Japanese attitudes to sugar

We're currently hosting a Japanese high-school student, Takuya Kozai, for three weeks. He and his classmates, who are staying with other host families in our city, frequently (though very politely, of course) comment on the large portions and the sweetness of Western food.

For example, we took Takuya out for Chinese food, and he found the Lemon Chicken much too sweet. He and his friend Yasuhiro also laughed incredulously when I served them THREE scoops of ice cream -- this struck them as totally excessive and sent them off on a discussion of the general largeness of North American life, including enormous shopping centres, cars, etc. (Our local shopping centre is actually quite small compared to those in Vancouver!) As well, Takuya has told me a couple of times that the packed lunches I send for him are too large. . . I'm slowly learning!

A couple of times during the visit I've eaten sugar by mistake (e.g., setting hospitable example and eating Japanese dumplings with (sugary) dipping sauce, eating at a restaurant) -- the resulting increase in sugar cravings and general appetite is surprising.

On the other hand, I've discovered a pitfall -- in times of stress, my appetite tends to diminish anyway, and this effect is even more pronounced now that I'm sugar-free. Last week I was so busy and tired that without realizing it, I didn't eat enough, and almost fainted at work (to the alarm the colleague with whom I was meeting at the time).

Perhaps due to aforesaid stress/busy-ness, weight is now 136.5 lb - inching closer to high-school weight of 128. Having said that, though, I feel very strongly that body composition is much more important than weight -- better to be heavier and leaner than thin and flabby, as I am now. But I can fix that!

Licorice temptations

weeping-willow Flickr Photo (CC)

My recent visit to my mother was a challenge:

• I forgot to mention about the sugar-free year, so she'd scattered bowls of licorice allsorts and jelly beans around to welcome me (so kind!)
• She's quite forgetful and kept offering and re-offering the candy, even after I'd explained. After the tenth time, I just said, "Not right now, thanks!"
  
• I was hungry from travelling!
  

But, I was able to resist!

Disappearing appetite, shrinking waistline

Over the past few days, I've noticed a marked decrease in appetite. I believe any hunger now I feel signals a genuine need for food, rather than the "pseudo-hunger" induced by sugar highs and lows.

I'm not trying to lose weight, and wouldn't want to go below my high-school weight of 128 pounds, but I have now lost about 4.5 pounds (in 13 days) -- current weight is now 138.5. My guess is that I'll gradually return to that high-school weight and settle there.

I've also noticed that many fruits, such as apples or ripe bananas, now seem too sweet -- instead, I'm craving vegetables -- how weird is that? At work I had a ripe pear which was so cloyngly sweet that I had to eat it very slowly over about an hour.

Sugar-free year starts!

Previously, I stopped eating sugar from November 7, 2007 to mid-January 2008, mainly as a way of keeping a dear brother in my thoughts when he was undergoing a difficult situation.

Each time I declined sugar, I thought of him -- kind of a silly connection, perhaps, but it worked. I had never been able to break the sugar addiction for my own sake, but somehow I was able to do it for him.

Then in January his situation resolved safely, the entire family breathed a sigh of relief, and I leapt back into sucrose-land. Bring on the chocolate truffles! Three months later, I'm puffy, spotty, and always wondering where my next sugar hit is coming from. Enough!

I hope that this blog will keep me on track with attempt #2, and that I'll be able to encounter/support others with similar goals.

Other motivations:

• Health/vanity/curiousity -- when I gave up sugar for two months, I noticed significantly clearer skin, reduced appetite, and more energy. What will the effects be over the longer term?
  
• Personal challenge -- will I have the discipline to achieve this?

Wish me luck!