Four Weeks Down, Two to Go

I wish I could say it’s getting easier. Life without sugar just isn’t that sweet.

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

After four weeks without eating refined sugar– and staying away from as much of the fake stuff as possible– I still get sugar cravings. I’m taking this as confirmation of my humanity.

Although the cravings haven’t disappeared like I thought they would, I see a lot of positive changes in my body:

1) Like I mentioned in my last post, not eating my beloved baked goods leaves a lot more room in my diet for fruits and vegetables. I’m totally rocking my 7-9 servings of fruits/vegetables per day. But I can tell that once I go back to eating sugar, this challenge will become much more challenging.

2) Better skin. As someone who has been acne-prone since puberty, I’m finding my skin much more stable since eliminating sugar from my diet. I’m going to have to see if this decrease in skin inflammation reverses when I add small amounts of sugar back to my diet.

3) Weight loss. This may be a real D’OH! response, but it’s true. And for someone whose weight fluctuates very little, even a few pounds is noticeable. Eating junk calories– even in small amounts– adds up over time. Conversely, not eating those junk calories takes off a little weight without adding additional exercise. It’s comforting that the math works out reliably that way.

4) I can’t make an iron-clad connection, but in the time that I have been sugar-free, eating loads of fruits and vegetables, and staying well hydrated, I am the only member of my family not to fall ill. I’m always keen on staying healthy.

I have two more weeks of this self-imposed no sugar challenge. Let it be known that at that time I am going on my first vacation with my husband sans kids in 6.5 years. We’re going on a cruise, and I intend to enjoy myself totally guilt- (not sugar-) free.

Good health and great happiness to you.

Sun Safety

After my last post about exercising through the heat of summer, I received some first-hand experience in the power of the sun.  For the second time in a month, The Monkey has had a mild case of heat exhaustion. 

We spent a hot and sunny Friday afternoon at a pool with some friends.  We were outside from 12-3, despite knowing full well that those hours are the sun’s strongest.  The Monkey had a fantastic time with his friends, frolicking in the water and playing on the frog slide.  Not unexpectedly, he fell asleep on the drive home.  When he woke up around 4pm, I noticed he was warm.  I didn’t think  much of it, knowing we’d been outside all afternoon. 

When The Monkey wanted to lie down on my lap while he had a little friend over to play that evening, I knew he wasn’t well.  Then I noticed his heart was beating more rapidly than normal and he continued to be lethargic.  His skin didn’t seem sweaty or clammy or out of the ordinary, so I still didn’t think about sun exposure as an explanation.  Later in the evening, he vomited.  But after that, he was cheery and seemed much better.

It was only in recounting the events of the afternoon to The Husband (he was out of town) that we began to piece it all together: a few weeks ago, we had a long family swim in the afternoon.  The Monkey then became lethargic and later vomited.  We know that he’s a sweaty kid by nature.  It seems, though, that he’s more prone to sun exhaustion than other kids, too.

Please check out some sun safety tips and symptoms of suspected heat exhaustion as well as the potentially life-threatening heat stroke.  And do take good care of yourself and your family.

Under the Weather

January and February are always tough months in Austin– often the weather is gorgeously sunny and warm, yet for those of us who suffer from “Cedar Fever”, these days are nothing more than cruel temptations.

I frequently fall for the Siren song, which leaves me as I am now: sniffling, with watery eyes and a wheezy chest. I am thankful that my allergies are limited to this seasonal inconvenience. Still, for those who have to listen to my croaky voice and for those who rely on me to coach them to a healthier life, I’d really rather not feel this way. And it’s not particularly comforting to know that I don’t suffer alone. It just means there are a lot of us who aren’t enjoying these amazing days.

In the end, allergies can’t keep me inside. It’s just too perfect out there. So if you see me sniffling and coughing through a run, let’s both pretend you didn’t see me wipe my nose on my t-shirt.

Good health and great happiness to you.