Refined Sugar and Me Week 33 — Later!

Welcome to week 33 of our ongoing (yet intermittent) series about refined sugar & me in 2017. This week I continue to sit at 16 pounds down from when I first started avoiding most added sugars and processed foods at the end of December 2016. And: I know, it’s been a whole month since my last refined sugar & me post. Blame it on summer and back-to-school… and serendipitously enough, that’s actually what I want to talk about today!

Later is Never

Ignore my frizzy frazzledness — This was after the HOT dorm move-in!

See this beautiful High School Guy? Yesterday we moved him into IMSA — Such an amazing opportunity for him, but then again: I just moved my high school sophomore into a dorm. A DORM. Mr. 10 also just started school the day before, so the last couple of weeks (months…) have been a blur of back-to-school shopping and checklist checking — and have been less than conducive to thoughtful meal planning and food choices.

So, all summer long I’ve been looking at my eating habits but then pushing things off to “later.” After the kids go back to school, after things calm down, after we settle back into a routine. But there’s always a later, right? I’ll start on Monday, after the party, in the new year, on my birthday… There’s always a new reason to push things off; life is full of built-in reasons to procrastinate.

Later is Now

I’ll give myself props for not even being tempted by the fried Snickers… Oreos… cheescake… or anything like that at the State Fair last weekend; I’ve been doing great at avoiding dessert and overt sources of sugar. But, I haven’t been doing so great on portion control or on not over-eating comfort food simple carbs.

No dessert and limiting processed foods seems to be just enough to keep me steady. I haven’t gained back any of the weight I’ve lost and haven’t been craving sweets, which is pretty heartening: I’m at the point in this experiment where it’s second nature to skip the ice cream and ignore the funnel cakes. But, it’s not enough to move me forward (or to help me feel as good) as when I do take the time to eat more mindfully.

Beyond numbers

Re-reading what I wrote above: I also want to remain clear that it’s not all about the number on the scale. It’s about recognizing the overall detrimental effects of all of this added sugar in our lives and moving back to focusing on real foods and quality over quantity. I feel better when I limit sugar, and that’s a powerful motivator in and of itself. I feel better when I eat real foods that I’ve cooked myself, and that’s a win-win for the meals that I eat with my family.

So let me be clear: Later… is now.

🙂

This week’s reading

Here’s another interesting article for you guys: The Weight Loss Trap, which again highlights that what works is different for everyone.

So, that’s me this week…

This year is all about slowly figuring out my own pitfalls, it seems like, and mine may or may not be the same as yours. How are you doing on your own healthier eating plan so far — and what have you found that helps you stay on track?

Earlier installments in the Refined Sugar and Me series

Read the whole Refined Sugar and Me series in chronological order (or catch up on any posts you might have missed!).