Going Sugar Free

 Some fitness related things I've done over the past few days:

1) Scheduled my ACE exam for June 13th!
2) Got my BF % tested at Bally's for free this morning~ 19.8%, lower than I thought so I am happy with that.  I think I'd like to get it to 18-18.5% 
3) Went to a nutrition seminar with my dad at his gym last night, which solidified a decision I made on Monday morning:

4) That decision: To Go Added Sugar Free :D 


   I've seen a few blogger's over the past few months take-on sugar free challenges and my thought was always, "I think I'm okay with having it in moderation, I don't like to make anything completely off limits and I don't know if I want to/ can give up my morning coffee with hazelnut creamer."


   When I saw Amanda at Run To The Finish's Sugar Free Challenge, I considered it more, "It's only 10 days, I can definitely do that for 10 days."  Then I saw the dates were June 1-10th and decided maybe I didn't want to start something like that 4 days before my race when I didn't know how it would effect my running energy.  Plus I still didn't want to give up creamer in my coffee (which I only ever sipped 3-4oz of at a time).


   But recently I have been reading (like here) and understanding more and more about added sugars and its effect on the body.  While shopping this weekend although I still hadn't planned to go completely sug-free, I was more conscious of avoiding added sugars.  For example: I picked up natural PB, since most PB has some added sugar.  Still I wasn't completely sold on banning it.


   Then Monday morning I was reading The Great Fitness Experiment and in her post she had this quote,


     “It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Giving up heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. [... This is] the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime.” ~ which came from the Whole 9 site (I used to read Byers Gets Diesel [and then Urban Gets Diesel], before Melissa started The Whole 9 Life site). 


      I checked out the Whole30 concept and it's a little intense for me, no dairy, legumes, alcohol, grains and of course added sugar and processed foods.  I'm not looking to do that, but the sugar and processed foods I think are worth cutting out.


    After reading that quote and knowing that the #1 thing holding me back it was my morning coffee (although of course I indulged in other sugary things),  I went ahead and had my coffee black.  And I decided that it wasn't awful and I could deal with it.  So since that black coffee on Monday morning I have been sugar free (except for natural occurring sugars aka fruits and veg).  I've also cut out most processed/packaged foods, for ex: pretzels don't have any sugar, but they are made with refined flour.


   I have never been one to ban any foods, I've always gone by the everything in moderation/ calories in-calories out school of thought.  I've never followed any particular diet program as I think they are mostly money making schemes.  But when I ask myself if I am getting any nutritional benefit from added sugars the answer is a resolute, "NO."    I can get whatever glucose my body needs from fruits and vegetables.


   One of the harder parts for me is not taking bites from my son's plate :D.  I didn't eat a load of sugar before hand, but I would take a bite of this here, a bite there, a hershey kiss or two or. . .    so all those nibbles through out the day are out.  It actually gives me a  good excuse not to rationalize mindless snacking ("I'm only having a little" X going back for a little more 5 times ).  


  Now on the 3rd day I am actually enjoying my morning black coffee, I've even been almost finishing a whole 6 oz of it now.  


   Last night at the nutrition seminar, the speaker talked a lot about sugars effects on our body and I was definitely happy that I made the decision to cut it out.  I don't have a set time on how long I plan to do this, I am considering it more of a lifestyle change.  And of course I don't plan to never have a piece of cake, cookie, candy again, just much much less.  


   For me especially, with Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome which puts me at increased risk for insulin resistance and type II diabetes, it is important that I fueling my body with the appropriate nutrients.


Have you ever gone sugar free? 


If not would you consider it?