Blog: Sugar-Free Sherri says 'bring it on!'

Sherri: I’m still recovering from Christmas, despite the fact that it feels like a very long time ago. 

Perhaps I ate more rubbish than usual because I knew I was starting this! Either way, I was a good few pounds heavier then when we all got together in early December, (not surprising given how many tubs of chocolates we ate!), so even more reason to get motivated.

Once I received the book, I knew the best way for me to succeed was to be as organised as possible. I decided to use the meal planner at the back of the book to get started – I’m a structured person at work and that rubs off on me at home too! 

Once I’d sorted what we were going to eat for the first week, we went food shopping. (Worth noting at this point that my other half is being very supportive!) This was a real test for me as I’m an impulsive buyer with a very sweet tooth, so I knew I’d have to avoid all the 'sugary' aisles simply to avoid being tempted. 

Before I started the challenge, I put everything I wasn't going to use in the five weeks to the back of the cupboard - or hid it completely. At work I knew it was going to be tough; there are sweets and cakes everywhere around the Agency, every single day… I would simply have to learn to politely decline!

On the first weekend I made a batch of the granola for some of my breakfasts. For me, breakfast and lunch were always going to be the most difficult as I don’t leave myself time to eat in the mornings, plus don’t really fancy anything as soon as I get up. The granola was ideal as it meant I could bring it to work and have it then, plus it’s also great to snack on. I don’t get a lot of time in the evening after dinner so I kept the lunches simple in the first week. I batch-made soup and prepared a couple of the salads the night before – some of the recipes have very few ingredients which is also a big help when you’re busy. Sunday was Moroccan lamb day (p.124)  – it was so tasty and easy to make – I had far more time than usual to do other stuff and surprisingly a bit more energy too.

We've got quite a few favourites already and also have our ‘we’ll have this at least once a week’ list! Our ultimate favourite so far has been the beef stir-fry (p.128) – I've got the prep time down now and once that’s done, it’s literally minutes until it’s on the plate.

I’d also like to incorporate some exercise into my challenge, but sadly over Christmas I hurt my back so until I know what I’m dealing with, I’m concentrating on getting the food bit right. Hopefully it’ll be sorted soon.

Mostly, I love that the challenge is about weaning you off sugar gradually, however for myself I decided in the first week that I wouldn't make any of the yummy treats, they’re for looking forward to! So I've been far more disciplined that I thought I’d be and I’m also not drinking alcohol.

Is it too early to see the difference? Well my scales say I've lost 4.5 pounds so I guess not! Sugar-Free Challenge? Bring it on…

Davina’s Five Weeks to Sugar Free: Yummy, easy recipes to help you kick sugar and feel amazing, can be ordered here:

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