Thanks to everyone who participated in the sugar free charity event to raise money for Haiti.

Our grand total was $1164

Awesome effort everyone!

I won’t put names beside donations, but you can see when your amount is posted.

$754 + $50 + $30 + $10 + $100 + $70 + $150

Keep them coming people!

Firstly, I would like to congratulate everybody on a great effort. I can see big differences in a lot of people.

Your comments on the blog are really inspirational for others, so please keep them coming. If you have got something to share that you think will help others along the way to better health, please post it up for everyone to see.

So just via enrollments, we raised $754 and whilst I am disappointed that people caved during the month, I am super excited to see how much we raised via misdemeanours and sponsors.

Please donate your money, send me the receipt and I will put the tally up for everyone to see.

I hope that from this month you will have made a few changes to your eating habits. Below are the things I would love to see you take away from this month into the future;

Alcohol only on special occasions and no more than once a week

Cakes and sweets only on special occasions and no more than once a week

No sugar in your caffeine

Only multigrain bread

No soft drink ever

Cut right down on white potato

Cut right down on white rice

If you can cover those bases, you are doing alright!

Once again, well done everyone, please post your results and your experience for others to see and get inspired by for next time.

OK guys, we are now into the last week of SUGARFREEFEBRUAREE.

There have only been 2 people making confessions and only 2 people making their praises of the program. I am positive that many of you need to make confessions and many more of you have some great things to say about how you are feeling this month.

So, let’s hear it!

And by all reports, the amount raised for Haiti is growing with all the slip ups I am hearing about.

Good luck with week 4:)

Wow, this sugar free month has flown by, there are only 11 days to go!

As most of you know, I have been on holidays and as such have not been taking part in the sugar free festival. The difference is that I have been living sugar free almost everyday since NOSUGARVEMBER started with the exception of 4 days.

What I noticed when I was on holiday is that I didn’t want sugar as much. I am a self confessed chocolate and donut addict. Our cupboards have been full of chocolate since Christmas and our intention was always to take it on holidays with us to eat. We had a biscuit or two and realised we didn’t actually want it, so we threw them out. Now bear in mind, we were not being strict at all, we gave ourselves free passes to eat whatever we wanted on the holiday, but we actually didn’t want it. About a week into the holiday when the chocolate had just been sitting there staring at us with no desire to eat it, we just threw everything out as it didn’t even taste the same to us anymore. I went to the shop to get some donuts as I have been hanging out for some since my birthday last year and guess what… all that anticipation and I didn’t enjoy them that much. Normally my favourite sweet treat ended up a huge disappointment.

So you’ve just got to stick with it to kick those cravings and habits.

Now since I’ve been back, I have heard many mixed comments, mostly just in passing, but I would love to hear what you have got to say here on the blog so that others can read and might associate with it.

I’ll just tell you some of the comments and make of them what you will.

“I’m struggling big time”

“I have found it really hard and haven’t been as strict as I was in November”

“I’ve lost 5kg’s”

“I didn’t know I couldn’t eat white bread”

“I’m really struggling with the alcohol” and same person “I feel so much better without drinking alcohol”

“I’ve lost another 2kg’s”

“I’m struggling with the alcohol” and same person “I don’t think I want to drink again, I feel so much better, it stops you feeling depressed”

That’s all I can think of at the moment, I am sure there were more though, mostly about how much they are struggling with no alcohol. Is it not scary to think you cannot give up alcohol for 28 days? I haven’t ever harped about alcohol much, but let me just say that alcohol is a toxin in the body. It is really bad for you and it affects your organs and your sanity. If you feel you cannot give it up for 28 days, then you need to give it up for 28 days, for your own sake!

One more thing, I hear a lot about people wanting to eat after dinner and asking what they can eat if they can’t eat dessert. It is not necessary, you just ate dinner! It is a habit that you can get out of.

It is time to take responsibility for your own actions, if you want to lose weight, you have to be a bit uncomfortable. You might have to skip dessert and you will have to drag your butt out of bed in the morning. Far too many people want life handed to them on a platter and they spend their whole lives waiting for it. Good luck if that’s you, you’re best to resign yourself to a life of mediocrity and whinging right now.

Enjoy the next 11 days of sugar freedom and yes, I am back on the sugar free wagon now too:)

Well we are into Day 2 of sugar free February. We have got 29 people enrolled. We have raised $754 so far for the Haiti Earthquake appeal and I am hoping we can crack the $1000 mark with sponsors or late enrolments.

I am really excited you have all decided to kick the “white death” for a month to see how it feels.

What I want you to achieve out of this month is seeing how much sugar you would normally consume and seeing how you feel when you don’t have it.

It is not a crack pot diet that I want you to all starve yourself. Take a look at the meal plan, it is only a suggestion, but it is a healthy eating plan, so please don’t come to me telling me you just ate roast beef all day because you didn’t know what else to eat!

Avoid sweetening your food with any other type of sweeteners natural or artificial, that will hardly help with your tastebuds.

Don’t find ways to justify having sugar, it is just a major cop-out. For example, having a beer when you finish an adventure race…..

After this month, I am not expecting everyone to give up sugar for ever, but hopefully your tastebuds will have changed a little, you will see that you feel better and weight less, so it might encourage you to cut right back on it and only have it at special moments.

Good luck everyone, like I said, I am super excited, so stay focussed, eat healthy and be happy.

Here is the enrolment list, but it is not too late to join…

Adam M, Tori E, Jo J, Kirsty D, Tim S, Deb M, Kelly P, Jovana P, Kate H, Finn C, Damian A, Monika P, Jess C, Emma H, Danny C, Rachel C, Luke C, Abbey M, Louise W, Cass K, Darrin P, Leonie, Genevieve S, Louise G, Kristin R, Greg D, Kim H, Jane S, Sheena C

Here’s a few things that work for me on the go or at work.

Firstly, plan ahead. Take food from home or at the very least know in advance exactly what you are going to buy for lunch. Don’t just wander aimlessly into the food court and hope that the salad is more appealing than the meat pie, because I’ve got news for you!

Takeaway is expensive, make your lunch at home!

Check out this quick and easy salad to have for lunch or dinner – Yummy Salad

If you get breakfast at work, try poaching your eggs in the microwave – I put boiling water into a cereal bowl, crack in 2 eggs and put in the microwave for 1min 15 seconds. Drain off the water and eat.

Breakfast in the car, bus or train on the way to work – Protein shake bircher muesli – I mix up a berry protein shake and add my serving of rolled oats. Leave over night and drink it down on the way to work.

Always have a packet of almonds in your drawer at work for a snack with an apple.

Sanitarium natural peanut butter is ok spread on crackers. All others have sugar and oil added.

If you have any tips of your own, please share them with us.

I make this salad to serve with any protein accompaniment. It is so easy to make at work, you just wash all the ingredients and throw them in a bowl with the dressing of your choice. No chopping or cooking required.

3 in 1 sprout mix from the fruit and veg shop – It has alfalfa sprouts, snow pea sprouts and mung beans. The brand I get is “Belmore Bean” and it is called “3 in 1 combo”. Chuck in as many as you like of each type.

Grape tomatoes – The tiny ones at the moment are so sweet and juicy. I use about half a punnet for myself per serve.

Baby spinach – As much as you want, the stuff is so good for you.

That’s it, wash it, dress it, eat it with your accompaniment.

The following food plan is an example of what you can eat and be considerably reducing your sugar intake. Whilst you can follow is exactly if you want, you don’t have to, it is merely some suggestions. You can tweak it to suit your own tastes and goals.

So the list of names has started and I’m sure it will grow! As will the money raised which is currently $754. Don’t forget to get some sponsors!

Adam M

Tori E

Jo J

Kirsty D

Tim S

Deb M

Kelly P

Jovana P

Kate H

Finn C

Damian A

Monika P

Jess C

Emma H

Danny C

Rachel C

Luke C

Abbey M

Louise W

Cass K

Darrin P

Leonie

Genevieve S

Louise G

Kristin R

Greg D

Sheena C