Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 28: It’s Over!

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

Well, I have finished. At midnight on Sunday I was no longer on a low/no sugar diet. Did I binge? No and I am as proud of that as I am of doing the programme. I cannot believe I got all the way to the end.

Yesterday I had some tea with sugar. One with two and the other two cups of tea with half a teaspoon of sugar. I also had a few pieces of dark chocolate. I had toast for breakfast, a cheese sandwich for lunch and a chicken roast for supper. No cake and no fizzy juice. Even the tea and the chocolate tasted sweeter than ever before. The thing I have to watch out for is eating a lot of vegetables.

I had my final call with Laura on Sunday evening and she is proud of me. In fact everyone I know is both proud and shocked. Going forward, Laura has given me a goal setting worksheet and I don’t want to ever fall into my previous sugary ways. Although I need to add a correction pointed out by Laura. I was told a homemade Gin & Tonic doesn’t have any sugar. It does! My own fault and the tonic water I bought would have had a lot of sweeteners instead, which I hate and think cause cancer and other nasty diseases.

Even too much fruit is bad for you. Laura sent me this interesting article by Dr Mercola on fruit.

My energy level has really improved since I cut out sugar and I am completely converted. Give it a shot. I will be adding lots of low/no sugar recipes to Frost.

Meanwhile, have a look at Laura’s meal suggestions for a day.

Meal Ideas

Breakfast | Keep it simple with two boiled eggs, a kiwi and a few nuts. Add a slice of toast if you want.

Lunch |Try a green lentil, beetroot and feta cheese salad with olive oil.

Snack | Chicken shavings and sliced avocado on a rice cake

Dinner |A slow cooked warming beef stew with swede or squash mash. Homemade popcorn to celebrate!

Check out Happysugarhabits for more info.

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 27

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

Yesterday my fiancée went to play poker with his friends. Usually this is an excuse for me to eat something he would not approve of. Instead, this is what I had:

Lunch was a giant fried egg that was supposed to be an omelette (This was my second attempt and the first one obviously made me too cocky), mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber and iceberg lettuce with olive oil. Dinner was a tricolore: avocado, tomato, mozzarella with boiled egg, cucumber, lettuce and more olive oil. I am not sure what has happened to the old me but if you see her, dust her off and give her a light slap because she will be in shock.

No fizzy juice, no fruit juice, no chocolate and no sweets or cakes. My only vice the occasional tea with a little bit of sugar when the headaches and nausea gets too bad.

I have always eaten healthily but have the occasional binge and too many sugary drinks. Today is the last day and I have my last call with Laura tonight. My fiancée says he is proud of me and that I look healthy and that I am ‘glowing’. I am glad I did the diet even though it was hard. It has certainly paid off. My last post in the diet will be up soon but I will post some great low/no sugar recipes and facts for you. I hope you feel inspired to cut down your sugar intake. For me, it was definitely worth it.

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Days 24, 25 and 26

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

The last weekend of my no sugar diet is coming up. At midnight on Sunday I will be at the end of a 28 day Mentor Me Off Sugar Programme ran by the excellent Laura Thomas of Happy Sugar Habits. I never thought I would get this far and I flirted with the idea of quitting after my mother got very ill. But here I am; almost at the end.

The main thing I can say it that it has been educational. I knew I was having too much sugar but I did not think it was easily avoidable. But it can be. I am sleeping much deeper and better now. The weight just dropped off and my energy is higher, more constant.

Laura has told me off for not eating enough vegetables so last night I had homemade fish and chips with peas and roasted carrots. The day before we had peppers stuffed with tuna and mozzarella. Yesterday at Sainsbury’s I bought mushrooms, cucumber, iceberg lettuce, parsnips, carrots. I also got tomatoes, avocado and olives. Pretty healthy and we already had some peppers in the fridge.

I have also been having a lot of hummus and wholemeal pitta bread. As well as generous helpings of good, wholemeal bread and lurpack butter. Sometimes simple is best.

I love food and trying new things so to be honest the food part of the diet has been much easier than I imagined, the drinks, however, were hard as I thought. The temperature has gone over 30c this summer and the urge for a cold, fizzy drink was hard to resist. But I did, and I am very proud. Finding out that homemade Gin & Tonic had no sugar was a high point. Endless cups of herbal tea and water really were not.

Before I started this programme one of my biggest fears was getting diabetes, to my shame not just because of the health problems, but also because I would not be able to eat and drink what I wanted. This programme has changed my life and stopped future health problems. My no sugar diet may stop this Sunday, but my low sugar life will just be beginning.

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Days 22 & 23

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

So I am on the last week and I am also allowed fruit and dark chocolate now. This past three weeks I have noticed differences to my health and I am now aware at just how much sugar I was putting into my body. Answer: lots. Food companies seem to put sugar in everything. I even got sent water which had 12g of sugar added. Yes, a bottle of water that was 14% sugar. What is that about?

Bananas are 50% sugar, Sauces are full of sugar and so is white bread and pasta. In fact our recommended daily allowance of 50g of sugar a day (for a woman, here is the NHS guidelines on sugar, which should never account for more than 10% of your calorie intake) can be wiped out by eating two things. This is ridiculous, no wonder so many people have diabetes.

The past two days I have had my main meal in restaurants. I have listened to what Laura recommended when eating out. I had chicken on Monday with sauteed potatoes and insalata tricolore to start. On Tuesday I have crab cakes and then a burger. I don’t have any coke even though I want to. I have cocktails as I have to review them (I know, hard life) but I try ones with no obvious sugar, or added sugar.

I haven’t been having tea with sugar bit did yesterday as I had such a bad headache it was debilitating. Going forward, I am going to try and not take any sugar in my tea but this will be a hard and gradual thing. I also hate it when people have a go at me when I take sugar in my tea. The funny thing is that it is tied up in my identity. One friend calls me the only actress in London who takes sugar in their tea. I have always seen this as a huge compliment. Especially against body and health fascists. The truth is I drink a lot of tea, and the sugar adds up. So even getting down to one sugar would be an achievement.

The main thing I have noticed about the programme, other than the weight loss, is that I no longer have those blood sugar crashes. I didn’t think sugar or caffeine affected me, but, actually, it does. I am sleeping better and have a much steadier energy than the highs and lows of before.

One of the great snacks I have been having is egg in a cup. Try it as it tastes amazing and is very healthy.

I am feeling happy and positive. I never thought I would get this far or do this well. I haven’t been perfect but I have done my best and reaped the benefits.

What do you think? Will you cut out sugar?

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 20 & 21

Posted on August 25, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

So this diet has broadened my horizons. Sure I might be a bit sick of bread and gasping for tea with sugar and a lemonade in the sun but I am looking at the positives.

I am eating a lot of eggs and even made my first omelette. My fiancée used the yolks for something else so it was an egg-white omelette. It was okay for a first attempt and tasted much better than it looked.

Another great meal was prawns, tomato, peas and mushrooms in a homemade garlic sauce. I may be eating great food but finding stuff to drink is harder. I have been drinking a lot more alcohol than I usually do because I find the constant herbal tea and water boring. It is just a drink every other day but I doubt it is good for me, as I usually hardly ever drink.

I am still slimmer even though I am hungry all the time and eating more. I am sleeping better, the headaches are less and I have more energy. The detox has been hard but worth it.

Going forward I will not be giving up sugar completely, but I will be eating less and looking at labels. This diet will have long term benefits for my health and it was definitely worth doing.

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 18 & 19

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

This programme is hard, but with all hard things, the pay off is always worth it. I can now taste the sweetness in things I would never have before. I am slimmer, going from an 8-10 to an 8. And that is without any exercise as I haven’t had any time to do so. I have also been eating more than before, just healthier stuff with no sugar.

What I do find hard is snacking. I am so busy and I feel unable to just grab something. I know this is actually not true and Laura has given me some great suggestions, but the inability to just grab a biscuit or some fruit is very annoying. The no sugar programme is time consuming but when it comes to your health all the time you put in will pay off later. We abuse our bodies too much and take them for granted. We only have one and when it goes, you die. Puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?

I miss drinking tea all day and I see stuff all the time I want to eat but the benefits keep me going. I am glad I embarked on this programme.

Laura send me some great articles that I want to share with you.

The dangers of sugar by Dr Mercola
Breaking sugar addiction by David Gillespie
Read about Rick Foster’s year off sugar and the benefits he found

Sugar is causing major health problems in today’s society, The sooner we take responsibility for our own health the better for us and the country as a whole. If we all eat healthily it would ease the strain on the NHS.

I know when I am finding the diet restrictive I am just not using my imagination. I have 9 more days to go and I decide to become more imaginative. I have been eating a lot of wholemeal bread, cheese, meat and vegetables. I have also been drinking a lot of herbal tea and water. The herbal tea is more enjoyable than it was but it still does not compare to normal tea. Sometimes I think that healthy things taste horrible and unhealthy things taste great, but I know it is not true. I love kale chips and have also been eating a lot of parsnips and carrots. I even spent four hours baking a pie and have not had any white pasta.

I have not weighed myself as I am always heavier than I look- friends are surprised when I tell them how much I weigh, I flatter myself by pretending it must be muscle which weighs four times more than fat- but my measurements are lower. All-in all: I am happy.

Happy Sugar Habits.

Time To Give Up Sugar? Day 15, 16 & 17.

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

This programme has been an eye-opener. I knew there was a lot of sugar in food, but looking at food labels is incredibly depressing. I even got sent some water for possible review and it had 12.5g of sugar added. Half your daily allowance! Why anyone would take something as healthy as water and add sugar is beyond me.

On Day 15 Laura sends me Meal Inspiration via email:

Meal Inspiration

Breakfast | Half a tub of cottage cheese on rye bread with half an avocado & some cherry tomatoes (a nice non-egg, non nut option!)

Lunch | Try a large tuna salad and add half a can of chickpeas, some feta cheese, roast sweet potato and a sprinkling of seeds to bulk it up. The more ingredients, the more tasty!

Snack | Chicken shavings (from the deli) and a slice of tomato on an oatcake

Dinner | Palma Ham covered chicken with shaved parmesan tucked inside, with some mashed squash and broccoli.

What I have mostly learned from this diet is that it is possible to eat, and eat well, without having any sugar whatsoever. You can still enjoy your food and have good meals and drinks. I will put some recipes together for you.

I have more energy now and I feel better about my health. No crashing sugar highs and lows. I can’t say it is not hard, it is. I still want tea, and chocolate. All those things that I am not allowed. I am over two weeks into the diet and still feeling positive. The acid reflux I used to have is gone.

I made a pie yesterday. It took about four hours but was very healthy with steak and a lot of vegetables. I have been eating well and the food I have been eating is delicious. I am feeling positive for the rest of the programme, and next week will also be allowed fruit and dark chocolate. Can’t wait.

Happy Sugar Habits

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 13 & 14

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

To be honest I found this week harder than last. I already knew I would as for this week and next I am not allowed sugar, including all fruit except for, avocado, tomato, lemon and lime, no white pasta or bread and no couscous. I am finding it very restrictive but the worst thing is that I am only drinking herbal tea and water. Boring and I have never particularly liked herbal tea.

But the real reason I have found this week hard is because a close member of my family has gotten seriously ill. There were a few times when I just didn’t know what the point was. But enough negativity. This programme has been very good for me and I am happy I have done it. I have another two weeks to go and I really miss certain foods but I a thinner and healthier. I have also found out just how much sugar is in things and how bad it is for you. Before I was just living in denial.

I recently moved into a flat and have lots of unpacking to do. In the middle of boxes I have yearned for some tea and biscuits. I know I can eat great food which does not have a lot of sugar but I find snacking hard. Especially as I can’t even eat fruit.

Then something amazing happened. I use an app called Fitness Pal, it adds up the calories of your food and also breaks them down into sugar, protein, etc. My sugar intake before the programme was always in the red. Sometimes by 100g! I haven’t used it since week one of the diet when I was still allowed fruit. I used it and not only was I in the green but the most sugar I have had is 15g. Pretty impressive. I also noticed that a homemade Gin & Tonic has no sugar! That made me happy as everything I was drinking was boring. I needed substance.

I still want a lemonade but today in the supermarket I looked at all of the food labels and I was just shocked at how much sugar they put in everything. Even white bread and fruit juice have a lot of sugar. I also get some different herbal tea to shake things up a bit.

We have a picnic in the park and I only drink water and eat well. I end up cancelling it out by not being able to say no to a chocolate eclair but, somehow, I still feel proud. I wish I had more willpower at that moment but I am still proud of myself. This programme is life changing, I am looking into the sugar content of everything I eat and making healthy decisions, chocolate eclair excluded.

A new week of the programme is about to start and I am optimistic. The ginger tea I got tastes good enough and I will be experimenting with vegetables. Onwards and upwards.

Http://happysugarhabits

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