2009 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

[ckiwis]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 13 Sweetener Free

Wow! Made it this far. Hey, Sherrie, I don't know how you made it this far but I'm stickin' with ya.

I bought cinnamon, 500 mg and started yesterday. Boy, I don't know. Actually I took 2 caps at the same time and was feeling a little cold and feeling a little freaky but didn't have my meter. This morning I took only 1 cap, and maybe I'll take another after dinner? My blood sugar this morning was very good. I don't have a homeopathic practioner, my insurance doesn't cover them. But my endocrinologist knows something about cinnamon's use for diabetes, he said it's fine.

Well, I'm going to read some more about cinnamon. Any suggestions on a well-informed website?

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Good morning Challengers,
How is everyone this fine saturday morning?
Well Cindy, I'm able to do this because I want to beat my last No Sweetner days of 142 days. I'm going for 143 days! It may be a difficult task because of the holiday season, but i'm going to give it my best shot. Probably better reason to do it now because of the holiday season.
Day 27 Sweet-Free
27/143

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 28 No Sweetners
28/143

[ckiwis]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 16 Sweetener Free

Oh, wow, Sherri! You have been busy with yourself! I see you are moderating several forums. Cool! I hope you have time for yourself. Me, too, starting out I had walking challenge with a walking church group on Saturday morning....then went to service on Sunday evening. I woke up late both mornings and was busy all day, both days. I'm pooped! It's a good thing I prepared my meals (both days) on Friday, I didn't have time to wash dishes but I do have a dishwasher. It helps on days like these to load the dishwasher and have it running by Sunday night.

I love your hair, I miss mine. But I'm happy with my shoulder-length hair. Seven years ago I cut my backside/thigh line hair because it was bothering me when I slept, or it felt like a coat in the summertime and fall, or get caught in any door. So it was time to cut it, and I'm glad I did. I still greatly admire long, long hair.

I'll have to go to the Senior Center to use the uh-h what do you call it, that copies pictures and puts it on the computer then you can use it on your signature? I rarely use that thing. lol I'm not quite sure how to use it on my computer.

Here's another recipe (breakfast), but I don't think you'll like it. I have this once a week. At first I didn't like it because you don't cook it, but you toast....:

3/4 cup almond milk, low-fat
1 tablespoon vanilla whey protein powder
1/3 cup toasted oats (toast these first, in the oven), I have a toaster oven so it's easier than a big oven LOL
1 tablespoon toasted ground flaxseeds (I toast these too, you might want to toast both the oats and whole flaxseeds together, then ground the flaxseeds)
1 tablespoon sliced almonds (I buy these sliced at Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup blackberries, I cut them in half

Mix the almond milk and whey protein powder in a bowl until smooth. Add the oats and soak overnight.
In the morning, top with the remaining ingredients and serve. Add stevia, if you like. (optional)

[ckiwis]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Here's a good one, I'm sure you'll like:

Carob Mac Nut Drops (Servings: 40)

1 cup carob chips (I have Sunspire unsweetened, I bought it at Whole Foods store)
1/2 cup almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Melt the carob chips and the almond butter in a double boiler. Stir continuously. Remove from the heat when the almond butter and the carob are well blended but there are still little bits of chips that haven't melted.
Add the vanilla, nuts, and cranberries. Mix well.
Drop rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Place in the refrigerator until the drops are set.


Variation: Substitute raisins or golden raisins for the cranberries. Sugar-free dark chocolate chips can be substituted for the carob chips. You can also substitute another nut butter for the almond butter.


Remember that sugar-free dark chocolate chips has maltitol (a sugar alcohol), so it does contain some sugar even though it says 0 sugars but 7 maltitol.


Nutritional Info: Per Serving 70 calories; 6 g fat; 1 g protein; 4 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; trace cholesterol; 7 mg sodium

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 16 Sweetener Free

Oh, wow, Sherri! You have been busy with yourself! I see you are moderating several forums. Cool! I hope you have time for yourself. Me, too, starting out I had walking challenge with a walking church group on Saturday morning....then went to service on Sunday evening. I woke up late both mornings and was busy all day, both days. I'm pooped! It's a good thing I prepared my meals (both days) on Friday, I didn't have time to wash dishes but I do have a dishwasher. It helps on days like these to load the dishwasher and have it running by Sunday night.

I love your hair, I miss mine. But I'm happy with my shoulder-length hair. Seven years ago I cut my backside/thigh line hair because it was bothering me when I slept, or it felt like a coat in the summertime and fall, or get caught in any door. So it was time to cut it, and I'm glad I did. I still greatly admire long, long hair.

I'll have to go to the Senior Center to use the uh-h what do you call it, that copies pictures and puts it on the computer then you can use it on your signature? I rarely use that thing. lol I'm not quite sure how to use it on my computer.

Here's another recipe (breakfast), but I don't think you'll like it. I have this once a week. At first I didn't like it because you don't cook it, but you toast....:

3/4 cup almond milk, low-fat
1 tablespoon vanilla whey protein powder
1/3 cup toasted oats (toast these first, in the oven), I have a toaster oven so it's easier than a big oven LOL
1 tablespoon toasted ground flaxseeds (I toast these too, you might want to toast both the oats and whole flaxseeds together, then ground the flaxseeds)
1 tablespoon sliced almonds (I buy these sliced at Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup blackberries, I cut them in half

Mix the almond milk and whey protein powder in a bowl until smooth. Add the oats and soak overnight.
In the morning, top with the remaining ingredients and serve. Add stevia, if you like. (optional)

That looks like a yummy recipe, thank you. I remember as a kid, I would eat raw toasted oatmeal like that in milk and loved it. I'm sure i'll like this. I have black berries too. YUMMO!
Thanks Cindy!
I do save time for myself and family. Thank you for your concern. I actually put all of us first, before this board. I'm retired and a stay at home Deva. So I have plenty of time to tend to me, family and home. Just about in that order too.LOL I do love this board though. And I really enjoy helping others. I'm a people person, if you couldn't tell.LOL
I have accepted all of you as family here. I'm just here helping out my brothers and sisters. At least, that's how I look at it.
I'm going to copy and paste all your recipes and put them in my journal and then in my recipe box. Thank you so much for these recipes. You're a girl after my own heart.
God Bless!
Love, Sherri

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 29 Sweetner Free
29/143

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

I love your hair, I miss mine. But I'm happy with my shoulder-length hair. Seven years ago I cut my backside/thigh line hair because it was bothering me when I slept, or it felt like a coat in the summertime and fall, or get caught in any door. So it was time to cut it, and I'm glad I did. I still greatly admire long, long hair.



Thank you Cindy. My hair became too much at mid-bum so I cut 4 inches off here about a month and half ago. Though it's already working itself way back down, i'm trying to get my bangs to the same lenghth. So maybe in a few months i'll cut it to where it's even all over.
I hated cutting it. But the ends were dry and my DH kept complaining about hair in the shower drain. Also, it's so thick that it really becomes a job.
I bet your hair was so beautiful that long. I have a friend here that has hair down to her knees. So pretty.
Sherri

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 30 No Sweetners (made it a month)

[ckiwis]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 18 Sweetener Free

Have been busy, just checking in quick! Keep it up!

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 31 Sweet Free
31/143

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 32 Sweet Free
32/143

[gman]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

[Confessing]
Good afternoon I am here to confess that I am putting Splenda in my coffee.

[Rationalizing & Explaining & Possibly a Bit Complacent?]
I am really good about eating right, drinking water and exercising, plus lots of other really new and positive behaviors like volunteering, and am seeing good results, including muscles where I had no muscles before, good doctor stats like blood pressure, people telling me I look healthy, and even getting an A+ for the first time on a recent dental checkup (secret is using those floss sticks!), but ahem ... alas I am not delivering on this particular no-sweetener challenge. OK I will likely miss my weight loss goal in the Halloween Challenge also since I am working out a lot and treading water on the weight loss, but that's another thread.

[Thinking and looking for your thoughts....]

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Hey Gman
So, how long did you go for? How many days?
Then start again and try to beat those sweet free days. If you want, and feel you need to cut back, you can switch from splenda to stevia.
Stevia is allowed on this Challenge. The FDA doesn't view Stevia as a food. It's a natural herb. So it's allowed here.
Go easy on it though, a little goes a long way.
Thanks for checking back in with us. I'd been wondering where you were.
Try, try again I say Gman!
Hope to see you back here real soon.
Sherri

[Sherri]

Re: 2008 How Long Can You Go? "No Sweet" CHALLENGE

Day 33 No Sweetners
33/143