Sweetly Sugar Free March Challenge: Update One

Going sugar free for March has proved to be incredibly challenging – sugar is everywhere! 

Photo credit:  D Sharon Pruitt (Flickr)

I’ve never deliberately tried to cut one specific thing out of my diet before (aside from alcohol, but that’s easy – just don’t pour yourself a glass of wine… duh!) so I now have a new appreciation for anyone who is on a restrictive diet for medical reasons.  Anyone with a nut/dairy/gluten allergy, I don’t know how you do it 24 hours a day – it’s exhausting!  And no, all you people who are ‘fashionably gluten-free’, you don’t count.

I’ve fallen off the band wagon twice already, but I’m not giving up!  I thought I’d share my struggles in the form of a few user friendly tips along my rocky path.

Sweet Tips for Sugar Free

• CONSTANT VIGLIANCE is required.  Sugar is lurking everywhere waiting for you to get distracted and then leap into your mouth!  Check all food labels, even if you think it's sugar free, you're probably wrong.

• Consider not drinking until you’re used to keeping the sugar at bay – at a BBQ on the weekend after a few gin and soda’s I completely forgot that I was sugar-free and had some most excellent cake (thanks Laura!) and half a cocktail from our netball sponsors (thanks VnC – the Maitai is great!).

• Preparation is essential.  Slip a small pack of raw almonds into your handbag because getting caught out is terrible.  During the working week I find it fairly easy to be sugar free – there are plenty of fresh lunch options and when I’m preparing my own dinner (or eating a home cooked meal) it’s easy to exert control.  If you’re on the run and hungry, resolve weakens and temptation beckons – especially when you’re naturally low on sweet-treat-resistance will power.

I’ll keep adding to the list as this month goes on.

Do you have any tips on going sugar free which might help me out?  I want to avoid resorting to artificial sweetener.