It is indeed surprising how quickly February arrived, leaving me with barely enough time to check in with you all. Even so, I recognize the value in pushing forward with my goals and plans, and so, without hesitation, I have created a similar list for the month of January. My mundane day-to-day life has not changed much, but I remain committed to making sure I stick to my routine and achieve what I need to accomplish.
For those of you who have been following me on Twitter, I will continue to add updates of my progress, such as completing a challenging workout or achieving another Duolingo lesson. Additionally, I may post small pieces of creative work, like poems, pictures of my cat, and photos of my favorite beverage lol Twitter is where I tend to open up and share my thoughts. You can follow me via the following link:
If you’re curious about the differences between this month and the last, you will find that it is pretty much the same routine (for the most part). Since I will continue to donate to Amref Health Africa, I left it off from my list of objectives for February. It was kind of like paying a phone bill where these things are automatically renewed. A month ago I put it up to send a message to an annoying spammer who kept pestering me on #Twitter. Following up with reporting him and blocking three accounts he had, things are better now. As I have no shifts on the Gen-Med unit this month, I chose not to include it in my goals either.
January Goals 2023
Career Goals:
Continue to pick up day and evening shifts
Catch up on emails and work on MLL courses
Bid on shifts for February as they become available
Work on the MLL courses. # of completed modules TBD
Personal Goals:
Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly goals/recap blog posts
Publish 1-2 articles on Medium + share articles on blog
Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments
Daily Duolingo practice ๐ฉ๐ช
Health Goals:
Treadmill on days I am not working + upload progress on Twitter
Photo is my own. Please excuse the cat hair ๐โโฌ
And there you have it! As you can see, my goals are similar to January. Ideally, I am hoping to get fitter so I can wear my pre-pregnancy jeans again. I lost a bit of weight last month but I don’t own a scale. I go by how my clothes fit and my clothes are starting to fit a lot better. During the month of February, I’m keeping my focus on fitness, along with career and personal goals (of course). My goal is to shed some belly fat so that I can wear my jeans by mid-March.
I am curious to know what your goals are for the month of January. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below โ Also, I would really appreciate it if you followed me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), that is, if you aren’t already a follower. It is so hard to grow on that platform but I really do enjoy using it to connect with like-minded bloggers.
(ใฃโ๏นโ)ใฃI have a confession: I am addicted to sugar. ๐โโ๏ธ
I’ve had a sweet tooth since the day I was born and given a choice between candy or food for survival without the repercussions, I would have chosen the candy ๐ญ Unfortunately, I inherited a sweet tooth from my grandmother and it runs in my family. Even though I minored in Nutritional & Nutraceutical Sciences (NANS), I didnโt need to study nutrition to know that sugar is addictive. And If you’re anything like me, you probably know that sugar is incredibly difficult to quit. The last time I tried quitting sugar, I managed to detox for 21 days only to relapse during the Christmas holidays. My recommendation is not to try quitting sugar during the holidays, especially if you are just starting out.
I know that I am not the only one who struggles with this addiction and if you are reading this blog post, I am guessing that the title intrigued you. My intention wasnโt to use clickbait, and to be totally transparent, the longest I’ve gone without sugar was #21days. They say it takes 21 days to break a bad habit and I want to ditch the sugar, regardless of how many times I relapse. This past weekend, I ate sugary foods and now I am paying the price with a lot of bloating, mood swings, irritability, and more sugar cravings. That being said, these past two weeks have been nothing but bad news for my family, and by now I am well aware that my coping mechanism is sweets and treats ๐๐
Disclaimer: This blog post was inspired by blog.paleohacks.com. I added some of my own anecdotes to help emphasize the key points from their list (see image below โ) I hope you know that sheer willpower alone will likely lead to a relapse. If you want a more sustainable, long-term solution for quitting the sweet stuff, then we need to treat sugar like the drug that it is. Let’s get started, shall we?
๐ Image source: blog.paleohacks.com
Easy Ways to Cut Sugar Out Of Your Diet
Stop Buying Processed FoodsIf you stop buying processed foods, over time you will accumulate much less of them in your house. If you really want to quit cold turkey, dump your sodas down the drain and toss the rest of your empty-calorie snacks in the trash. We poured the sugar-laden sodas and drinks down the drain which was very therapeutic for me. Some people might say that it is a waste of money to throw food in the trash and I agree with them. However, we should not have purchased these products in the first place.
Make Your Own Spaghetti SauceI have not tried making my own spaghetti sauce. We try to buy brands that are low in sodium and contain the least amount of questionable ingredients. Look for spaghetti sauce when they go on sale and stock up on the good brands.
Swap Fruit Juice with Whole Fruit I quit this bad habit years ago and I don’t feel deprived by diluting fruit juice or skipping it altogether. Whenever I drink fruit juice such as 100% orange juice or 100% apple juice, I water the juice down with 3/4 water. To this day, I cannot drink non-diluted fruit juice. It is way too sweet!
Avoid Flavored YogurtThere is a lot of hidden sugar in flavored yogurts and that is scary! In a single serving of flavored yogurt, I have seen as much as 20 grams of sugar. Yikes! This doesn’t even include the hidden sugars and sneaky sweeteners that are usually added to flavored yogurts. Opt for plain yogurt and flavor it yourself. It is pretty tasty with a little maple syrup and sliced banana.
Make Your Own Salad Dressing I have not tried this yet but both my mom and husband started making their own salad dressings. I can see the appeal in homemade salad dressings and I plan on making my own one day. Please tell me that I am not the only one with 20+ bottles of salad dressing? I cannot bring myself to throw away store-bought salad dressing.
Give Yourself a Quota Goingcold turkey is hard, and let’s face it: we are going to slip up from time to time. If you are used to eating fast food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, then you may want to slowly cut back on sugar and gradually introduce healthier alternatives like fruits and vegetables. If you must have dessert, save your cheat treat for a time when you will really enjoy it, such as date night. I did not grow up in a household where I ate dessert every night and I seldom ate fast food, so, fortunately, I haven’t developed a habit of gluttony and instant gratification.
Try Stevia, Monk Fruit, or Xylitol I have a hard time loving stevia. I find the taste of stevia awful but a lot of people have jumped on the stevia bandwagon and they embrace it with open arms. I don’t mind monk fruit but most often, it’s not made primarily of monk fruit. The one I have is erythritol with monk fruit extract. Erythritol on its own has a cooling aftertaste but gives me stomach aches, so I use it sparingly. I also use maple syrup and coconut sugar in some recipes to replace cane sugar. For days when my sugar cravings are intense, I might try sugar-free gum.
Set Dessert Rules Do you ever implement new rules, end up failing and feel worse than when you started? This method does work with strict discipline but even my family and friends haven’t had much success with it yet. You will likely end up relapsing if you feel too deprived, undergo an uncontrollable binge, or experience withdrawal as you wean yourself off of sugar. What is the best way to overcome potential drawbacks? Decide to make a change and commit to it for a month.
Don’t Keep Treats in the HousePreach! ๐ I stopped buying treats and we rarely have treats in our house. If we really want treats, we have to go out of our way for ice cream, or we make homemade french fries and chips (air fryer or baked). It also forces me to get creative. I have made recipes I would have otherwise never made, such as paleo mint chocolate truffles and chia seed pudding. If you’re going to make desserts, then at least make them paleo! Paleo desserts are naturally healthier and less processed compared to store-bought food.
Eat Dark Chocolate Ideally, you want to eat dark chocolate that is at least 70% solids. I do consume dark chocolate on a weekly basis, and I prefer to bake with dark chocolate which is naturally lower in sugar compared to conventional milk chocolate varieties.
Avoid Mixed Alcoholic DrinksJust avoid alcohol like the plague. Alcohol won’t help you lose weight, is chalked full of empty calories and it wreaks havoc on your kidneys and liver. There are other ways to have fun, like writing blog posts *laughs* In a more serious tone, alcohol is a toxin and I have been around too many alcoholics in my lifetime to know how batshit crazy alcoholics and drunk people can be. Didn’t know alcohol is a drug? FYI alcohol is a depressant. Look it up!
Cut Out SodaIf you’re going to drink soda, you might as well drink liquefied candy washed down with a glass of lemon juice. I don’t need to explain why soda is bad which is pretty much self-explanatory. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that diet soda is any better. Diet soda contains similar ingredients as regular soda plus several questionable artificial sweeteners. Itโs not even the sugar that is the most cringe-worthy ingredient, or the high fructose corn syrup for that matter. It’s the caramel color that is notorious for staining and corroding your teeth, and the highly acidic nature of both diet and regular varieties. Love the carbonated bubbles but don’t want to quit soda cold turkey? Try flavored sparkly water like Perrier, Bubbly, or Spindrift. Although acidic, these unadulterated sparkling waters are still healthier options.
(ใฃโโกโ)ใฃ โฅ FINAL THOUGHTS โฅ
Well, there you have it! If this blog post inspired you to join me on this sans sugar journey and/or you are currently embarking on a similar journey towards a healthier lifestyle, feel free to join the conversation by leaving a comment below โ I look forward to reading your comments!
Also, if you would like to have your recipes featured on sereneluna.net, you can get in touch with me through my contact page ore-mail me @hilary_harm_7@hotmail.com ๐ There is no set deadline for recipe submissions. Ideally, I am looking for recipes that are wheat-free and sugar-free. Stevia, monk fruit, and xylitol are more ideal than added sugars. However, I will accept recipes that use small amounts of honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, etc. anything of that nature. Thanks so much! ๐จ๐
Disclaimer: Now I can officially say that we are all caught up with the recipes! Any new recipes that are posted in the future will be new blog posts. I am happy about that! ๐ This recipe was originally posted as a separate page on June 10, 2019. I changed it to reflect the direction that this blog is headed in. Thank you for understanding! ๐๐
Since I am trying to eat as clean as possible by cutting down on my sugar consumption, I wanted a muffin recipe that I could easily grab for a quick, easy breakfast. I crave carbs so if I am going to eat carbs, I would prefer them to be cleaner than what you would typically find at the grocery store or local coffee shop. Finally, I found a recipe that I really like so I wanted to share it with you. I modified the recipe slightly which was based on the original recipe from www.gimmedelicious.com.
My photo didn’t do these muffins much justice but I added a photo anyways. Voila! My family loves these muffins and it is so easy to whip up a batch when you need a quick muffin fix. Let’s get started, shall we?
HEALTHIER BRAN MUFFINS
Servings: 12 Time: 45 minutes Difficulty: easy
INGREDIENTS
1 cup mashed bananas (approx. 2 medium bananas)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350ยบF. Grease or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
Combine whole wheat flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk the egg. Then add plain yogurt, maple syrup, mashed bananas, and coconut oil to the egg mixture. For a smooth consistency, use a blender to pulverize the wet ingredients. I use my Vitamix blender but a simple blender works too.
Add wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir gently with a plastic spatula until ingredients are evenly mixed.
Disclaimer: This recipe was originally posted as a separate page. I changed it to reflect the direction that this blog is headed in. Thank you for understanding! โฅ
Most recipes found on this blog are designed for 1-2 people, particularly college students or small families who are short on time. If you are making this smoothie for 4 people, simply double the recipe. You can add other fruits such as peaches or add a handful of spinach/kale for a green smoothie. If cantaloupe isnโt your preference, you can use other kinds of melon instead, such as honeydew or watermelon. #melon-fruit-power from pixabay.com
WHY SMOOTHIES?
Fruits and vegetables contain important enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that we need to stay healthy, maintain energy levels, and keep diseases at bay. Making delicious smoothies from fresh fruits each day is an easy and tasty way to obtain your daily nutrient requirements. Smoothies are thicker than fruit juices and they may contain other ingredients such as milk, yogurt, ice cubes, etc.
CHOOSING INGREDIENTS
The quality of a smoothie is directly related to the freshness of the ingredients that you use. Try and use the best fruit that you can get by choosing fruits at optimum ripeness. Although fresh and organic are usually best, fruits that are flash-frozen soon after picking may be better than fresh fruit that has a short shelf life. Examples of summer fruits are strawberries, cherries, raspberries, and peaches. If you use canned fruit, avoid fruit soaked in syrup and aim for fruit soaked in water or natural fruit juice.
EAT WELL, FEEL GOOD, AND LOOK GREAT!
The nutrition that you are consuming by drinking smoothies on a daily basis will also begin to show through your radiant glowing skin, energy levels, and overall improved well-being. For example, antioxidants are found in fresh fruits and are also essential for younger-looking skin. Another example is folic acid, which is found in many fruits and helps keep hair and nails strong. Another advantage of drinking smoothies is the high water content that is found in fruits. It is easy to forget to drink 8 glasses of water per day. Many beverages that we consume such as coffee, tea, and alcohol are dehydrating compared to smoothies which are very hydrating.
CANTALOUPE SMOOTHIE
Servings: 2 Time: 10 minutes Difficulty: easy
INGREDIENTS
1 cup peeled, cubed cantaloupe
1/2 banana, frozen chunks
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tablespoon flaxseed (optional)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Add the cantaloupe, banana, orange juice and lemon juice to a blender (I am using a Vitamix blender). Cover and blend on high until the mixture is smooth.
Add the yogurt, flaxseed and vanilla. Cover and blend on high until the mixture is smooth.
Pour into 2 glasses and add milkshake straws (optional). Serve immediately.
Disclaimer: This recipe was originally posted as a separate page. I changed it to reflect the direction that this blog is headed in. Thank you for understanding!
This recipe is a remake of the Taro recipe I posted on Yummly years ago. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate that recipe and it wasn’t exactly healthy. Taro bubble tea mix often comes in instant creamer-like packets. If you think about what is in these packets, it’s pretty unappetizing. Can we do better than that? Yes, we can, and I will show you how ๐โโ๏ธ
At this time, I plan to make a collection of flat belly-friendly recipes for you all. However, bubble tea generally isn’t healthy, to begin with, plus it is often laden with calories. The horror! ๐ฑ Yes, tea is good for you and should be consumed in your diet but the added refined sugar, tapioca pearls, and saturated fat in the drink outweigh the benefits of consuming the drink in the first place. I am here to give you a healthier version of this beloved beverage. You can sub any fruit out for the mango. I chose mango because it nicely complements the coconut. I added coconut milk for the healthy fats and extra vitamins.
Brew some green tea and chill it in the fridge. 2 cups is more than enough for 2 servings.
Using a pot, fill the pot with 4 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. Next, add ~1/3 of the package (approx. 1 cup) of tapioca pearls to the water and 1/4 cup of brown sugar – half of the brown sugar you are using. Following the instructions on the package, cook the tapioca pearls. This step takes a while and it’s easy to mess up. It won’t cook properly if you cook it at the wrong temperature, hence the recipe being medium difficulty. Occasionally, stir the tapioca pearls so that they don’t stick together.
Once tapioca pearls have risen to the top of the pot and they have the desired chewy consistency (I taste them to make sure), strain pearls under cold water and make a sugar syrup for the pearls using the rest of the brown sugar. Set aside.
Using a personal blender or my personal favorite, being the Vitamix, add the brewed tea, mango chunks, coconut milk, and ice cubes. You will need to scrape the sides of the blender depending on the consistency you want. I recommend working in batches since a cheaper blender may get jammed. The Vitamix however, can handle it like a champ.
Divide the cooked tapioca pearls and add them to the bottom of 2 tall glasses. Add the blended mango coconut slush to the glass along with a wide milkshake straw for pearl slurping. Enjoy!
I encourage you to give this recipe a try. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments section below โ I love reading your comments ๐ฅญ๐
Sereneluna 
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