Dinosaur Cake

Sugar Free Me - 6 months now!

Here's what I have learned about being "sugar free" for the past 6 months:

1. Some days are easier than others.

2. Most days are still VERY difficult.

3. Most days are very difficult even though the sugar should technically be processed out of my system (according to what articles say).

4. I am a hard-core addict to sugar and chocolate - I knew this before I gave it up.

5. By giving up precessed sugars and chocolate I gave up around 1,500 calories PER DAY.

6. I thought I would lose weight by giving up so much sugar - but I have only lost about 10 pounds.

7. I reached the 10 pound mark by Christmas and have not lost weight in the past 2 months.

8. In all those tips you read about giving up sugar, they say that you should start small, by giving up a small designated goal then work up to the next level.

9. I quit COLD TURKEY.

10. For me, cold turkey is the ONLY way to go.

11. I have minimal self control and by allowing myself just one piece per day (as suggested) end up in complete failure.

12. When it comes to sugar and chocolate, there is no satisfaction in eating and having some.

13. When it comes to me and sugar/chocolate the satisfaction comes in FINISHING the pan.

14. Honestly, it takes nothing out of me to eat an entire pan of brownies, or an entire carton of ice cream BY MY SELF. I did it all.the.time.

15. By giving up sugars, I also have increased my FRESH vegetable and fruit intake.

16. I have also increased me sleep- I go to bed earlier and wake up earlier, instead staying up till 1+ in the morning.

17. I also, on the same day I gave up sugar, started going to bed earlier and started taking a multivitamin.

18. With all of these changes I thought I would be less tired/groggy.

19. I feel just as tired and groggy 2/3 of the days.

20. I am a little less grumpy .

21. But really, just a little less grumpy!

22. I gave up ice cream too.

23. Ice cream has less sugar than yogurt. 2

4. Really, Ice cream has less sugar than yogurt (and jello)!

25. But yogurt has less fat than ice cream. 26. In giving up sugars I did not pay much attention t

o giving up FATS.

27. But I still didn't eat ice cream.

28. At times I would eat a treat if it was SUGAR FREE.

29. I usually only did this on extremely desperate days.

30. The calories in sugar free treats are really only about 1/4-1/3 less than a regular sugar treat.

31. I didn't lean toward sugar free things as a substitute because it isn't just giving up the sugar habit that I needed.

32. Beside a sugar habit, I need to give up my binging, eating empty calories, and pure 100% GLUTTON.

33. By giving up sugars I thought it would change me - but I didn't fully realize the life change that was necessary.

34. I find myself BORED a lot now.

35. I used to fill my time with baking and eating junk.

36. If I was bored, I would bake and eat it, if I was waiting I would eat, etc.

37. Now, since I don't eat it I don't even want to make it.

38. I used to LIVE in the kitchen. I filled my time baking and cooking.

39. By staying out of the kitchen, I find that I don't have many hobbies!!

40. By eating more fruits and vegetables I found that I use food storage much less than before.

41. My hobbies used to be cooking, baking, food storage, and bargain shopping for food.

42. Just by giving up eating sugar, the hobbies in #41 are now a distraction, a temptation, and obsolete most times.

43. Some days are more difficult than others.

44. I have given myself a break once in a while.

45. One day over Christmas break I allowed myself to eat anything I wanted. On Thanksgiving I had 2 pieces of pie.

46. I ate a lot that day on Christmas break.

47. When I do allow myself a break, I find that after tasting the goodie, it ends up being a sort of disappointment.

48. My tastes have definitely changed. The things I used to eat are not as good as they used to be.

49. I have a geographical tongue.

50. My tongues used to act up A LOT and be cankery painful very often.

51. When I was eating sugar, I never ate fruit.

52. Fruit has always been VERY sour on my tongue and I don't enjoy it.

53. Giving up sugar has changed my tongue reactions.

54. I can eat fruit now. It actually tastes good, isn't sour, and doesn't bother my tongue (as much).

55. Fruit isn't sour and it isn't even summer when fruits are sweet! This has all happened over mostly winter months where fruit is not at it's most desirable state!

56. I have not focused on lowering my FAT intake, but I certainly haven't over compensated by eating foods higher in fat, Or more fatty foods.

57. Now that I am sugar free I am amazed at how much sugar is in EVERYTHING we eat and buy!

58. After giving it up and seeing such minimal changes within myself, I struggle to believe that excessive sugar can be bad for everyone.

59. Yes, I have seen people with big problems due to sugar but it seems to NOT be a problem with majorities of people IN MY CIRCLE OF ACQUAINTANCES.

60. Some days I give in and eat something like a cookie or a chocolate.

61. I don't beat my self up over it. I just pick myself up and start from that moment to do my best.

62. I used to get heart burn at nights.

63. I haven't had heart burn for a while.

64. I used to eat my ice cream at night once the kids were in bed.

65. No sugar=no eating at nights.

66. No eating at night=no heart burn, being hungry in the morning, and having an appetite.

67. Since I gave up sugar I have not had much of an appetite.

68. I've struggled to feed my family and can't think of dinner ideas.

69. The last week of January I started getting an appetite again and can cook for my family.

70. Not sure why #69, but hopefully I don't loose my appetite again.

71. Sugar free chocolate is a waste of time and nearly insulting!!!!

72. Sugar free chocolate is not rich and delicious, it has a cooling flavor, like menthol - but very mild, and really does not even taste like chocolate.

73. I don't do artificial sweeteners.

74. I have always hated the taste of artificial sweeteners, it's like ear wax on my tongue or dandelions.

75. When I eat something with sugar substitutes I only taste the sugar substitute. A mouth full of saccharine - nothing else.

76. I have made a few things sweetened with Honey (Honey is not precessed).

77. When I sweeten with honey . . . it tastes like honey! So I don't do it very often!

78. Eating more FRESH fruits and veggies has steered us away from our food storage.

79. Eating this way has put a serious cramp in our grocery budget. SPEN-SIVE!

Less Sugar Tarts

Less Sugar Valentines Day Fruit Tarts Sugar Cookie Dough

(Press out a VERY thin amount in the bottom of cupcake papers)

Bake as per cookie directions.

An even less sugar option would be graham cracker crumbs.

Cream Together:

8 oz Cream Cheese (room Temp)

and

8 oz Whipped Topping

Pipe or spoon cream cheese mixture on to baked cookie tarts.

Top with desired Fruits