Goal: My goal is to cut out sugar for 2 weeks. That's my initial goal, but I'd love to stay sugar free. I'd like to lose 15 pounds. I think by cutting out sugar, I'll feel better, lose weight, and have more energy. I'm giving it 2 weeks to see if that's the case.
I was convicted of my sugar gluttony watching a video that compared the effects of fructose with the effects of alcohol. With two alcoholic parents, it struck me hard. I watched the effect of alcohol on their marriage. I watched my mom change as she drank, and get harsh and just not herself. I watched her writhe on a bed with a broken hip, long term results of an alcohol-induced fall, I watched her suffer, not knowing her liver and lungs were shutting down at the same time. I miss my mom, and wished she had lived differently so she might be alive. With God's help, I want to give a different example to my kids and be alive to see my grand-kids, no small feat since I had my kids later in life.
My days are in God's hands, and I know he can shorten or lengthen them. And he can certainly let me live the consequences of my sugar addiction. I also know in Him is the power to live right and to withstand temptation. I know I will need to cry out to Him for that power day by day and at times second by second. One of the fruits of the Spirit is self control!
Stats: I'm 5'6" tall, and weighed in at a whopping 66 kilos, 145 pounds. I had it down to 139 before our 5 week McDonald-munching-BurgerKing-Banqueting-Wendy's-Wolfing trip to the states. My goal weight is 130. (I was 120 pounds when we got married 14 years ago, but I figure I get a few extra pounds for having 6 kids. See how good I am at justifying?)
Daily update: Today is Day 1. I think it went easier than I expected mainly because I am mad at myself for not having more self control and for not doing this a year ago when my sister invited me to try it with her. So that anger-adrenalin is pumping. I ate an egg and a banana for breakfast, 1/2 glass milk mid-morning. For lunch, we had rice, red beans, corn and pork. Veggie??? Oops! Maybe tomorrow. I had a few nectarine slices as a snack this afternoon, and am going to make pizza for supper. I plan to eat the gluten free variety that I make for my husband and sons that are gluten-intolerant. I don't think flour helps me meet my goals at all. Flour and sugar are the enemy of the day.
Thank you for starting this blog and for challenging the one who challenged you :). Can you share the link to the video you watched. Keep on calling out to the Lord!! I am taking the challenge, starting April 19,2013!
ReplyDeletehttp://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx
DeleteIt's not the top video that I watched but the second video down, called Sugar: the Bitter Truth. There are 4 reasons I don't recommend it, though: There are a couple of bad words, the guys is obviously blind to the truth that there is capital-g GOD as he referred to Him as G_d, and it gets really technical in the middle. But I didn't know any of that when I started watching it, and I think as far as the science of sugar damage, he's probably solid. Oh, and reason #4 it's really long!
Yes - thanks Renee! I'd like to watch the video too. Maybe that would motivate me. I've been doing really good lately adding exercise to my routine daily, but I have such a huge emotional attachment to sugar that it's a huge struggle. I want to take the challenge, but I keep failing - arghh!
ReplyDeleteThat's great, Terry! I have NOT figured out how to add in exercise. David does exercises with the kids while I fix breakfast, and I kind of follow along, but it's more to stretch out my neck than aerobic! I KNOW how strong the emotional sugar strands are, I wanted to do it that whole year after Beth's challenge, but just knew I would fail. I cried out to the Lord to take away the desire for it, and He almost completely did. But before that, I felt like I couldn't last 14 hours, much less 14 days without it. Is 40:28-31 He gives power to the weak. And to those who have no might, He increases strength!
DeleteSide note: The kids and I are memorizing Isaiah 40:28-31 NKJV that I put to song to help us memorize it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgxAIkYPDOg.
Whether on a no sugar eating plan or not, these are great truths! We are memorizing slowly through the Fighter Verses, and are really enjoying them.