For our May 30 day challenge we invited our friends to join us in giving up added sugar for a month. Honestly, I didn’t think it would be that difficult, we already ate a diet that didn’t consist of much added sugar. I was getting these crazy sugar cravings every afternoon, so I knew it was time to cut it out, and reset.
I put together a facebook group, so all participants could hold each other accountability. Within the first couple of days people were already cheating. This probably annoyed me more than it should, which has been a lesson in itself.
I learned what’s easy for me may be incredibly difficult for someone else. This has made me slightly more emphatic, I didn’t want to be the tyrant of the sugar challenge but, I also didn’t want to go too easy of people. So, finding a balance with being encouraging, but keeping it real is something I continue to work on.
I believe that people can make incredible changes by making changes in their diet and lifestyle.
During the first couple of weeks, I would randomly dream about sweets. I was surprised because I wasn’t craving them during the day. In fact, there is chocolate and vanilla ice cream that’s been in the freezer the whole month, and I wasn’t tempted by it at all.
My struggle was going over to other people’s houses. I didn’t always inquire about the sugar content of the meal because it seemed rude. We just did what we could without making a big fuss. I would say I avoided sugar 95% of the time. Including the time I ate Mellow Mushroom on my birthday.
I found as the month went on my taste for sugar changed! As an example I now enjoy plain greek yogurt, fruit salad taste like the sweetest dessert to me, and peanut butter taste so sweet. I also noticed when I cut out the junk, I added in a lot more healthy food. We’ve been eating more veggies than a vegetarian.
I’ve been so inspired by hearing how this challenge has affected my friends and family. People are cutting back, making changes, and cravings are diminished! I hope that people embrace the lifestyle change, use sugar sparingly, and use this as a jump start to a more healthy lifestyle. Page lost weight during the challenge, and my afternoon sugar cravings are gone! Page and I will continue to limit our sugar to special occasions the first being a fresh-picked strawberry pie to celebrate the end of a great challenge!
How was this month for you? If you didn’t participate or totally failed, try it next month. Or join us, in June Challenge: Dedicating 30 minutes every day to achieving a personal goal.