Today is day 7 of no sugar or flour.

In the past, when I’ve given up sugar, this means giving up all sweet processed foods too. However, I would sometimes eat savoury bread products or flour-based foods so long as there was no sugar in it. I’ve been reading a lot and watching videos and posting in a support group these last few weeks and it had become clear to me that I also need to give up flour. Even when I’m off the sugar, if I have some savoury flour product it just makes me feel bloated and heavy and I’d get heartburn sometimes too. So it’s not adding value to my life.

So in a bid to set myself up for success, I’ve quit them both. It’s been a tough week in terms of the fact I live about 100 yards from a local café that does the best cakes (and yes, they’re open for takeaway), but so far I’ve managed to resist. I have nothing in the house that would tempt me which helps, and when I go for a walk, I don’t take any money/debit card so I’m not open to temptation.

I’ve had mild headaches and cravings haven’t been too bad, but I feel permanently hungry. I know that will pass. I’ve managed to go for a walk every day for the last week too, and that’s helped a lot. I’ve walked over 15 miles which isn’t much in a week for most folk but it was 15 miles more than normal so that’s good. I’ve felt pretty tired too, and without a lot of energy, but that will pass.

So far so good, but it’s a long road ahead. When my mind tells me I’m being ridiculous and ‘it’s just a piece of cake/pastry/biscuit’ or whatever, I remember that I’ve been overweight my whole adult life because of this addiction. Years of secret eating since I was young have taken their toll. I remember that diabetes is always a threat, and obesity leads to heart disease, that Covid-19 can be particularly threatening to the obese, that Alzheimer’s is rapidly becoming known as Type 3 diabetes and may be linked to high insulin levels. I also remember that all these foods that I’ve never managed to stay away from all these years have little nutritional value, so I’m not missing out by not eating them. On the contrary, I have a lot to gain by sticking to the plan.

I’ve been here before though, so no chickens are being counted. I shall continue to take it day-by-day.