Sugar-Free Me

Hello again, peeps.  Hope all my U.S. readers had a fun and safe 4th of July weekend.  I know I did!  We spent Saturday with family who lives on a lake.  There was lots of good company and fun in the sun.

I know I've been MIA for a while.  I have had no energy for what seems like months.  And my weight-loss efforts have been just about nil for several weeks, maybe two or three months.  I've been coming to terms with the fact that while my health is good, for several reasons I am heavily predisposed to developing diabetes.  And with my weight slowly creeping up again and my 39th birthday on the horizon, I knew it was time to make some serious decisions about doing what I can to avoid this disease. 

So after doing some research, talking to my doctor and saying goodbye to white bread and refined sugar, I've gone sugar-free and low-carbohydrate.  I'm 14 days in to this new way of eating, and I'm still alive.  Who knew? 

With the exception of yesterday and today, because I've experienced some challenges while travelling over the holiday weekend and have been very tired because of not sticking to the food-plan... except for the last couple days I have felt great!  I've had no cravings, and so much more energy.  I wake up before my alarm clock goes off and am ready for my day.  I don't have energy highs and lows.  I no longer get sleepy mid-afternoon; I just start getting a little tired in the early evening and become steadily more tired until bedtime. 

I've avoided bread, potatoes, pasta and rice.  I'm eating alot more salad and vegetables.  I've fallen in love with raw zucchini, which is much better than the way I've always had it, cooked.  It has a fresh, delicate flavor and if my stomach is upset, raw zucchini is just the ticket to soothe it... way better than saltines, and I never would have discovered that if I hadn't turned over my new sugar-free, low-carb leaf.

Besides the zucchini, I've found some other good substitutions.  Many low-carb websites recommend using portobella mushroom caps as a base for pizza, so I gave it a try.  I used a very low-sugar pizza sauce, turkey pepperoni and some mozzarella on the olive-oil brushed bella cap, and it was fab!  Not quite the finger food that pizza on a crust is, but I eat my pizza with a fork anyway.  And I've rediscovered the peppery crunch of celery sticks, and the mild sweetness of raw broccoli.  Much better than cooked broccoli!

So that's where I'm at and what I'm doing.  I've lost a few pounds but it's probably just water-weight.  I'm thinking this week I may put my new found energy to work at the gym.  We'll see.

Have a fab week!