Here we go again. I have succumbed a lot recently to my sugar addiction. It was too easy, almost excusable as it was Easter. Encouraged even as I received a huge and gorgeous nutty chocolate egg and I enjoyed it all!
I enjoyed snack suppers, shared in front of films with my family plus lots of chocolate, flapjacks and almond croissants.
I have been very busy at work which is always a good excuse for not eating properly. I had a quick visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland this week, just for the day. 
I only saw the inside of the airport
and a very brief glimpse of the City and river from the office window when the sunshine eventually broke through the rain and fog we arrived to.
Today I decided to start again. To start quitting sugar again. I have eaten so much recently and the more sugar I eat, the more I want to eat. For me, every time I give in to the addiction to sugar and eat some, it feels like a snowball that gathers momentum and size as it goes. The urge to eat it gets stronger and stronger. Many people have their outlets for when times are demanding. I don’t smoke or take drugs or even drink excessively. I eat sugar. So I need to find something that will make me feel as sated as eating sugar does.
I have tried various different hobbies, all of which I enjoy but get frustrated as I don’t have enough time to devote to them. I wanted something to occupy me so I didn’t reach for snacks. I tinker about with drawing and painting, both of which I enjoy but I don’t feel like doing either of those in the evening when I am tired. I tried knitting which I like as it is relaxing and it is something I can do in the evening. I finally completed a blanket I made for Lara this week.
It is a patchwork blanket made in 2 colours and using 2 stitches; blanket and moss stitch. It is full of mistakes but she was appropriately pleased with it and I was happy to knit it for her. Now Harvey wants one.
I can not knit or paint or draw in the afternoons though which is another time I tend to over eat. Afternoons are also the time I tend to feel stressed at work so I need a way to be relieved of stress that does not involve eating sugar. All suggestions are welcome.
So I am going back to the quitting sugar books and beginning again. I am following Sarah Wilson’s plan as it is quite gentle and this time I will approach it slowly. I will take her advice to start with some simple and easy changes.
For week 1 I need to cut back on sugar and cut back on refined carbohydrates such as cakes, doughnuts and “bready things”. I can continue with fruit this week so I will.
I was in Horsmonden first thing seeing a very good Physiotherapist. I always stop at this excellent little village shop which I highly recommend if you ever pass through. It has an excellent range of products and a good deli counter. I picked up some veggies and Scotch eggs which Harvey enjoys and they are an easy snack for him to have.
Shame it was such an overcast day.
I made myself a cheese omelette with tomatoes for breakfast. I have quit sugar, not fat.
I was working from home today. It was such a busy day at work I just had time to grab a coffee and a bowl of nuts for lunch.
Activated nuts and seeds which I munched on while I attended back to back meetings.
I took an apple and a chunk of Cheddar to eat in the car when I went to collect Harvey . I then had a very scary drive with a knocking sound that became louder until my wheel fell off! Luckily I was completely unscathed, although I was very shaken. It was frightening as I couldn’t control the car and I was next to quite a steep ditch.
Two very nice men from the AA came along very quickly. One took me home and the other dropped my car at the garage. So I am car less but alive.
Back at home I was tempted to eat something sugary which is my standard response to stress. So I did eat something sugary but with at least some health benefits – I ate grapes with another chunk of cheese. A very small chunk of cheese and that did me.
So, I have to lose all the weight I have put on recently and all the weight I want to lose. But this time I am doing it slowly and hopefully successfully.
Lose Weight and Gain Health 
As humans, we don’t like change so it is my personal opinion that this is something you ease into. When we change the way we eat, we need to replace bad food with good food. Doing it in Baby Steps works when you want this to be a Lifestyle change. It should be about change, not diet so your body and your mind has time to adjust and it doesn’t seem so drastic.
I used the same technique to keep the sugar I consume natural for the most parts and to me and I used the same method. I was one of those 2 sugars in a thousands cups of coffee a day Moms raising 2 little boys. Can you say “wired” on sugar? That was 30 years ago.
That is how I was able to quit smoking after 31 years. I made a date to do it, and gave myself 30 days to do it. So, it wasn’t all at once and I was able to talk to myself instead of the nicotine addicted mind. Sugar is deathly addictive so withdrawing at a slower pace lets the body become used to it a bit at a time instead of being thrown into a valve shutoff of withdrawals.
The same method worked for not consuming too much salt and removing extra salt from my diet.
It pays to slow down and let the body ease into change.
I know you can do it. The question is, how long do you want it to last for? Forever? Lifestyle changes take time. I know you can do that too.
Yes, you are so right Laura. I do need to take it slowly and keep it going. I am fed up with yo yo ing up and down, although that is better than just going up constantly so I know I am getting better. I think I get frustrated because I managed to give up smoking and it was instant and forever. The minute you stub out that last cigarette you are a non smoker. Mission accomplished. Success. But when you are fat it takes so long to lose it. Your encouragement is really appreciated – thank you very much