I Quit Sugar

I am an Ambassador* for the I Quit Sugar program. I love its core philosophy – to Just Eat Real Food (JERF). I first completed the 8 Week Program in June 2014. To me, ‘quitting sugar’ isn’t about never having sugar – it’s about being informed and choosing when I want to consume it. The IQS program aims to help people to stay within the World Health Organization’s guidelines of up to 6-9 teaspoons of added sugar a day, in a way that is sustainable and rewarding.

The IQS Program enabled me to reduce my cravings for sugar and to find ‘food freedom’ – to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. Mostly, this means I am less drawn to processed foods and sugary treats, in favour of real, whole, fresh foods. But it also means that if I want dessert at a restaurant, I eat it. No regrets! IQS gave me a pathway to eating and enjoying real food.

* The IQS Ambassadors are an unpaid position, providing support to other program participants. In January 2016 I became an ‘affiliate’ of I Quit Sugar – for more information about this, visit the About Me page.

The ‘My Man Quits Sugar’ Series
June 2014

Round 2 of I Quit Sugar Series
January 2015

Gallery of food photos, from the January – March 2015 Round of the I Quit Sugar 8 Week Program
March 2015

Gallery of food photos, from the Winter and Spring 2015 Rounds of the I Quit Sugar 8 Week Program
December 2015

RELATED POSTS:

‘Taking over’ the I Quit Sugar Instagram (with outtakes)
In late 2015, fellow IQS Ambassador Elise and I were invited by IQS to ‘take over’ their Instagram account, when Elise and her family visited Canberra. This post includes the photos that were shared on the account, and additional outtakes. View the full post from 10 January 2016.

Why my family quit sugar: With tips and strategies for parents who want to reduce their children’s sugar intake
This post describes my family’s experience of going sugar-free, along with some strategies for other parents who are interested in reducing their own children’s intake of sugar and processed foods. It doesn’t come from a place of judgement or criticism – I am lucky and privileged to have been in a position to make this lifestyle change, so I would never judge another person, or parent, for their decisions. View the full post from 6 July 2015.

Quitting sugar gave me food freedom, not an eating disorder
After reading one too many articles criticising sugar-free and paleo lifestyles as ‘the new eating disorders’, I started to wonder whether in fact I do have an eating disorder. This process of self-doubt reinforced to me how embedded sugar is, in our society, and why people understandably find it confusing to comprehend the inconsistent public health messages we receive through the media. View the full post from 16 November 2014.

I’m not judging you for not quitting sugar – just finding my own line
I recently came across an article on my Facebook news-feed, shared by a vegetarian friend. The author, Sylvia, shares her frustrations about how often she is questioned about her vegetarianism, and says that this usually turns into a debate about the pros and cons of not eating meat. Sylvia writes about everyone having a ‘line’, and this being different for each person. View the full post from 7 October 2014.

The link between my physical and mental health
I’m starting to realise how much my physical health affects my mental health. I wrote previously about considering coming off my anti-depressant medication, which I take primarily for anxiety, although I consider anxiety and depression to be different sides of the same coin. I have taken this medication for over six years, and it has only been this year – in my busiest, most sleep-deprived year yet – that I have felt in a place where I am ready to *try* living without it. View the full post from 28 September 2014.

Honestly? Eating healthy is hard work and not cheap.
I have to admit that I always get a little irritated when health experts come out and lecture people on how cheap and easy it is to eat healthy food. “An apple only costs 90 cents!” Over the last six months, I have gradually overhauled the contents of my household’s pantry and fridge. This started when my mother was diagnosed with diabetes, and recently culminated in my husband and I participating in the current I Quit Sugar program. View the full post from 5 August 2014.