Friday, August 15, 2014

Day 18, I've been here before

Day 18. I have only ever made it 18 days without sugar 3 times before. Once in 2008, when I gave up sugar from New Year's Day until the day after Easter, then last August (2013) when I made it the entire month of August, and then again last November (2013) when I quit sugar from November 1 to December 15. 

When I did this in 2008, it was a New Year's resolution that I couldn't maintain after all of the tempting Easter candy I was surrounded by. I made it through Easter Day, white-knuckling the entire time, only to have exhausted all of my abilities the very next day and indulge again. I remember that time pretty well. I was still emotionally eating other, non-sugar foods, during those 3 months, so I still had other issues to work through at that point. 

But my 2 attempts in 2013 were much different. I wasn't emotional eating at all. Well, hardly at all. I think everyone eats for emotional reasons on occasion. I have learned a lot since 2008 about what foods support overall health, and I am in a much better personal situation now than I was then. 

The question now is, how long will my August 2014 sugar fast be? I think I will approach this question differently than the other 3 times I have quit (and gone back to) sugar in the past. I will take an honest reassessment at the end of August to see whether I truly believe I could eat 1 dessert and be content. I am fairly sure that after just 1 month the answer will be no. So sugar free September will likely ensue. And then I can reassess from there. The key is being honest with myself about my limitations and honoring my needs. 

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