Hello, friends! I’m here to check in and see how everyone is doing with the cutting the sugar in January! If you missed it, this is part of the Happy Healthy Mama Healthy Year Challenge where we will be focusing on one specific health goal each month. You guessed it, we’re cutting the sugar in January! You can join anytime, so don’t worry if you missed the first week. You can start TODAY.
Let’s talk about those hashtags.
Okay, so I said we were going to stay connected via social media using a few hashtags. And apparently I thought #HappyHealthyMamaHealthyYearChallenge would be a great one. #longesthashtagever #whatwasIthinking #hashtagsarenotmyfriend So. I’ll still be using that hashtag when I post relevant pics on Instagram, but I think the best way for us to stay connected on this challenge is to simply comment on the weekly check in blog post. (This post!)
Notice I said when I post on Instagram and not Facebook (follow me here—->Happy Healthy Mama on Instagram). Facebook is weird, and doesn’t like posts with hashtags. Whenever I add a hashtag to a post, they show that post to only about .000005% of my audience. So, no more hashtags on Facebook for me. (If you really like seeing my posts on Facebook, by the way, you have to interact with my page. So click on the links in the posts, like the posts, or comment on the posts you see. Don’t ignore the posts or Facebook won’t show you any more of my posts. Facebook is funny like that.)
The second hashtag for January is #cutthesugar. This one is shorter and prettier, but guess what I discovered by using it? Another blogger, Pure Ella, published a cookbook this month called Cut the Sugar and is also doing a Cut the Sugar challenge on her blog this month. Ah well, the more the merrier, right? We all have the same goals. I’d never heard of Pure Ella, but her site is gorgeous and the recipes look great.
Of course, I have a bit of a problem with cookbooks (in that I am obsessed with them) so I ordered hers right away. Here it is:
Look at all those tagged recipes I want to try! The ones I’m most excited about include Sweet Potato and Date Chocolate Frosting (why didn’t I think of that?!), MultiSeed Bread (no flour!), and Healthy Three-Ingredient Chocolate Pudding (fruit sweetened and has the potential to become a go-to recipe). It’s not all sweets; it also includes chapters devoted to breakfast, salads & appetizers, soups, mains & sides, snacks, and drinks. All of the recipes are vegan and gluten-free.
How did Week 1 go?
For me, it was actually easier than I thought it was going to be. I think it’s because I ate way too much sugar in December and it felt so good to not be eating it. As much as I love desserts and sweet treats (I have a raging sweet tooth) my body just feels so much better when I’m not eating much sugar. I think that overall great feeling acted as a positive reinforcement.
I wasn’t totally without cravings, though. I was craving carbs more than sugar this week. Is that a winter thing? Unfortunately, it’s hard to eat the carbs I crave without added sugar. I figured out a way to have both, though! I baked a fruit-sweetened Pear Blondie that took care of it. Recipe coming next week–buy some pears!
I did eat something with added sugar this week by mistake. We were having a clean-out-the-freezer dinner and one thing was macaroni and cheese. (More carbs!) I wasn’t totally feeling it, so I had the idea to add some of the Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup we had in the pantry that Tim likes to have for lunch. I added it to the macaroni and cheese (delicious!) but totally forgot the soup is made with sugar. Mistakes happen. I moved on.
This is a journey. Give yourself some grace!
If your week was less than perfect, don’t think you have to give up. Identify what was hard for you, and try to work on it. Are there triggers in your life that cause you to eat sugary snacks or drinks? Can you think of a replacement for the sugar you usually turn to? Did you find it hard because sugar was too readily available? Maybe you need to clean out the pantry this week! Whatever caused you to stumble, focus on ways to fix it and move forward. Remember, we are in this together.
Now it’s your turn to share! Please leave a comment letting me know how Week 1 went for you. Was it easy? Hard? What was the biggest challenge?
Hi Maryea!
How sweet it is that I bump into your gorgeous blog and you as well!! 🙂
It’s a small world and I’m so glad we’re on the same page AND even more glad with a happy dance included that you got my book!! Thank YOU so much for these sweet words – I am so excited to have you try out the recipes and join us in cutting the sugar! 🙂
I love your blog and recipes so much!!
Hugs mama!
xo ella
Hi Ella! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Thank you so much for your update. I must say–since I said yes to your challenge–it helped me a lot! There were a few time I was going for something sugar ladened and I stopped and thought that I had committed to your challenge and it helped me to pass on temptation. You and your readers helped me stay accountable. 🙂 thank you!!! Other than that it was a pretty good week. I too probably ate a little more of other things than I should have to feed off the sugar cravings. Bring it on week 2–I can handle you. 🙂 good luck to all!!!
Great update! It totally helps having a group to be accountable to, doesn’t it? I probably would have had a piece of chocolate if I didn’t have to check in with you all. 🙂
It was harder and easier then I thought. I wasn’t craving much but noticed my pesto, had sugar and that I couldn’t even have tomatoe sauce for a month bc it all has sugar even my made from scratch has a little to cut the acidity. The hardest was not having my chi latte that I like to have every Thursday when I work from home and watch my almost 2 yr old. I’m usually up at 5 to get as much work as I can before she is up and then tend to crash at her nap time when I am working so I like a chi tea. Instead I did a mix of coconut water and apple juice. It worked enough.
The condiments/sauces/dressings is tough! It’s great that it’s helping you be more aware how much sugar is in everything. I’ve heard from multiple people that not being able to sweeten coffee or tea has been the hardest. It sounds like you found a decent solution. Maybe your taste buds will change and you won’t need/want it sweetened by the end of the month!
Also have a big sweet tooth over here so this is a challenge! Started by giving away some homemade very sweet treats after New Years instead of finishing them off at home! Trying to avoid the sugar after dinner and later in the evening once kiddos are in bed, those were the hardest times this week.
Clearing the house of sweets is key!! In the evening when I’m craving sugar I have something like apples and peanut butter and that seems to help.
Oh and I’ve been dreaming about the Banana Blueberry Bark from the fruit sweetened deserts post. It looks so good and refreshing!! Only bananas, blueberries and vanilla! I’m going to be making that soon.
Me, too! I bought extra bananas this week so I’d have some to freeze. 🙂
The beginning is always the hardest for me, because the cravings are the strongest. But if I don’t have any sugar in the house available, it goes much better. Also a big factor is my attitude. Now ‘I am sugar free’! I told my husband family and they are supportive. Especially when I explained to the kids how much healthier it is on so many levels. Though I also try to explain that is ok and fun to have treats on special occasions. My birthday was this week and my sister-in-law brought over a small cake. I had a piece and enjoyed it thoroughly. The main thing is to eat healthy most of the time and during my everyday life. I enjoy having the extra energy without the sugar fog. It is better for my whole family for sure!
I will always eat cake on my birthday! 🙂 I totally agree that it’s much easier when you clear the house of sugar. I made the mistake of leaving a few treats around that were leftover from Christmas and my husband did not resist them. 🙁 Honestly I think the main reason I could resist them was because I knew I was going to have to check in with all of you! I’m glad to hear your family is supportive–that’s such a huge help. I look forward to hearing how the rest of your month goes!
im starting up the challenge this week! I just finished eating an apple with sun butter and a little honey, so not off to a great start, but better than candy or a cookie?!? Thanks, Maryea, for starting this challenge! I need it!
Could be much, much worse! I look forward to hearing how the rest of your month goes. Thank you for joining us!