My relationship with sugar

I am a foodie. To whom is not familiar with the concept, it means that I love food in every form, shape, and size. I am the type of person who brings food to get-togethers; I am that friend who brings you dessert if you are sad; the one co-worker who brings donuts to celebrate, and so on.

Being a foodie meant I drowned all my anxieties, depressing thoughts, and isolation from food during the pandemic. Which later translated to being overweight and lacking energy, besides grumpiness and drastic changes in my humor.

I tried for two (2) years to change my eating habits and nonexistent exercise routine with zero success. Every time I started a new diet, the sugar cravings overwhelmed me. I tried KETO, but the excess of "Keto friendly desserts" with a lot of fat added pounds to my already overweight structure. I was performing marvelous at work, carrying a bag full of stress, long shifts, and overwhelming tasks, but failing at every level of my health (physical, mental and emotional) until I decided to make some changes.

• What motivated me?

First of all, my lack of energy was absurd; I woke up, when to work, came home, put the kids to sleep, and stayed asleep with them right there in their room; no shower, no changing my working clothes, no nothing. I came home exhausted after 8-10 hours of sitting at a desk coordinating the operations of a growing business.

Second of all, my emotions were all over the place. I could be happy, and the most minor comments can trigger me into a complete rampage. No Bueno, no for my kids, no for my co-workers, no for my reputation either.

Lastly (and the most absurd of them all), four people approached me over one week, talking to me about how they cut sugar from their lives (including the one added to the coffee, I know, savages) and how their energy levels improved. I told the first person, "I am not ready to give up my Starbucks, especially during creme Brüle season." After three more people (unrelated to one another) made the same comment, I was like, "mmm...maybe that venti Creme Brüle, with caramel and whip cream, is not so indispensable as I think it is".

So I went in search of a sugar detox. You'll see, dear reader, one of the savages who told me about "Morning coffee with no sugar" also educated me on ditching sugar from my diet at once; If not, I'll not be able to tolerate the flavor of unsweetened coffee in the morning. I find my fourteen days detox, and it is working wonders; so far, I've lost 8 pounds and a whole bunch of measures.

• The Journey:

I am not going to lie. I can still taste the first unsweetened black coffee I had on day one; I'll never forget the dread and nausea that overwhelmed me and the sense of my body begging me for a Starbucks. My selfish reasons to be healthier outweigh my cravings, so I could push past that morning coffee and stick to my detox for the whole day.

On my second day, I decided to fully commit and began a cycling program called "Rebel." The program lasted 8 weeks (I am still going through it), and I figured it was a great way to stick to my wanted to be a "Healthier version" for a more extended period.

My third day was the hardest one. I was so cranky the sugar deprivation was taking a toll on my mental health, and it was challenging to prove my self-control. I was scared, sugar is a drug, and I was addicted to it. I wasn't only going through a "detox" process. My body was going through withdrawal stages (Similar to alcoholics and smokers trying to quit the habit).

After my third day, everything was smooth sailing. I was on two work activities and selected plates with food I was allowed to eat. I explained to the waiters what I wanted on my plate to avoid the temptations, cravings, and overeating (cause, yes, I decided to do a detox right in December).

• The Results:

So Far, I am on day 19th of the process. The 14 days of detox are long gone, but I enjoy the food I'm eating; the unsweetened coffee does not bother me anymore, so why not?

My energy levels are up to the roof. I have kept working my hours (and some extra), taking short breaks to walk around the area, and stretching. I come home with enough energy to cook for my family, spend time with my kids, and play with them before taking them to bed and not falling asleep right there.

As I mentioned above, I'm 8 pounds slimmer and many measures thinner. I've stuck to the rebel program, and as a bonus, I got one year of Peloton, thanks to my company (Fantastic).

At this point, I just need to master the art of sleeping 8 hours straight (still challenging for me) but hey! I am a work in progress.

Note: I will keep you posted on weekly entries about my journey without sugar.