Hardly an earth-shattering statement, that. Too much sugar is obviously not good and I’ve always known this but I’ve always had a sweet tooth. I love cake, sweets, biscuits, chocolate… you name it.

This is actually a really tricky one for me – I gave up alcohol completely for 23 years without any problem but when I tried to give up chocolate (just chocolate!), I couldn’t – I caved!! So this is take II.

Recently a friend of mine from Sweden visited me with his 13 year old son. He brought a big bag of wonderful Swedish ‘candies’ and told me to hide them from his son. His son was in fact a lot more restrained than I was. It was actually embarrassing.

But… I’ve been looking into getting fitter, stronger, lighter… healthier – doing research on and off over the last few years.

After a health scare a few years ago (all good now) but also due to ageing and a bit of laziness I decided to sort myself right out and get in shape.

I like to do and enjoy sports and as I get older I’m finding it hard to be as strong, fit, healthy and flexible as I’d like to be. It is not only impacting upon my enjoyment of the sports I love but also on everyday life as I pick up various niggles, aches and pains.

My main concerns are blood circulation, blood sugar levels and inflammation – and these are all dealt with with less sugar consumption – hence declaring war on sugar.

Want some incentives? OK, here are some of the benefits of cutting down on sugar:

Stabilized Energy Levels: Waking up feeling refreshed with sustained energy throughout the day thanks to stabilized blood sugar levels.

Reduced Inflammation: Sugar fuels inflammation, damaging your body. By reducing sugar, you’re helping your body fight inflammation and improve blood vessel health & therefore blood flow, crucial for delivering vital nutrients and oxygen to your cells.

Weight Management: Sugar can pack on the pounds. It’s calorie-dense and often devoid of the nutrients our bodies crave. Reducing sugar naturally creates a calorie deficit, making weight management easier.

Improved Heart Health: Reducing sugar can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation.

Reduced Risk of Chronic Disease: Reducing sugar can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Listening to Your Body: I believe that it’s important to listen to our bodies but that can be difficult when we have dependencies, cravings and unhealthy habits. I believe reducing sugar intake will actually make it easier to listen and pay attention to our bodies natural signals.

This isn’t about deprivation. It’s about making conscious choices that empower you to live a healthier, happier life. It’s about tuning into your body’s signals and appreciating the natural sweetness that surrounds us. Think of it as a self-love experiment, a way to show your body the respect it deserves. It’s about embracing a more mindful approach to eating, appreciating the natural flavors of whole foods, and prioritizing your overall well-being.

I already started getting more seriously into improving my physical and mental (and perhaps even spiritual) health last year and this is a continuation of that.

Given the timing of writing this, perhaps anyone struggling to think of a New Years Resolution wants to join me?

My guess is that this small change should pave the way for a much healthier, happier you (and me hopefully).