:: week 8 sugar-free, OVER! ::

It is with immense pleasure (and relief) that I announce the end of my 8 week sugar detox!

*fireworks, please*

So I'd gone roughly 60 days without a single bite of 'normal' chocolate, cookie or cake. And yes, as soon as it was over, I was super keen to find out how I'd go once I tried naughty food again. I dove in, had a massive cheat day, and consumed all the stuff I'd had 'waiting'. I couldn't wait to gauge my response.

First thoughts? It was boring. 

Fully boring. Everything I'd been eating/cooking/baking/trying for the last 8 weeks was way more interesting and tasty. Here I was thinking I was 'missing out' for 8 weeks while everyone else ate whatever they wanted. It wasn't me that was missing out at all - everyone else had been missing out! To know the true taste of whole foods, lovingly mixed with amazing spices, releasing flavours found in nature is a wonderful thing. Real food is awesome.

When I think that it has been 8 weeks since I began, that was a mighty-fast couple of months. You might think it went slowly, but no, it probably feels like about 3 weeks ago I was invited to do the 'experiment' of 8 weeks sugar (fructose) free by my new friend Jemima. I had already bought the book "I Quit Sugar" by Sarah Wilson, but hadn't read it. Turns out you don't actually have to read the whole thing before starting - you just read the introduction and then one chapter each week. Sarah gives you the instructions for that week, and some recipes to try. She made it really simple, and had some incredible recipe ideas (she's all for being economical too, which helps, as I'm not a fan of expensive recipes) which I will be implementing into our regular menus.

I was hoping to have fully worked out my system by the end of this, but I can't say that's the case. I was enjoying the yoghurt/ricotta/cottage cheese/cheddar recipes but I'm wondering if my body is really that happy on dairy... will work on that. I'm very happy without wheat though, and came across a really nice paleo bread recipe. It is YUM. I found I don't have a loaf tin, so I had to resort to a pretty bunt pan. I must invest in a loaf tin though, as it was a real success and even toasts well.

So to conclude, I highly recommend giving the 8 week detox a go, even if you have no intention of keeping off sugar forever. You'll open up for yourself a whole new world, and learn to be in control of yourself & your 'cravings'.