Sugar-Free March is ALMOST Over!

Coming into the final stretch of this month-long experiment, I checked my weight again this morning. I am still down 2 pounds from the start of the month. But weight loss wasn't the main reason for cutting out added sugar.

My goal was to see if sugar was at least a factor in the level of joint pain I experience on a daily basis. And the answer is...drum roll...YES!

Although my joint pain has not been completely eliminated, I do believe it has been reduced due to cutting out added sugar. I'm actually surprised, because I really wasn't eating a ton of sugar! Yes, I had some every single day, but I nothing outrageous. At least that's what I thought. But maybe little amounts here and there add up...

I used to have elbow and shoulder pain whenever I tried to do push-ups. Now I can do a set of 10-12 with no pain at all! My wrists no longer bother me when I hang out in downward-facing dog for minutes at a time. Plank pose? No problem.

My lower body is not quite as pain-free. I don't think I will be able to resolve my ankle pain completely. I have lumpy scar tissue on my Achilles tendons which is always going to cause pain. However, it has gotten better over the course of the past month. I also have some knee pain due to a more recent injury. This is probably just taking forever to heal, and may eventually become pain-free. Or not. 

So there seem to be a lot of pros and not too many cons when it comes to giving up sugar.

PROS:

* Reduced joint pain

*Weight loss (around the belly, so extra awesome!)

*Increased energy

*Better sleep

*Positive mood

CONS:

*Complete and total lack of chocolate.

I have been missing chocolate. There's really nothing else that I have missed, although I have cut out ketchup, kombucha, teriyaki sauce, and some spice mixes. I found salad dressings that are sugar-free, and they taste great, so I will keep these as a staple in my pantry. In a couple of days, I will add some cookies to my end of the day treat. If I gain back the weight I lost, then I will know I have gone too far and need to cut back on sugar again. I will keep you posted!

How about you? Have you cut back on sugar? Have you noticed any benefits?