December 7 – The Sugar Trap and a Mindful Mince Pie

Second Advent Reflections from the ChickpeaHub Kitchen

Last Night’s Episode: 200g of Sugar in 90 Minutes

Last night took an unexpected turn between 20:00 and 21:30.Two sharing bags of M&Ms — though “sharing” is a generous term when Nikolaus gives everyone their own pack. Without the natural brake of sharing, those shiny, colourful packets did exactly what they were designed to do.

About 200g of sugar, gone.

You would never scoop a cup of plain sugar and eat it with a spoon. But when sugar is wrapped in colour, crunch and chocolate, it becomes a different creature altogether. This isn’t a willpower issue. It’s chemistry working precisely as intended.

The aftermath wasn’t festive.I felt ill, woke at 3:10am, and spent the day in a fog. Even my gut and my teeth voiced their objections. Surprisingly, I didn’t crave more sugar today — perhaps my body’s way of signalling “enough”.

Second Advent Morning

Despite the sugar-induced haze, I moved my body:

• 8:30 – Joe Wicks workout

• A call with my mum

• Shower

• A slow “reset”

The family finally emerged around 10:30.Waking two hours late still felt like progress compared to everyone else with four hours. I’d stayed up writing my blog until 11pm, and Lentil had kindly brought me tea and water — a silent rescue mission after the sugar incident.

Breakfast was grounding and exactly what I needed:Avocado on rye sourdough, a boiled egg, tomatoes, parsley, mixed seeds, olive oil — plus half an orange and a litre of chamomile–peach tea.

Ice Skating, Shopping & Bringing Christmas In

We went ice skating at 12:30, then shopping at 15:00.

Back home, the Christmas tree came in from the garden, ready for decorating. I made mini pizzas using yesterday’s extra dough, and then the chopping marathon began: carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, broccoli, sprouts.

Black Bean was making shepherd’s pie and — in true Black Bean style — added a tin of baked beans to the mix. I played sous-chef, chopping and prepping while he worked.

By 18:00, everything was ready.We sat down to dinner by candlelight with Christmas music playing. It felt calm, cosy, and exactly like an Advent evening should.

After tidying up, Black Bean reached for his guitar while I headed out for a walk. Too much food, too late for me… but I still managed my mindful mince pie afterwards.(And yes — Lentil and I had bet that Black Bean would buy mince pies if he went shopping. He did. Of course he did.)

Nutrition Insight: Why Sugar Binges Happen

Sugar binges aren’t a moral failure; they’re a biological response.

1. Engineered to excite

Sugar–fat–crunch combos (like M&Ms) trigger dopamine: the “more please” signal.

2. Packaging drives behaviour

Bright colours + easy-to-eat pieces = fewer natural stopping cues.

3. Evening fatigue = less regulation

Between 7–9pm, willpower is low and quick energy feels appealing.

4. Spikes create dips

A big sugar spike leads to a sharp crash, which prompts more cravings.

5. The body sometimes pushes back

Feeling unwell, bad sleep, digestive changes — these are your body’s way of regaining balance.

✨ It’s biology, not failure. Awareness is already progress.

Mindful Eating Tip of the Day

Before your first bite, pause and ask: “What does my body actually need right now?”

A 3–5 second check-in creates a tiny gap between impulse and action.In that gap, you reconnect with your body rather than the craving, emotion, or habit.

No need to change what you eat — just notice.Awareness alone shifts everything, though not always.