In my first week of reducing sugar, I made many confused decisions but also many positive steps. It’s been a challenging journey of food discovery!

On the first day of my decision to consume little to no sugar, my workplace had an afternoon tea celebration. The team gathered to share food, including cakes, cookies, donuts, pastries, sweets, chocolates, crisps, and snack food. I managed to avoid all of the food on offer. There will be times when I have to navigate food offerings in many social settings, but I will make the decision each time on what I decide to eat or not.

Following my lunch of vegetables with olive oil that day, I ate a packet of salted crisps, searching for one with limited sugar. I may have been starting to replace the sugar that I had been eating with salty food and also had not been satisfied with my vegetables for lunch. Gradually, over the week, I realised this was happening, but within that week, I had eaten salted crisps, hot chips, gravy, sushi, white pasta and arancini balls.

Before starting the little-to-no-sugar health plan, I considered myself a low-sodium consumer, as we have no salt in our home to add to meals (excluding soy sauce), don’t purchase items high in salt, and eat limited takeaway food. This week, it was good to recognise how the body and mind react to changes and cravings. I had no sugar cravings but slightly elevated salt cravings.

Over the week, I felt tired, cranky, irritable, and had headaches. Navigating what to eat at work, home, or out was tiring. However, gradually, I worked out what foods worked within the little to no-sugar diet, were easy to prepare, and were tasty.

I took many positive steps this week, like cutting out latte coffees, baked goods, and milk chocolate and having healthier options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I’m pleased with how my body has reacted to little to no sugar, especially having no sugar cravings and, most of the time, feeling satisfied with the food intake.

I’ve learned that meal prepping helps enormously. I know now what I can eat for breakfast, have a few options for lunch, and plan my dinner.

Every morning, I ate whole-grain rolled oats with plant-based unsweetened milk for breakfast (either oat, almond, or soy). Lunch included quinoa or brown rice with an egg or vegetables or a jacket potato with tuna. I had quinoa or brown rice with green vegetables, mushrooms, and chicken or salmon for dinner. For between meals, I ate unsalted nuts (cashews, walnuts and almonds), fruits (mainly raspberries, blueberries or strawberries), or one small piece of 95% dark chocolate (with less than 3 grams of sugar per 100 grams). I drank water, black tea, herbal tea, or coffee with plant-based unsweetened milk. I could only drink coffee at home to guarantee that I consumed unsweetened milk.

I followed a reasonably basic diet that was wholesome and filling. The best part was that I had no sugar cravings in my first week on the limited-to-no-sugar diet.

I’m looking forward to continuing this journey and discovering more delicious and healthy food options as I continue on my little to no-sugar diet!