I'm Not Giving Up Sugar. And Here's Why.

I'm Not Giving Up Sugar. And Here's Why.

I'm in my 40s.

I'm a busy professional, a friend, a daughter, a parent, and I'm usually juggling about seventeen things at once.

I'm also a Certified Health, Wellness & Nutrition Coach.

And here's something you probably won't expect from a health and wellness coach:

I'm not giving up sugar.

There.

I've said it.

I'm not frightened of it.

I'm not going to tell you that one teaspoon of sugar is going to ruin your health.

And I'm definitely not interested in the endless health scaremongering that seems to make people feel guilty about everything they eat.

Because that's not how I believe we should approach health.

I'm much more interested in real life

I want healthy habits that actually work when you're busy.

When you're rushing out the door.

When you've got meetings.

When you've got a million things to do.

When you're trying to look after everyone else and still remember to look after yourself.

That's real life.

And that's very much the Next Chapter ethos too.

It's not about becoming a completely different person.

It's about making the life you've already got better, easier and more enjoyable.

So why am I using sugar sticks?

Quite simply, I like them.

I have sugar in my coffee.

I'm not going to apologise for that.

But I do like having a little more awareness around how much I'm actually using.

And that's where these little sugar sticks come in.

They're pre-portioned, they're easy and they're convenient.

No sugar bowl.

No spoon.

No accidentally tipping half the packet into your coffee because you're still waking up.

Just one little stick.

Done.

Woman in her 50s enjoying a cup of tea with custard cream biscuits
Enjoying the Simple Things After 40

Portion awareness isn't a restriction

This is the bit I think gets lost in so much of the health conversation.

There is a huge difference between being aware of what you're consuming and being afraid of food.

I'm not counting every calorie.

I'm not weighing my sugar.

I'm not telling myself I can't have something because it's “bad”.

I'm simply making an easy choice about the portion I'm having.

And then I'm getting on with my day.

Because honestly?

I have better things to do than feel guilty about my coffee.

Health isn't supposed to make your life miserable

As a certified health, wellness and nutrition coach, I'm much more interested in the whole picture.

What does your diet look like overall?

Are you eating enough protein?

Getting plenty of plants and fibre?

Moving your body?

Sleeping?

Managing stress?

Spending time with people you love?

Actually enjoying your life?

Because health isn't one teaspoon of sugar.

It's not one meal.

It's not one glass of wine.

It's not whether you had dessert.

It's the bigger picture.

Black man in his 50s enjoying a cup of tea and biscuits while working in his office
Enjoying the Simple Things After 40

This is what my Next Chapter looks like

I don't want a life where everything is restricted.

I want to feel good.

I want energy.

I want to look after myself.

I want to eat well.

I want to move.

I want to travel.

I want dinners with friends.

I want coffee.

I want cake sometimes.

And I want health advice that helps me live my life rather than making me scared of it.

That's my approach to wellness.

No extremes.
No guilt.
No scaremongering.
No pretending we're living in a wellness retreat 24/7.

Just sensible choices that work in real life.

And sometimes simple is better

That's why I've been using these sugar sticks.

They're not a miracle.

They're not a “health hack”.

They're simply a really convenient way of having the portion I want without overthinking it.

And at this stage of life, I'm all for anything that makes the everyday stuff a little easier.

Because your next chapter should be about living more — not worrying more.

SHOP THE SUGAR STICKS I USE

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