Day 10 - 7 Ways I Quit Sugar

Day 10

Think about it. Every bite of food that you put into your mouth stays there for what? Maybe 15 seconds? That’s how long you get to enjoy it and then it’s gone. After that, it goes to your stomach, where your body then turns it into your blood cells, your tissues, your organs, even your thoughts. You literally are what you eat.

Every time you put something in your mouth, you are either preventing disease, or causing it.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO):

“At least 80% of all heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes would be prevented; over 40% of cancer would be prevented” through lifestyle changes.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says:

“Chronic diseases and conditions—such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis—are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems.”

If you don’t change, nothing will change. You can sit there and wish that things will happen, but wishing doesn’t do a whole lot of good without a genie.

These are some of the reasons why I did it, now let’s explore how I did it.

1. I educated myself on why it was so important to eliminate sugar. I had a clear goal and a vision of success.

2. I removed all the temptations from my home. Sounds simple enough right? Be sure to read labels and get rid of things with added sugar. And don’t forget to check for artificial sweeteners as well!

3. I stocked up on fresh fruits and vegetables, especially sweet vegetables (carrots, corn, onions, sweet potatoes and squash).

4. I picked up some medjool dates. (In recipes, like mygranola, that usually call for sugar, I would substitute date paste. It worked like a charm.)

5. I grabbed some peppermint and licorice tea. Both of these are herbal and naturally sweet.

6. I had a meal plan. I came up with a menu for my 10 days so there were no surprises. It’s human nature to act on cravings when you’re starving and don’t know what you’re going to eat.

7. I planned my day. I would wake up, remind myself why I was doing this and I would make a checklist for my day.

Now, the big question…what did I eat?

For breakfast, I would have oatmeal with blackstrap molasses, or homemade granola, both with a smoothie. Sometimes it would be my green smoothie, other times I would make my banana smoothie. (I added some hemp seeds to this – delish!)

For lunch, I would have leftovers.

If I needed a sweet flavor in between, I would drink my licorice or peppermint tea. (with this weather, I enjoyed it iced)

For dinners, it varied. But we always eat the trifecta (protein - I prefer plant based, carbs and fats). This set up is critical to feeling full and satiated.  After dinner, I would usually indulge with some chilled watermelon. That’s it, that was my dessert and there were only a couple days where I felt like I wanted more.

Need more ideas for what to eat? Check out my website and enjoy healthy, nutritious, delicious meals!

I also scraped my tongue twice a day. (Get a good quality tongue scraper, they last for years.) This actually helps with cravings as well. Plus it makes your tongue more sensitive to tastes and touch. Eating whole foods that are plant based with no added sugar, will open up your taste buds. You won’t believe how good simple things will taste! Things that didn’t have a whole lot of flavor before will baffle your mind with explosions of flavor. Like a tomato I got from farmer’s market. Can you say YUM?!

I feel marvelous! My skin is clearer (remember that acne family that moved onto my forehead? They are finally packing it up and moving out!). I have more energy, my husband will tell you that I’ve had less mood swings (and so will I), I’ve been sleeping better and I feel so much happier!

I don’t think I’ll go back to eating sugar for a while. I feel too good! I don’t want this to stop! All this and it’s only been 10 days!

If you decide to take a whirl at my 10 day sugar detox, I will provide you with daily emails, each with an action plan. There are more tips for getting to the root of your cravings in those emails. It sounds way more scary than it is. Go ahead and dive in…you can do it! I would love to hear from you! Come say hi on Facebook! 

Sources:

http://www.who.int/chp/chronic_disease_report/part1/en/index11.html

http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/index.htm?s_cid=ostltsdyk_govd_203