Remember That Sugar Fast Thing?

Remember when I said I was doing a sugar fast and that I'd blog through it for accountability? Like, at least two weeks ago? Yeah. The good news is that I'm doing it (have done it?), and knowing it was out here in public did keep me accountable. The bad news is that you have no way of knowing what a help your virtual presence has been. I'd like to thank you for being here, waiting with bated breath.

^Haha, I wrote that like a month ago. And the sugar fast thing was probably a month before that. The moment has, as they say, passed, but I thought I'd still come back and share what was learned.

1. I didn't notice much difference quitting sugar initially, but I've observed now a correlation between eating sugar, and getting cranky and tired and frankly kind of down. I'm not sure whether sugar itself makes me cranky and sluggish, or if it's the eventual crash and repeated detox out of sugar - like, the next few days after indulging. I ate a LOT of dessert on vacation last week, and this week has been a BEAR. Or rather, I have been a bear. And my children too. Awful. Not sure how much of it is sugar vs. general fatigue and getting back into routine, but it feels like a thing.

2. My husband has a legit condition known as "reactive hypoglycemia". I will forever abstain from dessert just to have him conscious and conversant in the evenings. The guy falls dead asleep, no joke, after consuming any sugar and most refined carbs. Ice cream and Oreos are the worst offenders. He's like a new man without sugar!

3. When I stop to think about it, I feel really good without sugar. I'm not 100% clean eating or anything, meaning I enjoy syrup on my pancakes and sneak a few (handfuls of) animal crackers from my kids' stash, but overall I don't consume much that is processed. The biggest thing for me to give up was desserts in the evening, and without those, I do actually notice a difference in energy and productivity throughout my days. Three young children notwithstanding.

4. The cravings are real. Oh my word. After vacation last week, it has been SO HARD to go back to no desserts. Joel's been feeling it, too. It's been a gradual weaning process this week but I think we're getting there. I actually feel like it's worth it to avoid dessert, to maintain energy and avoid cravings, which is saying something for me because I have the world's biggest sweet tooth. I feel like one of those people talking like this but I am seriously a normal old person who is probably a recovering sugar addict. I would always be like, you don't eat any sugar? You think fruits and veggies taste better than dessert? Who are you trying to convince there, partner? And I am for sure not in the "natural sugar for the win!" world just yet, but I've arrived safely at camp "I don't like how lots of sugar makes me feel".

There. Just in case you were curious. And so I don't feel like a total blogging failure with no follow-through and all that. I really did my sugar fast thingy, and I noticed results, and I'm finally recording it so there.