Sunday 14 July 2013

:: 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'.


6 comments:

  1. Good on you hon! I am very proud of you. Interesting that you found sugary stuff boring. Goes to show how exciting whole/real food can be!

    I'm not committing to the 8 week thing at the moment, but I can tell you I sure am starting with one week off sugar and naughty food after being away for so long!
    And I'm gonna give the bread a try :) Did you convert for TM?

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    1. Thanks! Yeah, I'm just not that excited about sugar foods anymore. If I want something desserty, I've got a few sugar-free tricks up my sleeve that more than satisfy!

      For the bread, I first made the almond meal, and the flaxseed meal in the TM, but combined all the ingredients by hand in a separate bowl.

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  2. Well done Han. : ) Very proud of you for seeing it through. x

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  3. Wow! Thanks for sharing this Hannah, and well done on successfully completing the 8 week detox. I have just finished week one myself and have found your blog so helpful. I found this week such a huge challenge as I am so very heavily addicted to the white stuff. One step at a time. Hopefully I can show the same will power as you! Did you lose any weight?

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    1. Hi Sarina, glad you found my journey helpful! It was a huge challenge but I'm so proud of myself for sticking it out. Yes, I lost quite rapidly at the start and got down to a weight I hadn't been for years! But after about week 3-4, I stopped losing.

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  4. Cheers, fan-fare, whistles, high fives - congratulations Hannah!!
    Now the rest of your sugar-free life will be a breeze. I have not had a single "normal" chocolate pass my lips for 27 weeks, the only sugary food I have added into cooking occasionally is Medjool dates but I can do this knowing it won't make me resort to bad refined sugars.
    Here's to a sugar-free life :)
    Jenine x

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