Final Words

It's My Birthday

What does it mean to eat without consuming sugar? Eating without sugar is all about making better choices, not necessarily eliminating sugar entirely. I feel that in these three short weeks I have learned quite a bit about the lifestyle and the choices you make trying to eat no sugar entirely. The American lifestyle is not at all conducive to sugar free living. Nearly all prepared foods contain sugar to some degree. The implications are deep. Good luck eating out. All you get to eat are raw foods. How many restaurants serve raw foods? Almost none, unless it's a salad. And if you happen to just want one of those raw foods salads, you can't have any salad dressing. Na ah. Almost all of the commercially available restaurant chosen dressings contain sugar. For taste, right?

So restaurants are out. So are common snack foods. Candy. Energy bars. Drinks. Etc. Sugar. Sugar. And Sugar.

Eating without sugar forces you to eat better. To cook your own food and stay away from the junk and the candy. What a wonderful trade off!

But still...

I don't think I can give up ice cream. And I like eating out now and then. I already make better choices. Not that pie, but the baked chicken. Do you know what I mean?

It is all about our choices. What we choose day to day that makes up our lifestyle and dietary choices. Fad diets don't work, so waiting to eat the cheesecake and candy until next week isn't going to help you. You have to constantly be on top of your cravings. I think it's okay to eat the occasional sugared treat but not every day or throughout the day. Sugar is a metabolism inhibitor.

What I've gotten out of this experience is: Everything in moderation. Medicine is not except from checking the ingredients (inactive ingredients) label. Check everything on that label! Costco has embraced alternative foods and has some great choices for prepared foods made healthier.

After drastically (not that I was eating so much sugar before but there is a difference) reducing my sugar intake I have noticed that other foods can be sweet. Milk is sweet to me. Bread (without sugar) is sweet to me. Fruits can be substituted as a dessert because they are so sweet and delicious.

Happy 24th birthday to me. I'm off to eat a gourmet locally crafted cake from My Cakes in Snoqualmie. I'll let you know how it tastes.