Amber Tries: Sugar Avoidance
PART I: USELESS PREAMBLES
I would like to start this blog by quoting Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan of the Katering Show: 'But food isn't just about not shitting your pants...it's about controlling your life expectancy through what you put in your body so you never die expectantly on a toilet.'
I, for one, definitely don't want to die on a toilet. And one way not to die on a toilet, I'm told, is to limit my sugar intake.
Sugar, as we all know, is a great evil: it has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and slavery. Queen Elizabeth I, my idol, was a great lover of sugar, and she lost all her teeth.
Clearly, our society did not learn from the loss by Liz I of her teeth, because since the 50s we keep on coming up with sugary treats targeted at children so that we grow up addicted to the sweet stuff: more than half of the cereals sold in the US sound like nothing but corn syrup held together by bits of wheat and marshmallows. Nothing excites us quite like sugar overload does, and viral food trends invariably involve sweet on sweet on sweet on sweet: think freak shakes, nutella donuts, coffee served in a cookie cup, glazed / mirrored / rainbow / galaxy / unicorn cakes...
A preference for sugar is hardwired in our DNA, it makes perfect evolutionary sense. Sugar is a source of energy which is immediately accessible and gives us the burst of speed needed to run away from saber-tooth tigers. An addition to sugar, however, is utterly manufactured. I remember clearly that I never really liked sugary foods as a kid, but since moving to Australia, having sugary treats is so emotionally charged that I learned to long for and depend on them: good work is rewarded with a Freddo frog. The number of candy canes you get at Christmas is proof of your popularity (or in my case, proof that parents forced their kids not to leave out the weird non-English-speaking kid). You may look forward to dessert only if you finish your dinner. If you're fast and clever and observant at Easter you win chocolate eggs.
Since I started full-time work, my relationship with sugar has spiraled out of control. The lack of physical activity coupled with stress has put me in a constant state of restlessness and anxiety which can only be comforted by sugar. Unfailingly, at around 3pm, my body tries to find ways to convince me to feed it sugar; but it often end in tears. Our conversation goes something like this:
Body: I am tired, I am sad, work is hard, I am depressed.
Me: let me finish this task first.
Body: I can't possibly work under such inhumane conditions.
Me: WTF I just fed you lunch.
Body: that was HOURS ago. I WANT CHOCOLATE I WANT CHOCOLATE I WANT CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!
Me: alright alright alright, I'll stuff my face with chocolates.
* 30 minutes later*
Body: oh bro I feel rough. Oh my head! Oh that was too much. Look what you've done.
Me: you wanted sugar! I gave you sugar!
Body: you gave me too much. I have a pounding headache now, thanks to your sugar overload, you selfish, horrible thing. All you think about is getting that quick burst of energy to keep working. You don't love me.
I don't talk to myself, I swear. That was for explanatory purposes only.
PART II: METHOD
It is clear that my relationship with sugar is deeply unhealthy and must be changed.
One way to help me on my journey towards inner peace and non-dying-upon-toiletness is to pay up to $389 (AUD) for an 8-week programme or $49 for a 7-days programme by Sarah Wilson. The alternative, is, you know, not have sugary food. For free. In fact, better than free, because I'd be saving money by not buying cakes and chocolates and sugary beverages.
Call me crazy, but I went with the alternative.
Anyone who knows me will tell you, dear reader, that I'm a semi-hardcore person. So I'm not doing the pussyfooting 'no refined sugar' where you replace the white powder with natural alternatives like honey or stevia. I'm not eating fruit. I am, however, not going to be losing sleep over a dash of sugar in a salad dressing or a sauce (mainly because if I were that strict I'd have to prepare my own meals, and ain't nobody got time / talent for that).
PART III: AMBER TRIES
I went into this experiment fully prepared for headaches and lethargy as my body suddenly loses its crutch: after all, that's what every other blogger or journo who has written on quitting sugar have warned.
In reality, my days without sugar went on without so much as a how'd you do. In fact, there is the distinct added bonus of no sugar-headaches. Of course, when I log my food I know I didn't cut out sugar completely - for example, one tablespoon of tomato sauce can have as much as 4g of sugar in it - but I was definitely having a lot less sugar than I'm used to, and I must admit, physically speaking, I felt pretty damn good.
My emotional well-being is an entirely different matter. Saying no to delicious, free, sugary food was a definite challenge.
Here is a photo of my on-again-off-again friend (our friendship is precarious as it completely depends on how much schadenfreude he displays during my Amber Tries experiences) doing an action shot of our after-hours work dessert: a beautiful sticky-date pudding with a caramel sauce. I couldn't have that.
Here is a photo of an enormous donut day special-edition donut which my colleagues shared. I, of course, had to pass.
Despite such temptations, as I cut sugary treats out of my daily routine for a few days, it becomes easier and easier to say no to them. I was also becoming more sensitive to sugar - this could be completely in my head, but I think I can taste the lactose my milky, sweetener-free coffee.
Did I break the rules? Absolutely. The tomato-sauce incident aside, I had alcohol Friday night. If you were on a strictly no-sugar diet, you really shouldn't be drinking alcohol. I also had some dark chocolate today - and actually found them very sweet.
PART IV: VERDICT
I do feel healthier. I'm admittedly a lot grumpier, but that's not necessarily due to a lack of sugar, but more to do with the fact that I simply do not like food restrictions (which really explains why I'm doing Amber Tries).
Going forward, I will continue to say no to added sugar where I can - it is time that I change my relationship with sugary treats. They should really be treats, not a part of my daily life.
PART V: NEXT TIME
Amber Tries: gluten free.
I would like to start this blog by quoting Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan of the Katering Show: 'But food isn't just about not shitting your pants...it's about controlling your life expectancy through what you put in your body so you never die expectantly on a toilet.'
I, for one, definitely don't want to die on a toilet. And one way not to die on a toilet, I'm told, is to limit my sugar intake.
Sugar, as we all know, is a great evil: it has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and slavery. Queen Elizabeth I, my idol, was a great lover of sugar, and she lost all her teeth.
Clearly, our society did not learn from the loss by Liz I of her teeth, because since the 50s we keep on coming up with sugary treats targeted at children so that we grow up addicted to the sweet stuff: more than half of the cereals sold in the US sound like nothing but corn syrup held together by bits of wheat and marshmallows. Nothing excites us quite like sugar overload does, and viral food trends invariably involve sweet on sweet on sweet on sweet: think freak shakes, nutella donuts, coffee served in a cookie cup, glazed / mirrored / rainbow / galaxy / unicorn cakes...
A preference for sugar is hardwired in our DNA, it makes perfect evolutionary sense. Sugar is a source of energy which is immediately accessible and gives us the burst of speed needed to run away from saber-tooth tigers. An addition to sugar, however, is utterly manufactured. I remember clearly that I never really liked sugary foods as a kid, but since moving to Australia, having sugary treats is so emotionally charged that I learned to long for and depend on them: good work is rewarded with a Freddo frog. The number of candy canes you get at Christmas is proof of your popularity (or in my case, proof that parents forced their kids not to leave out the weird non-English-speaking kid). You may look forward to dessert only if you finish your dinner. If you're fast and clever and observant at Easter you win chocolate eggs.
Since I started full-time work, my relationship with sugar has spiraled out of control. The lack of physical activity coupled with stress has put me in a constant state of restlessness and anxiety which can only be comforted by sugar. Unfailingly, at around 3pm, my body tries to find ways to convince me to feed it sugar; but it often end in tears. Our conversation goes something like this:
Body: I am tired, I am sad, work is hard, I am depressed.
Me: let me finish this task first.
Body: I can't possibly work under such inhumane conditions.
Me: WTF I just fed you lunch.
Body: that was HOURS ago. I WANT CHOCOLATE I WANT CHOCOLATE I WANT CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!
Me: alright alright alright, I'll stuff my face with chocolates.
* 30 minutes later*
Body: oh bro I feel rough. Oh my head! Oh that was too much. Look what you've done.
Me: you wanted sugar! I gave you sugar!
Body: you gave me too much. I have a pounding headache now, thanks to your sugar overload, you selfish, horrible thing. All you think about is getting that quick burst of energy to keep working. You don't love me.
I don't talk to myself, I swear. That was for explanatory purposes only.
PART II: METHOD
It is clear that my relationship with sugar is deeply unhealthy and must be changed.
One way to help me on my journey towards inner peace and non-dying-upon-toiletness is to pay up to $389 (AUD) for an 8-week programme or $49 for a 7-days programme by Sarah Wilson. The alternative, is, you know, not have sugary food. For free. In fact, better than free, because I'd be saving money by not buying cakes and chocolates and sugary beverages.
Call me crazy, but I went with the alternative.
Anyone who knows me will tell you, dear reader, that I'm a semi-hardcore person. So I'm not doing the pussyfooting 'no refined sugar' where you replace the white powder with natural alternatives like honey or stevia. I'm not eating fruit. I am, however, not going to be losing sleep over a dash of sugar in a salad dressing or a sauce (mainly because if I were that strict I'd have to prepare my own meals, and ain't nobody got time / talent for that).
PART III: AMBER TRIES
I went into this experiment fully prepared for headaches and lethargy as my body suddenly loses its crutch: after all, that's what every other blogger or journo who has written on quitting sugar have warned.
In reality, my days without sugar went on without so much as a how'd you do. In fact, there is the distinct added bonus of no sugar-headaches. Of course, when I log my food I know I didn't cut out sugar completely - for example, one tablespoon of tomato sauce can have as much as 4g of sugar in it - but I was definitely having a lot less sugar than I'm used to, and I must admit, physically speaking, I felt pretty damn good.
My emotional well-being is an entirely different matter. Saying no to delicious, free, sugary food was a definite challenge.
Here is a photo of my on-again-off-again friend (our friendship is precarious as it completely depends on how much schadenfreude he displays during my Amber Tries experiences) doing an action shot of our after-hours work dessert: a beautiful sticky-date pudding with a caramel sauce. I couldn't have that.
Here is a photo of an enormous donut day special-edition donut which my colleagues shared. I, of course, had to pass.
Despite such temptations, as I cut sugary treats out of my daily routine for a few days, it becomes easier and easier to say no to them. I was also becoming more sensitive to sugar - this could be completely in my head, but I think I can taste the lactose my milky, sweetener-free coffee.
Did I break the rules? Absolutely. The tomato-sauce incident aside, I had alcohol Friday night. If you were on a strictly no-sugar diet, you really shouldn't be drinking alcohol. I also had some dark chocolate today - and actually found them very sweet.
PART IV: VERDICT
I do feel healthier. I'm admittedly a lot grumpier, but that's not necessarily due to a lack of sugar, but more to do with the fact that I simply do not like food restrictions (which really explains why I'm doing Amber Tries).
Going forward, I will continue to say no to added sugar where I can - it is time that I change my relationship with sugary treats. They should really be treats, not a part of my daily life.
PART V: NEXT TIME
Amber Tries: gluten free.
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