Kicking the sugar habit

I read an article a couple months back about the negative effects of sugar. It made me so sad because I am such a sweet tooth. I love sweets. When it comes to them, I have no self-control. None. So naturally, I ignored the article.

It kept coming up in my mind though. Each time I picked up a sweet, it whispered to me, "you eat this and you know what it'll do to your body." After the knowledge of sugar's death trap haunted me for a while, I decided I would try to give up sugar for a while and see how it made me feel.

So, this month, I am starting slowly. I'm giving up sweets--cookies, cake, ice cream, candy, flavored drinks, and all that refined sugar in all its glory.

Next month, I'm giving up all sugar...so, I won't eat anything with sugar in it (basically all carbs too). I've been waiting to do this because we haven't had fresh veggies for the winter, but now as summer approaches, veggies are literally flowing in our household. <---- This is due to the fact that my sweet in-laws work at a Farmer's Market and get us fresh veggies weekly for free. Last summer, we basically became vegetarians, but not on purpose; we just had so many veggies and couldn't eat them quick enough. Anyway, because of this, I have no excuse to not eat healthy the next several months.

I am also starting a food journal. I was reading a blog about giving up sugar and the writer encouraged people to write down what they eat and how they feel after they eat it. I took to that right away, because I feel so crappy and bogged down so often after a meal. I am so excited for the next two months. I think this will be a great challenge and fabulous change for my health, which will hopefully lead to long-lasting change in my eating habits.

As I enter this challenge, I think of why God made food. He made it to nourish our bodies, to give us energy, to enjoy it and glorify Him in eating it. I have been abusing food for too long and I'm finally seeing and feeling its effects now. I want to be energized when I eat, not feeling like a nap is imperative. I want my baby belly to go away (I mean, for the love, it's been a year and a half). I want to be healthy. This is the only body that God has given me and I want to steward it well. Happy eating, everyone! I hope this is an encouragement to all.