Four Weeks without Sugar

Well, I have now gone four weeks without any sugar.  I have been thinking about what I have learned from my experience so far.  First, I have learned that people had sugar out constantly.  In the last four weeks, I have been given peanut butter bars, these little s'mores treats, cookies, etc., etc., etc., from neighbors and friends.  People do not realize just how much sugar they give to other people.  Of course, people give this stuff with the best of intentions, and I really appreciate their thoughtfulness.  But I have been trying to think of different things to give.  For example, I attempted to bake a friend a loaf of French bread the other day instead of some sugar-filled treat (of course, in the process of baking the bread, I realized that although French bread only has four ingredients, it is ridiculously hard to make and in the end, after failing to produce a decent loaf, I baked up some cookies). 

Second, I have learned just how addicted to sugar I have been.  It is amazing how, after eating a wonderful meal, I can feel unsatisfied because I haven't had any sugar afterwards.  That evening bowl of ice cream or brownie or cookie seems to call to me every time I finish dinner.  Fortunately, those cravings have seemed to subside a bit over the last week or so.  I find myself happy to have a little popcorn, or just work through the mental (not physical) need to eat something before I go to bed. 

Third, I have learned that EVERYTHING has sugar in it.  After talking with Emily, we have pretty much cleared our pantry out of anything that has processed food in it.  Pretty much anything that is store-bought these days (I heard one statistic that said 80 percent of things in grocery stores) has sugar in it.  We have been amazed at how much our kids crave these things--particularly with summer upon us.  We let them eat the granola bars, and fruit leathers, and crackers until they were gone.  Now, they have to suffer through the homemade bread and fruit just like me.  Hey, I figure that misery loves company, so why not bring the kids along!

Anyway, I really wasn't sure I would make it this far, but with 48 weeks to go, I still have a lot of work to do.  The next four weeks are going to be tough:  my sister's wedding is in one week, the Fourth of July, and in only a few weeks after that, a family vacation to Lake Powell (where the sugar usually flows as much as the water does).  It is going to be a tough summer!