Thus far, I have only referred vaguely to the guidelines which I plan to follow for my Giving up of Greed. Here are a few specifics:
To Replace Sugar:
Stevia, Honey, Agave Nectar, Pure Maple Syrup, and maybe Palm Sugar (need to research this last one). I have long been suspicious of 'sugar substitutes' such as Saccharin, Aspartame, and Sucralose. I don't use them now, and I don't plan to use them in the future.
No one is perfect, and I am sure that eventually, I will consume something that has sugar in it. This isn't an experiment that I will give up if I unwittingly eat something without reading the ingredient list first. Upon discovery of my error, I shall berate myself, pledge renewed vigilance, and carry on. If you are thinking of joining the movement, don't feel like you have to throw away everything in your cupboards and start over tomorrow. I've been preparing for this for two months. Replace your pantry with healthy, greed-free options as you go through the next month or two. You'll get there!
To Track Results:
When I get home on Monday, I shall record the following: my weight, heart rate, blood pressure, and take measurements of my waist, hips, bust, arms, & legs. I am also working on finalizing a spreadsheet analysis of Dr. Cass Ingram's book "Nutrition Tests for Better Health" (MomK & I have been working on this for a month now). By noting all of my physical symptoms of ill health, I will be able to identify improvements six months to a year hence. Anyone who is interested in improving their health should read this book. It is an amazing compilation of symptoms which assists in the identification of vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
I have also listed some books which I have found invaluable to my knowledge of health and nutrition. Please let me know what you read to stay healthy - I'm always looking for more wisdom on the subject.
Happy New Year!!
JamiK
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Moments of Insanity
I've never stopped to ask myself "Self? Could there be a downside to being healthier and losing weight?". Who asks that question? Certainly not me, BUT . . . . let me throw a scenario out there for you. Last night, in preparing for my impending trip to NYC for a wedding, I began pulling clothes out of the closet and setting aside some items that I will need to pack. I decided to make sure my dress didn't need to be dry cleaned at the last minute and put it on to make sure everything was hunky dory.
It's my favorite dress, and by far the most fabulous piece of clothing I own. Gorgeous burgundy velvet with rhinestone accents, and I look GREAT in it - until now that is. It hangs on me. And so it should. . . I've lost 20 pounds this year, but I never imagined that 20 pounds could make me look like a bag lady in the perfect dress. I have been to 9, yes, 9 department stores in the past 24 hours. At the 9th, I found a reasonable substitute for the perfect dress.
SO . . . . Words of advice for today: If you plan to give up sugar, or begin an exercise regime, or have your spine corrected so that your thyroid functions properly, or do anything that will cause you to lose weight by more than a pound or two; REMEMBER! The Perfect Dress may not be so perfect anymore. Plan ahead for important events - and don't wait until the last minute to make sure your 'important function apparel' fits.
It's my favorite dress, and by far the most fabulous piece of clothing I own. Gorgeous burgundy velvet with rhinestone accents, and I look GREAT in it - until now that is. It hangs on me. And so it should. . . I've lost 20 pounds this year, but I never imagined that 20 pounds could make me look like a bag lady in the perfect dress. I have been to 9, yes, 9 department stores in the past 24 hours. At the 9th, I found a reasonable substitute for the perfect dress.
SO . . . . Words of advice for today: If you plan to give up sugar, or begin an exercise regime, or have your spine corrected so that your thyroid functions properly, or do anything that will cause you to lose weight by more than a pound or two; REMEMBER! The Perfect Dress may not be so perfect anymore. Plan ahead for important events - and don't wait until the last minute to make sure your 'important function apparel' fits.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Meal Ideas
Since I decided to give up refined sugar, there hasn't been a single moment in which I thought it would be an easy task. I have been gathering ideas and mentally preparing myself for this since early November. To anyone else who might contemplate giving up sugar in 2010, I would love for this blog to be a resource for ideas and encouragement. My fabulous Sisters-in-Law are joining me in this experiment, and I know that all three of us are going to need all the encouragement we can get. Thankfully, we can rely on MomK to provide lots of ideas and assistance.
One of my goals was to have three weeks of meal plans ready to go before January 3rd. I'm not there yet. But. . . . . there's a long flight to NYC this Friday, that may give me the time to get this all put together. I will eventually be posting recipes for the more complex dishes that I use, but for now, here is a list of meal ideas that I will be keeping in mind on my next trip to the grocery store.
No Added Sugar Dishes:
Grilled, Baked, or Broiled Fish, Poultry, Pork, or Beef
(I was going to add fried, but if eating out, be careful - there might be sugar in the batter)
Meatloaf
Pasta does not usually have added sugar
Recipes for Spaghetti & Alfredo Sauce to follow soon
Black Beans & Rice (or Red Beans if you prefer)
Chicken Noodle Soup, Chili, & Beef Stew
Any type of fresh fruit or vegetables
Cheese does not have sugar added to it. (Velveeta & 'American slices' do not qualify as cheese)
Foods to watch out for:
Bread - I spent 20 minutes in the bread aisle at the grocery store this week looking for bread with no sugar added. No luck. Per MomK, French style bread from the bakery usually doesn't have sugar on its ingredient list. I shall investigate and report back. A good substitute in the meantime is Mission brand Tortilla Wraps. The funny thing is, the plain kind do have sugar - the Garden Spinach Herb, and the Tomato Herb varieties do not.
Salad Dressing - see post from 12/27 - Marie's Blue Cheese, and Bolthouse Farms brands are OK
Deli Meats - The only deli type meats I have found so far are a smoked ham, and oven roasted turkey breast by Oscar Mayer. Will be found with the packaged deli meats at your grocery labelled Oscar Mayer 'Natural'.
Bacon - What a drag. Life without bacon is going to be miserable. MomK is working on making a smoker so she can cure her own. I am not yet that ambitious. I shall double check with the organic foods market before I resort to smoking my own bacon.
Once I have figured out how to customize my blog, I am hoping to have tabs for meal plans and recipes. . . . I'll get the hang of this eventually. . . . I hope. . .
Talk to you later:)
JamiK
One of my goals was to have three weeks of meal plans ready to go before January 3rd. I'm not there yet. But. . . . . there's a long flight to NYC this Friday, that may give me the time to get this all put together. I will eventually be posting recipes for the more complex dishes that I use, but for now, here is a list of meal ideas that I will be keeping in mind on my next trip to the grocery store.
No Added Sugar Dishes:
Grilled, Baked, or Broiled Fish, Poultry, Pork, or Beef
(I was going to add fried, but if eating out, be careful - there might be sugar in the batter)
Meatloaf
Pasta does not usually have added sugar
Recipes for Spaghetti & Alfredo Sauce to follow soon
Black Beans & Rice (or Red Beans if you prefer)
Chicken Noodle Soup, Chili, & Beef Stew
Any type of fresh fruit or vegetables
Cheese does not have sugar added to it. (Velveeta & 'American slices' do not qualify as cheese)
Foods to watch out for:
Bread - I spent 20 minutes in the bread aisle at the grocery store this week looking for bread with no sugar added. No luck. Per MomK, French style bread from the bakery usually doesn't have sugar on its ingredient list. I shall investigate and report back. A good substitute in the meantime is Mission brand Tortilla Wraps. The funny thing is, the plain kind do have sugar - the Garden Spinach Herb, and the Tomato Herb varieties do not.
Salad Dressing - see post from 12/27 - Marie's Blue Cheese, and Bolthouse Farms brands are OK
Deli Meats - The only deli type meats I have found so far are a smoked ham, and oven roasted turkey breast by Oscar Mayer. Will be found with the packaged deli meats at your grocery labelled Oscar Mayer 'Natural'.
Bacon - What a drag. Life without bacon is going to be miserable. MomK is working on making a smoker so she can cure her own. I am not yet that ambitious. I shall double check with the organic foods market before I resort to smoking my own bacon.
Once I have figured out how to customize my blog, I am hoping to have tabs for meal plans and recipes. . . . I'll get the hang of this eventually. . . . I hope. . .
Talk to you later:)
JamiK
Monday, December 28, 2009
I Fell Victim to the Classic Blunder!
No. . . . I did not get involved in a land war in Asia . . . . . nor did I go in against a Sicilian when death was on the line. . . . . I simply did not pack a lunch on a Monday. Standard procedure says all pre-invoicing activities must be completed by the end of the day on Monday. This enables the reports to be run, and the errors to be corrected on Tuesday so that the invoice may be issued on Wednesday. Since one of my team members is on vacation this week, we were running a little bit behind schedule. Instead of completing the project by 1300ish (which is pretty normal) and then taking a quick break to run home for a bite to eat, we completed the project at about 1530ish.
When you get to 1530, there is no point to running home for a bite to eat, because you're only going to be at work for another hour or so anyway. So, you might ask "What did JamiK have for lunch today?" Did she raid the vending machine? Did she discover a forgotten box of Girl Scout Cookies in her desk drawer? No I did not. I ate half of a large box of Dots gumdrops that my boss didn't want (they weren't the 'regular' Dots, they were Dots with 'yogurt' - like that's supposed to make them healthy?). Though convinced that I would not like what I found, curiosity compelled me to read the ingredient list on the box. I didn't get past the first two ingredients before I began to feel ill. Corn Syrup was the first ingredient. Sugar was the second.
Come on everyone. . . . . can I get a big ol' Napoleon Dynamite' "IDIOT!"?
I suppose I am glad to have had this lesson learned before the experiment actually begins, but my stomach does feel kind of icky. . . . I really should have known better than that. Incidentally, I did toss that sleeve of Girl Scout Cookies I found. . . . they were getting pretty old. . . . probably stale too. . . . I'm sure I wouldn't have enjoyed them . . . . much. I am also going to take a giant can of salted nuts in to keep at work should I end up in this situation again. So there is the advice for the day. Don't forget to pack a lunch when you might not have a chance to escape from the office. Also, keep a few healthy snacks on hand for when you just feel like munching.
Snacks that I know to be acceptable: Salted nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, etc.), fruit, tortilla chips & salsa (double check your favorite brand, but salsa does not usually contain refined sugar), Kettle brand potato chips (the original and the vinegar & salt varieties do not contain added sugar).
I shall try and think of some others as well, but this will do to get me started.
Vizzini Out,
JamiK
When you get to 1530, there is no point to running home for a bite to eat, because you're only going to be at work for another hour or so anyway. So, you might ask "What did JamiK have for lunch today?" Did she raid the vending machine? Did she discover a forgotten box of Girl Scout Cookies in her desk drawer? No I did not. I ate half of a large box of Dots gumdrops that my boss didn't want (they weren't the 'regular' Dots, they were Dots with 'yogurt' - like that's supposed to make them healthy?). Though convinced that I would not like what I found, curiosity compelled me to read the ingredient list on the box. I didn't get past the first two ingredients before I began to feel ill. Corn Syrup was the first ingredient. Sugar was the second.
Come on everyone. . . . . can I get a big ol' Napoleon Dynamite' "IDIOT!"?
I suppose I am glad to have had this lesson learned before the experiment actually begins, but my stomach does feel kind of icky. . . . I really should have known better than that. Incidentally, I did toss that sleeve of Girl Scout Cookies I found. . . . they were getting pretty old. . . . probably stale too. . . . I'm sure I wouldn't have enjoyed them . . . . much. I am also going to take a giant can of salted nuts in to keep at work should I end up in this situation again. So there is the advice for the day. Don't forget to pack a lunch when you might not have a chance to escape from the office. Also, keep a few healthy snacks on hand for when you just feel like munching.
Snacks that I know to be acceptable: Salted nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, etc.), fruit, tortilla chips & salsa (double check your favorite brand, but salsa does not usually contain refined sugar), Kettle brand potato chips (the original and the vinegar & salt varieties do not contain added sugar).
I shall try and think of some others as well, but this will do to get me started.
Vizzini Out,
JamiK
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Almost Time to Buckle Down
Technically, the experiment has not yet begun - but I am already irritated. I made my favorite dish today - Pad Thai. And though I made it from scratch (no premade sauces, or packaged mixes) no fewer than three of the vital ingredients contain sugar (added sugar, that is). Mirin (an asian cooking wine), Sriracha Sauce (a spicy red chile paste type sauce), and Ketchup. Ketchup has sugar in it. Why? I'm pretty sure that the last time my sweet tooth had an itch, it wasn't itching for ketchup. AUGH! I need a sugar fix! Someone get me some ketchup!!
Riiiiiiiight.
I've already googled the recipes for ketchup and sriracha sauce. We'll see how that goes. As for the wine. . . . I think I shall try substituting a plain old white wine in its place - I'm not ready to start my own winery.
In preparation for the experiment, I have eliminated all foods containing sugar from the premisis.
Items I am sending to the food pantry or discarding are:
Breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, pasta sauce, spinach dip, taco sauce, queso dip, barbeque sauce, cocktail sauce, wheat crackers, Miracle Whip (where did that even come from?), Ketchup, baked beans (left over from a camping trip), stewed tommatoes, Pad Thai Sauce (premade), glazed pecans. Salad Dressings: Catalina, poppyseed, ranch, peppercorn ranch, thousand island, tangy tomato bacon, italian, and balsamic vinnagrette. There are a dozen freeze pops melting in the sink as I type this (except for the one in my hand), and tomorrow when I take the trash out, I shall dispose of the two cans of lemonade concentrate in the freezer.
Items I am not getting rid of even though they contain sugar:
A1, Heinz 57, and Worchestershire sauce (in case I have company over for steak sometime). If life without sugar gets so bad I end up chugging Worchestershire Sauce . . . . . . well, let's not go there right now.
One of the first things I freaked out about when MomK suggested I try giving up greed, was the salad dressing (please note the number and variety of dressings in the discard pile above). I like salad - no - I LOVE salad, but I'm not just gonna eat the veggies without the dressing!! Thankfully, I have discovered two brands of salad dressing that do not contain refined sugar.
Marie's Chunky Blue Cheese Salad dressing (It's to die for - if you like blue cheese, that is)
Bolthouse Farms makes seven or eight different salad dressing sans sugar - they are sweetened with apple juice. So far, I have tried the ranch, and the honey mustard. Both are excellent.
Both of these brands can be found (usually) in the refrigerated produce section of your grocery.
My irritation with regards to the ketchup seems to be subsiding. . . . . I had better go clean up the mess in the kitchen before I lose all my steam:)
Catch you later,
JamiK
Riiiiiiiight.
I've already googled the recipes for ketchup and sriracha sauce. We'll see how that goes. As for the wine. . . . I think I shall try substituting a plain old white wine in its place - I'm not ready to start my own winery.
In preparation for the experiment, I have eliminated all foods containing sugar from the premisis.
Items I am sending to the food pantry or discarding are:
Breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, pasta sauce, spinach dip, taco sauce, queso dip, barbeque sauce, cocktail sauce, wheat crackers, Miracle Whip (where did that even come from?), Ketchup, baked beans (left over from a camping trip), stewed tommatoes, Pad Thai Sauce (premade), glazed pecans. Salad Dressings: Catalina, poppyseed, ranch, peppercorn ranch, thousand island, tangy tomato bacon, italian, and balsamic vinnagrette. There are a dozen freeze pops melting in the sink as I type this (except for the one in my hand), and tomorrow when I take the trash out, I shall dispose of the two cans of lemonade concentrate in the freezer.
Items I am not getting rid of even though they contain sugar:
A1, Heinz 57, and Worchestershire sauce (in case I have company over for steak sometime). If life without sugar gets so bad I end up chugging Worchestershire Sauce . . . . . . well, let's not go there right now.
One of the first things I freaked out about when MomK suggested I try giving up greed, was the salad dressing (please note the number and variety of dressings in the discard pile above). I like salad - no - I LOVE salad, but I'm not just gonna eat the veggies without the dressing!! Thankfully, I have discovered two brands of salad dressing that do not contain refined sugar.
Marie's Chunky Blue Cheese Salad dressing (It's to die for - if you like blue cheese, that is)
Bolthouse Farms makes seven or eight different salad dressing sans sugar - they are sweetened with apple juice. So far, I have tried the ranch, and the honey mustard. Both are excellent.
Both of these brands can be found (usually) in the refrigerated produce section of your grocery.
My irritation with regards to the ketchup seems to be subsiding. . . . . I had better go clean up the mess in the kitchen before I lose all my steam:)
Catch you later,
JamiK
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Origin of the Experiment
Some might wonder why I have decided to eliminate sugar from my life. I shall leave it to MomK to explain the origin of the experiment:
For several decades I have been a seeker (and for the most part, finder) of the natural cure for any ailment my children or I suffered.
It was specifically rosacea that was bothering me this time. Friends told me I would have to get medicine from a doctor to treat it. I was embarrassed by any photo I would see of myself, because my cheeks and nose were always unnaturally red. There was not a lot of info on the cause of this problem, but the theory that piqued my interest was that the redness was caused by small organisms living in the skin. Someone gave me the idea that they would die if I stopped eating refined sugar so I decided to conduct my own human experiment.
August 1, 2008 I began the experiment. I was determined to give it a 6 month try. At 50, 6 months does not seem that long. The main challenge was to satisfy my sweet tooth without eating refined sugar as well as to weed out the food that I never suspected had refined sugar in it. I eliminated all “sugar”, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, sucralose, saccarin, etc. I would eat honey, pure maple syrup, stevia, or agave nectar sweetened foods.
Compared to dieting, which I've done seriously 15-20 times in my adult life, this was much easier psychologically. I had to know if this would have an effect on my skin. I suspected that the person who suggested the cause, really knew. I did not restrict any quantity of anything else I ate. I have consumed entire bags of potato chips, and caramel corn and pies and cakes……I just made sure that they were made without the prohibited sugar products.
After 6 months, I don’t think my skin was completely cleared up, but I was thirty pounds lighter, and had not had a back ache that I could remember, or a cold or sniffle. The weight loss seemed to happen in fits and spurts, though I don’t know for sure because I wasn’t weighing myself regularly. It felt like, at certain points an organ or gland just started working properly again. I decided to continue eating inGREEDient free.
It is easy to stick to the experiment 100% when I have plenty of sweets on hand. The fastest sweet to make is caramel corn. Second easiest- vanilla and chocolate pudding….but they need time to cool. So I continued on…..thrilled with my new pant size and lack of pain or sickness. Just as year one passed, I was required to renew my DOT physical for school bus drivers. To my complete surprise I passed the eye exam without my glasses or contacts. Both eyes together 20/20. Each eye separately 20/30.
I had worn glasses since the 5th grade!
Now my wonderful eldest daughter has agreed to test this herself…..join us if you like!
For several decades I have been a seeker (and for the most part, finder) of the natural cure for any ailment my children or I suffered.
It was specifically rosacea that was bothering me this time. Friends told me I would have to get medicine from a doctor to treat it. I was embarrassed by any photo I would see of myself, because my cheeks and nose were always unnaturally red. There was not a lot of info on the cause of this problem, but the theory that piqued my interest was that the redness was caused by small organisms living in the skin. Someone gave me the idea that they would die if I stopped eating refined sugar so I decided to conduct my own human experiment.
August 1, 2008 I began the experiment. I was determined to give it a 6 month try. At 50, 6 months does not seem that long. The main challenge was to satisfy my sweet tooth without eating refined sugar as well as to weed out the food that I never suspected had refined sugar in it. I eliminated all “sugar”, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, sucralose, saccarin, etc. I would eat honey, pure maple syrup, stevia, or agave nectar sweetened foods.
Compared to dieting, which I've done seriously 15-20 times in my adult life, this was much easier psychologically. I had to know if this would have an effect on my skin. I suspected that the person who suggested the cause, really knew. I did not restrict any quantity of anything else I ate. I have consumed entire bags of potato chips, and caramel corn and pies and cakes……I just made sure that they were made without the prohibited sugar products.
After 6 months, I don’t think my skin was completely cleared up, but I was thirty pounds lighter, and had not had a back ache that I could remember, or a cold or sniffle. The weight loss seemed to happen in fits and spurts, though I don’t know for sure because I wasn’t weighing myself regularly. It felt like, at certain points an organ or gland just started working properly again. I decided to continue eating inGREEDient free.
It is easy to stick to the experiment 100% when I have plenty of sweets on hand. The fastest sweet to make is caramel corn. Second easiest- vanilla and chocolate pudding….but they need time to cool. So I continued on…..thrilled with my new pant size and lack of pain or sickness. Just as year one passed, I was required to renew my DOT physical for school bus drivers. To my complete surprise I passed the eye exam without my glasses or contacts. Both eyes together 20/20. Each eye separately 20/30.
I had worn glasses since the 5th grade!
Now my wonderful eldest daughter has agreed to test this herself…..join us if you like!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas Reflections
I ate the most fabulous chocolate covered pretzel at my friend's house this afternoon. And boy, did I enjoy it. I think that I ate it a lot more slowly than I would have had I not been thinking about how long it might be before I had another one. Hopefully it will not be long before my cravings for these sorts of treats will diminish. But then, again, I wouldn't say that I often 'crave' sweets. They are there in front of me, and I know I will enjoy it - so I eat it. When I was little, my mom used to warn me not to let my eyes get bigger than my stomach. That is usually my problem. I love food. So if it is there in front of me, I usually just dive in. I shall have to find a way to combat that urge for instant food gratification.
I finished the evening with good conversation, a gingerbread cookie, and ice cream. These were also consumed with a great deal of thought. Maybe I'll invest in an ice cream maker and make my own inGREEDient free ice cream.
May you enjoy the blessings of the season!
Family, friends, fellowship, and food:)
God Bless,
JamiK
I finished the evening with good conversation, a gingerbread cookie, and ice cream. These were also consumed with a great deal of thought. Maybe I'll invest in an ice cream maker and make my own inGREEDient free ice cream.
May you enjoy the blessings of the season!
Family, friends, fellowship, and food:)
God Bless,
JamiK
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Getting ready for the project
I have two packets of hot chocolate mix left in the house, and a dark chocolate with deep forest mint candy bar. The first I will drink in the next week. The fate of the second, I have yet to decide. I will be giving up refined sugar when I return from a family trip on January 3rd. I am excited and terrified, hopeful and discouraged all at the same time. I am excited at the prospect of improved health; terrified that I won't have the will-power; hopeful that I will lose a bit of weight in the process, and discouraged by knowledge that I will be travelling a lot which will make this new lifestyle rather difficult at times.
My sweet tooth is not nearly as vocal as it once was - this won't be like an alcoholic quitting booze cold turkey. . . . but there are things that I will miss. I will miss Wild Cherry Pepsi, Chinese take-out, and the convenience of Knorr Pasta packets when I don't feel like cooking from scratch. The convenience factor is what I fear the most. I keep my life as busy as possible, and sometimes struggle to prioritize. Skipping lunch to work on a project will no longer be easily remedied by a trip to the vending machine. I've never worked a day onsite with a client without a Pepsi and a Vitamin Water. And then there's the restaurants. . . . . .
Well, I've been telling everyone I know about my project, so I suppose I had better follow through and do it.
Merry Christmas,
JamiK
My sweet tooth is not nearly as vocal as it once was - this won't be like an alcoholic quitting booze cold turkey. . . . but there are things that I will miss. I will miss Wild Cherry Pepsi, Chinese take-out, and the convenience of Knorr Pasta packets when I don't feel like cooking from scratch. The convenience factor is what I fear the most. I keep my life as busy as possible, and sometimes struggle to prioritize. Skipping lunch to work on a project will no longer be easily remedied by a trip to the vending machine. I've never worked a day onsite with a client without a Pepsi and a Vitamin Water. And then there's the restaurants. . . . . .
Well, I've been telling everyone I know about my project, so I suppose I had better follow through and do it.
Merry Christmas,
JamiK
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