Since yesterday was Wednesday (the day of the week after I by no means get something home-related completed), I assumed I’d share one thing a bit extra private with y’all at present. For those who’ve been round right here for lengthy, you understand that I like the start of a brand new 12 months. It’s a contemporary begin, a clear slate, and a fantastic likelihood to create new targets for the brand new 12 months. That’s why I like making my master list of home goals originally of every 12 months.
However I additionally love making private new 12 months’s resolutions. I don’t at all times share these on the weblog, however this 12 months is a extremely huge one, so I wish to share it with you in order that I can put it out right here in writing for all to see. I really feel extra accountable after I’ve shared targets and resolutions with extra individuals as a substitute of simply conserving it between me, Matt, and my mother.
So it is a huge one for me. My new 12 months’s decision for 2024 is to go the entire 12 months with out consuming sugar, except six free days. These days will probably be my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, with three further free days of my selecting. Aside from these six free days, my aim is not any sugar for a 12 months.
I do know which will sound excessive to some individuals, however I’ve realized via expertise that it’s greatest for me to simply go chilly turkey if I must get one thing like my sugar consumption beneath management. Simply saying, “I’ll solely eat a bit bit! Every little thing carefully,” doesn’t work for me. As a result of consuming one cookie makes me desire a second, and a 3rd, and earlier than I do know it, I’ve eaten a dozen cookies. In terms of sugar, I’ve a whole lack of self-control.
I do know a few of you’ll keep in mind again in 2018 and 2019 after I acquired actually critical about shedding pounds and getting in form. I did the keto weight-reduction plan (with just a few months of carnivore there in the direction of the tip of 2019), and I misplaced about 45 kilos. I used to be feeling nice, wanting so significantly better, and feeing robust and assured. After which 2020 hit, the world spun uncontrolled, and I channeled my stress of that 12 months into consuming and shopping for sneakers. Largely consuming. But additionally a number of shoe shopping for. Whereas consuming. 😀
However I don’t know if I ever shared what acquired me into that place of gaining all of that weight within the first place previous to beginning keto in 2018. When Matt and I lived in our little apartment over by the college right here on the town (Baylor College), we lived lower than a mile from each conceivable quick meals restaurant, and we made some actually unhealthy habits of counting on these eating places for nearly each meal. It was terrible, and the truth that we’re each nonetheless alive at present after abusing our our bodies like that could be a testomony to the resilience of the human physique.
And whereas I loved the comfort of the meals, and loved consuming it (can I hear it for Schlotzky’s? 😀 ), my vice was Dr. Pepper. My Dr. Pepper behavior acquired so unhealthy that on some days, I’d drink it for each meal. That’s 3 times a day. And I don’t imply that I’d drink a small Dr. Pepper. I imply that I’d get a 32-ounce Dr. Pepper. Or if I’d go to Sonic, I’d up that to their 44-ounce measurement.
Now I wouldn’t drink three of these each single day, however I’d not less than drink one a day, and fairly often I’d drink two. In all probability about as soon as every week, I’d drink three a day. Simply think about how a lot sugar that’s!
Edit: I simply regarded that up, and every ounce of Dr. Pepper has 3.17 grams of sugar. And 12 grams equals one tablespoon. So I used to be consuming between about 9 tablespoons and 26 tablespoons of sugar each single day simply within the Dr. Pepper I used to be consuming! And that doesn’t even embrace the sugar that I used to be really consuming within the meals I used to be consuming.
And clearly, after I was consuming that a lot Dr. Pepper, I wasn’t thirsty for anything. So I wasn’t consuming any water in any respect. Once more, I don’t know how my physique survived that sort of abuse, and I don’t know how I didn’t find yourself diabetic from that abuse. I used to be positively pre-diabetic, although.
So originally of 2018, I made a brand new 12 months’s decision that I used to be going to go a 12 months with out Dr. Pepper. I used to be simply going to chop it off chilly turkey. Making that sort of dedication scared the heck out of me, however I knew there was no method I might ever lose the burden if I didn’t kick the Dr. Pepper behavior.
Whereas I didn’t make it a complete 12 months, I did make it till about October of that 12 months earlier than I had my first Dr. Pepper. And have you learnt what? It didn’t even style all that nice to me. In these ten months, I had utterly misplaced my longing for it, and it simply didn’t do something for me anymore. And whereas I didn’t make it an entire 12 months, I can say very proudly that it was sufficient to assist me kick the behavior. I’m not a Dr. Pepper drinker anymore. On the uncommon event that I do drink a Dr. Pepper lately, I’ll order the smallest one they’ve a Sonic (which I feel is a 16-ounce cup stuffed with nugget ice), and that’s a lot for me. However I solely discover myself wanting that deal with through the sizzling Texas summer season months, and at most, I order that perhaps as soon as a month.
In order that new 12 months’s decision labored, and has had a long-lasting impact on my life. Had I not completed that again in 2018, I’ve little question that I used to be working headlong into sort 2 diabetes. I feel that that new 12 months’s decision, adopted by two years of keto and carnivore consuming, saved me from that inevitable final result had I continued on that path.
However right here I’m, post-2020, after that terrible 12 months of funneling my stress into consuming and shopping for sneakers and gaining so much (however not all) of that weight again, and I’m lastly feeling mentally able to deal with this problem as soon as once more. I’ve coasted alongside for the final three years, not utterly dropping management, but additionally not taking my consuming very significantly. Being part of a group that gathers fairly often round meals has been good, however I’ve used that as an excuse for why I want to provide myself method too many allowances with consuming issues I do know aren’t benefiting my well being.
In order that’s why I made a decision to do one other excessive (for me) new 12 months’s decision. Sugar is my downfall, and if I maintain giving myself these allowances two or 3 times every week, I’ll by no means attain my private well being targets. So this 12 months, in 2024, sugar has to go. And to be sincere with you, after I acquired previous these first few days originally of this month, I don’t actually crave it anymore. Actually, simply final night time, we had a party for a good friend, full with probably the most delicious-looking chocolate cake, and I very simply handed on it. I didn’t really feel tempted in any respect.
We’ll see how this 12 months goes, and y’all can maintain me accountable. I’m very excited to see how chopping out sugar altogether impacts my total well being this 12 months and helps me get nearer to my private well being targets. I could also be feeling so nice by my birthday in June that I resolve I don’t even need sugar on that day! 😀 We’ll see, although, as a result of on the subject of sugary treats, there’s nothing I like greater than a moist white sheet cake with buttercream icing. I can’t think about my birthday being full with out it!
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
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