@jesse1354 I know a lot of people find that completely cutting things out is “too restrictive,” but everyone functions differently. I personally find that the more carbs I consume, the more I want them and crave them. They make me grouchy and hungry all the time. Because of this, I tend to eat very low carb, and it works well for me. I avoid sugar almost altogether and it helps with my skin, weight, mood, cognition, etc.
The first few days are kind of miserable for me. Especially because it makes you realize that there’s ALWAYS an excuse to grab a carb heavy treat. It seems like someone at the office is always celebrating good news, or a birthday, or we have patients that bring in treats to show their appreciation. For the first week, it can be really hard to just say no. But once you start doing it, it’s not bad really, and soon it stops being a struggle and just starts being a lifestyle choice.
The other day I brought in cupcakes for a coworker celebrating a big accomplishment. I didn’t even have one. To be honest, I didn’t care to. And at this point everyone knows I’m not eating sugar and doesn’t bother me about having “just a bite” or “just trying one.” If I have just half of one, I slide right back into my old habits. That may sound “restrictive,” but I know myself and it awakens this little sugar monster inside of me.
When I am really craving something sweet, I don’t deprive myself. I will bake some low carb friendly cookies or treats. Sometimes I grab a Lily’s chocolate bar which are fairly low carb and absolutely delicious. There are lots of options.
Also, on days where I’m just really hungry and want to eat, I do that. Low carb/no sugar doesn’t mean low calorie. Sometimes I just eat, because I want to and it’s that time of the month and I need a lot of food. So I give myself room for that. I still avoid sugary treats and make low carb substitutions, but I don’t deprive myself of food in any way.