So, Exactly What Have I Given Up This Week?

 As a bit of insight I thought I'd list what I've given up this week and my usual intake:

• Alcohol - my relationship with alcohol is probably worthy of its own blog, haha. I used to drink a lot. I decided to stop drinking altogether around September last year, had the odd glass of wine at Christmas and this year I'd say I've been drinking roughly 2 bottles of wine per week.

• Nicotine - I smoke occasionally (if I've had a drink). I've never been a heavy smoker, but I've smoked on and off since I was about 17. I quit the same time I stopped drinking last year.

• Caffeine - Fortunately, I took this week off. Next week will be tough when I return to work. At the office I have a cup of tea or coffee every 15 minutes (no joke). I'll be sure to take plenty of fruit tea bags! I take sugar in my tea & coffee, so I've also given up that 15 minute hit!

• Sugar - I actually can't believe I've managed this. Previously, when I've given up drink, cigs, or both, chocolate has been a great substitute for the cravings and because I'm not fat I've never considered sugar a health risk or anything like that, just went ahead and ate as much as I liked chocolate, sweets, cakes, whatever. It's surprised me where you find sugar too. We were in M&S today and saw a pack of Vanilla Pumpkin Seeds. Sounded like a healthy snack to me but thought I'd better check the ingredients. Guess what? Sugar. Another thing, it's been a discipline to open a pack of sweets for the kids and resist taking a few for myself.

• Dairy - I don't drink a great deal of milk, only in tea & coffee, so it's been no big deal giving it up. We've got too much milk in the fridge now though, haha. Cheese, however, is a different story. I loooove cheese! I include it in a lot of the food I make and it's left a big hole in my diet.

• Wheat Products - It seems wheat is in everything! and stuff I thought I couldn't live without.  I think I've had a wheat based lunch every day of my life; sandwich, burger, fajita wrap, pasta pot. I think it's the wheat intake that makes me full and the absence of it at the start of the week made me feel constantly hungry.

• Red Meat - I love a good steak! No further comment.

• Junk Food - Ashamedly, I confess to eating too much McDonald's (2-3 times per week), and liking it :-) I've learned this week it's easier than I thought to create a tasty healthy lunch, I don't need to go for the convenience option.

• Snacks - I snack a lot. I have a habit of opening a large bag of crisps while I'm cooking. This week I replaced crisps with nuts. Nuts are a great snack.

• Chocolate - We all love chocolate. The kids love chocolate. They ask for it all day long, which doesn't help. It's got easier as the week's progressed. At first, the craving was horrendous!

So there you go. I think that's the 'not allowed' list. It's a lot to give up cold turkey, but what's amazing is I've got a much deeper appreciation now of naturally occurring sugars in fruit and naturally occurring salts (although I've been adding salt to meals).

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