About

How to meet the challenge of a sugar-free life: a daily diary of pitfalls, overcoming obstacles, psychological skirmishes, and tips for us all. This is a diary of “going sugar-free” for the next two years (730 days).

Month: March 2015

Day 17: Yearning a Living

I was in line to order a skim latte at a favorite place in Cambridge, the 1369 COFFEE HOUSE. A guy in front of me was buying an “Almond Joy: Our house made hot chocolate with almond and coconut. Better than the candy!”
 
I didn’t walk in the door planning on an Almond Joy hot chocolate, but it WAS a cold wintry day, and I admit I did have a bit of yearning (stayed with the plan).
 
Food Log
Life Alive’s “home made” almond milk
skim latte
sweet broccoli, red onion, garlic, rainbow carrots, red cabbage
banana
Manna whole grain bread
walnuts
dinosaur kale
dried apricots
coconut water
apple

 

Day 16: Proof of Concept

Today’s challenge: See if I can go to my favorite brunch place and not have mini frosted muffins (or anything with added sugar). Results: No muffins – and didn’t crave ’em; removed home fries and toast from the order; and had nothing else with sugar. Feels like a huge accomplishment.
 
Food Log
omelet with organic asparagus, organic tomatoes, and organic goat cheese
skim latte
sweet broccoli, red onion, garlic, rainbow carrots, red cabbage
hummus
banana
Manna whole grain bread
walnuts
dinosaur kale

Day 15: Snow Day

It is snowing today, a good excuse to stay inside (recovering from a broken femur). I just steamed vegetables for two days of meals, watching the flakes float lazily down outside the kitchen window.
 
Later: Out into the elements for lite clam chowder and grilled salmon. This time, I verified with the server and kitchen that no sugar was in either.
 
Food Log
sweet broccoli, red onion, garlic, rainbow carrots, red cabbage
hummus
banana
Manna whole grain bread
walnuts
salmon
lite clam chowder (clams, carrots, potatoes)
dinosaur kale
apple
Kit’s organic cashew bar

Day 14: Saved by the Bell

I would like to claim that a fire alarm (for real) pushed us out of the restaurant before I could order my favorite dessert, bread pudding. In fact, as much as I love the dessert, I was not going to break my pledge so my day’s efforts were safe. Or so I thought. The next day, reflecting on how good the arugula salad (with dressing) was, I came to the conclusion that the dressing HAD to have added sugar. I just called the restaurant and they confirmed, sadly, that the dressing has added sweetener. Buzzer. Fail #2 but good lesson learned.
 
Food Log
salad: organic arugula, baby tomatoes, citrus vinaigrette (with sugar)
skim latte
hummus
Manna bread
walnuts
plain organic yogurt
blueberries
Kit’s cashew bar
 
Tip
Watch out for hidden sugar in salad dressings. Even your server may not know. Ask the server to check with the kitchen. Odds are good you need to order that salad without its salad dressing – or plan to bring your own no-sweetener-added dressing.

Day 13: Mostly Having It All – Without Sugar

Tonight, I dined at my favorite northern Italian restaurant. I ordered one of my favorite meals (no added sweeteners and organic): pasta, cabbage, and potatoes. Proving to me, once again, that there is life without sugar.
 
Earlier in the day, I opened a package of organic Manna bread and very soon, had eaten half the loaf. The bread was tasty, like a dessert. It seems that eating bread made with dates and raisins switches on the sweet tooth. Something to work on. Not quite cheating but…
 
Food Log
pasta
savoy cabbage
potatoes
brussels sprouts
Manna bread (cinnamon and dates)
apple
dried figs
skim latte
walnuts
 
Tip
Avoid sweetness in bread, even if there is no added sugar. You’re likely to return again and again to the loaf, eating way too much bread for any healthy diet. I recommend the Manna whole grains product. Just as tasty without the sweet.

Day 12: Unhappy Meal

A family sat near me on the airplane this afternoon and brought their Big Macs on board. The smell of their food was “driving me crazy” – perhaps the Big Mac “Special Sauce“. There are lots of reasons to eschew Big Macs. Sugar is one of them – one Big Mac has 9 grams of sugar which is more than 2 teaspoons of sugar (1 teaspoon = 4 grams of sugar). The WHO recommends that maximum daily sugar consumption be limited to 6 teaspoons (24 grams) for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men.
 
Food Log
quinoa, spring onions, garlic, garbonzo beans
yellow onion, asparagus, green kale
Cava Organic Roasted Onion Hummus
Manna Multigrain bread
skim latte
kumquots
Kit’s Organic Cashew Fruit & Nut Bar
dried figs
clam chowder (Lite) – verified ingredients first
Grilled salmon (no sauce)
 
Tip
To control the sugar content of the foods you eat, bring your own prepared snacks with you for the airplane ride rather than relying on fast food from the airport cafes. Here is what TSA says about bringing food through security:
All food must go through the X-ray machine. Do NOT bring food to the
security checkpoint unwrapped. Food must be wrapped or in a container. Unpeeled natural foods like fruit are okay, but half-eaten fruits must be wrapped.

Day 11: Sweet

Day 11 has been pretty much like Day 10, a trip to Whole Foods without any mishaps. I had not eaten today and did feel pretty hungry. So I grabbed another of Kit’s bars, this one the Organic Cashew Fruit & Nut Bar. No sugar added: Organic Dates, Organic Cashews, Organic Almonds, Sea Salt.
 
Food Log
(leftovers) quinoa, spring onions, garlic, garbonzo beans
Cava Organic Roasted Onion Hummus
Manna Multigrain bread
skim latte
kumquots
Kit’s Organic Cashew Fruit & Nut Bar
watermelon
dried figs
steamed vegetables: yellow onion, asparagus, green kale
 
Tip: When preparing a large pot of steamed vegetables, make double the quantity so you can start your next day with an effortless super-healthy meal of leftovers.

Day 10: Easy as 8, 9, 10

Challenges are the usual. Skipping the vanilla soy latte at Starbucks, avoiding the bakery case at Whole Foods. I bought a Kit’s Fruit + Nut bar while shopping at WF instead. No added sugar, just organic dates, organic peanuts, organic almonds, sea salt.
 

Food log
Swiss Chard, leeks
Quinoa, spring onions, garlic, garbonzo beans
Skim latte
Manna multigrain bread
Kit’s Fruit + Nut bar
 
Tip
Go to the grocery store after eating so you are less vulnerable to snacking while you shop. If you have an irresistable urge to snack, have a mental list ready of snacks that work within your rules.
 
Product Tip – snacks with no sugar added
 

Day 9: Walk On By

I’ve always had a weakness for the cookies and scones in the Whole Foods bakery section. I would arrive at the checkout register with just a piece of crumbled wax paper. By 9 days into this sugar-free challenge, the desire is gone.
 

Tip
To resist cruel temptation, don’t go near the bakery case at the supermarket. Take detours. Big bonus: you’ll get more exercise. Or, as Dionne Warwick says, “Walk On By”.
 

Day 8: The Girl Scout Cookies Dilemma

Most of us who were Girl Scouts like to buy GS cookies to support the kids. I’m kind of a thin mint addict so I knew this was danger, but I was feeling bad about just walking by the table. I found out that the Girl Scouts have a program for people like me: I can make a “Gift of Caring” donation, which donates a box of cookies (or however many I buy) to a partner organization serving people in need. Problem solved, and my Day 8 was safe, “8” having nothing to do with eating sugar.
 

Food Log
Dried figs
Manna multigrain bread
Samplings of a group lunch: 3-bean chili, sweet potato soup, vegetable tart, curried chicken salad sandwich, turkey and avocado sandwich
 

Tip
Satisfy any craving for sweets with your favorite fruit.