Let’s kick sugars’ a$$

June 1st people this is happening. I am kicking sugars’ a$$ and you are welcome to join me. I am not doing this to lose weight but if that is your motivation that’s cool. I am doing this because I know what it is like to live a sugar-free life & I like the person that makes me. I don’t get hypo-glycemic and want to rip peoples faces off because I am ‘hangry’, I have loads of energy, my skin is clearer, I sleep better, I eat better, I train better. Sugar is addictive & what makes you fat & sick. I need to have a restart on that because I have had too many exceptions to my ‘no sugar life’ lately and I don’t feel good for it.

About 18mths ago I Quit Sugar, it was the best thing I have ever done & I totally recommend everyone read Sarah Wilson’s book as a great starting point.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t ‘do’ processed sugar but in the past few months some “healthy sugars” have snuck their way a bit too frequently back into my life. My “sometimes” foods, have become “often” foods, by often, I mean every day. Some stevia in these cookies, some maple syrup in that cake, all totally fine in moderation but not in the frequency I have been consuming them. I need to reel that $hit in. So from June 1st I am doing a 2 week sugar detox. I need a reset & if you want to, you are welcome to join me.

Here’s the go- I will give you the guys the guidelines I am going to follow but you need to work out on your own what suits YOU. We are not the same people & if you have not even kicked processed sugar yet you might find this more of a challenge. I am not saying don’t do it, all I am saying is that I am not going to negotiate with you what you can & can’t have, I am not going to check food labels for you. If you are not sure if it is some form of sugar, google it, if you are not sure if you should be eating it, don’t. If you don’t know what an ingredient is….. Hot tip- it is some form of processed cr@p that you don’t want in your body.

Let’s get back to basics. JERF. Just Eat Real Food. It’s 2 weeks, it’s not a lifetime and it’s a great opportunity to realize that you can live without sugar, even the “healthy” stuff. Do it, or don’t. I don’t really care but my system needs less cookies & cake for a couple of weeks.

How I am going to roll with this & some guidelines for newbies. This is not a negotiation, it is a dictatorship. Take it or leave it, I am not justifying my choices to you-

* No processed sugar (like I said, this is already out for me but you might need to start there), check sauces & condiments, they are loaded with the stuff. Start reading ingredients, not nutrition panels, INGREDIENTS.

* No dried fruit- the insulin response will have you peaking off your face then flat on your face as you come down.

* No honey, maple syrup, agave, coconut nectar, stevia etc

* No artificial sweeteners- xylitol, Splenda, Equal, aspartame. That $hit is toxic anyway, get it out of your life.

* No gum, lollies or mints- they are loaded with artificial sweeteners

* I’m doing no alcohol- work out whether that flys with you, it’s what I am doing, if you’re old enough to be drinking then you are old enough to work out whether this is something you can be down with. Keep in mind, if you drink, you’ll probably eat $hit while you are drunk & when you are hungover you will continue that trend. I don’t think it will end well. Just sayin’.

* MAX 1 serve of fruit per day if any- preferably berries, they contain the most antioxidants and are generally lower in sugar than other fruits, best if you can avoid fruit as much as possible though.

HOT TIPS FOR NEW PLAYERS-

* Be prepared, pack your meals & make sure you have snacks on hand in case you are hungry otherwise you will be turning to the work vending machine at 3pm & that is going to end badly in a sugar coma.

* Make sure you eat enough. Load your plate with veggies, protein & some good healthy fats. We want to get our bodies using fat for fuel in the absence of sugar. If you don’t eat enough healthy fats your body won’t want to let go of what it has stored. Without sugar, our bodies are excellent at utilizing fat as an energy source.

* Eat mindfully. Are you hungry? Or are you bored? Start to listen to your body & give it the nourishment that it needs.

* Look at this process with a new perspective. It is NOT depriving yourself of anything, it IS providing yourself with nourishing, nutrient-dense food to allow it to function optimally. Be a “nutrient-seeker” and look to foods that can give you something of value, not just a sugar high or diabetes.

* MOST IMPORTANTLY– if you ‘fall off the wagon’ so to speak:
– Identify WHY (were you stressed/anxious/angry/sad?) and be mindful of that for the future
– Be kind to yourself, this does not make you a failure, it makes you human
– Do NOT let it result in an all out binge because ‘well I’ve stuffed it now, I might as well keep going’! Peeps I have been there & it is NOT constructive. Take a deep breath, step away from the Mars Bar, make yourself a cuppa & chose something nourishing to eat next.
– Remember WHY you are doing this, it should be to make YOU feel better, it is no-one else’s goal, it is yours.

I will post some videos of my meals & cooking if you are that bored that you wish to watch them. I will come up with some alternatives to the sweet treats & will guide you to my recipes that we can alter or adjust for the sugar detox.

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