My Private New 12 months’s Decision

Since yesterday was Wednesday (the day of the week after I by no means get something home-related achieved), I believed I’d share one thing just a little extra private with y’all at present. In case you’ve been round right here for lengthy, you already know that I really like the start of a brand new yr. It’s a recent begin, a clear slate, and an incredible probability to create new objectives for the brand new yr. That’s why I really like making my master list of home goals at the start of every yr.

However I additionally love making private new yr’s resolutions. I don’t at all times share these on the weblog, however this yr is a extremely large one, so I wish to share it with you in order that I can put it out right here in writing for all to see. I really feel extra accountable after I’ve shared objectives and resolutions with extra folks as an alternative of simply protecting it between me, Matt, and my mother.

So it is a large one for me. My new yr’s decision for 2024 is to go the entire yr with out consuming sugar, aside from six free days. These days will likely be my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, with three extra free days of my selecting. Aside from these six free days, my purpose is not any sugar for a yr.

I do know that will sound excessive to some folks, however I’ve discovered by way of expertise that it’s finest for me to only go chilly turkey if I must get one thing like my sugar consumption underneath management. Simply saying, “I’ll solely eat just a little bit! Every part moderately,” doesn’t work for me. As a result of consuming one cookie makes me need a second, and a 3rd, and earlier than I do know it, I’ve eaten a dozen cookies. In the case of sugar, I’ve an entire lack of self-control.

I do know a few of you’ll keep in mind again in 2018 and 2019 after I obtained actually critical about shedding weight and getting in form. I did the keto weight-reduction plan (with just a few months of carnivore there in direction of the top of 2019), and I misplaced about 45 kilos. I used to be feeling nice, trying so significantly better, and feeing sturdy and assured. After which 2020 hit, the world spun uncontrolled, and I channeled my stress of that yr into consuming and shopping for footwear. Principally consuming. But additionally lots of shoe shopping for. Whereas consuming. 😀

However I don’t know if I ever shared what obtained me into that place of gaining all of that weight within the first place previous to beginning keto in 2018. When Matt and I lived in our little rental over by the college right here on the town (Baylor College), we lived lower than a mile from each conceivable quick meals restaurant, and we made some actually unhealthy habits of counting on these eating places for almost each meal. It was terrible, and the truth that we’re each nonetheless alive at present after abusing our our bodies like that could be a testomony to the resilience of the human physique.

And whereas I loved the comfort of the meals, and loved consuming it (can I hear it for Schlotzky’s? 😀 ), my vice was Dr. Pepper. My Dr. Pepper behavior obtained so unhealthy that on some days, I’d drink it for each meal. That’s thrice a day. And I don’t imply that I’d drink a small Dr. Pepper. I imply that I’d get a 32-ounce Dr. Pepper. Or if I’d go to Sonic, I’d up that to their 44-ounce measurement.

Now I wouldn’t drink three of these each single day, however I’d a minimum of drink one a day, and fairly often I’d drink two. In all probability about as soon as every week, I’d drink three a day. Simply think about how a lot sugar that’s!

Edit: I simply regarded that up, and every ounce of Dr. Pepper has 3.17 grams of sugar. And 12 grams equals one tablespoon. So I used to be consuming between about 9 tablespoons and 26 tablespoons of sugar each single day simply within the Dr. Pepper I used to be ingesting! And that doesn’t even embody the sugar that I used to be truly consuming within the meals I used to be consuming.

And clearly, after I was ingesting that a lot Dr. Pepper, I wasn’t thirsty for anything. So I wasn’t ingesting any water in any respect. Once more, I do not know how my physique survived that sort of abuse, and I do not know how I didn’t find yourself diabetic from that abuse. I used to be positively pre-diabetic, although.

So at the start of 2018, I made a brand new yr’s decision that I used to be going to go a yr with out Dr. Pepper. I used to be simply going to chop it off chilly turkey. Making that form of dedication scared the heck out of me, however I knew there was no approach I might ever lose the load if I didn’t kick the Dr. Pepper behavior.

Whereas I didn’t make it a complete yr, I did make it till about October of that yr earlier than I had my first Dr. Pepper. And have you learnt what? It didn’t even style all that nice to me. In these ten months, I had fully misplaced my yearning for it, and it simply didn’t do something for me anymore. And whereas I didn’t make it a complete yr, I can say very proudly that it was sufficient to assist me kick the behavior. I’m not a Dr. Pepper drinker anymore. On the uncommon event that I do drink a Dr. Pepper today, I’ll order the smallest one they’ve a Sonic (which I believe is a 16-ounce cup stuffed with nugget ice), and that’s loads for me. However I solely discover myself wanting that deal with throughout the sizzling Texas summer season months, and at most, I order that possibly as soon as a month.

In order that new yr’s decision labored, and has had an enduring impact on my life. Had I not achieved that again in 2018, I’ve little doubt that I used to be operating headlong into sort 2 diabetes. I believe that that new yr’s decision, adopted by two years of keto and carnivore consuming, saved me from that inevitable final result had I continued on that path.

However right here I’m, post-2020, after that terrible yr of funneling my stress into consuming and shopping for footwear and gaining quite a bit (however not all) of that weight again, and I’m lastly feeling mentally able to sort out this problem as soon as once more. I’ve coasted alongside for the final three years, not fully shedding management, but in addition not taking my consuming very severely. Being part of a neighborhood that gathers fairly often round meals has been good, however I’ve used that as an excuse for why I want to present myself approach too many allowances with consuming issues I do know aren’t benefiting my well being.

In order that’s why I made a decision to do one other excessive (for me) new yr’s decision. Sugar is my downfall, and if I hold giving myself these allowances two or thrice every week, I’ll by no means attain my private well being objectives. So this yr, in 2024, sugar has to go. And to be trustworthy with you, after I obtained previous these first few days at the start of this month, I don’t actually crave it anymore. In truth, simply final evening, we had a party for a good friend, full with essentially the most delicious-looking chocolate cake, and I very simply handed on it. I didn’t really feel tempted in any respect.

We’ll see how this yr goes, and y’all can maintain me accountable. I’m very excited to see how reducing out sugar altogether impacts my general well being this yr and helps me get nearer to my private well being objectives. I could also be feeling so nice by my birthday in June that I determine I don’t even need sugar on that day! 😀 We’ll see, although, as a result of in the case of sugary treats, there’s nothing I really like greater than a moist white sheet cake with buttercream icing. I can’t think about my birthday being full with out it!