My Naturally Sweet Pantry

Here is a small list of the naturally sweetened items I have been sipping and munching on lately. Hope the links help. You might have to ask the company where to find their product or if you can order it from them. Some of these have been hard for me to find, but worth it.

• graham crackers (So far, I've only been able to find these at Whole Paycheck. They are so fabulous dunked in my morning cup of coffee.): Midel
• moist, bite-sized, chewy cookies (These wonderful little bite-sized cookies make me really tired. They contain wheat flour. They can really satisfy the sweet tooth, though and are excellent substitutes for donut holes with your coffee): Fabe's
  
• chewy black licorice (Trader Joes has them cheapest): Panda
• large, filling, very sweet cookies (Very crumby, almost too sweet, but perfect in a sweet tooth emergency): Nana's
• grape juice (You will never go back to cheap grape juice after trying this.): R.W. Knudsen
• rich, creamy coconut ice cream (The chocolate mint variety has refined sugar in the chocolate flecks. Personally, I love the cherry almond and the dark chocolate): Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss
• crumbly, very tasty cookies (Most of these have evaporated cane juice as a sweetener. Too bad. The naturally sweetened cookies are the plain shortbread and the ginger cookies: Pamela's Products
• prunes-Get 'em anywhere, but don't eat more than 2 or 3 at a time. Trust me.
  
• local apples. I love to slice them up for a mid-day snack or make them part of a meal. I either chop them up in a salad, or cut big slices and eat them with exotic cheeses.
  
• bananas and almond butter (This makes a very healthy, filling breakfast, especially on sprouted wheat toast.)

If you think of any tasty, naturally sweetened treats, please pass them on! It's very helpful to have a variety of options in your kitchen at all times so you don't stray from your goals. When there is nothing healthy available, it is too tempting to give in to whatever you do have lying around your kitchen.

Sugar in Moderation?

If you are able to eat sugar in moderation, I would love to hear how you do it.

Most of the people that I have talked with tell me that moderating sugar consumption is nearly impossible. It's more practical to give it up completely than to try and ingest it in small doses. For many reasons. One of which is that it's in everything. Just because the ingredients on the packaged food product may not say, "sugar" does not mean that sugar is not in there. Products that tout themselves as health food, and yet use a sneaky word actually meaning sugar, are just deceiving their customers. Write to companies that are using this marketing tactic. Email them, call them, send them mail. Tell them you don't appreciate their tricky marketing. Ask them to use natural sweeteners. Here are a few examples of tricky gimmick words used to perpetuate the idea that sugar is not in the ingredients, when indeed it is.

List of ingredients meaning sugar: "Saccharose, Sucanat, Sugar, Granulated Sugar, Refined Sugar, Brown Sugar, Cane Juice, Evaporated Cane Juice, Evaporated Cane Sugar, Cane Sugar, Raw Cane Sugar, Demerera, Muscovado, Turbinado, Cane syrup, Beet syrup, Baker's Sugar, Bar Sugar, Barbados Sugar, Berry Sugar, Chinese Rock Sugar , Confectioners Sugar, Gemsugar, Polincillo, Rock sugar, Wasanbon" to name a few.
(This list was compiled by Methuselah on the great, "Pay Now Live Later" blog.)

Take charge of how much sugar to eat, if at all. I understand that for some of us, cutting down on something is easier than cutting it out completely. Some of you "avoid" as best you can, but don't get down on yourself when you have some. I guess I am an example of someone who takes things to extremes--with sugar for sure. Either give me two pints of ice cream, brownies and hot fudge or give me an apple. If I'm going to be bad, I make it count. If I'm going to be good, I make it holy. This extremism isn't exactly a healthy, balanced take on eating, I realize. Honestly, though, for those of you who balance your sugar consumption, how do you do it?

No Sugar, No Problem. It's Easy Now

Maybe because the holidaze are over or maybe because it's a new year.....but....I'm over the hump. Going without sugar is no longer what I do--it has become a lifestyle. Friends and family know that I am committed, so there is little pressure anymore. I wondered if it would ever be easy, or second nature to go without. It is so easy now that I feel almost bored with it! I know that this year I won't be wrestling with mental donut demons, or whiffing baked goods with tears in my eyes. When a sugar craving hits me now, it is so minor that I can ignore it or make hot tea with a drop of honey, or eat an apple or a prune. It's insignificant. The holidaze were the climax of my personal research project. I experienced being present with friends and family as they ate desserts and goodies. I came to terms with the fact that just because I am not eating a bowl of ice cream, I am still sharing in the moment.

Several people, by their own choosing (I've never asked someone to go without sugar) have joined me this year in going without sugar. Some are friends, some are strangers. It is an inspiration to me, and an exciting journey ahead for each person. I like that everyone's way of cutting back on or going without sugar looks different. For some, it is avoiding the junk food aisle at the grocery store. For others, it's stocking with kitchen with healthy, naturally sweet items.

When you make one little commitment to healthier living, it often snowballs into other areas of your life.

For me, it played out like this:
1. 2008 New Year's resolution: No white refined sugar
2. Within the first month, I also pledged to myself to include no corn syrups
3. I decided I would AVOID white flour, and do for the most part
4. I began eating less packaged food (this happened by default because most packaged foods contain refined sugars)
5. I bake and cook with healthy ingredients. I don't even consider baking with white flour. I have begun to explore all the varieties of flours out there, thanks to Bob's Red Mill.
6. I have adopted a healthy, regular exercise routine using baby steps. It's not only realistic, but it keeps me wanting more.
7. 2009 became my second year to go without sugar/corn syrups

Good luck to those of you who have made healthy resolutions for 2009, and to the rest of you, thanks for reading!

Late Night Munchies Syndrome

You've eaten dinner. You ate enough to satisfy your belly for the rest of the evening.

But...

All of a sudden....

You get the munchies! You are not even hungry!

Do you have the late night munchies syndrome?

Look here to find out!

You have eaten a complete meal for dinner (maybe you've even overeaten!):

1. Within a few hours or less you find yourself wandering through your kitchen.
2. You look for something to eat, but you're not hungry.
3. You look for something to eat because you're bored.
4. You look for something to eat to distract you from something else.
5. You look for something to eat to procrastinate.
6. You look for something to eat out of habit.
7. Your sweet tooth is talking. Hollering. Screaming!
8. You begin to think of alternatives to eating, because you're not hungry, but you know there is ______ (add your naughty goodie here, that you currently have in your kitchen).
   
9. You want something to eat, so you try to feel hungry, even though you're not.
10. You're with someone who gets the snacks out, or goes through a fast-food drive thru.
11. You're at a party and (see 2-7 above).
12. You're angry about something, so you snack-out, but you're not hungry.
13. You feel bad about yourself for some reason anyway. You might as well have a few moments of eating something that tastes really good.
    

Having the late night munchies syndrome does not mean that you are hungry. You might be hungry, but more often than not, the late night munchies syndrome is a very, very bad habit. If you were really hungry, you'd eat some healthful food, right? A banana, some peanut butter and celery, toast, or cottage cheese to name a few. Unfortunately, the late night munchies syndrome has developed over time, and from your habit of giving in to it from the beginning. When you don't give in to it, you feel empty like something is missing. You would rather have that sick-to-your-stomach feeling from eating half a bag of chips/crackers/cookies, than have that empty, needy feeling. I understand because I feel like the inventor of the late night munchies syndrome!


How to Overcome the Late Night Munchies Syndrome

1. Eat a healthy, well-balanced meal for dinner.
2. Drink plenty of water.
3. Find interesting things to do after dinner.
   
4. Don't sit around watching television every night. If you do, prepare healthy snacks ahead of time.
5. When you feel like you're going to give in to the munchies, call a friend or someone that you have been meaning to talk to.
6. Go for an evening walk. This is one way people stay healthy, active and young even into their 90's.
7. If you are on the computer in the evening after dinner, have healthy snacks ready to munch on, and water.
8. If you enjoy reading at night, keep water and healthy snacks handy.
9. Purge your kitchen of junk food. Only stock healthy items.
10. Make friends with your mean roommate if you have one, and give that person all your junk food. Let them get fat.
    
11. Stop procrastinating. Do what's on your list of things to do, and if it involves house cleaning, either crank up loud dance music, or if you have little sleeping ones, listen to headphones.
12. Make a new evening habit. If it's eating, have healthy foods ready to snack on. If it's being more active, invite your partner or a friend or your pet to join you in being active.
13. Write out a list of reasons why you have the Late Night Munchies Syndrome. Work from there.
14. Keep snacks handy at all times. In your bag, in your car, in your pocket. Then if you are around others who are eating junk, you can join them in eating, only you'll be eating healthy. Who knows how this will influence your friends. (It's okay if they tease you, it's actually their way of caring and/or telling you that they are proud of you without actually saying it.)
15. Bake something naturally sweetened and share it with others.
    
16. Revisit this post and send it on to anyone else who needs to read it

Benefits of Overcoming the Late Night Munchies Syndrome:

• You will feel better about yourself.
• You will identify an unhealthy pattern and begin a new, healthy one.
• You may lose weight.
• You will find that evening walks are much more fun than vegging out.
• You might start eating healthier dinners.
• You will wake up feeling fantastic!
• You'll stop feeling sorry for yourself.
• You might be more productive.
• Your kids will learn from your habits. What you do, more than what you say.
• You'll realize your sweet tooth can be overcome!
• If you can overcome this bad habit, you're more likely to overcome other bad habits.
  

How To Politely Pass on Dessert

I must be getting my inspiration for this post from all of you, my readers! I have received a lot of interesting questions, suggestions and comments from you, some concerning this very topic, which have inspired me to write about it.

I'll cut right to it--It feels rude to turn down dessert! It's especially tough to turn down if you are a guest for dinner and dessert was made for you. Yikes! Your host doesn't know that you have decided to give up sugar for a week, a month, or a year. What do you do?!?

The psychology of this is quite strange, and I experienced situations like this last year. First of all, you want to please your host and let them know that you are gracious for their time and effort in cooking for you.

It starts off like this: You are welcomed into their home and smell brownies cooking in the oven. Your heart sinks. You forgot to let them know about your no-sugar diet. You start immediately obsessing about what to do. You could tell them about your no-sugar diet, but you know how much they love to bake for you. You know that they will either feel bad secretly, or really let you have it! So, you consider eating dessert anyway. Just a tiny, little piece.

Then, (supposing that you have not said anything about your no-sugar diet) all through dinner you wonder what you should do about dessert. Maybe you should say you're full. But you know that your good friend, or mom, or grandmother, or whomever is your host will talk you into eating dessert anyway. You've already played the "I'm really full!" card, and it's never worked before. All through dinner you are putting a load of pressure on yourself to do the right thing.

There are only two right things:
1. Eat the dessert so you don't offend your host.
2. Be true to yourself and pass on dessert.

What do you do?

At this point, only you know what the right thing is to do. There are a plethora of variables that only you know about your host. Some hosts may not be offended at all if you pass on dessert. Other hosts may act all dramatic and horribly offended but then draw you into a pleasant conversation about your no-sugar diet asking all kinds of great questions. Still others may get pushy and start to get angry that you won't take any--because you've always eaten dessert before and they spent hours working on the Tiramisu!

The "guilt-trip" is my least favorite tactic that a host chooses to use. Little do they know that you are already feeling bad that you didn't disclose your diet ahead of time, and little do they know how difficult it is for you to stick to a diet/resolution! The host who uses the guilt trip most likely uses food as their way of showing you how much they love you. Rejecting their dessert is like rejecting them. This goes way back, generations ago. Grandma always had hot, gooey cinnamon rolls for me because she loved me. Mom always has warm cookies or a chocolate cake made from scratch because she loves me.

I'm not saying that baking for somebody because you love them is a bad thing, but if it's to make the baker feel better about themselves, despite what the eater wants, then it is selfish. Like I said, the psychology of this is strange, and I may be way off. However, I've had a lot of time to think about the meaning of desserts and baking for others, because I've found myself in similar, quite precarious situations! Downright uncomfortable! Fortunately, I declared at the very beginning of the year last year, that I was going sugar-free. Believe it or not though, I had people bug me about my decision all year long! For some reason, going sugar-free makes some people really defensive. Please be patient. Win someone over with your patience and being kind. This will make a bigger difference than a shouting match that you won't win.

How about preventing uncomfortable situations before they happen? I'll share some tactics that I have used, and others that I thought of after offending someone. I never gave in--and I do not regret my decisions.

How To Politely Pass on Dessert:

• Let your host know ahead of time that you are currently on a no-sugar diet. Ask if you can bring a "naturally sweetened" baked good for dessert, or some naturally sweetened ice cream. (Luna & Larry's--delicious coconut ice cream!)
  
• If you've forgotten to let your host know about your diet ahead of time, bring some naturally sweetened goodies anyway, and perhaps a basket of fruit and a bottle of wine, or flavored tea. Let your host know, at the appropriate time, that you forgot to inform him/her about your no-sugar diet, but that you have brought some naturally sweetened goodies/fruit and wine that you would enjoy sharing with everyone.
• Let's say that not only have you forgotten to inform your host ahead of time, but you have also not had the time to pick up goodies or fruit or wine. My advice to you is STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF ANYWAY! If you give in to dessert out of obligation, not only will you feel bad about yourself, but you may unfairly resent your host for offering you the dessert. It is not your hosts fault if they don't know.
  
• In an effort to be polite and stay true to your resolution, if the time comes for you to either take a piece of dessert or decline, be graceful about it. This may make the difference between a pleasant reaction from your host or an all-out shouting match. Politely say, "No thank you. Looks and smells delicious, but I am abstaining from sugar right now." I hope that your host will treat your decision with respect. Whether or not it goes over well with him or her, you will feel incredibly good about yourself, and will be more likely to decline desserts in the future.

I really hope this helps!

2009: No Sugar For Me!

No sugar for me this year, either!!!

I chose to not rent out that donut shop after all...

Last night I celebrated the incoming new year on the roof of my cousin's apartment building, in the rain, overlooking the city of Portland. There were fireworks all evening long.

My cousin made her special homemade pizza...we each had our own pizza with a dozen different topping choices. She is a natural cook and the pizzas were incredible. To top it all off, she had made brown rice flour molasses cookies for me, that are to die for. I ate three this morning for breakfast.

Sometime yesterday I decided that there were not enough convincing reasons to eat sugar again. Why be its slave? I realized that I may have control over sugar ONLY because I am not eating it; therefore I would not tempt the limits of my willpower by trying to eat just one sugary item. By now you are tired of hearing this, but I have to reiterate once more, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS JUST ONE OREO!!

Because of quitting sugar last year, I am facing 2009 with a new perspective on nutrition, my willpower, others' willpower, and the overall power that sugar has on people. Around the time I quit eating sugar last year, I thought about sugar on a much lighter note. Now that I have experienced going without it and the struggles it involves (can you say CRAVINGS and that IT IS IN EVERYTHING!?!) I do not take sugar lightly. It is a tiny, empty granule capable of so much.

If someone wanted to, a movie could be made about a tiny program inserted into each sugar granule that is used to control people......however, I did watch Tron this morning....

Sugar Has Power Over Me, Only if I Eat It!

Sugar is a mind-altering drug.

I picture myself having one mint on New Year's Day. One mint. You know those pink, green and yellow melt-away mints shaped like Hershey kisses, with little white sugary balls on the bottom? I've been imagining how savory it would be, how sweet and creamy and perfect just one mint could be. But one won't be enough. Just when I start to have that climax of sweet taste, it melts away and I'll need another one. That's why when Santa brings me a bag of them every Christmas, they are always gone before New Year's Eve.

By the time I need another one, my mind will have been altered. My mind will have given way to the forces of my tongue, which makes outrageous demands, especially when it's on drugs: sugar.
The psychology of this is beyond me. I've spent hours talking to friends and different people about the psychology of wanting sugar, and the general conclusion is that, yeah, it's addictive.

I don't want to feel out of control. I would like to taste one of those mints. I feel better saying no to all sugar. What about an old-fashioned donut, oh my gosh it would taste so perfect. I have been enjoying my even-keeled, sugar-free self. A bar of chocolate is all I need. One bite. I feel really good about myself and that has led to my eating healthier all year, and exercising regularly. What about a little squirt of whip cream on a small hot chocolate? Right at midnight tonight. I am satisfied with naturally sweetened alternatives. Okay, just one of those mints and then throw the rest away immediately. This back and forth in my mind has been going on since November.

Do I eat sugar again or don't I?

You have spoken and I have taken all of your recent comments and emails to heart. The common theory is that no one can have just one taste of sugar. It is so good, so literally mind-altering, that one does not mean one. Eating sugar means eating more sugar. That scares me because that is the very problem I worked so hard to get out of my system all year. I had to quit eating sugar cold-turkey because I could not moderate my sugar intake.

Even if I set out to only have one cookie, that always meant at least 3 or 4 or 5, etc. The sugar got a hold of my senses and started speaking for me. The sugar started making the decisions for me. It took a lot of sugar to satisfy the sugar. Usually the only thing that spoke louder than the sugar itself was my tummy ache after I had royally stuffed myself. That tummy ache was the most common problem with eating sugar. I depended on feeling sick to know when I was done eating sugar.

Those days are over.

I know that if I eat sugar, it is likely that it will have power over me, but as long as I don't eat it, I'm the winner!

2009 New Year's Resolution-My Dilemma

What is your New Year's resolution going to be?

I can not decide what to do for 2009! This has been the single most frustrating part of going without sugar--deciding whether to continue going without, or if I should loosen up a little, or if I should splurge on all of my favorites that I missed this year: Oreos, donuts, cookie dough ice cream, cookie dough, cookies, cheap store bought cake, hot chocolate with a mountain of whip cream, M&M's, Almond Roca, chocolate bars, etc.

I don't know what to do!

Of course I would love to splurge, and I know I deserve it after a year of giving up all of my favorites, but then again, why would I do that to myself after I've worked so hard to wean myself of these sugary sins?

I've been asked all month, "Why don't you let yourself have sugar in moderation?"

One of the reasons I quit sugar to begin with is because I have no concept of eating sugar in moderation! One Oreo has never meant one Oreo! I don't eat single bites of ice cream at a time. I clean out the entire pint in one sitting, albeit, nice and slowly, savoring each delicate cool, creamy mouthful. I really miss ice cream.

Here are the reasons I hesitate to go back to sugar, even just for one day:

• I feel so wonderful now without any sugar!
• I have a lot of energy consistently throughout my day.
• I have more confidence than I've ever had in my life.
• I don't ride the sugar high roller coaster.
• I don't think I'll be able to control myself.
• I believe sugar was my addiction (both physically and psychologically).
• What good reason do I have for reintroducing sugar back in my diet? It offers me nothing but unhealthiness and guilt.
• I wouldn't be able to be an anti-sugar advocate if I was consuming sugar. (I can't stand those who preach one thing and do another...)
  
• If I eat sugar again, I will feel guilty and bad about myself because I know sugar is wrong for my body. Knowing this ahead of time, why would I eat it?

Still considering my options and really trying to reflect upon what is important to me. I think if I decided to eat sugar again, I would be very jealous of all of you who have told me you are going to go without. On the other hand, going without sugar is quite a lifestyle change....

To be continued...

Tips on How to Quit Sugar

Here are tips for those of you who would like to quit sugar for a month, a year, or forever. I find it hard to make forever plans, so I take things one year at a time. I'll probably do this forever.

So, you want to quit white, refined sugar. Maybe you've tried before, maybe you think it's impossible. Maybe you don't want to quit, but you are still curious what the process of quitting looks like. Maybe you need a year to think about quitting. For me it's cold turkey or I won't do it. I realize this isn't the tactic for everyone, but even if you quit sugar slowly, weaning yourself from the addiction day by day, I think these pointers will work for you, as well. If you have any pointers of your own or suggestions or comments, please let me know, as I will most likely re-post on New Year's Eve. What works for you? Do share!

* * * How to Quit Sugar * * *

• Make a grocery list and visit a local health food store. If you don't have a health food store in the area, try to find these items anyway, or do some online ordering.
  
• Stock your kitchen with all kinds of naturally sweetened goodies. Here are some examples for when that sweet tooth comes a'callin:
• 100% fruit juice (I'm not a wine snob, I'm a grape juice snob. I drink R.W. Knudsen)
• Dried fruit, fresh fruit, frozen fruit (smoothies)
• Naturally sweetened cookies and ice cream
• Ingredients to bake with: natural sweeteners, grain-sweetened chocolate chips, pure cocoa, unsweetened almond or rice milk, honey, molasses, agave, brown rice syrup, etc.
  
• Buy some flavored tea that you wouldn't normally get. Get cream and make sure you have honey. You won't believe how wonderful some of those hot teas are with a drop of cream and a spoonful of honey. My favorites are the spicy flavors and the vanilla/nut flavors. Buy plenty. Treat yourself. Spend more money than you normally would on tea. This may be what it takes to keep off of sugar. It sure beats the price of hypnosis.
• Make sure you buy naturally sweetened breads, chips, crackers, salad dressings, etc. These normally have hidden sugars and you don't want to cheat just because all of your salad dressings have sugar, do you? Also, remember to get cereals and other snacky foods that are naturally sweetened. If you don't have a health food store, there is one huge commercial brand of cereal that consistently keeps sugar out of its ingredients: Post Grape Nuts.
  
• Double-check your kitchen. Is it stocked? Make sure it's full of naturally sweetened goodies.
  
• Keep junk food in your kitchen. Yes, you read that right. It's good practice to have junk food available, because then you can practice turning it down and choosing something healthier. I was going to throw out all of our junk food last year, but not only was that not fair to Jeff, but if I didn't see junk food on a daily basis, how would I react when I did see it? You'll have to think about this. Even if you live alone, you want to have junk food available to your guests, right? You still want to have visitors, and they certainly want their junk food. They don't want to go on your sugar-free diet! However, if you are an excellent cook, it is possible to make naturally sweetened goodies for your guests, but keep in mind that it usually takes white sugar to satisfy the sweet tooth of those on a white sugar diet. Honey will not satisfy. It takes a couple of months to change your palate and train your sweet tooth to like natural sweeteners. If you know yourself well enough to know that you will sneak treats if they're around, then by all means, clean out your kitchen. Just ask guests to bring their own goodies.
  
• Do not buy "Sugar Free!" labeled goodies. These are tricky gimmicks usually found in the regular cookie aisle, and they are sweetened with a laxative otherwise known as Maltitol. It's the worst sugar substitute I've ever experienced. If you read the fine print on the label, there will be a disclosure statement warning against eating too many. Well, I don't want to worry about a laxative affect. Sometimes I just want to eat the whole box of cookies, thank you very much. Anyway, name brands like Oreos will have a "Sugar Free" variety of their product right next to the original variety. Beware, I have checked the labels and they contain maltitol.
  
• Do buy "naturally sweetened" and "No Sugar Added", as these terms usually mean what they say. Read the label to be safe, but these are terms that usually identify good products.
  
• Check for "Sucralose" which is a generic term for Splenda. You can make your own decision about Splenda. I don't touch it.
• Decide how dedicated you are to eating sugar free--are you focused mainly on quitting desserts? Drinks with sugar? Breads and cereals? If you are just trying to stay away from "sweets", that's one thing. It is another issue to go without white sugar entirely, because it is included in so many ingredients. Now, before you start, is a good time to decide how far you are going to take this. Keep in mind that sugar is in just about everything packaged and hidden in foods at restaurants. If taking your goal to this extreme seems too hard, don't give up. Start with sweets/cookies/obvious no-nos. Consider going 100% sugar free later. You have to find your starting point. Something that is realistic. For me, because I had practiced going weeks at a time without sugar, it wasn't a huge deal to do it again for a year.
• Set a realistic starting point/goal for yourself!

Holidaze: How to Just Say No

No, Audrey, No!

Be Strong! Don't give in to temptation! If I can resist donuts, then you can resist anything. For some reason this time of year is especially daunting. Everybody bakes and brings over dishes that haunt me with amazing aromas. I watch my husband light up at each gift of dessert that is brought over. As long as I have hot coffee with cream, or one of my favorite teas, then I'm okay. Sometimes I busy myself with an apple while my husband splurges. The other day I bought prunes. You either love them or you hate them. I love them. I just pop two slimy prunes in my mouth and that is a sweet shot that will last me for hours.

I have to set out each day with the reminder that I am strong enough to say no, and that I feel wonderful and would like to continue feeling wonderful. That donut, though decadent, will only last a few minutes in my mouth, but will leave all sorts of guilt lying around-physically on my butt, and emotionally. Who feels really good about themselves after eating a greasy donut?

Not to make those of you feel bad, who eat donuts, this is just me free thinking out loud--this is what one must do to have the willpower to say no. Sugar supremacy. Sometimes it's fun to say no, other times I really begin to feel resentful. When I begin to feel resentful, I tell myself that I can have sugar if I really want to. And of course I don't. Not enough to blow my goal, anyway. It's a psychological mind game, this sugar thing. You wouldn't believe the thoughts that go in and out of my brain on behalf of sugar. Most are best kept hidden in my gray matter. On the other hand, I love to share my process, because I'm guessing there are a lot of you who can relate.

Since it's the holidaze, I will share my favorite psychological tactic for having the willpower to say no. I've shared it before, and here it is again. It works, but you have to keep it to yourself. No one will appreciate you saying this out loud. Here's what you do: Tell yourself that you are superior. You are a sugar supremist. Everyone else is splurging on goodies and you are nibbling at the veggie tray with no Ranch dressing (loaded with sugar). Look at everyone around you. All kinds of people, all different backgrounds with varying social status....and you are superior. Yes, you are superior to everyone else in the room based on one little fact: you are able to say no and no one else has that willpower. People might notice. Hold your head high, but do not rub it in or talk about food. Be nice and act like yourself. Be kind, and understand that you were once the one who stood there with a plate of brownies, mini-cheesecakes, and truffles.

Let's Review: How to Have Holiday Willpower:

• Fill up on healthy foods before going out
• Have coffee or tea in hand at all times
• Tell yourself that you can have sugar, but that you'll pass
  
• Notice everyone else's lack of willpower
  
• Be kind to everyone, but know you are superior!

(Okay, disclaimer time. Of course no one person is superior to anyone else. Sugar requires extreme psychological self-talk, though. And it works. It's worked for me all year.)

How to Cut Out Sugar and Why

You've got to read this incredible article. Mike O'Donnell talks about the 3 steps to cutting out sugar from your diet, reminds us why sugar is so incredibly detrimental to our health, and what we gain health-wise when we do cut it out of our diet.

You may be thinking, "Oh, I know sugar causes cavities and makes me sleepy sometimes, but I can live with that..." Surprise! There are some more very serious health concerns related to eating sugar and here they are:

• "Sugar increases fat storing"
• "Sugar disrupts normal brain function"
• "Sugar decreases your overall health and makes you age quicker"(1)
  

O'Donnell expands on each of these health concerns with compelling reasons to give up sugar. It is very well-written and he offers some easy steps to cutting out that white stuff.

The sugar revolution rages on!

(1) http://zenhabits.net/2008/10/beat-the-sugar-habit-3-steps-to-cut-sweets-mostly-out-of-your-life/

Samples of a Sugar-Free Diet

Here is an example of two different days eating sugar-free. The first day is from my first month of going without sugar!

Food journal entry: January 28th, 2008

Breakfast:
Black Coffee
Veggie tofu scramble
Whole wheat carrot raisin toast with butter

Snack:
Chips
Salsa Verde

Lunch:
Bulgar with sun dried tomatoes

Snack:
"Rice sweetened" chocolate cookies
Apple

Dinner:
Spaghetti with sugar-free marinara sauce
Carrots
Green Salad with tomatoes and olive oil

Dessert:
More rice sweetened chocolate cookies

Food journal entry: March 26th, 2008

Breakfast:
Coffee with rice milk
Barbara's whole wheat cereal with rice milk
Banana

Snack:
Fritos

Lunch:
Vegetable soup
Ezekial cinnamon raisin bread with butter
Strawberries

Snack:
Hot herbal tea

Dinner:
Cheese grits
Collard greens
Sweet potato fries

If You Quit Eating Sugar, You Can do Anything!

It should come as no surprise that this year has had its fair share of changes and challenges. Going without sugar?! Keeping a New Year's resolution has always been an important goal of mine and I have reached that goal off and on in years past. There have been some goals that have fallen to the wayside (doing the splits, doing 100 sit-ups every morning, reading through the entire bible, etc.) but I'm proud to say that going without sugar will be a goal that I will most likely accomplish. Along with this, there have been a plethora of other unusual events in my life this year. Beginning with cutting out all white refined sugar in my diet, which led to cutting out all corn syrups, which led to cutting out white refined flour (for the most part...), which has led me towards some excellent reading material, some of which I am still chewing on. Striving to eat healthy in all possible ways has become this year's mantra. I've gravitated towards fresh over packaged, and home made over store bought.

Eating healthy has lent me to thinking about other areas of my life, as well. I started to re-think all aspects of my life. I mean, since I've been able to give up sugar, I feel like I can do anything. It almost feels like a quiet superpower.

So far this year I've:

• Quit sugar
• Sold my adorable little bungalow in the city
  
• Quit my established career
• Supported my husband as he quit his established career in the television business for the last 10 years
  
• Traveled to Mexico to build houses
• Explored the country, taking several road trips
  
• Temporarily relocated out in the country, and
  
• Joined a CSA.

There is something very exciting psychologically that happens when you accomplish something that you never dreamed was possible. I can't believe I let little white granules have so much power over me and my discipline. Looking back it will seem easy, but it has not been! I had to work at it and think about it every day, and still do.

Recently, I was faced with my fear of heights standing over a 80 foot cliff edge. My husband and I were traveling through Montana and Idaho and stopped at a gas station to talk to some locals. They encouraged us to go on a hike that leads into the woods with a waterfall at the end. That sounded like so much fun, so after driving several hours, we saw the sign for the falls and pulled over. The first challenge was to climb a metal, see-through staircase 4 stories high above and over the train tracks that ran through the forest. I didn't think much about it until I heard someone above coming down the stairs say to us,

"Hope you're not afraid of heights, this is really high and you can see through the stairs to the ground below!"

The next moment an elderly couple passed us and as the woman passed by me, I saw large beads of sweat across her forehead and caught her nervous scent.

(To back up briefly, I am not only afraid of heights, I am terrified. At malls I only go on the first flight of escalators and even then my knees always feel shaky. If I need to go up any higher I find the elevator.)

We crossed the tracks and I made it up that steep, see-through staircase uneventfully. Next, we hiked on a little path through the woods until my husband yells, "Look at that!" Up ahead we could see a narrow swing bridge dangling over the river. "Well, I hope J enjoys crossing that bridge....I'll be taking pictures," I thought to myself. However, while I was thinking about the see-through staircase that I had just climbed, I had a moment of inspiration. I decided to evaluate the situation and ignore my fear of heights for the moment. I knew I wouldn't be pressured into crossing the bridge, so I fanticized about crossing and not feeling afraid of it. The swing bridge hung about 70-80 feet above a violent, roaring river. The bright blue color of the river was beautiful, especially in contrast to the gray, rocky cliffs on either side. The swing bridge immediately became my sugar. Was I going to let it be bigger than my willpower? While my husband free-jumped from rock to rock down below, I stood staring ahead at the swing bridge. It looked strong. People were crossing it. It was only about 150 feet long. Here was my chance to prove something else to myself. I had already overcome some gigantic challenges this year, why not add this to the list?

I climbed up a little wooden staircase to the entrance of the bridge. I felt nervous but excited. I knew I was going to give this my best shot. Suddenly, before I knew what I was doing, both hands reached out and grabbed the thick, metal railing. I put one foot onto the wooden floor of the bridge, followed by my other foot. I slowly stepped forward, sliding my hands along the bouncy railing. I had the bridge to myself. After a total of about 8 steps, I stopped and evaluated the length of the bridge before me. My heart was pounding but I had already done more than I ever thought possible. I gripped the railing tight until my hands hurt and steadily proceeded forward. I moved carefully so as to keep the swing bridge from swinging. Then I heard my husband shout from below and give me the thumbs up. He was taking pictures and I knew he knew just what I was going through. I hesitated on the bridge once more and all of a sudden a wash of panic went through me. Huge rock lay directly beneath me. With a few more steps I would be standing over the mighty river. Instantly my legs felt like jell-o and I started to shake.

"What better moment to move forward, than right in the middle of a full-blown panic attack?" I thought to myself. If I knew there were not other people around, I would have yelled out loud, "Go! Go! Go!" I heard and felt my brain and my heart synchronize these simple words. If I was to ever get over my fear of heights, here was my chance to begin. I looked down at the rocks and river below and then looked up. I stared straight ahead as if my Fear was an entity standing before me. All of a sudden, it felt like Fear was outside of me, taunting me, but not inside me anymore. I adjusted my grip again on the railing, straightened my back, and moved forward with a confidence that I have never experienced before in my life. I knew I could walk all the way across the bridge, but I stopped when I got to the middle. I was going to consider this baby steps and confidently return to the edge.

Once I was standing on solid ground again, I looked out at the swing bridge and felt elated. I was shivering and taking giant breaths. My adrenaline was pumping and I was sweating despite the cool breeze. I saw J jumping from rock to rock in my direction, clutching his camera in one hand. "You did it!" he shouted and I teared up. My biggest fear no longer had quite a hold on me.

"Next time we are out here, I will cross the bridge all the way," I said.

"I know you will," J said.

I had no idea that cutting sugar out of my diet would give me this kind of confidence. But if I can truly go the rest of the year without eating it, then I know that I can do anything.

Sugar and Your Teeth

Who enjoys going to the dentist? Who looks forward to having their teeth drilled on?
Here are some reminders of how sugar affects our oral health. What I find most interesting is not how much sugar we consume but how often we consume it. So I imagined eating 20 candy bars all at once, versus little bites of one throughout the day!

"For dental health, the frequency of sugar intake is more important than the amount of sugar consumed.^[54] In the presence of sugar and other carbohydrates, bacteria in the mouth produce acids which can demineralize enamel, dentin, and cementum. The more frequently teeth are exposed to this environment, the more likely dental caries are to occur. Therefore, minimizing snacking is recommended, since snacking creates a continual supply of nutrition for acid-creating bacteria in the mouth. Also, chewy and sticky foods (such as dried fruit or candy) tend to adhere to teeth longer, and consequently are best eaten as part of a meal. Brushing the teeth after meals is recommended. For children, the American Dental Association and the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry recommend limiting the frequency of consumption of drinks with sugar, and not giving baby bottles to infants during sleep.^[82][83] Mothers are also recommended to avoid sharing utensils and cups with their infants to prevent transferring bacteria from the mother's mouth.^[84]

It has been found that milk and certain kinds of cheese like cheddar can help counter tooth decay if eaten soon after the consumption of foods potentially harmful to teeth.^[54] Also, chewing gum containing xylitol (wood sugar) is widely used to protect teeth in some countries, being especially popular in the Finnish candy industry.^[85] Xylitol's effect on reducing plaque is probably due to bacteria's inability to utilize it like other sugars.^[86] Chewing and stimulation of flavour receptors on the tongue are also known to increase the production and release of saliva, which contains natural buffers to prevent the lowering of pH in the mouth to the point where enamel may become demineralised.^"

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_caries

How to Establish a Healthy Relationship with Your Kitchen

It's 7:00 am and you find yourself stumbling into the kitchen, eyes still sleepy and stingy, your stomach growling angrily--you must eat. Your brain is still fuzzy and it's hard to decide what to make for breakfast so you open your cupboards one by one, your refrigerator, and even your freezer. Nothing in particular jumps out at you except the Oreos in the cupboard and the Ben & Jerry's in the freezer. "Just one cookie while I figure out what to eat for breakfast," you say to yourself. Before you have swallowed the remains of the Oreo, the entire package is completely opened and you lean against the counter having a great morning stare out the window, devouring one cookie after another. At some point your stomach starts to feel funny or you realize that the row of cookies is gone and now is a good time to stop. Because you are not very hungry anymore, you grab a banana or a glass of juice and that's breakfast.

The sugar digests quickly, you all of a sudden have a lot of energy, but all too soon you start to feel hungry again and perhaps a little tired. After brewing some coffee you decide to have a morning snack. After all, it's nowhere near lunchtime. You peruse your cupboards a little more carefully this time and decide to have a piece of toast with jelly and one bite of ice cream.

When it's finally time for lunch, you resort to spaghetti or frozen pizza because it's quick, filling and really tasty. In no time you've eaten lunch, snacked on some chips while you were waiting, and then had a chocolate covered protein bar at the end because you want to make sure you are eating enough protein. When that's gone, you find yourself still lingering in the kitchen. To solve that problem you grab a soda and finally leave the kitchen.

In less than an hour, you take a break from what you are doing and return to the kitchen. You couldn't concentrate because you really wanted two more bites of ice cream. You eat that and then return to what you were doing with a large glass of juice.

Within the next hour, you start to wonder what to make for dinner. Again, you can't concentrate on what you are doing until you solve the dinner problem. You decide to take another break and look through your cupboards again. It's all still there: crackers, several bags of chips, cereal boxes, packaged rice, bags of store-bought cookies, bread, muffins, trail mix, unopened jars of pasta sauce, cans of spaghetti, soups, and fruits. While you try to decide what to put together for dinner, you open a new package of crackers to try them, and grab a little handful of chips before wandering over to the refrigerator....

Did you know that almost all of the foods mentioned above have sugar in them? How is it possible to eat healthy, balanced meals when you have "junk food" lying around? Of course Oreos are more appealing than oatmeal in the morning! There is only one way to kick the sugar addiction happening in kitchens nationwide. Call your friends or a family member and tell them that you have a bunch of food that you don't want anymore and would they like to come and take it before you throw it away? If no one comes to take away your sugar-laden foods, throw it away yourself! You will be making a big statement to yourself by doing this, and are more likely to stay away from junk food because of it.

Most importantly, replace your foods with healthier varieties that don't contain all that sugar. Buy plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and prepare them for eating ahead of time. (Trust me, if you don't, you will pass over your celery and carrots again and again.) Buy or make healthy dips for your raw vegetables if that will help you eat them. Hummus, yogurt dips and freshly blended nut dips are perfect for vegetables. Also, when you shop to replace your old foods, try a local health food store or ask your grocery if they have a health food section. Read labels and be determined to be picky and not buy foods with sugar. There are so many wonderful alternatives! Juices, jams, breads, dry cereals, peanut butters, pasta sauces and crackers, to name a few, are all very tasty without added sugars! Try several brands and varieties until you find something you really like. Also, alternative milk products like soy, almond, rice, hemp, and oat milks usually have unsweetened varieties. It may take a little bit of extra time to shop, and you might actually decide to bake more foods yourself, but it is very worth it and rewarding to eat right.

It is possible to have a healthy relationship with your kitchen. Once your kitchen is stocked with more fruits and vegetables, and healthy snacks, you probably won't find yourself lingering in your kitchen wondering how to satisfy your sweet tooth. You might grab a bunch of grapes, or fresh strawberries, or a trail mix with dried fruit and feel more satisfied in your snacking and a lot less guilty. Once you kick the sugar addiction, you may even find yourself needing clothes in smaller sizes.

Have fun with this!

An Easy, Healthy Morning Breakfast Routine

I wonder how many of you crave sugar first thing in the morning? When I ate sugar regularly, I would often get up in the morning and wander into the kitchen looking in cupboards and the refrigerator where I would find the jackpot: left over dessert from the night before. I would usually be thinking, "It will probably get stale soon, and I might as well get rid of it as soon as possible before it tempts me later in the day." Other treats in the morning have included: homemade cookies, a left over pan of brownies, M&M's, and the hardest thing to not eat--packaged cookies. Cheap packaged cookies have always been a favorite of mine. Being bite-sized, they are so easy to eat and before you know it, half of the package is gone. When half of the package is gone, and you already feel guilty for eating that many cookies, it's even easier to eat the rest of them so you don't experience a second bout of guilt. Just because I've gorged myself on sugar in the morning does not mean I'm done having breakfast. Even when I've been full, I've eaten breakfast food after eating something sugary. There were days that seemed like a vicious cycle. I did not want to listen to my body. My mind said "EAT!" so I overruled my body saying, "Give me a break! Stop eating, NOW!" It is very easy to say these things in retrospect. I would never have admitted to this while in the moment.

Currently, I have a healthy breakfast habit in place of my unhealthy habits. I still like to eat something sweet in the morning sometimes, and fruit tastes sweetest first thing in the morning before eating anything else. (Note: Fruit does NOT taste sweet right after eating a hunk of dessert.) My new habit is cereal (Grape Nuts, Ezekial Brand Cereal, Barbara's Brand Cereal, Oatmeal, etc.) topped with fresh strawberries (they are now ripe and in season!) bananas, blueberries, rasberries, peaches, raisins, nuts or dried apricots. I have never been left hungry after one bowl. After eating such a healthy meal, you will feel inspired to eat healthy at your next meal, too. It helps to have pre-prepared healthy snacks on hand, otherwise it can be tempting to run to a vending machine with the justification that you are starving.

If you are not a breakfast eater, I am guessing that around mid-morning when you begin to feel really hungry, it is easy to justify that Coke, or the donuts in the break room, or a sugary coffee drink of some kind. Skipping breakfast is the quickest way to eat unhealthy later in the day. Eating a healthy breakfast is the quickest way to eating healthy later in the day. If your concern is time, prepare something the night before and take it to work with you if you have to. A thermos is a great way to transport cereal (note: to avoid soggy cereal, pour milk or yogurt in the thermos and carry your cereal in a baggy until you have a chance to eat.) If you feel like you are too busy to shop for healthy food, order groceries online and have them delivered to your doorstep. It is easy to kick that sugary morning habit if you replace it daily with something healthy and filling.

Healthy Snacks for a Road Trip

This is the first long road trip I've taken where Oreos and Nutter Butter's were not packed! We were very excited to drive along the western and southern part of the state. We left 24 hours after coming up with the idea! With my husband's involvement and support, the day before we left, we grocery shopped together and picked out all of our favorite fruits and vegetables. Then that night we rinsed them and prepared them for snacking. We were in a small car, in the hot sun, with our dog in the back seat guarding the cooler. When the munchies set in, we grabbed some of the vegetables and they really hit the spot! Given the temperature outside and the fact that we were so sedentary in the car, the fresh red bell pepper slices were delicious, followed by fresh, organic long carrot sticks. I highly recommend buying organic carrots that come by the bunch with the stems still attached. To prepare them, just take off the stems and peel them, but don't cut them. It's too much fun to eat a whole carrot. My husband won't eat carrots but when he tried these, he ate several. They are extremely delicious and sweet. To keep them crisp, I added a damp paper towel to the zip-lock bag and they lasted several days, fresh and crispy. We also ate sliced green peppers (not as sweet as red/orange/yellow, but very snappy!), sliced cucumbers, bananas, oranges, apples, and had lemons and limes on hand to add to our water. We also packed other snacks like almonds, organic string cheese, crackers, healthy bread and a small jar of peanut butter. Some days we ate strictly from our cooler and did not eat out.
So, the trick is to shop, prepare and pack fruits and vegetables before leaving on your road trip. It made all the difference to us, and once we started, we didn't even want to eat anything unhealthy. It felt spectacular to eat so many fresh vegetables. Here is a list of what I would pack next time, including some vegetables that I wished I had packed on this trip (all organic):

• red, orange and green bell peppers
• carrots by the bunch
• cucumbers
  
• tomatoes
  
• radishes
• grapes
• oranges and apples (fuji apples are my favorite-they are very crunchy)
  
• watermelon balls
• asian pears (stay crispy longer and don't bruise easily)

Add to this list anything else you can think of! I am a really snacky person-I love munching on nuts, popcorn, dried fruit, etc. as well.

The Psychology of Sugar-Part Four

I came across a website that addresses the psychology of food, a little bit. Here is a part I liked: "Honor Your Feelings Without Using Food Find ways to comfort , nurture, distract, and resolve your issues without using food. Anxiety, loneliness, boredom, anger are emotions we all experience throughout life. Each has its own trigger, and each has its own appeasement. Food won't fix any of these feelings. It may comfort for the short term, distract from the pain, or even numb you into a food hangover. But food won't solve the problem. If anything, eating for an emotional hunger will only make you feel worse in the long run. You'll ultimately have to deal with the source of the emotion, as well as the discomfort of overeating."
This comes from a website called intuitiveeating.com, based on a book that was written about eating intuitively. I like this idea a lot. Now I just have to be aware of what intuition is, versus what my brain may be justifying for my pleasure!

The Psychology of Sugar-Part Three

I AM CRAVING SUGAR TONIGHT LIKE NEVER BEFORE! ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT ARE JUICY, GREASY DONUTS AND THE CRUNCHY LITTLE SPRINKLES ON THE FROSTING THAT JUST MELT IN YOUR MOUTH!! WHAT IS MY PROBLEM?! I HAVE ALMOST COMPLETED FOUR MONTHS OF NO SUGAR--SO WHY IS THIS SUCH A BIG DEAL???

I'm having a super immature tantrum and reminiscing my high school days of weekend slumber parties. Those were always about sugary treats, candy, and ice cream. My best girlfriends and I would take my mom's largest mixing bowl and we would make a "community" ice cream sundae. We'd top it with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, marshmallow creme, M&M's, peanuts and then whip cream. I have one old, tattered picture depicting that disgusting mix! We would sit around the huge green mixing bowl, each with a spoon, and eat as much as we could. At some point when it began to melt and look too runny, we would get grossed out and just eat the candy instead. Okay, I'm not feeling the same sugar craving that I was a few minutes ago. Just thinking about those times is enough for me. I can't help but wonder, though, if and when my sugar cravings will subside. If they are truly psychological at this point, will they ever go away? What sort of psychological substitute is there for sugar?

The Psychology of Sugar-Part Two

What a difficult task this is, of finding credible sources of information about sugar and psychological addiction! I'd hoped to have a lengthy list of articles and sources, but so far these were the only valuable links I found:

"Food Cravings: In Your Head or Tummy?"
http://www.writeeating.com/Weight%20Loss%20Articles/Food%20Cravings%20in%20your%20head%20or%20tummy.htm

"Sugar Cravings"
http://pattyjames.com/2008/02/sugar-cravings.html

"Sugar and Fat: Cravings and Aversions"
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/133/3/835S?maxtoshow=&HITS=&hits=&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=sugar+craving&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT