One thing I wish was simple but is still really complicated for me: Sugar.

I was reading on TheWhole9Life (the folks who came up with the Whole 30 challenge that bunches of you have been raving to me about) about excuses that people use to not clean up their diet, the first being “It’s too hard.” Their response? “It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Giving up heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. [… This is] the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime.” This made me giggle. All weekend whenever I’ve been confronted with something hard I mutter under my breath, “Giving up heroin is hard, this is not hard.” I’ve already told you about how awful sugar makes me feel but since I’ve been eating less of it I’ve also noticed all the good things that come from staying off the sucrose crack — I’m calmer, more patient, have more energy, sleep better, have less cravings and just feel all-around more sane, which if you know me at all sanity is a hard-won thing around these parts.

It’s Intuitive Eating at its best — recognizing how my food affects my body and making choices to nourish it. Simple, right? I wish. Breaking a life-long sugar addiction (in college during one bout of my eating disorder, I allowed myself one fun size package of Chewy Gobstoppers per day. Yeah, I wouldn’t eat anything else but still couldn’t give up my candy) is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Yeah, it’s not giving up heroin but then you don’t find heroin served up at every single establishment – even the fabric store has an entire aisle of candy — every home, every dinner party, every holiday and every gathering. It’s … complicated.

Do you have a health or fitness trend that you’ve found a good way to simplify? Have any good tips for me on bucking the sugar beast? What’s the funniest food label you’ve seen?

around the web

3 Comments

  1. strangest label warning: may cause anal leakage… I was outdone!! Its right there on the pack and we are still eating it daily. It was something out of the vending machine

  2. Wow, all of these are SOOOO true. I tried making my own really creative salads at home, and well, they can get expensive!!! And I finally just succumbed to the fact that I really only ever want to lift free weights…the machines and going to the gym bore me to death!!! Healthy on your own terms is the way to go and you are more likely to stick to it if you aren’t forcing yourself into someone else’s fitness mold. The hubby and I are in sync on many other things, but working out is not one of them. Nice article!!

  3. Funny, and well written. Im off to my first gym of the season and hate it compared to hopping on my bike all summer. These are some great tips, and some good humor, to make it simpler – thanks for the boost!

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