​I walked away from Culinary School for a relationship—well, relationships—to be precise.

Twenty-some years ago I began my journey to become a chef. All of my forward momentum, however, began with a huge step backwards—by canceling my registration for culinary school.

Even now, there are no words for how proud I was to have been accepted and enrolled in culinary school. I floundered a bit in my younger years. Culinary studies felt like my calling but only after a few years of trial and error.

Most of my formative years were spent comfortable in the absolute knowledge that I wanted to be a marine biologist.  I read stacks of books, watched endless hours of Shark Week on Animal Planet and worked at Mystic Aquarium. By the end of my freshman year of college, though, it was as if someone had unceremoniously drown my dreams in Artic waters.

Math never came easily for me and I had learned it was not realistic for me work in the field, on a boat. I was simply not proficient enough in that regard.
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I was crushed and the daunting task of finding a new life path was afoot. 
ECLECTIC CAFE, BRUISED EGO & DETERMINATION? - READ ON! CLICK TO THE RIGHT

Twenty five grams of sugar. That is the suggested daily maximum sugar intake for the average adult female.

Diabetes has reared its ugly head on both sides of my family. Although I eat a very nutritious, well balanced diet, I decided to cut back on my “added sugar” intake. I didn’t think it would be a noticeable change because I rarely eat prepackaged foods and felt I had a good handle on overall dietary balance.

I was really, terribly wrong.

Celebrating one year of sugar success this past November, I was reflecting on what a tremendous learning experience this has been. I have been eating no more than 24 grams of added sugar each day.

I do eat natural sugars—fruit specifically—and I made the personal decision to not track this but to be aware that it is still sugar and not overdo it. I eat trail mix when I am adventuring and traveling but not as a day-to-day snack, keeping in mind the dried fruits are high in sugar.
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The added sugar in yogurts or other seemingly healthy foods, these are the areas that needed a new strategy.

Any nutritional element that you take the time to track, even temporarily, is a real eye opening experience. We have a way of skewing our perceptions, often excusing our nutritional faux pas by simply focusing on celebration of our dietary “wins”. It’s just what we humans do.

No one is perfect and that’s just fine; we should absolutely continue to be proud of ourselves for the good choices we might be making. Unfortunately, we also need to shine a light on our little faux pas. Each may be small but they’re cumulative and herein lies the long term health concerns.
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Did I eat a sleigh full of buttery cookies in December? Yes, I did. I savored every naughty little morsel too. 
DARK YOGURT SECRETS & DARK CHOCOLATE? - READ MORE, CLICK TO THE RIGHT