Wednesday, November 9, 2016

November 9th, 2016 Sharp And Ready

November 9th, 2016 Sharp And Ready

Those donuts. They were still there today. But you know what? They were completely powerless today. And not just because they're a day old--oh no, trust me, I've eaten my share of day old donuts back in the day. 

The power of good support is a gift that keeps on giving. The support texts yesterday and writing about it last night--those things made all the difference. It was a strange experience. It was very reminiscent of days long ago when white knuckling was the norm. But I haven't been in that place for so long, so it felt alarming to once again experience the gravitational pull of its deceptive promise. And that's why it doesn't matter how long I've been at this, I must always keep my tools sharp and ready.

Turns out, yesterday was great practice for an upcoming advertising event for a client. On Tuesday the 15th, my entire morning show studio will be filled with every baked thing a prominent bakery creates. It's a major push for holiday bakery orders. This event has proven wildly successful in the past--and now, it's time again. I'm prepared. It's simply not my food. But--and this is a big but-- I can do my job--talk on air about how wonderful it is--and how convenient it is--and how each item is a work of art...yes, I can appreciate quality things and still abstain from refined sugar, the same as the last 924 days. And it'll be authentic because I've had plenty of these items in my past. I remember it well. I will make sure I have great support that day, like every day--but maybe a little more.

The great thing about this is, there's no longing. Zero desire. I've experienced the other side and it's sweet freedom. It's given me a peace and calm that helps me keep a solid foundation in support of every other decision along the way. Yet--I must remember, every now and again--something can be triggered. And in those moments, I'm willing to do the things in defense of what's most important.

I wrote these words in June 2014 after two and a half months abstinence from refined sugar:

I've written about my abstinence from sugar and how it's given me a peace and calm like I've never known. It's not something necessary for everyone. You may not have the reactions I do when you consume sugar. Arriving at this point in my journey has required a bunch of trial and error, or more accurately, a bunch of denial and struggle. I'm glad I've experienced things this way, though. Because without the trials, the struggles--I wouldn't be where I am today. And I love where I am today.

 If you're not someone affected by sugar, like me, good! For you, moderation is key. After experiencing the last nine and a half weeks without and the resulting peace and calm--I've never been more sure of its affects on me. When denial and struggle is replaced with the positive perspective of peaceful acceptance, it's life-changing, certainly has been for me.

 Two and a half years later, I feel the same way. "When denial and struggle is replaced with the positive perspective of peaceful acceptance, it's life-changing, certainly has been for me." 

 Today: I maintained the integrity of my maintenance calorie budget. I remained abstinent from refined sugar. I exceeded my daily water goal. I stayed connected with fantastic support. And I had a great workout at the gym.

Today's Accountability Live-Tweet Stream:
































Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 10, 2016 at 6:25 AM

    Hi Sean,

    Tonight are you going to make it a priority to be in bed 7 hours before your alarm goes off? Over that last week have you had a chance to go back to not taking care of your sleep, so you compare and contrast your nice run of 7 hour nights? How does it compare? Sleeping haphazardly vs. with care ensuring you get at least 7 hours in bed?

    --Chris

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  2. KNovember 10, 2016 at 7:24 AM

    Hi Sean - I'm not much of a blog commenter, but I wanted to say thank you for the inspiration re: sugar free living! After a particularly tough week which included a very ill relative, my daughter's birthday (cupcakes) and halloween (candy), I realized I was eating a ton of sugar to get through the day and feeling really crappy. I decided, almost as a lark, to quite consuming sugar for a while. It's been 8 days now, I've lost a few pounds, which I wasn't expecting, and I feel fantastic. I never thought I could or would stop eating sugar altogether, but I realize now that my body just doesn't like it, and that I CAN do it. I just might make it a permanent thing.

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I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. Thank you for your support!