February is my birthday month and I always look at it as my personal New Year rather than the calendar New Year for looking back what it has been and making new plans, intensions and setting new goals. This year particularly I have been feeling a little stuck and in need of something radical to break old habits and challenge my will. I must admit throughout the winter my diet hasn’t been the healthiest, and I often find myself pushing through the day with lots of snacks that hardly can be included in a “5 a day” unless Terry’s Orange counts as fruit and coffee as a bean🙃 I always struggled with my sweet tooth and while I’m free from alcohol/cigarettes addiction, sugar is accounted to a very strong addiction habit that lots of people dare not to admit to. It is cheap, leagal and widely available! So what is the problem

“Sugar causes the brain to release dopamine and opioids – natural pleasure chemicals. Rats on high-sugar diets behave like drug addicts.” I think everyone knows sugar is not good for us, how much it affects our body you can check here.

No need to explain further why I wanted to break away from the white stuff. I will make a disclaimer that I’m giving up all the processed sugar like sweets, cakes, obvious sweet food like honey, jams etc. I’m not going to try extract the sugar from a pasta sauce or bread, we know a bit of sugar is everywhere, and we need some for energy. 

Giving up a meat was more inspired by watching series of programs Meat the Family and even though I’m not big on meat anyway, I wanted to exclude it completely. Same time it just didn’t feel right fundraising to protect the animals and eating them? …

WEEK 1

1st of February and rather gloomy Saturday, I would usually start with cup of tea and a biscuit… well cup of tea felt lonely, but was grateful to my husband for not crunching his biscuits next to me:)

Me and my older daughter both decided to do it to keep each other at check and for support. I have never lasted longer than a week before so I knew this is going to be a will exercise!

Days 2-4 I think I can do it! Day 5… ever heard of sugar detox crisis? Well, I think it may be it, or I’m just extremely irritable and anxious for no reason (sorry family)!

WEEK 2

I really don’t understand why supermarkets are selling Easter eggs in the beginning of February?! Seriously, chocolate is looking at me everywhere!!😬 

Vegetarian food. I must admit takes a bit more creativity to rustle up a nice dinner and I’m just kind of hungry all the time!:) Those veggies just digest too quick!

WEEK 3 

Well, I’m quite chuffed with my daughter and myself for sticking up with the resolution, even with all the temptation coming from the other half of family kindly offering a pudding after dinner..grrr

The strange thing is, we both realised we don’t really miss eating meat. I don’t crave it at all. Unlike a chocolate:) I must be thinking about cake 100 times a day and I’m so looking forward to my birthday cake!! It’s going to be big:)

WEEK 4

I should have mentioned my digestive system is feeling happier, less bloating, feeling of lightness. I’m getting used to being vegetarian, I really don’t miss meat at all. I’m not sure whether it’s not eating meat or sugar ( perhaps both) that lighten up my under eye bags. Well in reflexology the area under your eyes represents kidneys. Animal protein can affect kidneys, so this maybe something to do with that. 

28th February, my birthday… cake!!! I got my Cake Box eggless cake I wanted, thought I’m going to have my cake and eat it:) It was a very strangely disappointing moment as I did not enjoy it as much as… I expected it? I guess it’s true your taste alters and sensitivity increases after long break from a certain type of food. It tasted so sweet! Too sweet.

Conclusion? I’m definitely happy with strengthening my will power muscle, and I have noticed few positive changes in how I feel. Both me and my daughter realised we don’t crave the sugar treats as much as we used to and that’s a very good change. Many people asked me if I had lost weight, but I can’t say that for sure, maybe a 1kg, it hasn’t really been a goal for me.  

I still didn’t get back to eating meat, this has lost an appeal to me completely. I can’t say I will become vegan ( eggs are irreplaceable to me:) , but I’m happy with my leafs and roots ( as my parents tease me:) to be my complete diet. I highly recommend to just give it a go and see how giving up sugar can improve your health and how you feel not just physically but also mentally.