Glucose, fructose, sucrose

Sugar. Names for sugar in our lives.

Glucose and fructose are monosaccharides, a singular unit of sugar (mono=one)
Sucrose is what you get when glucose and fructose are combined. Now a disaccharide (di=two), also known as table sugar.

Glucose is the sweetness found in fruits. Carbohydrate is converted into glucose in the body.
Fructose is the sweetness found in fruits as well, but it's the super super super sweetness in fruit. You might know it as 'high fructose syrup'.
Sucrose is found in sugar cane.

Processed sugars (not naturally occurring) are a major part of the human diet. According to wikipedia/google, on average a human will eat 24 kilograms of processed sugar in a year. That's 52 pounds in case you're wondering. Industrialized countries, 33 kilograms (72 pounds).

A pound of processed sugar a week. 260 calories of sugar a day. 1820 calories a week. Of sugar.

I'm trying to reduce, ideally eliminate, the processed sugars I'm eating.

I like M&Ms. And marshmallows in hot chocolate. And cake. And any type of pastry. And bread, slathered with butter and then jam. You're hungry now, aren't you? I am. I'm not really, but my body is telling me to go to the freezer, take out the eggo waffles, toast them and put nutella on them. But I'm not hungry. I had a delightful little salad with some slouvakie steak on it. But our brains have been convinced (by our own doing mind you) that sugar is good food. That we 'need' it to fulfill our hunger. Especially about 3 pm in the afternoon, or even better, after dinner but right before we go to bed.

I don't have a problem with food. I never have. I do have the occasional really large meal. Anyone who saw me stuff my face at Thanksgiving or Christmas can verify this. I have on occasion eaten for comfort, during a particularly emotional time. But it's not a constant state for me. I like food. I don't hate myself after I eat. I can 'only have one slice'. If I don't have a problem with food, why try and eliminate sugar? Because I'm trying to live the life of a real athlete here, and I ask myself constantly, WWARAD? What Would A Real Athlete Do?

I'll tell you what, you decide to reduce, or eliminate, sugar, suddenly you have a problem with food. I have had virtually no processed sugars since Tuesday. And I am in a constant battle with myself about it.
Me, "I've done so well, I can have one cup of hot chocolate."
Me, "But you'll break your streak if you do."
Me, "It's one cup of hot chocolate, it's not going to kill me."
Me, "No, but it will mean that you've 'failed' at what you wanted to do, which was to reduce/eliminate sugar."
Me, "It's one cup, one, maybe two large marshmallows!"
Me, "How will you feel after you eat it?"
Me, "What?"
Me, "You'll feel guilty, and hate yourself"
Me, "Fuck you"

Problem.

I'm not sure how much longer I will be doing this.