In April I started a Sugar Free Year

The idea behind it is to develop some self-moderation and see if it’s even possible to live without added sugar (no artificial sweetener either.) Here are the some things I experienced in the first four months.

April

On the very first day I realised I cannot have Sweet and Sour Chicken, it’s my favourite Chinese food.

My step mum was mad at me for NOT eating the cake she bought.

I found sweet potatoes incredibly sweet. It was a recipe I’ve cooked for years but this time I couldn’t believe how sweet they were. Everyone else was unimpressed. My theory is my taste buds are readjusting.

My girlfriend made me a sandwich with blended dates. My understanding is I cannot have blended fruits because the blender destroys the fibre which means that the fruit is now metabolised like regular, added sugar.

I realised we cannot have “Beatles” day. A once-in-a-year day where my girlfriend and I spend all day in front of the TV (last year was the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy - directors cut) binging on junk food.

I realised cannot have Lindt chocolate anymore, my favourite chocolate.

Surprise trip to Italy. I was tempted at every corner by Pastichoti and Gelatto. My resolve didn’t break.

May

While in Gatwick Airport, Petar and I went to Shake Shack for the first time. I was really craving a milkshake but naturally, I couldn’t have one. They had the calories listed on every menu item. The milkshakes were 800 calories each. I saw many people order both milkshake, burger and fries. Just the milkshake alone is a third of the recommended daily intake. I’m very skeptical that the recommended daily intake is useful at all because a manual labourer would need a lot more calories than an office worker.

I realised I cannot have M&Ms. My favourite sweets. I used to destroy the big-boy packs at uni under the guise of needing calories to get through this last-minute, midnight, due-tomorrow assignments.

I cannot drink Desperado or Corona “beer.” I thought they were beer. They’re certainly marketed as such. Turns out it’s a sugary drink. Fun fact: there’s a law in Germany (Deutsche Reinheitsgebot) which states you can only call it a beer if it’s made of hops, malt, yeast and water - only. It’s one of my favourite things about Germany.

I’ve had moments where I’ve craved sugar only so I can distract my current state of mind (bored or anxious) in a blanket of sugar rush. That’s a very slippery slope and not a good coping mechanism. Kinda like smoking or alcoholism but is socially acceptable and marketed to you at every corner.

June

I visited my home country for six weeks. It’s been over a decade since I’ve been there for so long. Many childhood memories were triggered and it was difficult to not have sugary foods which I associated with my childhood.

7 Days croissants, my auntie’s sweet shop, homemade caramel from a favourite baba of mine, my favourite pancake place, Kubeti. The list goes on. It’s a breakdown of identity. It’s letting go of the person I am so I may become the person I might be.

Luckily I also enjoyed a lot of fruits. Tomatoes, figs, plums, apricots, peaches. Stocking up at home with these fruits is a good way to resolve any sugar craving I have in a sensible way.

I realised I cannot have doughnuts, jam and most of my girlfriend’s cakes.

July

My best friend Mario got married. I was the best man. I couldn’t have any wedding cake. Plenty of other equally-heartwarming sugarly gifts from family I had to refuse (although in a kind way.)

On occassion I’ve put cream cheese and honey (only a knife’s amount) on a piece of bread as a sweet snack. My take on honey is that it is pretty much sugar with a tiny amount of nutrients. I will allow myself because it’s not something I can overdo, it’s too “filling” for that.

I accidently bought a drink with artificial sweetener. It was a hot day and I didn’t look properly. Also it had “NO SUGAR” packaging screaming at me. I found it disgustingly sweet and couldn’t even finish it despite it being an incredibly hot day.

August

Mid-August - by the way.

There’s been enough people asking me how the Sugar Free Year is going that I realise I might be the first person they’ve met who is doing something like this. Sugar is so prolific and socially accepted that it’s surprising anyone would do what I am doing. Luckily for me, I’ve had Jeff Cavalier who broke that seal for me. It is a thing. There are people that do you. You are free to live a sugar free life if you want to.

Is it Worthwhile?

Not having ice cream in summer is a bummer. But it’s also not the end of the world. Maybe I’ve got a little leaner. I’m enjoying better sleep due to not-so-many late night Netflix X Sugar binges.

I read “A Guide To The Good Life” by William Braxton Irvine. He goes in depth about the ancient Greek/Roman philosophy of Stoicism. It’s about finding joy even in places where it’s hard to find. One of the ways Stoics do this is by findind a positive way to be satisfied with less; such as a healthy but basic home-cooked meal over a five star resturant. Perhaps they would also advise learning to be satisfied with basic sweetness coming from fruits rather than the exquisite delight of added sugar.

I think a lot of what makes it easy, willpower-wise - is the Alcohol Free Year I did. I developed some level of detachment from it.

What would you like to know about the Sugar Free Year? the comments below is your opportunity.