What is on my "No" List

Folks who know about the 2 Week Sugar Challenge (see previous post), have been asking, “Are you cutting out refined sugars? All sugars? Is this like South Beach? etc.”  Good questions.  I think it’s essential to get super clear about what my intention is in the 2 week challenge as well as what I will and will not be eating.  I just do better with black and white when it comes to making a new change. 

For me the purpose of this experiment is to see if I can shift a pattern that I have fallen into, which is using sugar to be good to myself, to treat myself.  I want to break that connection, so taking care of myself is happening without sweets.  I believe this will give me some practice at letting sugar just be sugar again, and that it will lose it’s power once I have had the more authentic and fulfilling experience of having my needs be met, instead of using sweets as a concession.  

Now, I never mentioned giving up the taste of sweet.  This has nothing to do with deprivation, in fact the opposite!  I want to feel full and satisfied, AND I want to practice filling up on things that I miss in my life, not with sugar and treats as I have been doing. 

All of this to say, what feels important here is to give up the stuff that I am likely to use (abuse?) as a “treat.”  For me this is food containing refined sugars.  I have never mis-used foods sweetened with alternative sweeteners like maple syrup or agave so I will continue to invite those in. Sweet, like salty and sour, are part of the five tastes and my Chinese Medicine background tells me that cutting the taste of sweet out entirely (including fruits, sweet veggies like sweet potatoes and carrots, etc) will create monster cravings.   More on this topic later this week. 

So, for me:
Yes to naturally occurring sweeteners (maple syrup, stevia, agave nectar and honey)
No thanks to refined sugar from cane sugar, or corn syrup
And no thanks to artificial sweeteners too (more on this later)

If you are trying to decide for yourself what sugars are ok for you in such a challenge I would encourage you to consider why you are giving up sugar?  Also, what types of sugar and sweet flavors will go on your yes list and your no list?