Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Life After Sugar

Recently a friend of mine reached out to me on Instagram and asked for my advice on "getting rid of sugar." I started to write her back in the DM's, but I quickly realized that I had so much that I wanted to say. I knew that if I just threw out a few shallow tips here and there, she wouldn't find success. Instead, I see this as a multifaceted, holistic journey that needs to be approached from a number of different angles including: food, mindset, and behavior. Note: I am NOT a doctor, nutritionist or psychologist, and my words below should not be treated as such. I encourage everyone to do their own research and listen to their body. But when my friend asked me to help her quit sugar, this is what I told her:

I first tried to give up sugar in 2009; it didn’t stick until 2018. So above all, be patient with yourself. It’s a journey. Here’s what I learned along the way that might help you save a few years--

1. Addiction. This may not be the same for everyone, but I realized that I related to sugar like it was a drug. To the degree in which people desperately try to quit smoking, drinking, or doing heroin, that's how hard it felt for me to give up sugar. When it was in my system, I spent most of the day thinking about when I was going to get my next "hit". There would be donuts or cake in the teacher's lounge at work, then I'd swing back through for seconds and thirds throughout the day, then I'd have to stop at the gas station on the way home for candy, then I'd walk to Walgreens after dinner for ice cream, and it felt like the craving could never fully be satisfied until I had eaten so much sugar that I finally felt sick and just needed to go to bed. No matter how strong my resolve was each morning, I'd find myself in the same routine day after day. My mom, however, could eat one square of a candy bar then tuck the rest away in the fridge for several weeks... practically forgetting about it. Whereas for me, HER candy bar was burning a hole in my brain, and couldn't rest until it was gone. So again, you have to assess for yourself, but if you feel like you are not in control of your actions-- meaning you're reaching for sugar or making detours to go buy something even though everything in your mind is telling you that you DON'T want to be doing that behavior, then the first step is accepting that you're dealing with an addiction rather than just a less-than-desirable habit. If for you it's not an addiction, then take the rest of the things I say with a grain of salt because you might not need the extreme treatment that I needed.

2. Cold Turkey v. Moderation. Moderation as it relates to sugar did not work for me. The first few times I did it, I tried no sugar all week and a just one dessert on the weekend. Nope. Led to binging on anything that had sugar in it all weekend long. Then I tried one dessert a month-- same result. I'd avoid sugar all month, then when I had that one treat, I would go on a sugar bender for almost a week. It wasn't until a year and a half ago when I said, I'm giving up sugar for good that it finally stuck. Because of the chemical reaction sugar was creating in my brain, I couldn't keep reintroducing it. Every time I did so, by brain would receive an extreme reward/pleasure signal, then when it crashed, it would spend the rest of the day trying to find foods that would bring me back up to that "high" again. And each time, I needed more and more to feel satisfied. I wanted to get it out of my system completely and stop putting foods into my body that operated at such extremes. Here is a 1-hour lecture (so it takes a bit of focus), but it's REALLY helpful in understanding the science behind brain activity dealing with overly-rich foods: The Cram Circuit. I felt like it perfectly described my interactions with food and really helped me to get a handle on my behavior. I highly recommend it!

3. Accountability. I just listened to this podcast interview where Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, talks about The 4 Tendencies. Listen to the 9 minutes from 34:17- 43:45. I learned that I was an Obliger, so the best way for me to commit to an action is to tap into my sense of accountability and responsibility. Therefore when I gave up sugar, I posted in a Facebook group in August that I was giving up sugar for the rest of the year and that I invited people to ask me periodically over the next 5 months if I had eaten sugar that day. If I had, then I'd pay them $10. I knew that I would follow through because I had said it aloud and I wasn't one to go back on my word to other people. I also knew that I didn't have money to be paying out $10/day for 5 months, so it actually really helped me to cut the cord during those first few weeks which is the hardest time.

4. Education. It's really helpful for me to read books and watch documentaries about nutrition every few months or so. This helped me to stop feeling like I was on a restrictive diet, and instead I felt inspired by the power that clean, whole foods can have towards helping the body run as effectively as possible and become the thriving, glowing work of art that it's supposed to be. Seeing the science behind fresh fruits and vegetables being such powerful agents for promoting positive health and eliminating disease, and simultaneously, seeing the narrative of donuts, cakes, cookies, and candy as the evil invaders that were wreaking havoc throughout our body was a great reminder that helped me to stay in tune with a deeper purpose beyond just wanting to lose a few pounds before my friend's wedding. Recommendations:

  • Hungry for Change (Netflix)
  • Plant Pure Nation (Netflix)
  • The Whole 30 (book)
I have a ton more recommendations if you start geeking out about this stuff; let me know!

5. Crutches. So my hard and fast rule was no processed sugar of any sort, including things that sounded healthy like "organic cane sugar," "coconut palm sugar," "Stevia," etc. The only thing I allowed was RAW, unfiltered, non-processed honey and agave. And a year in, I started allowing unprocessed maple syrup, but I'm still deciding how I feel about it. The most important thing you can do is, READ the ingredients on EVERYTHING! Sugar is hiding everywhere! Crackers, sausages, soups, yogurts, Healthy Choice dinners, Amy's pizza, etc--all kinds of things that seem savory and like they shouldn't have sugar... it's in there. I still have a sweet tooth, and I want to eventually address that, but to help me get through the elimination phase, I still had treats that felt indulgent but were at least better than eating processed sugar and that helped me to stick to my goal. Dried mango, frozen Medjool dates, That's It bars, Lara bars, Go Raw chocolate squares, and if I was really about to lose it and needed to turn to an old source of comfort: Coconut Bliss ice cream (but read the ingredients carefully because some of them had cookie or brownie chunks, or other things that had sugar in them. I stuck to the Hazelnut Fudge and the Peanut Butter flavors).

6. Reflect regularly. My goal was getting to a place where I felt in control of my food, and that it wasn't in control of me. You have to play with different things and see what works for you. For example, in the beginning, I was EXTREMELY strict and wouldn't eat ketchup or dressings at a restaurant because I knew they had sugar in them and I was scared it would send me into a spiral. However, after about 6 months or so, I tried it slowly, and I didn't notice any change in my behavior the following days, so I felt like it was okay and something I didn't need to be afraid of when I ate out every now and then. However with the GoRaw and Coconut Bliss, although they helped me get over the hump of eating processed sugar, and they didn't lead to me going out and scavenging for more sugar, I still realized that I'd eat more than I intended to, and I'd feel sick afterwards. So I don't say that I can never have them again, but I think twice before I reach for them now because I know they are foods that make it a little harder for me to stop at a healthy amount. I just encourage you to be super diligent and aware at restaurants. For example, if you've been sugar-free for a couple weeks, and you order pad thai (obviously not thinking of it as a dessert), and then you realize (like I did) that you start having cravings or munchies in the hours or days that follow, then you'll learn that pad thai sauce is actually loaded with sugar and not something that's going to work for you in terms of staying craving-free and in control of your behaviors.

7. Make your own treats! Something I'm working on in 2019 is wanting to bake a batch of something once or twice a month. It's a great way to control the ingredients and not go around in the world feeling deprived all the time. There are tons of recipes out there now that use dates, honey, agave, and/or maple syrup to sweeten things and they're still delicious and exciting. I've gone a year and a half mostly avoiding pancakes, waffles, cookies, cakes, brownies, etc., and I needed to go through that season, but it would be great to reintroduce some healthy alternatives so that I can enjoy a Sunday morning waffle every once in a while. However I'll keep an eye on it, and if I feel like I'm trying to eat a whole pan of date-sweetened brownies in one sitting, then I'll re-evaluate and see if it's worth it.

8. The freedom paradox. On one hand, I can confidently say that there is a tremendous amount of freedom on this side of the addiction. My mind is clearer, I'm happier, and I'm not constantly living in shame about my choices. I lost weight (somewhat effortlessly compared to ways I've lost it in the past), I have lots of energy, and honestly, I just like myself better. I have a much healthier relationship with food-- not the constant yo-yo of restricting and binging. And when I think about what I'm going to eat for the day, I think about things like nutrient variety and biodiversity... which I can hardly believe that that's who I am now, but it's also really fun for me! On the other hand, even though I don't experience the intense cravings anymore, just like an alcoholic, I always feel like I'm one bad decision away from "relapsing" and reversing everything. I don't think this something in which I'll ever feel like I can just kick back and coast. So when I write out these tips, I don't write as an expert by any means, but rather someone who's still on a journey and is just sharing what I've learned along the way. I hope this helps!

Follow me on IG; let's figure this out together! @rachael_nicole_arthur 

Sunday, March 15, 2015

A Winter's Hope



Just like all of creation, Winter, too, is a picture of the gospel.  It's cold, dark, and gloomy.  All around us, withered plants and leafless trees remind us of the certainty of death.  On some days, the suffering feels almost unbearable-- my face is stinging, my hands are stiff; there's actual pain associated with the depths of winter.  And if this was all we had to look forward to, many of us would surely give up and run away-- settling for an easier path.  But instead we endure.  We fight.  We press on.  Because we know that the suffering will only last for a little while, and soon Spring will make his triumphant return.  We know this to be true; there is no doubt in our mind-- and because we are so confident in this truth, it gives us the strength we need to persist.  We know that soon, and very soon, we will be surrounded by vibrant signs of life-- fresh green grass breaking free from the weight of snow and ice, fragrant wild floweres in full bloom, and most notably, the extended presence of the sun.  We will bask in its warmth, and delight in the beauty that it reveals around us.  The sun is the hero-- ultimately our only hope for Spring and rebirth lies in the return of the glorious sun!

Likewise, the Son is our hero-- our savior.  He will rescue us from our pain and suffering, our meaningless toil, our endless chasing, our relentless longing; he will usher us into the promised joys of new life.  Until then... we endure; we fight; we press on because we can be confident of His triumphant return... soon and very soon.  

Revelation 21:1-5a
Then I saw a new heavean and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Starting Bloc NYC

Hi Friends!  So it's been a little over 2 months since I finished the Starting Bloc NYC Institute, and so much has happened.  I'm volunteering with a start-up company right now, and we're about to launch our Kickstarter campaign, but here's a rewind of what I gained from the Starting Bloc experience.  

1. Fish Camp for Adults-- From the moment I received the acceptance letter to StartingBloc, which included a GIF of a man doing his “Happy Dance,” I knew that I was on the right track.  We had a Google Hangout with our Breakout Team 1 week before we all got to NYC.  My group decided to wear matching colors on the first day for the WIN!  Our very first assignment was to walk through the streets of New York actively seeking opportunities to fail-- you probably saw pics on Instagram.  All of the sessions were interactive and collaborative and creative-- everything I love. 

2. The Sessions-  We attended about 5 sessions a-day, each covering various aspects of being a change-maker.   Scott Sherman was our keynote speaker-- his doctorate was on studying social change movements throughout history that have been successful and identifying trends and key levers in these movements.  His session taught us about the three principles of transformative action.  All of the other guest speakers were equally as knowledgeable in their respective fields:  we learned about how to build strong organizational culture, how to use storytelling to invest people in your cause, how to raise capital for start-ups, how to prototype your business idea, and so much more!

3. The Scrimmage (life-changing)-- On one of the days we got into our 10 Breakout Teams, and we got to be consultants for a real non-profit going through the woes of being a small start-up.  We learned about a strategy called Rapid-Prototyping for Human-Centered Design which I quickly became obsessed with.  Basically, the founder of the organization, Library for All, shared a little bit about their company and the current problem they were having.  We then as a team had to come up with solutions and build a prototype… within 20 minutes!  From there, “Users" walked around the room and interacted with our prototype, and we used insight from their interactions and their feedback to make 'rapid’ changes to the prototype and then gather new User feedback.  Rinse and repeat for as many iterations as we could possible fit into the 2-hour scrimmage.  It was so exhilarating-- especially since it was a REAL situation for a REAL company-- look them up and share their video! 
(Side note: All my YES Prep leaders-- we NEED to talk about this!  This concept of this process was taken from the manufacturing world, but in Human-Centered Design, you don't have to prototype products, you can actually prototype ideas!  I was thinking about all the times we've rolled out new discipline or incentive systems for students, or overhauled the community service program, or tried to roll out a big campus strategic goal, etc. without TESTING them!  We spend hours in a conference room thinking about what we think should be, how we THINK people will react, and then ultimately making these elaborate plans, only to watch them flop, but then still have to endure them at least through the rest of the semester, if not the year (I can't tell you how many times I did that as a GLC or even just a classroom teacher).  However, with those same hours (actually much fewer), we could be running a Rapid Prototyping session and gaining a year’s worth of ‘user' insight before locking in big plans!  I'd love to talk to one of y’all about this, and help you try it out with one of your teams, or maybe even see about getting the ReWork experts to come lead a session like they did for us.  It was BRILLIANT!) 

4. Ideas Marketplace (game-changer)-- So this is where everything crazy kinda started.  They basically gave us an overview of how to give a 1-minute pitch about a project that you're working on in order to gain support.  Then 20 minutes later, we were thrown to the wolves and had to present our own 1-minute pitches to the whole room.  At that point, I still wasn't sure what I was focusing on, but they encouraged us to just nail down something so that we could gain the experience or presenting and storytelling.   It was probably split half and half-- some people, like me, just had a very baby seedling idea, and other people had fascinating, well-developed ideas-- a lot of them, actual companies that they had already started.
Examples:
*Give a Day Global- partner tourists up with one day of volunteer work during their international vacations to help raise awareness for different issues/communities
*Thought Collective Design- Founder, (a 22 year old girl) lives in Zimbabwe and employs women to make clothes for a clothing line she sells in Austin, TX.  Allows those women to care for their children rather than leaving them at the orphanage. 
*I don't know the name of the company, but they sell cookies and chips made from cricket powder as a more affordable source of protein for and in response to non-sustainable factory-farming
*Report It Girl- a website for collecting stories and providing nurturing community for women who have been sexually abused.
*Spare Change- wanted to start collecting the stories of homeless people (similar to Humans of New York) to bring awareness and help people gain a better understanding of people in need
(You can look most of these companies up online and like their pages!)

Sooo I talked about what I knew… inner-city students in Houston, and gave my pitch on wanting to create an organization that taught character skills like empathy, courage, grit, leadership, etc., especially in low-income communities-- think workshops, retreats, summer camps a la Andria Groover and I, circa 2011.  I wasn't expecting much since I wasn't a legit company like other people, but after the Ideas Marketplace, several people came up to me share that they really loved what I talked about and how important it was, some others wanted to join forces with the similar ideas and experience that they had, and still others just wanted to connect me with people in their networks who were working on something similar.  Which led me to Happy Heart Kid…



Happy Heart Kid is a start-up that I found out about through one of my SB Fellows.  The founder has created a series of activity kits for children ages 3-8 which use games and craft projects to teach specific character skills like Empathy, Grit, Self-Control, etc.  It's not the direction that I was thinking, as the institute I had in mind was going to be a service for pre-teens and teens rather than a product for kids, but it was still a great starting point to learn.  I'm not ready to start my own company, as I’m still focusing on studying performing arts while I'm still young :), but one of the commitments I made on the last day of SB was to volunteer with different start-ups 1) because it makes me happy to be a part of such interesting projects, but 2) to gain valuable experience in the social start-up sector.  So I've been slowly taking on the social media marketing for Happy Heart Kid, and helping with product testing and revisions. We're about to launch our Kickstarter campaign on November 12th!  We've been gaining more and more followers and even have been mentioned on some big mommy-blogs, so it's exciting to watch it grow.  I'm nervous because we are shooting for a big goal with our campaign-- and with Kickstarter, we don't get any of the capital if we do not reach our whole goal, but no matter what happens, we're going to learn so much from this process.  So if you haven't already, like our FB page, follow us on Instagram (Happy Heart Kid), and sign up for our email updates on our website so you can see the journey unfold!  I do most of the quotes and pictures on our page each morning, so you'll know the face behind the posts! :)  


It's Your Turn! Lastly know that Starting Bloc just posted their dates and locations for 2015, so if any of this sounded interesting to you, look up their website to learn more and reach out to me so we can chat about it!


Monday, December 30, 2013

Wrestling with Hopelessness

Tossed and turned all night from thoughts and images after seeing '12 Years a Slave'. A wave of sadness and depression washed over me-- not in response to the typical narrative of black vs white, but instead at the realization of the depths of wickedness and depravity that lie within all of our hearts. It's only by the grace of God that he does not turn us all over to the true nature of our flesh. My mind keeps scrolling through the centuries and centuries of slavery, oppression, and genocide-- starting from the Israelites in Egypt and wondering under what present-day injustices are others still suffering. 

I keep thinking, "It could have been me..."

I'm trying to understand how people found the strength to endure a life of such despair, and I find myself clinging desperately to our promised savior-- it's the only thing that could offer any form of hope in the reality of such cruelty and utter darkness.

In the New Testament Paul says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

Oh, how I pray that this is true.

"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:18-28

It's our only hope...

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Birthday Blogs- Kate

June 5th
Kate Cottrell

She's brave and independent...



She's introspective and reflective...


She's passionate and compassionate...


All things I love about her... HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE!!!!!!!!!!


I am so proud of you and the journey you've been on for the past 2 years. 


And I'm so thankful that Mark asked us plan SDR together... that was 6 years ago!  Who knew that I'd get a best friend out of it?! 



Thank you for teaching me the value of long-lasting friendship, and not running away when things get tough.



I feel like every conversation I have with you is meaningul and life-changing.  I have learned so much from you, and your life is an inspiration to me every day-- even when you're thousands of miles away.


 Love you.  Miss you. And I can't wait to hug you!  Happy Birthday!!!



Saturday, June 2, 2012

Birthday Blogs- Andria

I don't know what happened in September about 26 years ago, but almost all of my besties have birthdays in May or June.. and this year, unfortunately, I'm on the other side of the world.  :(  So here's my official kick-off to the Birthday Blog in honor of the beautiful people in my life who I love dearly and wish I could be with this month!

June 2nd
Andria Groover


Thank you for listening to all my junk and constantly reminding me that, 'Christ is all'...



Thank you for being so comfortable in your own skin. You're my inspiration...


Thank you for teaching me how to dream big...



I feel like I'm losing my other half... I don't know what I'm going to do without you...


But you definitely left YES (and me) better than you found it...


Know that I love you deeply, and I always will. You I hope you have the happiest of birthdays today!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Thy Sweet Mercy

I've felt inspired to write recently.  And although the idea of "starting my blog back up" and catching everyone up on my move back to Texas and the last year of my life seems overwhelming and crippling, I am driving out the feelings of anxiety that would normally paralyze me and keep me from even trying.  Instead I'm taking the "How Do You Eat an Elephant?" approach... "one bite at a time..." 

So here's a tiny morsel of some of the thought patterns filling my life right now:
-----------------

This morning this hymn had me weeping uncontrobally, specifically this verse:

Without Thy sweet mercy, I could not live here,
Sin would reduce me to utter despair,
But through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived,
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

Recently, I've been coming to terms with the innate wickedness of my heart:
-I am selfish...
-I live in jealousy...
-I keep score...
-I hold onto bitterness...
-I squander my time, my money, and my talents...
-I seek the approval of others
-I am ungrateful and discontent

The list goes on and on.  But recently I've learned about a God who doesn't ask me to clean myself up, but rather to come just as I am.  And the more I learn about this loving God, the more I despise myself for my sinful heart, wondering how someone could show mercy towards me, but all the more I love God for loving me inspite of my wretchedness.  

I think Paul would understand me...

Romans 7:15-25
"For I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want but I do the very thing I hate.  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.  For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.  For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

And as the hymn says,
'But through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived,
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.'

Later Paul goes on to reassure us:
Philippians 1:6
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."