Do You Have Sweet Dreams?

After jumping off the wagon for two weeks, I’m back to being sugar free. Like clockwork, I had a dream about it.

I was in China with my friend Maria (we went to college there together in real life). In my dream she had moved back and I was visiting. We were in line at a food market, which was outdoors and similar to a bizarre. The checkouts were in turn styles, like when you enter or exit a subway, and I jumped to the next exit because they were selling sweets behind glass counters that lined the pathway.

Maria questioned me. I explained that I was eating sugar again. I purchased a large cookie with black and white icing because the other cookies were flat and looked over cooked. One was crispy with almonds in the center and looked like it was baked with way too much butter. There was a limited selection.

Dreaming about eating sweets is a common and expected part of getting off sugar. I’ve written about my past sweet dreams here and here. When you stop being sweet, you can look forward to a weird (and often guilt riddled) dream about eating sugar. That’s how you know you’re passing the threshold from sweetie to unsweetie.

Parlez-vous Sucre? Part 3

(Continued from Part 2)

After having eaten a small chocolate in Bubry it was all over for the rest of my visit to France. I began to look for excuses to eat sweets and justified desserts by telling myself I’d appear rude if I didn’t partake. Then I found myself annoyed that people would be watching me as I ate (while we visited with family) so I couldn’t just binge on all of the sweets in my sights. Luckily Gwenn’s Godmother insisted I eat two helping of King Cake during our visit to her home. She also offered us hot cocoa and some chocolates!

Eating King Cake is a tradition that happens once a year in France. It’s a sweet pie of sorts with a ceramic “feve” baked inside. Whomever gets the feve is the king or queen and they get to wear a paper crown that comes with the cake. I won twice during my trip. That means I ate about half or more of a whole King Cake. Heated up slightly, King Cake is a dangerous treat.

Gwenn noted that she could tell what kind of day it was going to be by whether or not I had sugar first thing in the morning. On the days where I ate a fresh crepe (or two) filled with Nutella, I’d be especially interested in sweets the rest of the day. However, after eating crepes with Nutella I started to feel sick and eventually stopped eating them in favor of other sweet things. While at the department store BHV, Gwenn and our friend Claire spotted a huge €40 jar of Nutella for sale! Are you reading Adams peanut butter? As for Nutella, it always made me feel terrible so I’m off that stuff for good.

A little voice in my head started telling me all the things I needed to eat before returning to America. There were aisles of interesting cookies to try at the supermarket. There were things in the bakery and pastry shops. Just as an experiment, I had some French peanut M&Ms—you know, to see if they’re different. We also had McDonald’s French Fries for lunch (also to see if they’re different) and compared them to Quick’s (the France version of McDonald’s) french fries. McDonald’s won the taste test.

In Paris we stayed at a place that offered cafeteria style breakfast. They served Cocoa Puffs cereal and milk in the morning, which I ate along with my croissant and egg. By the third day I had no interest in the croissant and egg but instead wanted a second and third bowl of chocolaty sugar cereal. Things got pretty bad.

We stopped in a small pastry shop and I purchased a chocolate chip cookie. As I was warned, it wasn’t good. Apparently the French don’t do chocolate chip cookies well. While there I also got a single chocolate dipped cookie like in the image above. For the next day and a half I was craving more. After looking all over the city I ended up going back to the same pastry shop and purchasing the box in the image above. As I ate all of them I remembered that my grandparents used to purchase that type of cookie and bring them over on special occasions. What I forgot is that the cookies have some kind of jelly on the inside which gets dry and becomes a tiny sheet of grossness—so I ate around the jelly like I did as a child.

It’s true. The French are serious about their sweets. We went down a tiny street somewhere in Paris and on each side of the road were small sweet shops selling expensive, high end chocolates and snacks. I wonder if Parisians ever eat at those shops of if it’s just tourists who think that paying $2 per macaron in Paris is très romantique. 

In Paris there were many stores that sold sweets of all kinds. Some places (like in the photo of a window display above) had edible chocolate sculptures while other stores had every kind of gourmet chocolate snack you could imagine in bins and for sale by the pound. As a tourist it would be difficult to stay off sweets in Paris.

Physical Reactions

My entire mouth felt odd, as if my taste buds had been numbed. I wasn’t interested in real food but instead sought out more and more chocolate variations. Being in the center of Paris made that easy.

My hands swelled up with temperature changes as I went in warm buildings and out into the cold air. That used to happen to me a lot, especially as a kid. My hands haven’t done that for such a long time that I forgot about it until this trip.

I crashed. We moved a bunch of furniture and household items and I felt weak. Yes, I was jet lagged but I have had enough sugar crashes to know the difference between them and jet lag. Because I was loaded up with sugar, I nearly dropped my half of the washing machine as we were carrying it—not fun.

People’s Reactions

We had dinner with an acquaintance who said she had gone a week without sweets once but felt no physical difference. As for my being tired she said, “That could be anything. It could be jet lag.”

Had I NOT eaten sweets at people’s houses I think they would have been really put off. I don’t eat meat. I don’t drink alcohol. Imagine if I didn’t eat dessert! Only once did I choose to say no and it seemed to offend our hosts. When you can’t understand the spoken language you get keen at listening to body language. So no meat, no drinks, no dessert, and I don’t speak fluent French?!

Consommation

Over the course of two weeks I ate the following sweets:

• Peanut M&Ms
• King Cake
• Chocolate dipped cookies
• Mikado chocolates
• Granola brand chocolate dipped digestive cookies
• McVidie’s brand chocolate dipped digestive cookies
• Crepes with Nutella
• McDonald’s French fries
• Quick French fries
• Lots of chocolate
• Speculoos cookies
• Ice cream
• Chocolate cookies
• Two bites of a brownie
• And more…

Things got pretty bad. I went for a walk alone and secretly purchased a sleeve of McVidie’s chocolate covered digestive cookies and ate them all by myself before getting back to the house. Then I got another sleeve and kept them to be the grande finale of my sweet time in France. However, I just kept going after the finale.

Back on the Wagon

It wasn’t hard to stop being sweet upon my return to Portland. I did however, continue to eat sweets long past when I said I would stop. For instance, we were delayed and put up in a hotel in Newark so I extended my sugar eating to last until the final flight back to Portland. I ate a peanut butter cup, chocolate chip, chocolate dipped cookie in the airport and got another one for the flight. It was way too much and I wasn’t feeling good physically by the time I got home. With my stomach full and my veins coursing with sugar it was easy to make the choice to return to my no sugar lifestyle once I got home.

Roller Coaster

Eating sugar is a little like riding a crazy ride at an amusement park. It’s sort of fun and exciting the first time. The second time is just okay. The third time is too much and the fourth time you start to look forward to going home and getting your feet on the ground. 

Any Regrets?

I don’t regret jumping off the wagon. However, I think I’d have felt better about myself had I stuck to my guns and been writing this blog post about how I did NOT eat sugar in France. While the sweets were good, there was nothing I ate in France that I couldn’t find in America and nothing worth an “I just HAD TO have it” kind of justification.

It would seem to me that the best part about eating sweets in France is simply being in France. From an American standpoint, being in a European city means getting outside of the usual routine and experiencing a different culture. Being on the trip overseas and outside of my everyday should have made my life sweet enough. Next time, I’ll stay off sugar—I think. At least I’m going to try.

There are so many photos of me eating junk food because I kept asking Gwenn to take my picture while eating my “last sweets of the trip,” as if having a photo would stop me from going on to eat the next sweet thing. I wish now that this post had photos of not eating sweets. We’ll just have to go to France again so I can avoid sugar and make up for this entire mistake!

Parlez-vous Sucre? Part 2

(Continued from Part 1)

The start of my trip to France was bittersweet. Gwenn’s French grandmother passed away and Gwenn’s mother was taking care of the final duties that come at the end of a person’s life. As Annie (Gwenn’s mother) stressed, this wasn’t a vacation. For me, however, the trip was enlightening and fascinating. There’s a lot to say about visiting but I am going to focus on the sweet story of sugar.

The idea of eating sugar in France was in the back of my mind when the trip was planned. Being in another country seemed like the perfect way to wrap a restrictive envelope around my debauchery. I’d only eat sugar while in France and would return to my regular sugar-free life when I got back to America. That was the plan.

Before my trip I considered all of my options. I’d only eat sweets once a day, or if they were given to me. Or, I’d only eat the fancy French pastries but would avoid anything else. Or I’d just stay off sugar altogether and keep things simple. Then it happened.

I lasted through the airport temptations and bypassed the metro. It wasn’t until I got to Bubry and was handed a small chocolate by a local shop keeper named Jeannine that I gave in and justified eating it by claiming I was just accepting her hospitality. As you can see from the photo above, it would have been rude to turn down such a gift. Jeannine saw Gwenn grow up so receiving a candy from her made us feel like kids again. I mean, how could I not eat it?

It was a good chocolate, but frankly it was just chocolate. That’s not to negate her kind gesture or the fact that it was good chocolate. I’m saying that it was just chocolate—nothing extraordinary and nothing that couldn’t be found in other parts of the world. I thought perhaps there was some other chocolate in the country that would be more French and of course I’d have to try it to see if there was a difference.

It’s funny. If you go for a long time without chocolate and then eat it, you find that it’s exactly as your remember it being. You think, “Yep, that’s chocolate alright!” Then you’re screwed. It’s not like you can have a tiny piece of random milk chocolate with a dark chocolate center one day and then stop the next. Especially when the store is right there and you have to go in to buy bread in the morning!

...and so began a two week sugar binge disguised as a trip to France.

Continued in Part 3.

Parlez-vous Sucre? Part 1

After making it through the holidays sugar free, I fell off the wagon just two weeks into 2012. Truthfully, it was more like I jumped off!

Two long flights and a bus ride brought me to the Montparnasse metro train station in Paris, France. Hanging high above the crowds of commuters was a series of billboards depicting a sparkly lipped woman holding food in her mouth. It was a campaign for Weight Watchers. (You can see the television commercial version here.)

Gwenn swears that chocolate in France is sooooo much better than in America. Many Americans believe that food is so much better in France in general. I recently read an article where the author complained that he was “ruined for life” because he ate a proper French croissant and would never again be able to eat bread for breakfast in the states without feeling disappointed. Could it be true?

Are chocolates, pastries, breads, breakfasts, and foods in general really better in France? There was only one way to find out!

Continued in Part 2.

Sweet Television

Television is like candy. It’s mindless, distracting, colorful and fun. It’s emotional but always in a way that makes things simple. There’s no nutritional value. There’s nothing bitter about it unless it’s coated with sugar. Look good naked. Get fit quick. Buy this product and you only need to exercise once a month for 20 minutes. Eat this pill and you’ll get smarter if you read the book that comes with it. Put a drop of this liquid under your tongue and you’ll be energized at work, and rich. Do a combination of all of these things and then wash it down with energy drink and they’ll give you an extra pound of happiness putty—a $69 value! Order now and they’ll gift wrap it for $.99.

Television is free, like candy at the bank. If you want the real stuff you need to subscribe. For just $100 per month they’ll give you all the candy you can handle, minus the chocolate. If you want the name brand chocolates you know and love then you’ll have to pay for them. For an extra $40 you’ll get three of your favorite chocolates, but the combination of candy bars you want isn’t available at this time. In order to get the variety of candies you’re asking for you’ll have to go with the triple decker. It’s a great value, only $495 per month. That’s for all you can eat, sent to you at an incredibly fast rate. Installation fee is $29.99. Once the feed is in place you’ll need an intravenous. You can purchase your own at a one time rate of $99 or you can rent one for just $8.99 per month. Act now! Call the 900 number!

Sugar vs. Me: Holiday Edition

I’ve been playing the Sugar vs. Me game for several days now. Since I don’t keep sweets at home I haven’t had a bout with sugar—until last night!

A 2011 Holiday Sugar Challenge support meeting was held at the Zimmerman Community Center yesterday evening. When I arrived there was a nice couple cleaning up the remainder of a birthday party that had just happened there.

Before they left, the woman said, “If you and your group want, I left some chocolate mousse and coffee cake in the refrigerator. Feel free to eat it all. We can’t take it with us.”

I thanked her and they went on their way. Suddenly I was all alone with fresh cake. Yes, I looked at it. Chocolate mousse is one of my favorites! And the coffee cake looked amazing. I didn’t eat any of it.

Sugar 0, Me 1.

Alas, nobody came to the meeting. Who in their right mind would try to avoid sweets during the holidays? I must be a freak.

Candy at the Bank

After my transaction at the bank the other day, the teller offered me a treat. Usually they give out logo imprinted chocolate silver dollars. She had offered the person before me a choice of dark or light chocolate, something that’s never happened before. When I got to the counter I saw that she had a plate of Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses. I made my deposit, declined the candy, and left… reminiscing.

When I was a kid, I got my very first savings account in the bank that used to be in this building. Now it’s a McDonald’s restaurant. There were lush bushes and trees surrounding the place when it was a bank. They’re gone now, ripped out and cut down to increase visibility for the fast food chain.

Every time my mother took me to the bank a teller would give me a lolly pop, just for being a wide-eyed kid. I learned to smile and say “thank you.”

Imagine if more retail outlets gave out candy every time a customer conducted a transaction with them. We’d be happy to refill the fuel tanks in our cars, visit the shoe store, and go to the phone store. And we’d be fatter than we are now.

Four Days of Sweetness 2011: Results & Insights

For the past six years I have abstained from sugar and sweets except for Halloween until November 3rd annually.

Annual results: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

2011 was no different, although the results of my ongoing experiment have definitely evolved. Last year I purchased entirely too many sweets and had trouble finishing them all in four days. This year I got smaller portions—enough to finish in a single sitting. As for ice cream, a gallon ensured that I’d have a bowl a day. Way too much!

What I Ate

- Chocolate Peanut Clusters (bulk)
- Chocolate Chip Cookies (home made)
- Chocolate Chocolate Ice Cream (Mudslide)
- Chocolate Sables Anglais (Cookies)
- Chocolate Mousse (home made)
- A Cupcake (home made)
- Twix, Reeses, $100k Bars, Milky Way, KitKat
- Chocolate Covered Pretzels (bulk)
- Chocolate cake (home made) with ice cream
- Flipz brand Chocolate Covered Pretzels with peanut butter
- Chocolate yogurt (M&Ms, chocolate chips, Reeses topping)
- Pancakes and syrup
- Milkshake (just a bit)

Mission Accomplished

It never fails that each year, days before I allow myself to eat sweets, the idea of consuming sugary junk food seems appealing. Then, as soon as it begins, I’m looking forward to the end. I could stop anytime but for some reason I keep going. The last of my Four Days of Sweetness couldn’t come fast enough. Thankfully that day is today! I’m very much looking forward to starting a new, sugar-free year tomorrow.

In past years there were some leftover snacks that I didn’t finish in time. They stayed in the kitchen uneaten and haunted me. This year I ate everything I set out to eat so there’s nothing tempting me tomorrow. That’s important.

Reactions

Over the past few days my muscles have been tight and it has been hard to focus on small tasks. I felt and still feel terrible. Waking up has been a chore. I have also stayed up later than usual. My energy waned. Walking around had me tired and out of breath. All this in four days of eating mostly nothing but junk all day. To be expected, right? Imagine what a whole month of sweets would do.

Society is Sweet

Lots of people eat junk all day everyday. How do they do it? They don’t know any better. I didn’t. Ten years ago I ate junk all the time and wondered why everything seemed like such a chore. No more! Look around at all the sweeties. Not me.

Goals for 2012

Next year I want to eat less sugar altogether. In fact, I’m going to eat one sweet thing each day of my Four Days of Sweetness and that’s it. Yes, that’s my plan. Four sweet things in 2012. Just watch me! I will also exercise more and learn how to cook. Did I say that last year? Probably. Feels like I did. Sometimes you have to make resolutions several times.

In and Out

There’s a strange thing about abstaining from sweets. Since I’ve given up sugary snacks, a whole world of commercial and consumer goods have become off limits to me. I don’t notice fast food restaurants or signs for snacks while driving. Gas station convenience stores have absolutely zero appeal. Half of the supermarket is of no interest. It’s as if I’ve jumped a fence and stand outside of pop culture. Then, for four days, I climb back in to party with everyone, stop at the store for snacks, and fill my blood with sugar. My money slips out of my pocket and gets replaced by some kind of chocolate confection. Oddly, those around me consume more sweets as well. Then, as quickly as I arrive, I hop the fence and leave. 

Website Facts Website Size (518)
Comments Per Site (1336)
Current Visitors (12)
Largest Serving 111*
Vitamin D 88%
Sugars 0g
*Based on 51894 servings.

Total Categories (6)

• Tips, Tricks, Info & News
• My Personal Journal
• Product Reviews
• Sugar Challenge
• Sweet Stories
• Frequently Asked Questions

Subscribe to RSS

Search this Site

View the Archive

Favorites

• What It Means to SBS
• 20 Ways to Stop...
• 10 Sugar-free Snack Ideas
• Common Trigger Foods
• Get Off Sugar Now
• Keeping Sweets at Home
• Why Avoid Sugar?
• Top 10 Excuses
• Audio Presentation
• Avoid Sugar at Work
• 10 Reasons to Stop
• Saying No to Friends

Join the eMail List

SBS info only, opt out anytime.

INGREDIENTS: DETERMINATION, DESIRE (YOU HAVE TO WANT IT), FUN, WILLPOWER, SELF-WORTH, SUPPORT, CONFIDENCE, EXERCISE.

Sugar Addiction Quiz

Sugarless Links

Twitter Updates

Take the
Sugar
Challenge!