August 21, 2021 Day 38   Because I’ve made my sugar free year so public, my friends have my back.  Thank you, friends for reminding me that there might be hidden sugars in the beet salad you ordered that I wanted to taste!   When I look at what I’m doing through other’s eyes, it seems that I’m a bit obsessive and I guess this challenge is somewhat extreme.  But I’m still glad I am doing it for the experience.  If I were not committed to writing about it every day and posting, and without my family and friends keep me on track, I wouldn’t be able to stay sugar free. Read More

August 20, 2021 Day 37   I’m planning a brunch for this Sunday, so yesterday I ran out to the grocery and liquor stores in between calls and meetings for things I needed to serve. I’m making quinoa and spinach egg cups, potatoes and peppers, fruit salad, and the rest is off limits for me.  We’ll serve bagels with lox, croissants, and zucchini bread (all containing added sugar). To drink I’ll make peppermint iced tea, sparkling water with lemon, and coffee. Oh, and mimosas, but not for me. I plan to have my sugar free drink in a wine glass!    Read More

August 19, 2021 Day 36   My mood and energy were pretty good yesterday.  I drank my usual green smoothie that I’d prepared Tuesday afternoon even after learning Tuesday night about how protein isolates are made. A hexane (byproduct of gasoline and a neurotoxin) bath is used to separate the protein from the fats and carbohydrates. I immediately started researching this new information to learn more. Read More

August 18, 2021 Day 36   My no added sugar meals went fine yesterday, but in the afternoon, I had trouble concentrating. I don’t know if I was bored with the work I was doing or what was going on. I kept taking breaks from my desk to prep dinner, fold some laundry, bring in the garbage can, all thing that needed to get done, but I’m grateful they were there to help me with my lack of concentration and focus.  Around 5:00 pm I decided to stop and meditate and felt so much more relaxed, and calm.  Here’s the 17-minute guided meditation I followed if you’d like to try it. Read More

August 17, 2021 Day 35   Wow 35 days.  For some reason, this just got harder.  Maybe it’s that initial excitement about starting and doing something new, but then it fades.  That’s me for sure.  I get excited about new projects and then sometimes lose momentum. It’s ironic too because I am always encouraging clients to make small steps and then work on consistency until it is no longer a challenge. And when you falter, it’s okay, reflect on the behavior, the cause, and try something else.  My clients know I always talk about breaking the behavior chain way up at the start of the chain, so you don’t get too far down the wrong road.   Read More

August 16, 2021
Day 34
 
We are back home safe and sound after ten days of being away with only 1 ½ days in between to unpack and repack.  After traveling in the car, it was great to get into the garden yesterday afternoon to stretch and bend and weed and prune, and water and clean up after ten days of neglect.
 
Dinner was Chinese takeout (no sauce for me) which gave me time to make a meal plan and grocery list for the week, clean out the fridge with any old left overs, and prepare my morning green smoothie with fresh fruit, spinach, ginger, pea protein, turmeric, etc.  I feel organized for the week ahead after being away and carefree.
 
I’m so grateful to my brother and sister-in-law for helping with my sugar free weekend.  They even packed lunch for us for the trip back home including chicken salad with Primal Kitchen mayonnaise containing avocado oil and no sugar.  I was impressed that my SIL found it, bought it and made it for us. I have the same brand in my fridge too.
 
Back to work today, and I’ll squeeze in the grocery shopping and some cooking too.
 
#Mealprep
#PrimalKitchenmayo
#mysugarfreeyear
#sugarfree
#healthcoachmaryellen
#sugarfreediet
#nutrition
#sugarfreestyle
#sugarfreelife
#nosugaraddedlifestyle
#nosugaradded
#sugaraddict
#healthcoach

August 15, 2021
Day 33
 
After a very relaxing and needed weekend away in the “wilderness” we are headed back home to reality.  It was a great escape.  We smiled, laughed, hugged, told lots of stories, swam in the lake, and had the wind in our hair.  Thank you, Melissa and John.  You two live in paradise.
 
Yesterday we took the boat to a marina with a great restaurant on site.  Over a dozen beers on tap, and seating right on the lake. The only thing I could pick apart on the menu with no hidden sugar was a grilled chicken over greens, and oil and vinegar on the side.  Of course, the salad had boxed croutons on top which were easily removed. I have a feeling I’ll be eating a lot of grilled protein on greens when going out to eat this year.  It’s okay, except I wanted more food so I picked on my brothers’ homemade potato chips from his sandwich plate – well no sugar at least. 
 
Last night John and Melissa treated us to rib eye steaks from a local butcher.  When way up here in the Daks, there’s a good chance the butcher knew his animal. I’m not a big beef eater, but I don’t turn it away when it is high quality and so local like this.  
 
Satisfied and renewed by the land and sea (well lake). 
 
Homeward bound.  See you soon.
 
#adirondaklife
#pontoonboatlife
#lakechamplain
#localbeef
#lakechampainliving
#mysugarfreeyear
#sugarfree
#healthcoachmaryellen
#sugarfreediet
#nutrition
#sugarfreestyle
#sugarfreelife
#nosugaraddedlifestyle
#nosugaradded
#healthcoach
 
 

August 14, 2021
Day 32
 
We had a beautiful drive up to the High Peaks to visit my brother and sister-in-law yesterday and were swept off for a boat ride and swim in Lake Champlain.  They were so accommodating with fruit for the boat, then chicken fajitas, and homemade guacamole and salsa for dinner with no sugar in sight.
 
It’s been just over a month since I started this no sugar adventure.  Maybe it’s the mountain air, or being away and on vacation but here are somethings I’ve noticed.
 
·      I feel more grounded (remember sugar is yin, light and spacey)
·      I feel like I am more aware and think more clearly. Noticing is enhanced. 
·      I’m no more intelligent, or have enhanced recall, but I wonder how my brain looks.  Do you know about Dr. Daniel Amen and his brain scans? Reading his work for years was part of what prompted me on this journey. 
·      I’ve lost eight pounds, and my clothes feel normal again.  They were getting snug.
·      I’m waking up earlier, more consistently, after a solid 7-8 hours of sleep.  As a result, I can (more consistently) fit in a morning exercise routine before work. 
 
This morning the Shamrock Inn of the Adirondacks (formerly the Shamrock Motel, rebranding catering to the down staters) was serving freshly baked muffins on the back porch which of course I avoided.  I had some fruit in the room that I’d brought with me in my handy cooler. We’d also arranged for breakfast with my brother and his wife at their home later in the morning.  Eggs, fruit, and coffee – no sugar!  After a morning rain, we’ll take the boat out again and have lunch at the Marina.  
 
Have a great Saturday.
 
#clarity
#mysugarfreeyear
#sugar
#sugarfree
#healthcoachmaryellen
#sugarfreediet
#nutrition
#sugarfreestyle
#sugarfreelife
#nosugaraddedlifestyle
#nosugaradded
#energy
#healthcoach

August 13, 2021
Day 31
 
It was great to be home, get lots of work done, cook, and get ready for another trip this weekend to visit my brother and sister-in-law in the Adirondaks.  We’re leaving this morning with the Boonton bagels they love, and lunch for the car as there really are no places to stop on the Northway. Traveling with my cooler once again!
 
Last night’s dinner was corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, broccoli, and steak for the boys.  I took out a salmon burger for myself and then realized I’d better check the ingredient label – no sugar!
 
Stay cool.  Happy Friday!
 
#salmonburger
#mysugarfreeyear
#sugar
#sugarfree
#healthcoachmaryellen
#sugarfreediet
#nutrition
#sugarfreestyle
#sugarfreelife
#nosugaraddedlifestyle
#nosugaradded
#sugaraddict
#sugaraddiction
#healthcoach
 

August 12, 2021
Day 30
 
Wow – Day 30 – one month.  It's been a wild ride.  I’ve tried to be positive and educational, but I also have to admit that I had some sugar while visiting and celebrating with family. I feel like sugar free is a great goal, but am getting comments and other ideas which makes it hard.
 
“You can't deprive yourself.”
 
“You’ve got to live a little.”
 
“Everything in moderation.”
 
When I got home yesterday afternoon my son was telling me he just finished “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.  We discussed it, along with a new book he started “Making it Stick”, about how we learn. I’m so pleased he is interested in self-improvement too.  And I just started a new graduate level (no credit) Yale University course on Coursera about Health Behavior Change to brush up on the latest research. In the first lesson, the professor talked about The Health-Belief Model with behavior change.  We know what to do, but don’t do it, why?  It’s all about personal opportunity cost.  We are most motivated by things that are happening here and now, not 10, 20, 30 years from now. Our behaviors and values have to be aligned to help create change.
 
I love to think about the ripple effect of change.  As a visual, one drop in a basin of water can cause ripple effects on the pool of water.  Just like one small change, consistently done over time, can cause a new habit and lifestyle change for the better or, as my son pointed out, for the worse. 
 
I’m still committed to my sugar free year.  One month in and 11 to go! Thank you to those who are cheering me on.  
 
#rippleeffect
#behaviorchange
#mysugarfreeyear
#sugar
#sugarfree
#healthcoachmaryellen
#nutrition
#sugarfreelife
#nosugaraddedlifestyle
#sugaraddict
#sugaraddiction