Why?
Its a long personal story, as most important stories are. I have a bad history with sugar. During my late teen years and early twenties I had some trouble with overindulging. As a teenager I remember sneaking spoonfuls of brown sugar when my parents weren't around. In college I recall girl scout cookie season and an entire box of cookies being gone within a day or two! I'll tell you personally about my experience with overindulging and depression in New Zealand if you like. I think medicine refers to this as a binge, but since I don't think I had a disorder of any kind I'll just refer to it as episodes of overindulging. These episodes left me feeling depressed. So much so that now when I indulge (note that I don't say "over"), I feel guilty and negative thinking creeps in making me feel bad about myself. Its cyclical. But the negative thinking is only half the culprit. Sugar is the other. Sugar's affect on the body is serious and its medically proven that the more you eat sugar the more you crave it. There is one other culprit. Our culture. Sugar is everywhere! At social gatherings, in the office break room, on the menu at every restaurant, kids birthday parties every weekend, etc. Don't get me started on the grocery store. Its just one holiday after the other. Halloween candy makes its debut the first week in September followed quickly by chocolate turkeys and pumpkin pie. Then its candy canes, mini chocolate Santa's and sugar cookies. By the first week in January we can find chocolate hearts & red celophane wrapped boxes of truffles, then Shamrock Shakes, Cadbury creme eggs and Peeps. Summer offers a brief respite but ice cream sales soar. It is no surprise that obesity and diabetes is such a problem in our country.
After Lent last year I was so happy. My mood was more even and I felt healthy. I wanted to stick with the program and did really well through the summer. But the winter of 2012 wasn't easy. I decided to experiment a bit and see what would happen if let myself enjoy "treats" and didn't worry about my weight or past problems with sugar. Would it really impact me? Or would I just be a few pounds heavier but still happy and not caught up in our diet obsessed culture? Well, it really impacted me. So much so that I started Lent early. I've been sugar free since February 15th! What a difference.
I firmly believe that there is nothing wrong with having a slice of birthday cake at a party, an ice cream cone with my kids on a summer afternoon, or enjoying apple pie at Thanksgiving. The problem for me exists in not having rules or some kind of structure. And so, I begin my year without sugar with a few exceptions. Ground rules if you will. After all, I think life is best lived moderately, and I think "no treats, no exceptions" is a little drastic. Don't you think? Want to hear the rules?
- My birthday and the birthdays of my immediate family members. I am allowed to partake in the cake.
- Holidays. On Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines and Easter Sunday I am allowed to indulge, but only on the specific holiday.
- Ice Cream. No ice cream from my own freezer. No way. At least 4 times a summer Brian and I will take the kids to the town square for an ice cream cone. I love these warm summer afternoons and want to share in my family's joy at the simple pleasure of an ice cream cone.
I will journal about this experience. I think this will help motivate me to continue the journey AND to educate others about the power within each of us to say no. Thank you for joining me.
