Today I was asked this inevitable question
'Isn't being sugar-free just being faddy?'
To be honest I'm surprised it has taken so long for someone to ask me this. People know that generally in my work as a Nutritional Therapist I am a pragmatist; that within broad guidelines we have to find a way that works with our lives.
So for people to hear me talking about being completely sugar, and mostly flour, free it sounds strange, a bit intense and perhaps a bit 'in your face' for those who also have some level of sugar addiction...so what did I say to my enquirer?
I made the following points all couched in terms of MY own response to sugar and flour and MY subsequent experience of being sugar-free.
- I believe that I have a sugar addiction which means I find it hard to moderate how much food I eat that contain sugar and flour.
- This addiction has, over the years, made it hard for me to maintain a healthy weight and this has made me feel 'pants' particularly as I have worked within the health industry for many years. It's important to me to 'walk my talk'!
- It has also made me a 'secret eater' at times and also a secret over-eater (it's difficult to only have one hot cross bun when there are six in a packet smelling wonderful!).
- Moderation in the past hasn't been a rule I knew how to follow; I have also played games with myself about healthy V unhealthy treats when actually they are all just sugar to my lovely, ever accommodating, body.
- This is the first time in my life that I have felt neutral about my meals, no cravings, no head games... I eat when I'm hungry and I stop when I'm full, if this is faddy then it's flipping F A B U L O U S is all I can say.
- Slowly without trying or thinking my body is balancing my weight, my midlife belly fat has disappeared easily and with no effort or extra exercise.
So will it be forever? (another question), hmmmm not sure yet... I do occasionally have something with flour in, for example I had a date lunch with my chappie today, a delicious plate of Lebanese delights served with some pitta bread and I enjoyed a couple of pieces. Sugar I am being absolute about and will be so for the foreseeable future.
Something changed within me when I accepted that I have an issue with sugar (and have done all my life). Perhaps in the future I will enjoy a yummy pudding on a special occasion but I know I will be clear that it is a VERY special occasion and actually at the moment I am not remotely bothered, I am just enjoying my sugar-free meals too much and how my body is feeling without the white stuff.