Ground Rules (Sugar Sober Series)
12October 2, 2014 by Beth Hess
A few thoughts I want to get out of the way early in this process.
Sugar Sobriety, to me, means eliminating sweets, desserts, sweet tea, sugared drinks, donuts, anything frosted/glazed/sprinkled, sugared additives like chocolate syrup or sugar in coffee.
Yes, I know there is refined sugar in things like ketchup and peanut butter and some salad dressings. I’m not going to worry too much about that. Because I have never once squeezed ketchup packet after ketchup packet into my mouth when I’m sad. When I get stressed out, I don’t reach for a bottle of ranch. I’ve never hidden peanut butter in the back of the pantry so no one else in the family will find it. I fully understand the science of addiction and that my body doesn’t know the difference. But it’s not my primary focus for October.
Similarly. Yes, I know the carbohydrates in bread and grains turn to sugar in my body and are just as damaging (if not more) than actual refined sugar. I have absolutely no doubt that my sobriety journey with sugar is only Step 1 of freedom. But you can’t reach the summit until you’ve cleared the foothills, so I start here and will be open to next steps when the time comes.
Yes, I know artificial sweeteners are evil, too. I may or may not give up diet soda during October. I already drink far less than I have in the past. Sometimes you have to keep your strength by fighting one enemy at a time.
These are the things I think will be my best use of the next 30 days. If you are joining me on this journey, and you feel directed to make a different choice, that’s great. There are many paths up the same mountain, my friend.
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In response to the 31 Day blogging challenge, I will be publishing EVERY DAY in October while I stay sugar-free. You can read previous posts HERE. To be alerted to new posts, please follow me on Facebook or Twitter using the links on the right side of this page. Or Subscribe to get posts sent to your Email. Feel free to Tweet your own experiences with #sugarsoberoctober as well.
PLEASE use the comment section to share your own thoughts, questions, or experiences. Like any road, sugar sobriety is one more easily walked with friends. I do my best to reply to every comment.
Just Be Beth 
I hide peanut butter 😉
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[…] sugar and other addicting food habits 20 years ago. But I didn’t. So all I have is now. Day 2: Ground Rules.: Sugar Sobriety, to me, means eliminating sweets, desserts, sweet tea, sugared drinks, donuts, […]
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Love your ground rules! This is such a good idea, and I especially like the fact you spell out other things you could include but are aware they are not battles you need to introduce. Good for you! I am looking forward to your posts and motivating myself and my husband to do something similar.
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I expect my “rules” will change over time as God asks me to tackle more and more things in this food addiction arena. But you can’t do everything at once! You can do this!
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I think it is great you set some ground rules for your month. As you will soon see, I actually recommend eliminating all artificial sweeteners as a first baby step. Artificial sweeteners are much sweeter to your taste buds and cause a greater opiate release. Switch to regular soda first, if you can’t give up soda all together. Switch to regular sugar in coffee versus splenda, etc. You can do this!
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I’ve previously been off artificial sweeteners, too, and I certainly know the benefits of how my body feels. Maybe that will be next for me.
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Go Beth! I don’t think artificial sweeteners are all that evil. I used to drink 2 diet sodas a day when I was working, but now retired, I drink only about one. I can hardly remember the last time I had a sweet one. Otherwise I drink unsweetened tea or water, but still like a beer or wine most days — but only one a day. In other words, there a lot of options to sweet drinks. Marilyn’s pretty much eliminated all soda and alcohol — drinking a lot of tea or just water. Personally I’ve never liked sweet tea, although I know it’s big in the south. You can probably wean yourself off the sugary tea by using sweetener (or even a little sugar or honey) and slowly using less and less of it. We did this with milk — we used to use 2% all the time, then went to 1% and then 1/2%. Now we use skim milk always and don’t even miss the fattier kind.
Your Uncle Pete
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Thank you for your thoughts, Uncle Pete. And just for being here.
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There are certainly better choices I need to make as it relates to food. It’s a journey I should be on. It’s better but at some point I need to say it really is finished. Praying for you on your journey. Thank you for your transparency. Much love. xoxo
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The choices can so easily creep back into not-healthy territory I, too, want a way to finally be free from the chains I let food hold me in. Appreciate your prayers so much.
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Well, I was wondering how we were going to have Jimmy John’s without refined sugars! I’m glad you cleared that up. 🙂 🙂 Love you friend! ~AnnaMarie
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Looking forward to our meat and cheese filled lunch!
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