Salted popcorn...bleugh!

A trip to the cinema this evening, which is usually accompanied by a Costa hot chocolate, a pack of wafer biscuits and maybe something else to nibble on too.  Instead, I took along salted popcorn from the supermarket...not as nice as my usual option, but nonetheless sugar-free.

Today I haven't been craving chocolate, but thinking about it, which is not at all the same thing!  I have lots in the house, but it's not here for me to eat, so I'm ignoring it.  Three more weeks to go, then I'll tuck into the end of term chocs with relish.

Look, I know the blog title says 8 weeks but to be honest, it's too easy to do this to make it worthwhile dragging it out for eight weeks.  Maybe I'll take a week off when the school hols start and then resume my sugarless lifestyle until we go on holiday three weeks later.

Later on I'm going to watch this video, 'Cereal Killers' which was tweeted by Dr Aseem Malhotra.

here

End of the second sugar-free week

So I've completed another week without sugar, and I end the week feeling much more positive about the effects of my abstention.  Weight-wise, I am now 1.3kg lighter than I was two weeks ago (I think last week's time of the month really skewed my figures, as that has all dropped off this week).  My skin is clear, my energy levels more stable, and I'm not having any detox symptoms.  I don't generally eat between meals, or even think about food either.

This morning I volunteered at parkrun so ran there and back, and around half of the course, walking the rest as part of my 'tailrunner' role.  Psychologically, I have convinced myself that I don't have as much energy as I normally would, although I suspect that's not the case.  I should really try a much longer run, say around 15km, to see how I get on.  I'm just worried about running out of steam and being miles away from home!

Day 13 without sugar

On a school trip today, and belated remembered that the bolognaise I'd made for lunch was completely unsuitable since I was going to be out all day!  Ended up buying a sandwich instead.  Had dinner at 8.30 and wasn't even hungry in between.

Weght stable today, and a 5k run this evening plus a fair amount of walking.

Day 12 and still finding it easy to be sugar-free

I actually had time to eat properly today, which is a big improvement on the last two days.  Another 200g loss this morning, so now lighter than I've been for a month or two, but I expect it to increase again now I've eaten properly. 

Someone's birthday at work, and she brought in samosas not chocolate or cakes, so I was able to have some.  A bit spicy, but at least I wasn't sitting there while everyone else tucked in. 

I still find that my blood sugar and hunger are stable.  I barely think about food between meals and rather than sit on the sofa in the evenings with my partner and a chocolate bar each, there's just us and HIS chocolate bar!

I've reread the I Quit Sugar book and don't find it particularly helpful.  It's not that it was a waste of money, just that having gone cold turkey on sugar and now just ignoring the stuff, I don't feel like there is anything to do.  Who needs an 8 week programme that doesn't really include any progression?

Day 11 weight loss update

I nearly forgot...I was 800g lighter this morning than yesterday, maybe in part due to the exercise and the light eating day.  This means I now weigh the same as I did a week ago, so am 800g lighter than I was when I started this period of sugar deprivation.  Wonder what tomorrow will bring...

Day 11 without lunch :(

What a mad day...had my breakfast at 10.30, ordered a school meal for lunch, ended up having a crucial phone conversation until ten minutes before lunch break ended so had to forego the school meal and there wasn't time for anything else to eat either.  Worked through pm break, had a meeting straight after school and finally got home and made an early dinner at 5.30pm.  Still only on 720 calories today!

Today was the first time I've been tempted to hit the biscuit tin, not because I was craving them but simply for convenience.  I resisted though, and remain sugar free.

Later I'd better find something else to eat.  I had planned a veggie stir fry for tonight but when I got home I wanted something more substantial.

Sugar-free day 10

Another day over, and more chocolate on the staff room table that I resisted easily.  I was no more interested than if someone had left a plate of cold meats or chicken legs there for me to help myself from - I've been vegetarian for 30 years!  Colleagues who know I'm doing this are interested, supportive, incredulous and not in the least tempted to join me.  One asked if I'd found my blood sugar crashing, and in fact I've found that it's the complete opposite.

My weight this morning was the same as yesterday.  I'm not a habitual daily weigher but at the moment it seems more likely to induce weight loss, which I know is nonsensical.

I ran 7.5km this evening, could have done more but it was getting late.  An average speed of 10km/h is not particularly fast for me but I hadn't eaten since lunch and didn't run til 8.30pm so perhaps that didn't help.

Fingers crossed that tomorrow brings a loss and another day of healthy, sugar-free eating, maybe even another run too.