No sugar = No cravings

Simple formula huh?

TOM started this morning and I didn't even notice the date, you know why? The week before was not filled with sugar / carb cravings that reminded me the monthly event was due.

The last two weeks I have drastically reduced not only my sugar intake but also my aspartame/sucralose intake. I seriously think I was addicted to Diet Pepsi and Coke Zero, I thought it was the caffeine, but I don't drink coffee/tea in the same way. I think it was the artificial sweeteners. Now this isn't meant to be an opening to discuss the merits and dangers of various sweeteners.  My endocrinologist says they are safe in moderation and I trust her so I go with that. I can't say I ever believed they triggered cravings, but now that I have drastically reduced both sugar and the sweeteners I can honestly say I feel and see a difference in my body. I don't wake up in the morning "wanting" a diet coke. I don't "want" one mid afternoon. I sometimes have a coffee or tea and that doesn't make me "need" a diet coke.

In terms of sugar, I didn't eat alot of sugar to begin with because I'm diabetic, but there are lots of ways to get sugar without eating candy and sweets - bread, rice, pasta, too many fruits, lots of vegetables are high in sugar, almost anything packaged/processed, even honey and agave syrup are sugar even if they are natural forms.

I've never gone this long before, I've done a week before then fell off the wagon - I'm now into my third week and it's not an effort now to walk past the cookies and donuts set out by the coffee maker each day. Last week I picked one up, took a bite and waited a few minutes. Nope..didn't NEED or WANT the rest and tossed it. I don't hear them calling to me - maybe they have forgotten my name.

I'd like to say I'll never go back to eating sugar the way I used to. But I know how life works...so I'm going to say that TODAY, I'm not going to have sugar or artificial sweetener. That's my promise to myself.