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No sugar challenge

Over the past couple of months and years I've become increasingly convinced that sugar in my diet is a big problem. It started with reading Gary Taubes, then with talking to the trainers and nutritionists art the gym. I gave up sugar for a month and it felt good.

Then I read the Year of No Sugar by Eve Schaub. She and her family totally gave up all forms of processed fructose for a year: no sugar, no fruit juice, no wine... She did this based on a video she saw on YouTube and the ensuing research she did. Eleanor also read the book. She was appalled at the way food companies manipulate the taste of processed foods (she had already read a version of fast food nation, which prepared her for this idea). We decided to try giving up sugar for September and October.

We are not quite as die hard as the Schaubs. At restaurants, we will not ask about the buns or chicken nuggets, but we won't order the mountain cake on the assumption that it has no sugar. Unflavored bread is ok since the year eats the sugar.  The birthday party rule is in effect: if everyone around you is eating cake, and it would be impolite to refuse, you may have a small serving.  Dessert comes once a week. Everyone has one exception to the no sugar rule (Luke, in typical Luke fashion, wanted to make sugar his exception). We allow fruit juice, but not every day. Amanda has some exceptions since she doesn't drink milk (and unsweetened soy milk is pretty bad tasting). We want to make our life easier, but not too easy.

We had to check on a few items. Pickles are sugar free, as are pretzels and Triscuits. Eleanor choose peanut butter as her exception, since she doesn't like natural peanut butter for some reason.

Day 1 went OK, but I kept craving my sweetened coffee drink. The photo is of the things I took out of our pantry, to reduce temptation. Maybe next week I'll take a picture of the things that went in to replace them.

It is a challenge (hence the name) but at the very least it will help us be more mindful of our eating patterns. I'll let you know.

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