Good morning!
Update - I can't believe how good I have felt over the past few days. I never considered myself "unhealthy" before this fast but I am feeling so much better in myself. I am sleeping deeper and better, I still wake up and don't want to open my eyes, and there's no way I'm jumping out of bed, (even no sugar can't shake the night owl in me!). But I am sleeping deeper and feeling more rested. I have so much more energy than before, I can't quite describe it. I love it though, because I do have lots to do, and I was lacking in motivation and feeling so sluggish before Christmas, I can't believe the consistent levels of energy I have - it's amazing. My tummy is so much better than before, in these past three weeks I have had some indigestion once, whereas before I was having it 3-5 times a week. I also, for the first time in months, feel an actual desire to exercise. With uni, kids and looking after the kids, exercise comes at the very bottom of the pile for me, and I rarely have any desire to work-out. I walk a lot with the kids, but really nothing other than that - this weekend I've been finding little ways to add 3-5 minutes of exercise into different parts of my day and I've been really enjoying it. Seriously - I feel so good. I have also noticed an improvement in my emotional health - I'm not sure if that's because of the sugar fast or because I feel good physically, but either way, I'm really pleased.
So, there you go - if you're thinking about quitting sugar go for it - come over for a coffee, I have great resources and loads of tips, and I'd be so willing to support anyone through either a sugar fast or cutting back on sugar. Please feel free to get in touch!
So, desserts. I have two thoughts on desserts. Firstly, there are so many websites and recipes books giving people sugar-free or lower sugar dessert ideas. In the book I have there is a great recipe for an apple crumble with sharp apples (like Granny Smith) and then a crumble topping made from ground nuts, desiccated coconut and butter. I'm looking forward to trying it after this fast is done. Over the next few months, I'm going to try to add a few simple, low sugar recipes to my desert collection.
Click on the photo's to see the recipe books on Amazon.co.uk.
But, here's the other thing. I don't believe that adults or children should have desserts every day. What I have learnt over this fast is that the more we have sweet things, the more we want sweet things. And it is so hard to get down to the daily recommended amounts of sugar, that this seems like an easy one to cut out. Save desserts for weekends, and then have the freedom to either make a low-sugar dessert, or make a full sugar one and enjoy it because it's only once a week! If the kids are hungry after a meal, we would offer them some milk, a banana, an apple or some bread with peanut butter. Now they are used to not having dessert, they don't tend to ask for it.
Our kids rarely have desserts during the week, because of two reasons. Our school serves dessert every day, and although I suggest that they choose fruit, they frequently come home having eaten a chocolate cake, pineapple cake and custard or jelly and ice cream. I don't want our kids to think there is "bad" food they are banned from (I think it just creates an issue later in life), so I don't tell them off - I also think it's rather unfair for them to see their friends enjoying a dessert and feel they are not allowed to choose it. So, I'm flexible and understand that sometimes they will be eating sugar at school. However, I do teach them about what sugar does to our body, and why we should limit it, and they really are very good. When they choose fruit they are so excited to tell me about their choice! Also, I think giving kids a big dose of sugar before bedtime makes no sense. No matter what the dessert is, it's going to have some kind of sugar or sweetness in it and it's going to give the kids a sugar rush. I know that sleep is a major issue for many kids (including for my oldest), and I wonder if eating dessert is a factor in this. So, for those two reasons, we save dessert for the weekend.
By simply limiting our amount of desserts to the weekend, we could be saving anywhere between 5-10 teaspoons of sugar per day in one go. That's pretty impressive! Also, knowing that the kids are eating well during the weekdays, means there is more freedom to have fun and make a sugar-filled pavlova, banoffee pie or ice sundae on the weekend - umm…all my favourites!
Also, I want to make clear that I believe that (as long as there aren't allergies) kids should be able to have full-sugar-whatever-they-want Birthday Cakes. You won't find a low sugar birthday cake anywhere near my house!
What do you think? Is dessert an expectation in your house? Could you make this change?
See you tomorrow!
Our kids rarely have desserts during the week, because of two reasons. Our school serves dessert every day, and although I suggest that they choose fruit, they frequently come home having eaten a chocolate cake, pineapple cake and custard or jelly and ice cream. I don't want our kids to think there is "bad" food they are banned from (I think it just creates an issue later in life), so I don't tell them off - I also think it's rather unfair for them to see their friends enjoying a dessert and feel they are not allowed to choose it. So, I'm flexible and understand that sometimes they will be eating sugar at school. However, I do teach them about what sugar does to our body, and why we should limit it, and they really are very good. When they choose fruit they are so excited to tell me about their choice! Also, I think giving kids a big dose of sugar before bedtime makes no sense. No matter what the dessert is, it's going to have some kind of sugar or sweetness in it and it's going to give the kids a sugar rush. I know that sleep is a major issue for many kids (including for my oldest), and I wonder if eating dessert is a factor in this. So, for those two reasons, we save dessert for the weekend.
By simply limiting our amount of desserts to the weekend, we could be saving anywhere between 5-10 teaspoons of sugar per day in one go. That's pretty impressive! Also, knowing that the kids are eating well during the weekdays, means there is more freedom to have fun and make a sugar-filled pavlova, banoffee pie or ice sundae on the weekend - umm…all my favourites!
Also, I want to make clear that I believe that (as long as there aren't allergies) kids should be able to have full-sugar-whatever-they-want Birthday Cakes. You won't find a low sugar birthday cake anywhere near my house!
What do you think? Is dessert an expectation in your house? Could you make this change?
See you tomorrow!