Sugar..the elephant in the room, and workshop day.

 

Firstly thank you to everyone that attended my workshop on Saturday. What I really love about running these is, that everyone is so willing get involved, and stuck in with the activities. My workshops aren’t about me standing up telling you how bad, or naughty sugar is. Because I think we all know that sugar isn’t as sweet as it is painted, and it can have a negative impact on both physical, and emotional wellbeing.

My workshops are designed to raise awareness into the negative impact sugar can have on physical and emotional wellbeing. Not only that, but I think the key thing is they enable people to explore their relationship with food, and more importantly sugar!

The more I contemplate SUGAR, the more I am coming to realise that it is the elephant in the room. I spent years eating a disgusting amount of sugar, and I was embarrassed almost ashamed about it. I would go to slimming groups, and hear similar stories from others. How sad that we feel so bad that it is uncomfortable to talk about it. There is a lot more awareness about around drugs, alcohol, and smoking now. People are starting to talk more about mental health issues which I think is wonderful, and it’s not before time. I am a huge advocate of counselling. So much positive work is being done in other areas, yet there seems to be limited information on sugar.

Lack of awareness of sugar, and our relationship is exactly why I started this blog very nearly 2 years ago, from that came my PRACTICALLY A SUGAR FREE ME PAGE, then last year the workshops. So what I want to say to anyone reading this. If you are struggling with sugar, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I spent years feeling disgusted, and ashamed about the amount of sweet stuff I ate. But what I later realised was until you realise why you put the sweet stuff in your mouth, and can you possibly stop doing it. Understanding why you do something, and then change changing your behaviour is the first step, I believe to quitting sugar. Knowledge is power. I am not saying it then becomes easy, reports suggest sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine. BUT understanding why you eat sugar will certainly help you move forward.

I think we all need to get rid of that elephant in the room called SUGAR!! So my words to you would be, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, and YOU DO NOT NEED TO FEEL ASHAMED. Knowledge is power, so why not read up on sugar, or talk about it. I think one of the hardest things about quitting sugar is, everyone needs to eat, which makes it I believe more of a challenge than something else. I really believe very gradually positive things are happening sugar wise. I am really pleased to see the Sugar Smart campaign in the UK, and I am always pleased to see sugar free articles. I think very gradually there will be more information out there to help people, and I hope that in my small way I can play my part.

As always this blog is based on my thoughts, and experiences. I always say at my workshops, there is no right or wrong. It is important you do what is right for you! Thank you everyone for your continued support, and interest.

With love,

Tracy xx

Different types of sugars.

I have blogged about this before, but I think it is really useful to highlight this again. There is a LOT of sugar out there!! As I discovered it is a sugar minefield, as I discovered 2 years ago when I quit sugar. There is a lot of obvious sugar, but there is a lot of hidden sugar. For me quitting sugar meant quitting it pretty much, apart from 3 exceptions. This was purely a personal choice to me, because if I was going to quit sugar , I needed to make it something I could manage, and live with. Some of you might have other thoughts on this, but this way worked for me. I still eat fruit, I still have occasional ketchup/salad cream, and at weekends some marmalade on toast (that’s a bit of a family tradition). I don’t use sugar substitutes, or natural sugars. Some of the sugar plans I have looked at suggest them. I know often honey, maple syrup, stevia, and xylitol are often mentioned in sugar free recipes. I’m not saying whether it’s right or wrong. I personally think it’s important to do what is right for you. I am an all or nothing kinda a girl, and for me if I was going to go practically sugar free, then I had to do it all!!

So different types of sugars. There are the obvious types that you find in cakes , biscuits, , and all those types of foods. The stuff you just know is bad for you, but ‘tastes’ so good, or at least that’s what I thought.

Then there are the less obvious types natural sugars such as honey, maple syrup, and molasses. How many of you look at packaging with these in, and think it looks like a healthy a choice?! I have to confess I did! The reality is, and I am sorry to say this it is still sugar.

And then there are sugar substitutes such as stevia, xylitol, and fructose. I often see these mentioned in sugar free recipes. They might be a better choice, however they are still a substitute for sugar.

There is no right , or wrong . Any amount of sugar reduction is brilliant, I know it’s not an easy thing to do. So well done to anyone who takes the time to read this. One of the most important things I have learnt, is to check the labels and become sugar aware. I was shocked when I started looking at food labels, and seeing the amount of sugar/sugar substitutes in them. Reports vary as to the recommended daily sugar intake for adults, however it seems to range from 23-25g, and believe me it might sound a lot. But once you start adding it up, it’s not! Breakfast cereals, fruit juices, healthy snack bars , yogurt to name a few all contain a lot of hidden sugars! So when quitting sugars, I would recommend you check out the foods you are eating, and how much hidden sugar is lurking in them.

Below are some links that you might find useful to look at. Also recently I have become aware of the SUGAR SMART campaign being run in the UK. Lot’s of different cities, and areas of the UK have got behind this. I have been reading about it, and it looks a great idea. They are in some areas asking for SUGAR SMART AMBASSADORS. People who will get involved, and help raise awareness of the impact of sugar. I am really interested in this, and once I have moved would love to get involved with this. It might appeal to some of you too, and I am sure would be a great motivator for staying on the sugar free path.

Good luck Sugar Free’ers. It’s not always easy keeping sugar free, especially when life throws a few challenges our way. I have definitely been there over the last few months. But I can promise you it is the one of the best things, I have ever done. It really changed my life. I was telling a new work colleague about the whole sugar free thing, I’ve got going on. I’m afraid, I did tend to share my sugar free stuff with people. My colleague said to me your face lights up when you talk about it. I have always thought that if you believe in something, and are passionate about something,  that is the greatest motivator. This is why I do what I do with my blog, fb page, and workshops. So I would leave you with this one question? What is your motivator for quitting sugar?

https://www.sugarsmartuk.org/

https://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1139.aspx?categoryid=51

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/05/adults-sugar-calories-coke-can-who

 

 

A Sugar Free Box!!!

Re sharing for anyone that might have missed this first time around.

Practically A Sugar Free Me

So this week I have been relaxing after my marathon last weekend. I still CANT believe I have done it. I am now keen to do another slightly shorter walker event by the end of the year. I really want to keep up all the walking I did, it would be so easy to give up , and become a couch potato as winter is coming!!!

I have been also contemplating how to develop my little sugar free world. I really want to continue to developing what I did, I’m still not that sure what it is! But I do know I have had, a lot of interest in the last few months from others. It’s great to hear that people either enjoy or are inspired by this blog, or my PRACTICALLY A SUGAR FREE ME FACEBOOK PAGE. I know how hard, and what a struggle it is. The sheer…

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Our relationship with SUGAR!

Firstly I am sorry it has taken me so long to update this. Life has been hectic, and a little stressful to say the least with my move, preparing for my next workshop, and on top of that I have had the most awful cold. If you have been following this , or my fb page you might be aware that I am relocating 330 miles away from the north, to the south of the UK. I am aware if you are in Canada, America, Australia, NZ, or anywhere larger than the UK, you are probably smiling, possibly laughing at the concept of me suggesting 330 miles is a long way. But I can assure you over here it does seem like a long way! I can also vouch for the fact that moving is officially stressful.

Anyway I digress, this is a sugar blog. However with this in mind there is a link of sorts, faced with all this a few years ago, I would have been gorging on sweet things, simply out of comfort, and to ease my pain/stress. These days I don’t, and I am so proud to be able to say that. I confess a couple of times I have had a couple of very small servings of ice cream, and last night I tried 4 chocolates. But I didn’t do it out of comfort, stress, or anger. I did partly because I’ve not been well. But when I have , I instantly think it’s too sweet, and I didn’t enjoy that. To anyone that is starting out I promise you SUGAR CRAVINGS do go!!!! Yes, they do!!! And there is nothing more wonderful than thinking, I don’t need you, and I don’t want you. I guess it’s a bit like getting over relationship. You reach the point where having relied on something for so long , you wonder what the big deal was, and why it was so important in the first place.

As I am typing this I realise that this isn’t the post I had originally set out to write, but I think an important part of quitting sugar is understanding our relationship with it. WHY do we crave it so much? WHY can’t we live without it? WHAT triggers our need to eat it? Are we creatures of habit with our sugar consumption? Understanding your relationship with sugar I really believe is the key to quitting it. I know that this is something I have mentioned before, but I think it is a really important point to consider. So often with slimming groups, and diets I think the focus is on initially clearing out the cupboards, and getting in healthy foods, then focussing on the mind set. For me I think the priority should be clearing the head emotionally, and re stocking it with all the positive emotional tools, to start the task of quitting sugar. Our relationship with food starts very early in life, from the very first day. We aren’t born eating sugary foods, our relationship with sugary foods evolves over time. Believe it or not our body doesn’t require sugar fixes, because the body produces sugar! So I will leave you with some points to ponder.. when did your relationship with sugar start? Do you have a healthy, or unhealthy relationship with sugar? What stops you quitting sugar? What does sugar symbolise for you? I apologise if these points seem a little deep, it’s the counsellor in me! I would encourage you to consider any of these that feel comfortable for you? Understanding sugar , and why we eat really makes a huge difference in our journey to quitting sugar, and whether it is a positive one or not. You might be interested to know that the brain is the most sugar hungry part of the body!

To all those that have recently decided to quit sugar, well done, I really hope you have begun to notice some positive changes. If you haven’t quite reached that point yet, stick with it if you can, I really believe the changes are just around the corner for you. By way of incentive to you all, those 4 small chocolates I ate last night. They had a whopping 20 grams of sugar in them, which is closed to the daily sugar allowance for one adult…shocking!!

If you are local to Haslemere , Surrey and interested in coming along to my Practically A Sugar Free Me workshop on Saturday 27th January, please drop me an email I still have places available. tracy_smithers@aol.co.uk

Good luck Sugar Free’ers. xxx

New Year, New Start

Re blogging my most recent post in case you might have missed it. New post coming soon!!

Practically A Sugar Free Me

So here we are at the beginning of a brand new year. Some of you might have been sugar free for a while, others of you might be at the beginning of you journey. Two years ago today on 5th January 2016. I was devouring sugar like it was going out of fashion ‘savouring’ my last days of sugar’dom, even though my sugar free eating was a ‘temporary’. I just needed to slim down enough for a wedding . Yet the thought of going without all my favourite sugary foods was awful. I genuinely though without sugar in my life I would NEVER enjoy food again. I found sugary foods comforting, a way to take away any emotional pain, or negative feelings, it was the way I ‘treated’ myself when I was celebrating, it was social, and it was my company, and along with all these it became a habit. Quitting…

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New Year, New Start

So here we are at the beginning of a brand new year. Some of you might have been sugar free for a while, others of you might be at the beginning of you journey. Two years ago today on 5th January 2016. I was devouring sugar like it was going out of fashion ‘savouring’ my last days of sugar’dom, even though my sugar free eating was a ‘temporary’. I just needed to slim down enough for a wedding . Yet the thought of going without all my favourite sugary foods was awful. I genuinely though without sugar in my life I would NEVER enjoy food again. I found sugary foods comforting, a way to take away any emotional pain, or negative feelings, it was the way I ‘treated’ myself when I was celebrating, it was social, and it was my company, and along with all these it became a habit. Quitting sugar in many ways, can strip you bare, and you have to face up to all this stuff without it. So I guess yes I was addicted to sugar. I can only speak for myself, but sugar was certainly a good way of stuffing down all those negative feelings, and emotions. I could never have foreseen that quitting sugar would be one of the most positive things I have done.

For the first 5 months of my sugar free journey, I went cold turkey. I was really strict with myself. I turned down sugary food at my brothers engagement party, and whilst away for a few days. I have relaxed a little, just slightly. Yet, on the rare occassion I have had something sweet, I haven’t enjoyed it, and I found it’s been way too sweet. I definitely don’t binge on sugar, and I don’t live my life for the next sweet thing. I have gained pleasure in finding sugar free alternatives. When I quit sugar , I decided it was very much about changing mind set , not just the foods. So I set about trying to find alternatives to the foods I didn’t one to miss out on. One of the prime examples is my practically a sugar free hot cross buns. Please see the recipe page for more details.

Quitting sugar is a purely personal journey, and I have always said it is important to find a way that is right for you. I spent a lot of time looking at sugar free diets, and nothing seemed to work for me. This is why I came up with my own plan. It certainly isn’t the healthiest way, I am sure a nutritionist would have a field day.  I know my eating habits could do with improving. I have a real weakness for crisps (potato chips). However my diet is MUCH. MUCH healthier than it was. I have lost a lot of weight, and seen incredible improvements to my physical, and emotional well being. So when I see that I know I must be doing something right!

Over the last few days I have been sharing a tip of the day on my PRACTICALLY A SUGAR FREE ME FACEBOOK PAGE. So I thought I would share some of them here.

SUGAR FREE TIP OF THE DAY FOR DAY ONE IS….Drink lots of water. This will not only flush the toxins out, but fill you up. If you arent keen on water, why not stick slices of fruit in it to give some extra flavour.

SUGAR FREE TIP OF THE DAY – DAY 2: Quitting sugar certainly for me has involved a holistic approach. It isn’t just about what you can or can’t drink. It involves a holistic approach which ultimately improves physical, and emotional well being. From my experience it is quite possible you will feel more tired when detoxing from sugar. If so when you can get some early nights, and rest when you can. Listen to your body. I always see it like giving the body time to heal. Your body has been reliant on this sweet stuff for a long time, and now it’s craving it. Interesting fact the brain is the most sugar hungry part of the body. So you can imagine how hard it is for the brain to get the message you don’t want the sweet stuff anymore. In a sense there is an inner conflict, which I can imagine being exhausting.

SUGAR FREE TIP OF THE DAY-DAY 3. As I mentioned yesterday, I very much see going sugar free as more than watching what we eat, and drink. Today my tip is get out in the fresh air, and go for a walk. Even if it’s just up the road , and back. I know that in the UK on days like today when we have had up to 100 mph winds that could be a challenge. But I am a big believer in it. Not only is it good to get active, but also is a good distraction from focusing on food . It’s great therapy, and can be really relaxing too.

SUGAR FREE TIP OF THE DAY-DAY 4. I really believe a huge part of quitting sugar isn’t just about stopping eating sugary things. If only it was that easy! It is about understanding the psychology and why we do what we do. I apologise if this sounds a little deep. But gaining an understanding of what we do, and why we do it, I really believe goes a long way to change behaviour patterns, and in turn changing them. So tonight my thought , or tip is for you to explore what stops you from quitting sugar. I call them SUGAR BLOCKS. In my experience there is often more than one. It’s really useful to sit down with some paper, and either write them down, or if you are feeling creative draw them. There is no right, or wrong answer. They will be personal to you. Whether you come up with 1 , 10, or more don’t be put off. It’s great you have identified them, and now you know what they are it will make your journey to quitting sugar so much easier. I really believe knowledge is power!

 

This week I have also been sharing, or rather than tweeting more on TWITTER. I came across some really interesting links relating to sugar, and thought it would be a great place to share this info, as well as re sharing my posts from here. Would love to have some more followers @practicallyasugarfre. Just one e on the end as I didn’t have enough room for 2!!

Plans are well underway for my third PRACTICALLY A SUGAR FREE ME WORKSHOP ON SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY IN HASLEMERE, SURREY. Please email me for more details tracy_smithers@aol.co.uk

I am going to finish by sharing a then and now picture of my sugar free journey. The first is the day before I started, and the second was taken this week.

 

I am also adding a couple of interesting links below that I have come across this week that you might find useful/interesting.

https://vimeo.com/140037539?ref=fb-share&1

 

https://www.sugarsmartuk.org

 

Thank you everyone for your continued support, I really appreciate it. I hope that 2018 is all that you wish for , and more. Happy Sugar Free’ing remember it’s not a race. It doesn’t have to be about being good or bad. It’s about making choices. Good luck xx