Week 8

Made it!

A perfect end to my 8 week experiment with some days off.  More time spent on my bike exploring different tracks - I can't believe how many choices I have!  You really do miss out on stuff when you rely on your car to get around.  If only I could get up each day and ride at my leisure for the rest of my life...




This is my idea of the perfect start to the day.  Cycling gets everything moving and clears my head.

My appetite really took control this week.  I'd get up (around 8/9am), have some Vital Greens, jump on the bike and have my first meal at around midday.  Something like this...




In the afternoon, I'd graze on things like nuts, celery, cheese and hommus.  I finally found some kale at my local organic grocer so we made chips!




Hubby loved them too. If you close your eyes, you'd think you were eating thin potato crisps.

Another favourite treat that we both enjoyed was a simple serving of chopped juicy pear (skin on), natural organic yoghurt, hand-crumbled walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Half a pear each was all we needed.



I now choose this type of desert over the old sugar fueled favourites.  I can't imagine going back.

I lost a tiny bit more weight this week so overall (since week 2 when I first weighed myself), I've lost just under 1.5kg.  I'm really pleased and don't mind the gradual loss.  My jeans are really loose so time to buy new ones. A great result, considering that I ate when I was hungry and replaced sugar with fats, but good-for-you fats - and now I use them on my skin!

This experiment was the outcome of my concern for our consumption of sugar, after watching an episode of 60 Minutes.  I did some research and thanks to Sarah Wilson and David Gillespie, I quit.  I feel healthy, alert and have more energy than I ever have.  The whole process has also helped pave the way for clean living.  I managed to stay on track for the entire 2 months without slippage thanks to a bit of research before I started.  

I strongly recommend to anyone thinking about quitting sugar to prepare.  It will help you stay on track.  Check your local supermarket/supplier to ensure they stock what you need.  If they don't, ask them to order it in for you.  To find Sarah Wilson's 'I Quit Sugar' program Click here to view more details.

Now I'm looking forward to continuing on my sugar free journey and playing with natural skin care recipes!

HH
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Week 7

Chocolate cravings!

To satisfy my cravings, I bought some Miessence Berry Radical Powder. With a dash of milk, it is just like a hot chocolate but packed full of goodness. I bought mine from my local health shop.

Apart from the chocolate cravings, I did notice a dip in my appetite. I was satisfied with small servings and generally less food so I made sure I included greens wherever possible (they would then usually accompany more of the good stuff).

 I dropped a little weight and finally tried fruit! A pear. It was sooo delicious, I was completely satisfied.

Alcohol and I don't really agree much these days either. I can't have as much as I would have before quitting sugar. If I have too much (more than 1 or 2 glasses of wine), I don't feel great. I still enjoy wine but only occasionally, at a slower pace and with plenty of water. Mostly I'm more satisfied with a glass of coconut water with fresh lime and ice cubes, or tea!

I've experienced a fair bit of change around me this week so to clear the mind and consciously consider my direction, I used this blend in the oil burner:

rebalancing blend

• 2 drops lemon
• 2 drops rosemary
• 2 drops peppermint

I also played with coconut oil and essential oils.  I figured, if coconut oil is good enough to use on your skin, why not blend in some of my favourites.  My skin felt and smelt beautiful.

HH

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Week 6

Apologies, this update is a little late...

Woah!

An emotional week this one and triggered by things that are out if my control. I can't help myself, I love to analyse my behaviour and this helps me get through. The quicker I can catch my emotions, the better. This is when yoga can help too. Simple breathing techniques can make all the difference. The clearer the mind, the easier it is to take control of that 'out of control' feeling you get.

Bergamot oil can help you too. It calms anxiety. A couple of drops on a tissue and inhale. Take it with you to job interviews, it will help calm your nerves.

So, only 2 weeks to go on Sarah's 8 week quit sugar plan! I feel great and definitely have more energy. My weight has plateaued this week but my clothes are looser still. Slow and steady - I like it.

I was back in the kitchen this week to make chocolate avocado mousse, coconut curry meatballs and more almond butter bark (so good).

coconut curry meatballs

almond butter bark

If you'd like to try Sarah Wilson's yummy recipes above, Click here to view more details

love my bike

We ventured out further on the bikes over the weekend and discovered another amazing track along one of our rivers. I love riding along seeing everyone with smiling faces, looking back at you with a friendly "morning!". Ahhh... the small things.

Please feel free to send me your tips, comments and recommendations - I'd love to hear from you.

HH
x

P.S. I still haven't tried fruit! Maybe next week...

Week 5

Detoxing in Winter

To keep the spirits high this week, I freshened up the room with lilies.



I like to buy them when their buds are closed so that by the following weekend, they're fully open and your house smells beautiful and fresh! For me, flowers are an easy pick-me-up.

Instead of throwing out my old sugar stock, I'll now do things like mix a tablespoon of sugar with a tablespoon of lemon juice to a vase of tepid water, to give my flowers a boost.

If it's too miserable outside to get flowers, I like to burn this:

floral blend

• 3 drops Ylang Ylang 
• 2 drops Geranium 
• 1 drop Neroli 

Yoga is another way to keep my mind and body in check and a great companion during detox. It is my regular "me" ritual, that 1 hour that I don't have to think about anything. The classes I do can be quite dynamic and great for body tone.

My appetite slowed during the week but when I did feel like a sweet treat, I'd indulge in a couple of dollops of natural yoghurt with a sprinkle of LSA, chia seeds, broken up walnuts, and shredded coconut - yum!

Next week I can introduce a little fruit. I'm not in rush though! I came across a bag of chick pea chips at an organic grocer I found during the week. I checked the label and all looked ok. Neither hubby or I could stop eating them once we'd started they were awesome (to us anyway). After the first one we weren't sure but after a couple more, we were hooked.

This had me wondering... maybe they contained something that I shouldn't be eating? That's the problem with packaged foods which turned me straight back to Sarah Wilson's 8 week plan to make my own snacks so that I know exactly what's in them (Click here to view more details). So, this weekend I purchased a raw coconut and made a chocolate coconut smoothie...



and Sarah Wilson's yummy chocolate nut balls...



I have a renewed friendship with cooking, I'm getting outdoors and exercising (in winter!) and this week I weighed in at 63.6kg (weight loss) - I'm not even dieting! I've simply stopped sugar and I feel great.

HH
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Week 4

Time flies when you're having fun!

Dehydration was significant this week so I watered it down as much as possible. I'm sure I could have drunk more. I keep a bottle of water with me wherever I go - highly recommended!

This week was all about experimenting and maintaining my motivation levels. I made real chicken stock for the first time ever and chicken soup which was truly delicious and equally devoured by hubby.



I truly wouldn't be where I am right now without Sarah Wilson's guidance - I highly recommend the investment, it will change your life! Click here to view more details

We had friends dropping in for a quick drink while I cooked the chicken stock so prepared the following oils for my burner:

evening dinner blend

• 3 drops orange
• 2 drops lemon
• 1 drop eucalyptus
• 1 drop cinnamon

This is one of my favourite dinner party blends. It creates a fresh welcoming feel and helps keep the food odours under control.

Another of my favourite meals for the week was Sunday's cooked breakfast - poached eggs (see below) on top of buttered dark rye and avocado with a another slice of rye topped with chopped tomato and basil... washed down with a cup of chai tea



easy poached eggs

1. Half-fill large shallow frying pan with water, bring to boil.
2. Break eggs into cup, one at a time, then slide gently into pan. When all eggs are in pan, allow water to return to boil. Cover pan, turn off heat and stand about 3-4 minutes or until a light film sets over egg yolks.
3. Remove eggs, one at a time, with a slotted spoon and place spoon on absorbent paper-lined saucer to soak up the excess water.

I had a bit of trouble finding rice malt syrup to use in one of Sarah Wilson's recipes last weekend but finally found a jar of it at Coles - it was located in the health food section. Sarah's 'almond butter bark' was on my menu this weekend. So simple but soooo exquisite (without the guilt). If you're a chocolate lover and scared to quit sugar - don't be. For this and other yummy recipes and tips, check out Sarah's book - I dare you! Click here to view more details

To feed my other new addiction, I downloaded the 'track my ride' app on my iphone. To my surprise, our cycling route that we had so much fun with last weekend is 12kms long. We got up early on both Saturday and Sunday morning so, in total, clocked a total of 24kms! We're a little amazed to be honest. If you've thought about buying a bike, don't delay. Summer bike legs, here I come!

Apologies if you were expecting a weigh-in report this week. I was too! My scales have a flat battery - stay tuned!

HHx

P.S. I'm still feeling awesome by the way!

Week 3

Oooh weight loss!

Feeling fantastic and in control.  This week was the official start of detox - no sugar, not even fruit!  This was a no brainer for me because I had already stopped the fruit but everyone is different and yes, I do miss it a little but as mentioned previously, it is normally a sign that I’m thirsty so I drink water instead.

I've experienced a couple of headache days.  Assuming one was related to my menstrual cycle and the other, detox?  I'm very pleased to say that my menstrual cycle came without warning - no PMT whatsoever!  Hubby was very pleased too.

To help with the headaches, I used the following blend of essential oils:

headache blend

• 2 drops Eucalyptus/cedarwood 
• 2 drops Lavender 
• 2 drops Peppermint 

I blended the oils in a tablespoon of carrier oil and asked hubby to give me a shoulder and neck massage - worked a treat.


Speaking of hubby, he has caught on to my experiment and has stopped drinking coke, not to mention most excess sugar but he's struggling to let go of honey on cereal and sugar in coffee and tea.  I haven't pushed him at all, he has done this on his own, having realised how much sugar he was consuming daily.

We have also started taking Vital Greens on an empty stomach in the morning and I can't recommend them enough.   It has improved my internal function already and we've noticed the increased energy levels.

As mentioned earlier, I've lost weight since week 1.  I'm down to 64kgs.  Not massive, but significant enough to notice the shift in my clothes – a wonderful motivator.

We hit the track on our new bikes over the weekend.  Awake at the crack of dawn and we couldn't wait to rug up and get moving.  I didn't realise that I would become quite as addicted to cycling as I have.



It is such a great way to discover my neighbourhood and I forget that I'm exercising - how good is that!  We were gone for an hour on Sunday and would have stayed out longer if I didn't have brunch booked in with my girlfriends (I enjoyed a ham, cheese and mushroom omelette with a side of spinach – yum!)

Eating out has proven to be an easy exercise and friends and family are catching on - especially when they see how uncomplicated it has been for me.  I truly hope that the world can catch on and it becomes a phenomenon!

HH
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Week 2

I made it!

This week I switched to full fat milk and yoghurt (natural).  Having been a skinny milk girl for so long, this change has been the most challenging so far.  Don't get me wrong, my coffee tastes sooo good now and my yoghurt portions have decreased because my appetite doesn't want much more than a couple of dollops.

The challenge has been getting over the feeling of guilt when I'm about to eat full fat products, not to mention stopping myself from saying "skinny" latte.  Its automatic.

Activated walnuts have been a new discovery and they're great.  Walnuts have typically left a funny taste in my mouth but not these ones.  My appetite is good so I find a handful is enough.

I love fruit but I'm avoiding it because next week it is off the list entirely.  I have been missing it on the odd occasion but I've worked out that its because I'm thirsty so I'll drink water or make myself a herbal tea instead.  I'm tuning in to my body which has also served as a great distraction.

My favourite herbal teas have been lemon & ginger and spearmint & camomile.



I'm finding my taste buds have come alive and I'm appreciating the taste and smell of real food.  I can appreciate the sugar content of carrots now!  I've ditched the cereals that I thought were ok and had my first egg and bacon roll - I wasn't hungry until 2pm - love it!  I'm also working in veggies each day to keep things balanced.

By the weekend I started having my first pangs of sugar cravings.  By now, I've had so much self talk and have read so much that I'm able flick those thoughts away and if the feelings came back, I'd grab a handful of nuts - and drink water.

I've notice my body feeling firmer.  I had read someone else commenting on this somewhere.  Jeans are a little looser but no shift in weight by the end of the week.  But that's ok.  I didn't take this on to lose weight.  If it happens, bonus.

To keep the motivation levels up, I planned a big healthy grocery shop.  I prepared my list (very important), based on some meal planning for the following "detox" week.  It took a while to find my way around the grocery store in search of my new foods but it was fun, especially in the cheese section.  Haloumi cheese is my new chocolate.

To top off the week, our new bikes were delivered on Sunday.  Bike riding is also my new chocolate - so beautiful and addictive!  I haven't had that much fun and felt so freeeee in a long time.  Hubby and I couldn't stop laughing.  Our grins were frozen to our faces.  Next weekend can't come quick enough.

In typical fashion, my week ended in the bathtub with a beautiful...

detox blend

• 3 drops tea tree
• 3 drops lavender

... enjoyed with a glass of coconut water and a squeeze of fresh lime and wedges on ice.

HH
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Day 7

I did it!

I've committed to Sarah Wilson's 8 week "I quit sugar" plan and have ordered David Gillespie's Sweet Poison. Both Sarah and David have inspired me with their common sense approach and their research makes so much sense!

I'm on track with my sugar culling and realise there's some bumps in the road ahead so this is a good week for some strategic planning. Good news is, I discovered that coconuts will become my new friend - I loooove coconuts. They remind me of tropical holidays, the beach, warm weather, harmony and happiness - very me!



Speaking of happiness, yesterday I went shopping for a new bike. Hubby and I have talked about it for weeks and we have a great track nearby which we use partly on our weekend walks. We didn't end up making a purchase but we've narrowed it down and now know (or think we know) what we'd like to get. I'll be spending some time shopping around for a good deal this week.

Scales are NOT something I stand on too often. I have been obsessed with my weight in the past and found that visiting the scales too frequently can be bad for my head (more on that another time). For my "experiment" however, I decided to check-in yesterday and I weighed in at 64.5 kgs. When I put my jeans on (for the first time since last weekend), they weren't as snug so I'm tipping I was heavier than I thought. Better still, the simple adjustments seem to be making a difference already - tick!

To celebrate my induction week, I ran a bath, lit a candle and dropped a blend of essential oils in the "not too hot" tub - heaven!  I chose...

evening bath blend

• ylang ylang, 
• rose 
• lavender 

2 drops of each in a tablespoon of carrier oil

It's a perfect blend to relax into and will encourage the onset of a good sleep.  Don't use essential oils if you're pregnant and try not to soak for longer than 20 minutes - 15 minutes is perfect.  Close your eyes, take a deep inhale and take some time out - for you!

HH
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Days 4, 5 & 6!

The sugar cravings finally showed up last night!  This is when experiments get interesting and my curiosity motivates me to keep going. 

I started noticing the cravings on the evening of day 4 (Friday night).  I had met up with a girlfriend for lunch and enjoyed bruschetta with a glass of sparkling wine (probably not a good idea).  Arrived home from work in the mood for a couple more glasses of bubbly and some pretzels with cashews – such a delicious combination but again, probably not a good idea.  As a result of a couple more glasses of bubbly, I couldn’t be bothered cooking dinner (felt tired and a bit yuck) so had a steak sandwich for dinner (with slice of cheese, mustard and sauce – wholemeal bread and no butter).  Not good choices because from what I’ve discovered in my research so far, sauces will be off the food lists due to the sugar content and no doubt champagne is out of there too.  I flopped onto the couch and had my first pang for sugar.  I’m talking chocolate.  Fortunately there was no chocolate within reach so I snacked on yoghurt instead. 

Next morning, HEADACHE.  In fact both hubby and I woke with one.  I started wondering about the causes and knew it was diet related.  Hubby has mirrored my diet… almost.  Hubby is a sucker for sugar drinks but he has still cut back.  We got up, had a couple of headache tablets, ate cereal and forced ourselves to go for a long walk.  Hubby needed to be talked into it (and I could have quite easily slid back under the doona).  I promised him that we’d feel better afterwards.  Without trying to eek you out, I went to the “loo” and soon after, headache was gone and I was feeling much better.  As I said before, this motivates me and is part of my experiment – I’m learning! 

In the meantime, I’ve been researching but struggling to find “free” diet guides and “no sugar” lists so I’m currently tossing between a couple of options.  Being new to blogging, I also need to learn more about what can and can’t be said/quoted on here but whichever decision I make, it will cost money.  Not much though.  I’m happy to support someone else’s time and effort with cash – hey, they earn it!  I just need to decide which one.  Perhaps I’ll try both – good for my experiment!

nothing sweeter than an aromatherapy bath...

My other motivation in life is getting back to basics.  Sourcing better natural products such as skincare, essential oils (I’ve always been a huge fan) – the list goes on…  I have a great source for my essential oils and I’m happy with my current skincare but I’m keen to hear of recommendations you might have.  Genuine recommendations of course J

Anyhoo, I’m buying a bike today!  More on that in my next update…

HH x

Day 3

Well, this "no sugar" craze is not so crazy!   I'm still going strong.  It has seemed pretty effortless actually.

The team went out for lunch today and had sugar cavings afterwards.  Someone grabbed a massive bag of lollies on the way back to the office and everyone dived in, not me!  Its amazing what you notice everyone else doing, when you stop doing it yourself...

Today, I've realised just how much more there is for me to cut out of my diet.  So much more to learn!  That's ok, I'm curious now and can't wait to see how my body will respond without the obvious sugar foods first.  Baby steps.

I've read a large number of comments from some very happy people out there who have shed the kilos by simply cutting out sugar.

I encourage everyone to do some research on this.

Stay tuned!

HH x

Day 2

I feel like I've been living with my head in the sand. There's so much information out there and "poison" is mentioned... a lot!

"Poison" was the motivating word for me to stamp out the sugar. The messaging was clear and logical. We really are a world addicted to sugar! The more I think about it, the more determined I am to quit.

Today's diet was similar to yesterday but I switched pastissis for chicken and vegetable stir-fry. Lunch was a toasted cheese, tomato and salmon wholegrain sandwich. A proud moment for me today when a colleague announced that she'd brought in a packet of lamingtons and a packet of cookies for morning tea. I politely declined, explaining my new adventure and I didn't have a single pang! Interestingly, our dieters were straight in there, excusing it with reference to bonus points... I'm thinking, booby prize more like it!

My research has enticed me to seek out a book called "Sweet Poison Quit Plan" by David Gillespie.

The reviews are good. Have you read it?

HH x

Day 1

For some time now, I have noticed my old weight sneaking up on me alongside some unpleasant mood swings - not good.  Time for a change! 

Many of us wait for summer to appear on the horizon before taking action but I decided that now was as good a time as any - yesterday in fact.  I've been hearing more and more about the "no sugar" diet. It makes perfect sense to me. 

I dedided to start off by cutting out the intake of sugar and sugary (junk food) products.  By doing this, yesterday's diet diary looked like this:

Breakfast: bowl of Just Right cereal with a sliced banana and low fat milk
Snack: large skinny latte
Lunch: beef, lentil and vegetable soup (home made by the cafe next door to work) and a slice of rye bread
Snack: small skinny latte
Dinner: 6 x pastizzis - ooooh! (my hubby's idea of a quick meal - we were time poor)
Evening snack: cup of tea and a small tub of low fat vanilla yoghurt

Not a bad day I thought.  I know, I know, the pastizzis kind of ruined it BUT this is about cutting out sugar so baby steps.

I haven't weighed myself this week (and I try not to make a habit out of it) but I'm about 64kgs and 165cm tall.  Ideally, I'd like to get back to my 60kg weight.

I would love to hear about your "no sugar" success stories.

HH x