30 days of no sugar, week one.

since the first of the month, in addition to my one little word and my list of goals, i decided to give up sugar.  as i dove into figuring out my monthly intentions, i realized, sometimes it's not only what you add, but also what you take away that can make the biggest differences.

personally, sugar is a ridiculous vice of mine.  i have an insane sweet tooth and can never stop at just one.  so, to prove to myself i have the power to choose, i decided to embark on this 30 day, no sugar challenge.  and the timing couldn't have been more perfect.  after the onslaught of my holiday gluttony, i was feeling lethargic & unhealthy.  my self discipline disappeared during the holiday celebrations, and as a result, so did my self esteem.  determined to make major changes in 2013, sugar was the first thing to go.

i'm one week into this challenge, and it has definitely been difficult.  actually, the first couple days weren't too bad- but by day four, i seriously had delirium tremens.  which makes me realize, i have a legit dependency to sugar.  the idea of being dependent to something does not bode well for me- so i know now more than i did seven days ago, cutting sugar was the right thing to do

don't get me wrong.  there's no way i'm going to forever lead a sugar-free lifestyle.  in fact, i gave up sugar for lent a few years back, rocked it, and told myself i would be happy avoiding sugar for the rest of my life.  that was of course, until the birthday cakes and irresistible goodies welcomed their way back into my life.  as of right now, it's just a test.  a test to see how much sugar i actually eat and how i can use naturally derived sugar to combat my sweet urges.

so here's what i'm doing.  i have given up all sugars with the exception of those that come from fruits & vegetables.  that means no honey or maple for the time being.  as we all know, sugar is everywhere.  so i've not only given up the obvious baked goods and beverages, but i've also removed any products with sugar in the label.  this means no chocolate peanut butter cliff bars, salad dressings, and in some cases, alcohol (i say some cases because we have a few birthdays to celebrate this month and i'm allowing myself to enjoy a glass of red wine on these special occasions).

now, while i still have cravings, i'm leaning on fruit to combat my sweet tooth.  right now, cuties are my favorite.  some days have been much easier than expected and others have been very tough.  i'm expecting this roller coaster of cravings to last the entire month & am looking forward to sharing this adventure with you.

ps. consider yourself warned: if i come across grumpy on any posts in the next month, you now know why. :)