to be comprised of sugar processed foods. Still, I wish I had more self control.
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I'm hoping to start a very simplistic diet after Easter Sunday. No more unhealthy, processed foods; only fresh fruits, veggies, protein, and grains, with a touch of dairy mixed in. I hope that during this process I can completely cut ties with my sugar cravings.
Do you get crazy sugar cravings? Or are you addicted to salty foods? What's your biggest weakness? (Mine is cookies.)
