A Personal Update (My Year of No Sugar, Weight Loss, Castor Oil, Etc.)

A Yr With out Sugar? Nearly!

As most of you understand, I made a private decision firstly of 2024 to go an entire 12 months with out consuming sugar excluding six free days. So how did I do?

Effectively, I did higher than I believed I’d, however inferior to I wished to do. The very fact is that I did nice for many of the 12 months, and I got here so near engaging in my aim. However for some cause, when December rolled round, all bets have been off.

You will have observed in footage of our lounge and my studio that I maintain Starbursts round. I like having candy treats for company (they usually do get pleasure from them, which I like to see!), and I like Starbursts notably as a result of they’re fairly and colourful within the bowl. I maintain a bowl on the espresso desk in the lounge…

And I maintain a bowl on the nook of my desk within the studio…

For many of the 12 months, I used to be in a position to stroll proper by the bowl with none temptation in any respect. In my thoughts, they have been extra of a colourful little ornament than a deal with for me to get pleasure from. So I had every kind of self-control for eleven months.

However for some cause, as soon as December hit, all bets have been off. It began off with me permitting one or two Starbursts a day, considering to myself, “It’s positive! I’ve self-control now!” Then that elevated to 5 a day. The following factor I knew, I used to be grabbing Starbursts each time I’d stroll previous the bowl. And earlier than I knew it, I had plowed by means of half of a three-pound bag of Starbursts all on my own in a matter of about 2.5 weeks.

I don’t know why I began doing that. I went the entire 12 months with Starbursts within the sweet bowl, and I by no means touched them. They have been for company solely. However December introduced the “it’s the vacations” mindset, and I let my guard down. After which a number of days earlier than Christmas, that “it’s the vacations” mindset that I used to justify the Starbursts consumption additionally advised me that it was okay to bask in different sweets. So I utterly blew it in December. I made it eleven months, and misplaced all management over the last month.

It’s positive, although. I’m nonetheless very pleased with myself. At the least I made it for eleven months, and I realized that I actually may have an entire lot of self-control and willpower in terms of sugar. Earlier than final 12 months, I felt helpless and uncontrolled when it got here to sugar. I felt prefer it was an impossibility for me to say no to dessert when it was obtainable, or to go up candy treats within the checkout line on the grocery retailer. However saying no to these issues for eleven months made me notice that I actually am in management. And I can say that since Christmas, I’ve regained most of that management again. I did have a number of bits of carrot cake that my brother purchased and shared with us throughout lunch on Wednesday, however for probably the most half, I’m again to saying no to sugary treats.

I received’t be making the identical decision for 2025, however I do plan to maintain the candy treats to a minimal this 12 months, and I really feel like my very strict 2024 has proven me that I can proceed on with out a lot sugar in my weight-reduction plan with out feeling like I’m lacking out. However this 12 months, I received’t attempt to restrict myself to solely six “cheat” days for the entire 12 months. I’ll permit myself to have the cake on birthdays and particular events, whereas aiming to maintain my regular every day weight-reduction plan sugar-free.

I really feel like I can and can try this going ahead. About ten years in the past, my New Yr’s decision was to surrender Dr. Pepper for a 12 months. I went from consuming solely Dr. Pepper all day daily to having none for nearly a whole 12 months. However I by no means went again to that Dr. Pepper behavior. Ever since then, I’ll have the occasional small Dr. Pepper, but it surely’s probably not a part of my life anymore. And all it took was that one 12 months of strict no-Dr. Pepper to interrupt me of that behavior. I plan to have that very same consequence from my almost-year of no sugar.

My Weight Loss Progress

I ended the 12 months 20 kilos down from the place I began on January 1, 2024, and 30 kilos down from the place I used to be in the summertime of 2023. And similar to my no sugar decision, I’m each pleased with myself, and just a little disenchanted in myself.

A twenty-pound loss (or a thirty-pound loss since mid-2023) is one thing to be pleased with. On the identical time, I really feel like I may have carried out so a lot better had I actually caught with an train program. I ended doing my kettle bell exercises in some unspecified time in the future throughout the summer time. After which as soon as I packed up our house health club to have the ground and subfloor changed, and all of our health club gear acquired stashed within the nook of the sunroom, I critically don’t suppose I labored out a single time for the remainder of the 12 months. I didn’t even a lot as go for a stroll or decide up a kettle bell.

So whereas I began off the 12 months sturdy with my exercises, that solely lasted about six months. Had I caught with that, I really feel like I may have made an entire lot extra progress on my well being targets throughout 2024. I’m pleased with my progress, however I’m additionally just a little disenchanted that I didn’t keep dedicated.

However I’m not going to get too down on myself for it. Twenty kilos for the 12 months (and 30 kilos within the final 18 months) remains to be nice progress. I nonetheless have an extended technique to go (about 70 extra kilos) to satisfy my final weight reduction and well being targets, however the starting of a brand new 12 months is a superb time to get refocused and make a renewed plan.

To succeed in that aim, I do have to discover a place to arrange my little treadmill, and I have to dig my kettle bells out of the nook of the sunroom and place them in an space the place I’ll see them and use them daily.

Castor Oil Replace

Final 12 months, I began having critical hassle with my pores and skin. Not solely was I coping with dry, itchy, discolored patches of pores and skin on my face and neck, however I used to be additionally noticing that my pores and skin (particularly round my eyes) simply appeared so outdated and wrinkled. I began utilizing castor oil on my face each night time earlier than mattress, and it made an enormous distinction!

However then my bonus sister began making a castor oil/tallow balm and requested us to strive it out. As soon as I attempted it, I caught with it and by no means went again to the plain castor oil. So now, I exploit her castor oil/tallow balm daily on my face and neck, and I discover it really works superbly beneath my make-up.

However after I began having points round my chin space that the castor oil/tallow balm wasn’t serving to, so I went searching for one thing to assist these areas, and that’s after I got here throughout this Rescue Balm. It has carried out a beautiful job at serving to to appease these downside areas (once more, it was dry, itchy, tough patches), and it’s additionally extremely moisturizing. So now my routine is to make use of the Restore Balm on my face and neck at night time whereas I sleep, after which I exploit the castor oil/tallow balm throughout the day.

I’ve observed an enormous distinction in my pores and skin with this new routine. Originally of the 12 months, I used to be so discouraged with the dry, wrinkled pores and skin that I used to be seeing on my face. I do know that wrinkles include age, however I plan to struggle them till the day I die. 😀 My new routine has made an enormous distinction, and I’m nonetheless seeing these positive traces and wrinkles minimized with these merchandise. Here’s a image I took simply this morning, proper away from bed. No make-up, no filters, no retouching, no enhancing.

I do nonetheless use castor oil straight out of the bottle after I use my castor oil pack on aches and pains. Castor oil is magic in a bottle, and I’ll all the time maintain some round. I’m simply now not utilizing it straight out of the bottle on my face as a result of I like the combination of the castor oil with the tallow for my face.

I believe these are all the updates y’all requested for, but when I missed one thing, let me know! I’m trying ahead to persevering with my well being and weight reduction journey this 12 months, and I’ll maintain y’all up to date alongside the way in which.