At the end of last year, I decided that I was very much over my sweet tooth! After I ate junk food, I felt sluggish, slow and tired, none of which felt particularly good. ‘Enough was enough!’ As I tucked into my last bowl of ice-cream I could not help but think of how much better my life would be after cutting out sweet stuff- I imagined myself a few kilograms lighter, more energetic and more focused. Although it had only been something that I had turned over in my head for an hour, on the 31st of December 2018 I told myself that I was not going to eat any sugar from junk-foods in January 2019. That’s right- I became a New Years resolutioner despite my disdain for the label.
The average Australian is eating way too much sugar. It is in everything, even the most unexpected things! Most people manage to consume 77 grams of added sugar per day- 19 teaspoons. For most people, the maximum amount of added sugars they should have is somewhere between 25 and 37.5 grams, a vast difference! We can easily eat over our recommended daily intake when added sugars are in everything from pasta sauce to frozen meals. This worried me. I did not want to be a statistic. I decided to go easy on myself though and cut out ‘obvious’ sugars- it was sayonara to soft drinks, lollies, cakes and ice cream and hello to fruit, fruit and more fruit!
When I told my friends and family what I was moving towards, most of them gave me awkward nods of encouragement. Although they were supportive, I could not help but think that they thought that I would only last the week and honestly, so did I for the first few days! The news articles and special television reports are all in agreement- most people who start new things- especially as a New Year’s resolution fail. I was determined not to fail.
The first two weeks were difficult. I didn’t think that I was that dependant on sugary junk food and drinks until I gave them up! Watching my family and friends eat sugary treats was akin to torture. I also became grumpier and more irritable than usual. Headaches from withdrawal took hold, and I was in disbelief at just how much this adjustment shook me! Once I got through the first two weeks. Eventually, it got better. Saying no to offers of sugary food got easier day by day. Dreams filled with pudding and ice-cream became distant memories.
As I kept along my no junk food journey. People were surprised and would ask, “you’re still doing that?”
January passed, then February, then March and then April. I have now made it four months completely free from junk food! I’m not sure when I will cave again, but for now, it feels good to take it month by month. As my long-suffering friends and family can attest that I can be very stubborn when I want to be. Plus the satisfaction I get from proving that I can keep going spurs me on!
Four months A.S. (after sugar) and I have made a few observations:
- I stay awake longer and have more consistent energy levels.
No longer do I face the 2 pm slump with fear. Where I used to reach for a treat to pick me up, now I can push on more consistently through the afternoon.
- I ache less!
Part of the reason why I chose to complete this experiment was that I was noticing that my level of pain was raising, and I wanted to curb that. I have a chronic health condition that was pulling me down way too often. Has this cured it? Not by any means- but I feel better. Sugar increases inflammation, and so cutting my sugar intake has decreased the swelling.
- Everything tastes way sweeter
I can smell sugar from a mile away now. Even fruit tastes sweeter than I remembered since last year. Dates and mango are my new cherry ripes and black forest Cadbury blocks.
- It hurts my wallet that little bit less
Not buying those spear of the moment sugary drinks and chocolate bars at the shops must surely be having an impact on my wallet!
- I feel an enormous sense of accomplishment
When I started to go without junk food, I honestly did not think I would last the week. I surprised myself for lasting this long, it’s amazing.
Looking after our bodies is not just a good idea; it’s a scriptural mandate. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 it says,
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”
Our bodies are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit! Our bodies ultimately belong to God as
we are “living sacrifices”(Romans 12:1).
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for all the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
I had always chosen to selectively ignore this verse and instead apply it to everything else except for my eating and drinking. I now take it seriously- God cares and wants the best for us in every aspect.
I challenge you to do something this month that has a positive impact on your health. It could be aiming to walk 10 000 steps a day, drinking the right amount of water or just incorporating more vegetables. Keep a diary and see how you feel! After seeing the impacts of my time without sugar, I am keen on making some more sustainable changes to my lifestyle.
AUTHOR: Kira-leigh Josey, attends Thornleigh Church NSW