Donuts, Ice Cream, Temptations, and the 7-Day No Sugar Experiment- A story of cravings, curiosity, and coaching myself through a week without sugar or flour — the real way

Last weekend, Mike and I went to a performance of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. As always, it was enjoyable. The theme was Superheroes and Villains. Any performance featuring John Williams’s music is always worth your time. We were in the best mood and decided to make it even better with a trip to Krispy Kreme!

I hadn’t had a Krispy Kreme donut in a while. A little while back, I think it was Donut Connection that I had—one with a sugar cream filling. At church, we have a donut social every first Sunday of the month. It’s Joaquin’s favorite thing. He got one for me, and even though I knew better, I ate it anyway. The next day, I felt bloated, cranky, and just ached all over. I don’t usually have that much of a sugar load, so when I do, it’s noticeable. I suppose it’s age—how sugar affects me this way now. I used to be able to eat two or three Krispy Kreme original glazed donuts and think nothing of it.

So anyway, back to Saturday’s Krispy Kreme trip. We were just going to buy a few pieces, and somehow ended up with a dozen—as all our Krispy Kreme trips go. I had one. I knew this week’s blog topic was going to be about my 7-day no sugar, no flour experiment, so I enjoyed that treat slowly and savored it.

Full disclosure: I tell my patients and clients about avoiding sugar and flour, but I hadn’t intentionally done it myself—until now. My sugar treats usually come from Filipino chocolate Mike buys for me when he goes home. Ha! Choc Nut, Curly Tops, and Flat Tops. They’re usually packed as bite-sized pieces, and I take two or three after dinner as dessert. We also always have ice cream in the freezer. I’d eat some when the mood hit me. Mike usually buys it for me, but I forget it’s there—until I realize he’s already eaten it!

Lately, we’ve had a few chances to go to Trader Joe’s, and I discovered this Calamansi Mango sorbet that is sooo good. The week prior, I found myself enjoying some every night. Every. Night. I guess it’s a good thing we don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby.

So anyway, like many people, I have a sweet tooth and enjoy the occasional sugar treat. But for the purpose of this blog, I went on a seven-day no sugar, no flour week.

Breakfast was easy: plain yogurt and fruit, cottage cheese and fruit. One day, I had sausage and eggs. On Thursday, however, I was pressed for time and had a protein shake. It had 1 gram of total sugar and 0 added sugar, so I gave myself a pass.

Lunch was easy, too. I meal-prepped on Sunday, and it lasted all week. I had the same lunch every day, and I don’t mind that—though I know most people do. Lunch was a high-fiber, high-protein Mediterranean farro and chickpea salad.

While I intended to avoid flour too, I couldn’t pass up the pita bread that came with the hummus at Aladdin, and again at Olive Tree the next day during a pharma-sponsored talk.

Dinner at home was easy. We have Blue Apron meal delivery two days a week, and Mike or I cook. Otherwise, we thaw out frozen meals we’ve cooked beforehand. On Friday, for Good Friday, Mike made salmon and mussels.

Notice how I keep saying “it was easy”? That’s intentional. I’ve learned that the language you use affects how you experience situations. If I said it was hard, I could probably describe it in a way that you’d agree it was hard. But it helps to reframe.

Easter egg chocolate treats and they were just lying there!

Temptations came in many forms. The Krispy Kreme box sat on the counter for days. My sister sent her uber-delicious ube crinkle cookies for Easter. They arrived Monday, and it was really hard not to open the package and devour them. There were also treats at work. But once I made the decision last week, I knew I was going to stick with it.

What benefits did I notice? I’m not trying to lose weight, but I lost a pound and a few decimal points. It’s probably just fluctuation, but it’s a lower number I haven’t seen in months—so, there’s that. I also had more energy that lasted well into the evening, up until bedtime. I don’t think it was just the “no sugar” part. I also became more conscious of increasing my fiber and protein.

I did finally break the rule on Saturday with a halo-halo from Shake Your Boba, where my son Joaquin works. And I truly enjoyed that.

Halo halo from Shake Your Boba!

Notice that while it wasn’t a perfect effort, I gave myself grace when I gave in—and I stayed the course and finished the project.

This week reminded me again that progress doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from awareness and intention. I noticed my patterns, named the triggers, normalized the occasional slip (because I’m human!), and made a new plan each day to stay aligned with my goal. That’s what I teach my clients, and it’s what I try to live myself. If you’re thinking about cutting back on sugar and flour, don’t wait for the “perfect” time. Start with a curious mind, a kind heart, and a plan that gives you room to learn, not just rules to follow. You might be surprised by what you discover — not just about your cravings, but about your own strength.

Have you ever tried cutting out sugar or flour? I’d love to hear what you noticed, what challenged you, and what helped you stay the course. Share in the comments or send me a message — you’re not alone on this journey.