I'm grateful you opened this challenge to your readers and, as I mentioned in my summary of my experience, I plan to keep going. I find the same thing with the need for "black and white" guidelines to stay on track, and I've been struggling with where to draw that line with what types of food since there are times when I want to engage with treaty food in family situations. So I decided that the "line" I'm going to experiment with this month is that I won't be eating any treats alone. If I indulge in anything treaty it will be in a shared food situation. I think this will be an interesting stretch and experiment for me.
Thank you, Rick. I am equally as grateful that there were amazing people like you out there who were willing to join me. I feel very very lucky for that; sharing it with others has made the experience richer. I love that guideline. It's great for a couple reasons, one of which is its simplicity: you know your rule and can very quickly make a situation judgement as to whether it's a yes or no in the moment. We continue to walk forward in this experiment together. I'm going to stick to no sugar most of the time, unless with others and when the indulgence is homemade. I appreciate you, Rick. Thanks for being here.
An add, and you have taught me this, Jack, is to calorie count using a food scale, each item you consume in a day. As a 58 year old with a lean muscle weight target of 167 lbs, I can, as an active person, consume approximately 2600 calories to maintain that weight. If after dinner I am at 2200 calories, I can likely eat that butter tart indulgently, knowing I am within my caloric target for that day. Is it the healthiest choice? Nope! An every night treat. Nope. A reward? Nah…..but delicious and my weight target remains in place. Having made healthy, calorically smart choices all day, it’s balanced to indulge occasionally. Keeps me on track and doesn’t make food either “good” or “bad”.
Hey dad, you make a few great points. Weight loss always comes down to being in a caloric deficit. It's important to not treat food as a reward... that's a slippery slope and we aren't dogs. And probably not the best mentally to look at food as "good" or "bad." I think it comes down to finding the balance that works for you. For some people, eating a treat in moderation keeps them on track. And then there's people like me who struggle to eat treats in moderation UNLESS I'm committed to calorie counting with a specific macro goal... which I have done in the past religiously and still do at times but do not make a daily practice of it. Like everything in life, it's about finding the system that works for your and sticking with it.
I don't think I'll cast sugar aside quite yet as I did with alcohol. But the month off felt really good and I'm going to keep a highly reduced sugar diet going forward, being much more mindful and meticulous of the times when I do indulge.
Thanks so much, Arman. Glad that one resonated and appreciate you reading. No caffeine is the next challenge for me. I said I would do it May/June so just finding the right time. This is probably an excuse but I'm currently interviewing for jobs and don't want to be off my game because I'm in caffeine withdrawal. (This is definitely an excuse... I'm scared to not have caffeine in the morning).
My girlfriend is the same way. We are different beasts and different approaches work for each of us. The most important learning for me has been to just support her for her way of doing things and ask she does the same for me.
Most unexpected benefit: I spent way less time thinking about junk food. With the hard rule, I knew I couldn't have it. So I stopped wanting it. And stopped thinking about it. And started feeling way better because I wasn't indulging. It's way easier for me to say no than to say "I'll have a little." Because once I have a little I then I'm in the position of needing to talk myself off the ledge of eating more.
So I felt better and removed the mental gymnastics of A) Deciding if I should indulge, and B) If I did, getting myself to stop before I overdid it.
Thanks for reading and dropping a comment, Arman. Appreciate you man.
haha i dont blame you for holding off on the caffeine break until you find your next job. good luck btw!
thats a great point. i think im the same as you in a lot of ways. its the whole dont have it in the house if you dont want to eat it thing. if i know theres a box of cookies in the kitchen then im constantly thinking about them.
ok youve inspired me to start doing some more 30 day challenges. got any others in mind?
Thank you! Appreciate that. That’s absolutely how I function. It serves me in some areas of life and hurts me in others.
Just spitballing 30 day challenge ideas here: cold showers, exercise everyday, 10k steps daily, no alcohol, wake up early, journal 1 page, one good deed… I’m sure you already do a lot of these every day. Let me know what you decide on!
No complaints is a good one... does it have something to do with an elastic band on your wrist that, when you complain, you have to switch wrists and reset to 30 days? I try to never complain (or judge or gossip) and think I succeed most of the time... but I'm sure I do it without realizing.
Hey Chris, looking back I would say energy levels were better. Even though I didn't eat a ton of sugar to start, cutting out the occasional indulgence certainly equalized things. No ups and downs, just stable.
Yesterday, I had a super small sliver of brownie. My first treat in over a month. And I immediately craved more sugar. I almost started rummaging through the kitchen to find something else sweet. After a month-long break, the signal was so strong between eating something sweet and my body urging me to eat more. That was an eye-opener. And gave me reason to just avoid sugar more often altogether because I don't want to be fighting that battle my whole life. Easier to just say "no, that's not for me" to sugar as I did with alcohol.
Appreciate your question and partaking in the challenge.
Completed a year without added sugar some time ago. It's definitely mind-boggling to realize how one can detach from it once accustomed.
Now that I have reintroduced added sugar here and there, I strive for balance by consuming more fulfilling proteins and going for a short walk after eating.
Wow that’s amazing, Anna! A whole year is a long time. I’m surprised you added it back after being away from it for so long but like you said, it’s all about balance. A short walk after eating is lovely for so many reasons. It’s something I try to do every day as well, especially after dinner.
Thanks, Zan! Biggest mental benefit was less time thinking about what I can or cannot eat… no decision making. Other than that, eliminating the one day per week I would normally have a treat just resulted in a better overall mental state. Less ups and downs. Smoother. Good energy and cognition through the week. Each week removed from packaged sugary crap felt a little better. And going forward I’m definitely not going to eat packaged food anymore. I’ll save treats for freshly baked things and events with family.
Ah interesting - so it was more about eliminating the decision making burden rather than strictly the cognitive benefits (e.g. some people say less brain fog)... I'll have to give this a go!
Yeah, for me it was. Like I mentioned, I didn’t have a ton of added sugar to cut in the first place so any cognitive benefits (less brain fog) were minimal. I imagine if you went from a heavily processed, sugar added diet to cutting it out completely the increased clarity would be much more noticeable. Would love to hear if you do try! Let me know how it goes.
Good job! I did something similar a few years ago for 3 months. I now follow something very similar to your No Sugar Lifestyle except I also occasionally have bakery treats. It's not hard to stick to moderation now.
I think the most useful learning for me was this: Your taste buds can be retrained. I now find things like carrots and tomatoes deliciously sweet. I no longer like overly sweet desserts. I can keep a tub of icecream in the fridge for a month or so because I honestly don't like it all that much.
Trying something similar this month with caffeine. It's been 9 days since I've quit. Wish me luck!
Thanks so much for reading and for leaving such a lovely comment! I think baked goods are one of the things worth making an exception for... so much different than eating some packaged junk. On a side note, I made chick pea cookie dough last night and it was delicious. With so many healthy alternatives you can prepare at home that taste great and don't make you feel sluggish after eating them, there is no reason to buy packaged crap.
And that is a fantastic takeaway. I completely agree with that and found the same thing. If anything, I enjoy those whole food snacks even more because they taste great and leave me feeling great after I eat them. They don't bog down your system like processed junk food does.
Good luck! Quitting caffeine for 30 days is next for me... I'm just trying to find the right time to do it. If you ever write a follow-up post on the challenge, please do let me know -- I'd love to read it.
Love the point on cutting out decision making. I find the gray zone, one foot in and one foot out, is always the worst place to be. In diet but also in general with most decisions.
Also absolutely loved seeing you share reader stories at the end. So so cool to see you building community and inspiring other people to improve their diet along with you. Really making a tangible impact in the world. Awesome (:
Thanks buddy — you’re so right. Never a good spot to be half in, half out. For anything. Hell ya or no. Appreciate your support and thoughts as always buddy. Means a lot to me. Certainly pretty cool to have some kind of impact, no matter how small. Writing opens up your world in a way you could never imagine, as you’ve experienced too.
I'm grateful you opened this challenge to your readers and, as I mentioned in my summary of my experience, I plan to keep going. I find the same thing with the need for "black and white" guidelines to stay on track, and I've been struggling with where to draw that line with what types of food since there are times when I want to engage with treaty food in family situations. So I decided that the "line" I'm going to experiment with this month is that I won't be eating any treats alone. If I indulge in anything treaty it will be in a shared food situation. I think this will be an interesting stretch and experiment for me.
Thank you, Rick. I am equally as grateful that there were amazing people like you out there who were willing to join me. I feel very very lucky for that; sharing it with others has made the experience richer. I love that guideline. It's great for a couple reasons, one of which is its simplicity: you know your rule and can very quickly make a situation judgement as to whether it's a yes or no in the moment. We continue to walk forward in this experiment together. I'm going to stick to no sugar most of the time, unless with others and when the indulgence is homemade. I appreciate you, Rick. Thanks for being here.
An add, and you have taught me this, Jack, is to calorie count using a food scale, each item you consume in a day. As a 58 year old with a lean muscle weight target of 167 lbs, I can, as an active person, consume approximately 2600 calories to maintain that weight. If after dinner I am at 2200 calories, I can likely eat that butter tart indulgently, knowing I am within my caloric target for that day. Is it the healthiest choice? Nope! An every night treat. Nope. A reward? Nah…..but delicious and my weight target remains in place. Having made healthy, calorically smart choices all day, it’s balanced to indulge occasionally. Keeps me on track and doesn’t make food either “good” or “bad”.
Hey dad, you make a few great points. Weight loss always comes down to being in a caloric deficit. It's important to not treat food as a reward... that's a slippery slope and we aren't dogs. And probably not the best mentally to look at food as "good" or "bad." I think it comes down to finding the balance that works for you. For some people, eating a treat in moderation keeps them on track. And then there's people like me who struggle to eat treats in moderation UNLESS I'm committed to calorie counting with a specific macro goal... which I have done in the past religiously and still do at times but do not make a daily practice of it. Like everything in life, it's about finding the system that works for your and sticking with it.
I don't think I'll cast sugar aside quite yet as I did with alcohol. But the month off felt really good and I'm going to keep a highly reduced sugar diet going forward, being much more mindful and meticulous of the times when I do indulge.
"Know thyself and live accordingly". My favorite line by far.
So cool to see a fellow self-experimenter tinkering with new ways of living. I did this back in January with a month of no caffeine.
My wife also thinks im crazy with how structured and limiting I can be with myself at times, but I dont see it that way. I think its fun!
What was your most unexpected benefit from this?
Thanks so much, Arman. Glad that one resonated and appreciate you reading. No caffeine is the next challenge for me. I said I would do it May/June so just finding the right time. This is probably an excuse but I'm currently interviewing for jobs and don't want to be off my game because I'm in caffeine withdrawal. (This is definitely an excuse... I'm scared to not have caffeine in the morning).
My girlfriend is the same way. We are different beasts and different approaches work for each of us. The most important learning for me has been to just support her for her way of doing things and ask she does the same for me.
Most unexpected benefit: I spent way less time thinking about junk food. With the hard rule, I knew I couldn't have it. So I stopped wanting it. And stopped thinking about it. And started feeling way better because I wasn't indulging. It's way easier for me to say no than to say "I'll have a little." Because once I have a little I then I'm in the position of needing to talk myself off the ledge of eating more.
So I felt better and removed the mental gymnastics of A) Deciding if I should indulge, and B) If I did, getting myself to stop before I overdid it.
Thanks for reading and dropping a comment, Arman. Appreciate you man.
haha i dont blame you for holding off on the caffeine break until you find your next job. good luck btw!
thats a great point. i think im the same as you in a lot of ways. its the whole dont have it in the house if you dont want to eat it thing. if i know theres a box of cookies in the kitchen then im constantly thinking about them.
ok youve inspired me to start doing some more 30 day challenges. got any others in mind?
Thank you! Appreciate that. That’s absolutely how I function. It serves me in some areas of life and hurts me in others.
Just spitballing 30 day challenge ideas here: cold showers, exercise everyday, 10k steps daily, no alcohol, wake up early, journal 1 page, one good deed… I’m sure you already do a lot of these every day. Let me know what you decide on!
Depending on what you choose, I might join you! It’s a lot of fun going through these with others. And much easier with the support.
Oh I like all of these. One that Tim Ferriss got me thinking about again recently is the 30 day no complaint challenge. Have you ever heard of it?
No complaints is a good one... does it have something to do with an elastic band on your wrist that, when you complain, you have to switch wrists and reset to 30 days? I try to never complain (or judge or gossip) and think I succeed most of the time... but I'm sure I do it without realizing.
I'm also wondering if you noticed specific shifts in your health, energy levels, focus. Or withdrawals?
Hey Chris, looking back I would say energy levels were better. Even though I didn't eat a ton of sugar to start, cutting out the occasional indulgence certainly equalized things. No ups and downs, just stable.
Yesterday, I had a super small sliver of brownie. My first treat in over a month. And I immediately craved more sugar. I almost started rummaging through the kitchen to find something else sweet. After a month-long break, the signal was so strong between eating something sweet and my body urging me to eat more. That was an eye-opener. And gave me reason to just avoid sugar more often altogether because I don't want to be fighting that battle my whole life. Easier to just say "no, that's not for me" to sugar as I did with alcohol.
Appreciate your question and partaking in the challenge.
Completed a year without added sugar some time ago. It's definitely mind-boggling to realize how one can detach from it once accustomed.
Now that I have reintroduced added sugar here and there, I strive for balance by consuming more fulfilling proteins and going for a short walk after eating.
Wow that’s amazing, Anna! A whole year is a long time. I’m surprised you added it back after being away from it for so long but like you said, it’s all about balance. A short walk after eating is lovely for so many reasons. It’s something I try to do every day as well, especially after dinner.
Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment!
Congrats on completing the challenge - and nice to see how your readers also joined in! Did you notice any mental benefits from cutting sugar?
Thanks, Zan! Biggest mental benefit was less time thinking about what I can or cannot eat… no decision making. Other than that, eliminating the one day per week I would normally have a treat just resulted in a better overall mental state. Less ups and downs. Smoother. Good energy and cognition through the week. Each week removed from packaged sugary crap felt a little better. And going forward I’m definitely not going to eat packaged food anymore. I’ll save treats for freshly baked things and events with family.
Ah interesting - so it was more about eliminating the decision making burden rather than strictly the cognitive benefits (e.g. some people say less brain fog)... I'll have to give this a go!
Yeah, for me it was. Like I mentioned, I didn’t have a ton of added sugar to cut in the first place so any cognitive benefits (less brain fog) were minimal. I imagine if you went from a heavily processed, sugar added diet to cutting it out completely the increased clarity would be much more noticeable. Would love to hear if you do try! Let me know how it goes.
I'll let you know! But you may have to remind me haha 😛
Good job! I did something similar a few years ago for 3 months. I now follow something very similar to your No Sugar Lifestyle except I also occasionally have bakery treats. It's not hard to stick to moderation now.
I think the most useful learning for me was this: Your taste buds can be retrained. I now find things like carrots and tomatoes deliciously sweet. I no longer like overly sweet desserts. I can keep a tub of icecream in the fridge for a month or so because I honestly don't like it all that much.
Trying something similar this month with caffeine. It's been 9 days since I've quit. Wish me luck!
Thanks so much for reading and for leaving such a lovely comment! I think baked goods are one of the things worth making an exception for... so much different than eating some packaged junk. On a side note, I made chick pea cookie dough last night and it was delicious. With so many healthy alternatives you can prepare at home that taste great and don't make you feel sluggish after eating them, there is no reason to buy packaged crap.
And that is a fantastic takeaway. I completely agree with that and found the same thing. If anything, I enjoy those whole food snacks even more because they taste great and leave me feeling great after I eat them. They don't bog down your system like processed junk food does.
Good luck! Quitting caffeine for 30 days is next for me... I'm just trying to find the right time to do it. If you ever write a follow-up post on the challenge, please do let me know -- I'd love to read it.
Thank you! Will let you know how the no caffeine month goes for sure!
Love the point on cutting out decision making. I find the gray zone, one foot in and one foot out, is always the worst place to be. In diet but also in general with most decisions.
Also absolutely loved seeing you share reader stories at the end. So so cool to see you building community and inspiring other people to improve their diet along with you. Really making a tangible impact in the world. Awesome (:
Thanks buddy — you’re so right. Never a good spot to be half in, half out. For anything. Hell ya or no. Appreciate your support and thoughts as always buddy. Means a lot to me. Certainly pretty cool to have some kind of impact, no matter how small. Writing opens up your world in a way you could never imagine, as you’ve experienced too.