In the interest of Making it My Best Year, I chose to give up sugar for the month of January and replace it with more fruits and veggies. I planned in a few days that I knew I would have a treat (like my trip to Nashville for Influence Conference!), and gave myself grace instead of feeling guilty over a few other sugar indulgences sprinkled throughout the month. BUT overall I would say that it was pretty successful! The first two weeks went well and could definitely tell a difference immediately in my energy level and mood. I was a little worried that I would crave sugar again after having a few treats in Nashville, but I didn’t. I feel much better having kicked the sugar craving! Instead I found myself craving healthy sugars in fruits and wanting to eat veggies. Weirdly awesome. The week following my trip was harder to get my fruits and veggies in because I had been gone and didn’t get to the store, but I did not have the temptation to eat junk because I wasn’t craving it AND there was none in the house anyway!
What went well:
- replacing sugary snacks with a healthy option (foods of substance rather than shadow foods as Alisa Keeton would say)
- purchasing and prepping fresh fruits and veggies every 1-2 weeks
- removing all the junk from the house
Lessons learned:
- It’s alot harder to stay on track with I haven’t done the prep work.
- I wasn’t just physically addicted to the sugar – it was emotional too. I found myself breaking the craving by the end of week 1. However, every time I had a bad day or my husband got called out to work again I found myself wanting to turn to junk in order to deal. I’m still working through that and believe God has freedom for me! I just have to live it out. Having healthy options as well as starting to make a list or verses/taking time to pray is helping.
Going forward:
- I will be more mindful of labels and what is in my food. I didn’t go completely sugar free but I became alot more aware of how much sugar is in different foods and how to avoid what I can.
- I will limit the junk that we keep at home as much as possible. I love to bake, so I will be more proactive about only buying for a baking spree and then GIVING the goodies away instead of keeping them at home to just mindlessly snack on.
- I will limit my sugary coffee beverages to one a week. I’m positive this will help my budget as well. 😉
For the month of February, I’m taking out TV time and adding in reading from my book list! I think I’m more excited and nervous about this one than I was about how my body would respond to no more sugar! (I was thinking headaches and mood swings!) I chose to give up TV because I have felt myself starting to use Netflix as a way to avoid dealing with things. I would get home from work and turn on a show because I knew my husband was away working. Instead of just playing with Logan, I’d half-heartedly play and watch TV. Instead of cleaning or cooking, I’d binge a show. I don’t want to be that girl! I want to give my time and energy to legacy-building things. I want to live on purpose. I also LOVE to read, so this will get me into all the books I’ve been saving up for “someday.”
There are so many more on my wishlist (Like Make It Happy by Lara Casey!), but I figured I should read what I had before I got more. HA! I also plan on checking out some fiction from the library for some lighter (read: no processing required) reading.
The books I chose for this month are:
Confessions of a Raging Perfectionist: Learning to Be Free
Hope Unfolding: Grace-Filled Truth for the Momma’s Heart
Love Unending: Rediscovering Your Marriage in the Midst of Motherhood
The Power of a Praying® Wife
The Power of a Praying® Parent
The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming
The Princess Diarist
The Magnolia Story
The Wonder Weeks: How to Stimulate Your Baby’s Mental Development and Help Him Turn His 10 Predictable, Great, Fussy Phases into Magical Leaps Forward
Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs
Love and Respect Workbook: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs
Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely
Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely, Study Guide
Wild and Free: A Hope-Filled Anthem for the Woman Who Feels She is Both Too Much and Never Enough
(Not pictured is Wild and Free by Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan ... because I’m pulling a Rory Gilmore and it’s always in my bag.)
I sat down with my monthly worksheet and thought out what it would look like in real life. (Get your free worksheet here!)
Hangups: TV at work, Long nights and weekends home alone with Logan, Too Quiet, Habit, YouTube on my phone
Setting myself up for success: Plan activities with Logan, log out of everything, have books and journals ready, create my Bible study basket, create a cozy environment (hot beverages and a candle!), Music and playlists ready, make a list of things I “never” have time to do
Planning for rest: movie date nights with Josh
Accountability: Logging out of everything on all devices and checking in with hubby
If you haven’t downloaded your free 6 month worksheet, go do that now! It’s never too late to make a change and begin the journey toward your best self!
I’m really excited to see what I find time for by cutting this bad habit! Are you replacing a bad habit with a good one this month? I’d love to hear about it! Come find me on Instagram so I can follow your journey as well!
Here’s to making it our best year yet!