It's a very slow process - two steps forward, one step back - but I'm inching in the right direction. - Rob Reiner

May 03, 2011

More Madness....May Madness

If you were following me then, you probably recall that I did Michael's March Madness Vegetarian Challenge.  I went 30 days with no meat.  It went so well I have virtually given up meat.  I have eaten it a few times since March, but I could count it on one hand.  So I've decided to try a new challenge.



I mentioned this in my blog last week, but I was afraid if I didn't dedicate a blog post to it I wouldn't do it.  Accountability you know.  So, May is going to be Michael's Sugar Free Challenge.  Yikes.....SUGAR FREE for a month.  This will be much, much harder than giving up meat, but I hope it has the same affect.  I need to get over my obsession with sweets.  Seriously, my name is Michael and I am a Chocoholic, Sugaroholic, Sweetoholic...you name it - if it has sugar in it I want it.  I can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This means.....no Starbucks......no afternoon pack of M&Ms or whatever.....no CRAP.  I can do it!  I am also eliminating sugar substitutes.  No reason to go packing myself full of chemicals to try to fill the gap.  So that means no soda.  I'm starting to waiver here.  This will be difficult.  But I CAN DO IT!!  Wish me luck guys!  This may be one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Additional info:  After a few blog questions I thought I should add this information.  I am not eliminating natural sugars - like those in fruit.  I am only trying to cut out the stuff that is unhealthy for me - fruit is obviously very healthy.  Also, I am going to try to knock out added sugars that appear in many breads, etc. but I am not going to go overboard trying to dissect every single ingredient in everything I eat.  I just really want to focus on cutting out alot of the crap in my diet.

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If anyone is interested I posted a few additional OKC race photos on Facebook.  Here's the link.

And in case you missed it, you can read my OKC Half Marathon recap here.

You can also read Jim's race recap here.  He gives alot more details than me and it's a bit more positive :)  He also has alot of the Facebook pics.

19 comments:

  1. What great pictures from OKC. I had wanted to go and do some of that but my brother needed to stay off his feet. But next year I will be back and taking great pics!

    Good luck with your new challenge. I am impressed by your willingness to give up sweets. I think I would go crazy!!!! So you go girl!

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  2. I need to jump on board with you for this one but don't think I could do it. Sad but true... Maybe when I am feeling more mentally stable, ha ha.

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  3. Does that include fruit??? This is a tough one, good luck

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  4. Wow! You are a bold woman! Are you going to give up breads that have sugar and pasta sauces and all that too? Or just sweets with sugar?

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  5. YOU CAN DO IT!!! In fact, I'm considering doing it with you...as a show of solidarity. Considering...And, I think it's GREAT that you've decided not to substitute with artificial sweeteners. I'm really glad you mentioned that. I, personally, think the artificial stuff is worse for you than the real thing. I've been thinking a lot about this sugar thing lately. Maybe this is a sign. And, I'm curious about the same question Big Daddy Diesel posed--will you be cutting out things with natural sugars or just those with added processed sugar? GOOD LUCK!!

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  6. oh my gosh, you people are killing me... I keep thinking about giving up sugar and here you are throwing down challenges. I'm just afraid it woudl lead me to like dive in to a vat of sugar after a few days

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  7. To answer some of your questions I added some additional info to the blog post - but no I am not cutting out fruits - only added sugars, but not those naturally occuring.

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  8. Oh my goodness. I agree with amanda. When you get this accomplished I want to know how you got threw all the cravings. I so would love to give up sugar and sweet items. Good Luck I know you can do this.

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  9. I wouldn't survive without sugar! Especially in my Sweet Tea in the mornings. If I didn't have that I don't think anyone else would survive either. : )
    GOOD LUCK!

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  10. Cutting out excess sugar will make a huge difference!

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  11. Awe baby you could never be completely sugar free, you're much too sweet!

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  12. I've been thinking about this challenge since you mentioned in your post last week. My chocolate habit has gotten out of control. So I am in with you on this challenge. Going to be tough but know I can do it. Just posted about your challenge.

    http://runningformore.blogspot.com/2011/05/taking-on-challenge.html

    Sugar Free!!!

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  13. Good luck! As the poster of Humpastry Day recipes..I could never do this challenge! :)

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  14. Wow Michael! I am way impressed with your no sugar month of May! I can't wait to follow along as the month progresses. Maybe if you love how it makes you feel and the results it will inspire me to try! I've really got to be more diligent about the mindless eating of chocolate and sweets in the afternoon..."oh look, a cookie!"

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  15. Whoa!! Good luck! Eeks. I did no m&m's for a month... That was hard enough (and of course I subbed other chocolate in it's place haha)

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  16. If you can pull off sugar free you must have amazing willpower! I just finish a soda free time period and loved it! Good Luck

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  17. Sugar Free.....I envision that as me pouring pineapple on EVERYTHING and having McDonalds Sweet Tea withdrawal where I'm mean to everyone for like 2 weeks!

    I have more faith in you than I do myself! AND AND AND I bet you're gonna feel great from the inside out! Looking forward to hearing how it'll go!

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  18. Michael, good for you! I have entirely elimated refined sugars in the past for long periods of time, but have, regretfully, "fallen off of the band wagon." You've motivated me to eliminate sugar again! I felt *so* good once I got past those first few days/weeks of withdrawl! LOL!

    If you want some added motivation/inspiration, check out the following video and article here... wow! http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/02/is-sugar-toxic.aspx

    Good job in OK! It is definitely about more than PRing. Your perseverance in spite of feeling so rotten was fabulous! (I think I might have opted for a day in the hotel room if I had a cold and it was 40s and raining for the race!)

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  19. I've been thinking about no sugar too and hadn't realized that would be Starbucks. I think I want to give it a go starting on Monday. It'll be tough.

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