Day Seven of the Sugar Challenge
Today is the last day! How are you doing? Will you be binging on sugar tomorrow or do you think you will be able to continue eating less sugar in your diet on a more regular basis? I have really had an enormous amount of fun with this challenge, and I’ve really enjoyed cooking and discovering just how much of what we eat contains hidden sugars. It’s been a great week with fantastic eats!
Yesterday I ate:
– Plain yogurt with frozen blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries
– 2 bowls of oatmeal (mixed with water, an apple, and cinnamon)
– Salad with spinach, tomatoes, carrots, celery, green pepper, roast chicken, hummus, and the quinoa dish
– Almonds and raisins
– Leftover spaghetti squash
– 1/2 bowl of creamy carrot soup
– 1 apple
– a few frozen grapes
– 1 1/2 glasses of skim milk
– Quesadilla (2 homemade tortillas grilled with chicken, Herbs de Provence, black pepper, Laughing Cow Light Cheese, homemade hummus, green pepper, spinach, and tomato), plus 1/4 of the sister’s quesadilla (virtually the same but with sun dried tomatoes and no chicken)
– Banana with peanut butter, plus a little bit more peanut butter for good measure 😉
This week has taught me two things completely unrelated to sugar: a) I eat the same kinds of vegetables very consistently, and b) I seem to add oregano to everything. Usually I also eat broccoli and cauliflower on a fairly regular basis because they are in the bag of frozen vegetables that I eat, but I just wasn’t in the mood for steamed veggies at all this week! The salads were a nice change (am not usually a big salad person in the winter. I like all my food to be HOT when the weather is cold!).
The other thing that was abnormal about this week was the amount of meat I ate. Because my mother dear made an extra roast chicken on Sunday, we’ve had an entire little roast chicken to eat between the sister-roommate and myself this week! Then there was the shrimp in my quinoa dish (although it was a very, very small amount of shrimp), and the equally small amount of ground turkey in my spaghetti squash sauce. I’m just not used to eating meat every day, no matter how big the amount, so it seemed unusual. Other than that, however, this week was a pretty good indicator of what I eat on a regular basis (just imagine sandwiches and more eggs).
Check back in on Monday for the list of foods that I will have eaten today (the last day of the challenge), my reflections on this Sugar Challenge, and the effect it has had on both myself and another person who attempted to try out this experiment!
*Edited to add: Tomorrow is the last day to submit your recipes for the upcoming Blogger Cookbook!
You’ve done great Sagan!
Me? Pretty good! I did break down and have a small piece of chocolate yesterday and today (dark choc – and for it’s health benefits!!). Otherwise, I think I’ve dove very good with this. I know, without a doubt, that I have passed up several sweets that I would have otherwise have eaten – had I not committed to this here last week. So – Sagan – for that, I thank you very much!
Have you tried frozen cherries? You can use some choc protein powder mixed in your plain yogurt and add cherries! Yum. I think I’m gonna have that for breakfast! 🙂
You’re doing fabulously, Sagan!!! No worries!!! 🙂
Oh wow, awesome! Love plain yogurt with berries!!
Thank you so much for mentioning the Blogger Cookbook! It is coming along so well!
I have been trying to cut out additional sugars as well and am really impressed by your seven day challenge. That is really impressive. I am sure the longer you go without it, the less you crave it.
Haha, I add oregano to everything too. Oregano, chili powder, and garlic powder are my go-to spices.
Congrats! I’m excited to read your Monday post. Do you feel any different? Did you lose weight? Sleep better etc. Have a great weekend.
I eat all the same veggies, too. 🙂
I’m excited to hear about the results of your sugar challenge. I’m very committed to a low-sugar way of eating, and I think that once you start, its very hard to go back. When your palate gets used to less sugar, you can just tate everything better. And all too often, added sugars are used to disguise the fact that food isn’t that fresh or tasty…if you take away the sugar, there’s definitely added motivation to use quality ingredients in cooking.
Lance- that’s awesome! I’m so glad.
Natalia- I have not; it sound delicious. Not a protein powder person but I bet some chocolate PB2 would work great as well 😀
VeggieGirl & Sharon- thanks so much!
FoodsthatFit- I adore your Blogger Cookbook idea.
Maggie- they’re all such good spices and can be added to everything, it seems. Cumin is another favorite of mine.
Jolene- I’ll be sure to address all of those questions on Monday!
Hil- I think I would have noticed more of a difference had I been eating more sugar BEFORE this week, but I wasn’t. You’re right, though; once we eat less sugar the desire for it really diminishes as well.
What I’ve learned from your experience is how little sugar I do eat on a regular basis. There’s always the odd medicinal brownie or piece of carrot cake, but most of my sweet stuff is natural these days. And I didn’t even know. 🙂
Im so excited for the BLOGGER COOKBOOK!!
Yah I eat salad almost every day in the summer, but hardly ever in the winter. That’s when I want warm soup!! Yay for salad weather approaching!
Sagan – this has been a great challenge! You’ve done an amazing job of it, and I look forward to your Monday post.
wow little or no sugar..you are inspiring me. baby steps. although I do believe sugar is evil.
I can’t wait to hear (I mean read) your reflections!
This is a great challenge; looks like you’re doing wonderful…me? I had some ice cream last night, but other than that…better.
peace,
mike
livelife365
Cammy- that’s awesome. Therapeutic brownie/carrot cake is of course crucial to a happy self- but we don’t need near as much sugar as we seem to get.
MizFit- me too! So excited!!
Meg- mmm love soup. I hope that spring is on its way at last…
Bag Lady- I’ve been having SUCH a blast with this challenge. Man I love these health challenges.
Kristisummer- agreed that added sugar IS evil! But the natural stuff is good and essential 🙂
Juliet- it’s coming, it’s coming!
Mike- but I bet that you really appreciated that ice cream, too.