Here’s something fun: let’s take a look back at my main goal from 2012: click here. I planned to avoid refined sugar for the entire year. I had already been doing this for the most part, but decided to really kick it out of my life for good.

So the big question is, did I eat refined sugar?? The answer is, yes I did. Why? Because, first and foremost, I’m human. A craving came knocking, and instead of pushing it aside in favour of a healthier food (or activity), I said, “Screw it. Give me the sugar. No, seriously. Hand it over! NOW!” (It probably went something like that. I am a recovering sugarholic, after all, and we sometimes get crazy.) I don’t remember what I ate, but from there on out, there were a few more slip-ups along the way. By “a few more”, I’m guesstimating that the actual number was about 60 (I’m rounding up, okay?). That sounds insane, I know, and it kind of is. But overall, it’s less insane than you might think. Read on, my friend, read on.

Beyond being human, I am also a nutritionist, one who believes what she teaches and lives what she preaches. I like to be honest, though, about the fact that I do slip up from time to time, to show that even though we try, it can be tough to maintain 100% perfection all the time. But you know what? That’s okay. In order to be healthy, we just have to do our best and eat whole, real foods as much as we can. I will say that it wasn’t until sometime in the summer that I gave in to a craving, so I did have a whole 6 months of sticking to it. Yay me! Can I just say that I’m a whole lot happier when I don’t eat sugar (even though it does initially provide that comforting feeling), because I know how well I’m treating my body? And because I’m sticking to the goal and plan I had set out for myself? AND because I’d rather avoid the icky symptoms I get when I eat it? It really is true. When I am good to my body, my body is good to me. This includes areas like my skin, digestive system, mood, energy level, and sleep quality, to name a few. To read more about the dark side of white sugar, click here.

Just because I gave in to temptation here and there along the way (read: 60 times), I’m not discounting the fact that I did a pretty darn good job. There were SO many times that some of my old favourites were right in front of me (cake, ice cream, Nanaimo bars, Caramilk bars, Reese Peanut Butter Cups… okay, chocolate in general), but I chose to avoid them. And you know what? I felt SO good because of it. That feeling beats the (short-lived) satisfaction of eating those foods, any day.

Although 60 is a big number, let’s look at it in relation to one whole year. It means that for 305 days, I didn’t eat refined sugar. That means I stuck to my goal 84% of the time, and that’s pretty awesome. You see, Mr. Sugs and me, we have a tumultuous relationship. He makes me feel good, and even though I know it’s an artificial, fleeting feeling, I still sometimes go back for more. I know I shouldn’t give in, but sometimes, well, I do. He got hold of me 16% of the time this past year, and although I think that’s not so bad, I’m aiming to improve it next year.

In the real world, there is always room for error. The important thing is that we recognize and identify when we slip up, and aim to do better next time. Don’t wallow in self-doubt… look on the bright side and stay positive!

Always remember: having a support system increases your chances of success and helps you reach, and maintain, your goals. Read more on this here. When I chose to use this system (key words: chose to), it helped me a lot.

So what’s in store for me for 2013, as far as Mr. Sugs goes? I am making a commitment to myself, and to you, that I will continue to avoid refined sugar, whenever, and wherever, I can. I will try even harder to avoid slip-ups, knowing full well that I feel better when I stay strong.

How did YOU do with your 2012 goals and resolutions? Please do share. 🙂