Tag Archives | no sugar

30 Day No Sugar Challenge: Day 13

Today was woooooooooooonderful.

Hope it was for you, too!

Felt such less craving for sugar and good energy levels.

Daily Recap (how my day went without sugar)

  • Thankfully no big temptations came my way, but even if they had, I think it would have been ok.
  • Other than my normal afternoon “slump” I had a lot of energy!
  • I got more sleep last night than usual, so I am thinking that really helped with cravings.

Sugar Rehab

If you tend to rely on sugar to give you “energy,” you may need to take a step back and look at your lifestyle.

Here are some ways to keep those energy levels up (to decrease sugar cravings):

  • Get plenty of rest.  This can be different for everyone, but if you are not getting adequate sleep, you will very likely crave carbohydrates (especially sugar).  You also will be less likely to exercise, which helps to curb those cravings as well.
  • Don’t skip meals.  Skipping meals will set you up for overeating and feeling out of control with your cravings.
  • Don’t skip your protein.  Protein helps you feel satisfied and fuller longer, thereby allowing you to say “no” easier to sugar.
  • Go for a walk.  This sounds cheesy, but if you are desperately craving something sweet, go for a walk.  Not only will it distract you from your craving, but it will likely give you that boost of energy you were looking for.

I hope this 30 Day No Sugar Challenge is helping you feel more energetic and less dependent on sugar.  Almost halfway there, so stay focused and don’t give up!

 

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30 Day No Sugar Challenge: Day 12

Hopefully by now you are feeling freed from the addiction of sugar.

I know that there are still moments when you may (as I do) crave chocolate or something else sweet.  And when it’s right there in front of you, you may still wish you could have a taste.

I hope that you find yourself less and less thinking about wanting something sweet, and more about the healthy foods you can eat that have a sweet taste to them.

Daily Recap (how my day went without sugar)

  • It was a busy day, so I did not think about sweets much.
  • The only time I did want something sweet (a milkshake actually) was after I went to the dentist today and my mouth was numb, yet I was so hungry my stomach was growling.  Ice cream would’ve been nice right then!
  • Enjoyed some sweet potatoes for dinner.

Sugar Rehab

Fruits and vegetables have such a delicious natural sweetness to them, and they taste even sweeter when you are eating less sugar.

My favorite “sweet” foods that are healthy:

  • Sweet potatoes
  • Red seedless grapes
  • Bananas
  • Fruit shake made with yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, flax seed and banana
  • Fresh pineapple

What healthy foods satisfy YOUR sweet tooth when you are trying to eat no sugar?

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30 Day No Sugar Challenge: Day 11

Today I missed the social aspect of eating sweets.  We had family over for dinner and normally my favorite part of the meal would be dessert.

But today…no dessert!

Truthfully, we had a good visit with family and did not really miss the dessert that much.  Having something sweet after dinner when company comes over is just one of those little habits that you don’t realize is there until it’s gone.

Daily Recap (how my day went with no sugar)

  • No sweets despite the fact that we had people over for dinner
  • Craving chocolate today
  • Ate a “no sugar added” Klondike bar.  Wasn’t that good, but it did help to curb the craving!

Sugar Rehab

Ever seen the term “sorbitol” in an ingredient list on a food and wondered what it was?

It’s actually a sugar alcohol, along with xylitol, manitol and maltitol.  There are a few other names of sugar alcohol compounds, and you can recognize them on the labels because they all end in “ol.”

So what are sugar alcohols?  They are compounds that add sweetness to foods without nearly the same amount of calories that regular sugar has.  Sugar alcohols are often used in conjunction with artificial sweeteners to balance out the extreme sweetness of artificial sweeteners.

You can overdo sugar alcohols, and when you do, you will likely feel some gastrointestinal distress.  Sugar alcohols can have a laxative effect, so it’s important to eat only in moderation.

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If you’re struggling to stick with the 30 Day No Sugar Challenge, find a sugar-free (or no sugar added) version of your favorite food to help you deal with cravings!

 

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30 Day No Sugar Challenge: Days 9 & 10

I did not post yesterday because…

I completely forgot. 

Yesterday was one of those days.  The kind where every little thing that could go wrong, does (or so it seems).

Took the Little Buddy to the doctor, he screamed so loud I couldn’t even talk to the doctor, then he had to get shops…more loud screaming.  In the meantime, the Little Stinker went into my purse and hit my car alarm button and made the alarm go off.  (These kinds of things are why he is nicknamed the “Little Stinker.”

Also, the Little Buddy got four different “boo-boos” throughout the day.  There were other stressors but I blocked them out.  Have to do that to keep going!!!

But the important thing is that I did not eat sweets.  And I even got the Little Buddy ice cream after his shots.  But none for me.

I will say, though, that I wanted something sweet (particularly chocolate) very strongly.  It took all that was in me to resist.

I really just felt like I deserved it yesterday.  And I probably did!

Daily Recap (how my day(s) went without sugar)

  • Yesterday, wanted sweets very badly but resisted (it was a stressful, exhausting day)
  • Today, I’ve had my moments of wanting ice cream, and almost bought some no sugar added ice cream, but decided not to waste money on something that isn’t very good

Sugar Rehab

Persistence is so key to doing this challenge.  Keep on keepin’ on.  Never never never never give up.  I learned through the challenge of yesterday that I can make it through the stress without chocolate.

Just wanted to encourage you to stick it out a little longer.  We’re now 1/3 of the way there!!!

 

 

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30 Day No Sugar Challenge: Day 8

If someone tempts me with another piece of chocolate cake I might scream at them.

Not really, but I am slightly annoyed with how often we, as a society, need to “celebrate” with desserts.

At the surgical practice I work at, drug reps bring food in all.the.time.  And they know that we are so excited when they bring dessert in (along with a high calorie meal, usually involving some type of fried meat).

So I’ve been trying to keep it on the D.L. (I know, that phrase is showing my age!) that I’m not eating sweets this month, because I just don’t want to make it into a big deal.  But today, one of the nurses set aside a piece of this cake JUST FOR ME.  Normally, unfortunately, I’d be grateful.  Today, not so much.

So, I finished my meal and jetted out of the office to go get some coffee in another building and thankfully no one said anything.

Isn’t it amazing, though?  We are constantly bombarded with sugar!

And, like I’ve said before, I’m not against eating some sugar.  Moderation is good.  It’s just that I’m realizing that we’re tempted by it on an almost daily basis.  At least I am.  And I don’t even keep it in the house often!

Daily Recap (how my day went without sugar)

  • Resisted 2 different desserts!
  • Felt some strong cravings at times, probably because the chocolate cake in the office looked so rich and moist
  • Overall, my mood and energy levels are just so much better

Sugar Rehab

Ever wondered about the difference (nutrition-wise) between sugar and honey?

In a nutshell, sugar has about 15 calories per teaspoon and  honey has about 21 calories in a teaspoon.  That kind of makes it sound like honey is worse for you, right?

Calorie-wise they are very similar, but the benefit of honey is that it tastes sweeter than sugar.  That means you can use less of it while achieving the same sweetness.  This could end up saving you calories!

Even honey is added calories, though sometimes you may need it for its sweetening purposes.

An even better way to sweeten without using sugar OR honey: add applesauce or some other type of fruit!
Hope you are feeling great on the 8th day of this 30 Day No Sugar Challenge!

*If you are new to this blog, watch the video on this post to know what all of this challenge stuff is about.  Then join me on this challenge that will improve your health!

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30 Day No Sugar Challenge: Day 7

One week of no sugar!!!

Hope you are feeling as good as I am!  I truly feel empowered to say “no” to sweets and I think my energy level is much higher without all the sugar.

Daily Recap (how my day went without sugar)

  • Cravings were way better today.  In fact, I don’t think I ever thought “man I wish I could have a _______”
  • Had to tell a coworker that I’m not eating any sweets this month, as she was planning to bring in a piece of some “awesome layered cheesecake with caramel and other good stuff on it.”  She kind of looked at me like I was strange.  Oh well!
  • My appetite in general is just more controlled.  Good stuff.

Sugar Rehab

Do you feel confused about reading those labels?  Sometimes they say “sugar free,” sometimes they say “no sugar added,” and others say “reduced sugar.”

Here’s how to decode them (how the FDA defines these terms):

  • “Sugar free” means that it has less than .5 grams of sugar per serving
  • “No added sugars” (or “without added sugar”) means that no sugar was added in the processing of that food
  • “Reduced sugar” or “less sugar” can be used if there is 25% less sugar in that food when compared to a reference food

This is why yogurt may say “no added sugar” instead of “sugar free.”  Yogurt has lactose, which is a natural sugar, but if it says “no added sugar” then they did not add any sugar or any ingredient containing sugar in the processing.  They very possibly added a sugar substitute, though.

Congratulations for making it through the first week without any sweets!  Keep it going!

 

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30 Day No Sugar Challenge: Day 4

I don’t know about you, but my cravings for sweets are much weaker than they have been.

Would I like a piece of chocolate? Sure.  But I don’t have to have it.

Daily Recap (how my day went with no sugar)

  • Drank a deliciously “sweet” fruit and yogurt smoothie
  • Walked right past ice cream at the store without drooling or breaking into a cold sweat
  • Am enjoying fruits and vegetables more than usual

Sugar Rehab

Tomorrow is a holiday (Labor Day) and you may be doing some extra socializing.  Even if not, doesn’t holiday = good food?

Don’t let yourself feel deprived tomorrow just because you’re not eating sweets and desserts right now.  Remind yourself, when you say “I’ll pass” to the delicious-looking, melt-in-your-mouth desserts, that you are on this no sugar journey for a reason.  And it’s temporary.

To help prevent feelings of deprivation, take your own no sugar dessert.

Here are some dessert ideas for the holiday that will keep you on course:

Trying to reach any fitness or nutrition goal is much more challenging on a holiday.  Just keep your goal(s) in mind!

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30 Day No Sugar Challenge: Day 2

We’ve made it through the first two days with no sugar!

No sugar for two.whole.days.

Today, I realized how bombarded we are with sweets.  For some reason, every sweet food ever made just jumped out at me and begged me to eat it.

Let’s start with Arby’s.  No, I didn’t eat there.  But, the sign I saw when driving by really caught my attention: “Jamocha Oreo Milkshake.”  What?!  Anything with Oreo is just plain good.  I probably better never even taste that milkshake.

Then, the fudge brownies at the checkout counter at Chick-fil-a just looked so super-fudgey and full of goodness.  Oh well.

Thankfully, I didn’t go to the grocery store hungry.  But I bought a magazine while I was there, and when I got home, I could see through the bag that there was a Breyer’s Oreo Blast ice cream ad on the back.  Seriously?

How can so many things just call your name and beg you to eat them?

Actually, I felt pretty strong in resisting.  It did occur to me, however, how often we are bombarded with these temptations.  No wonder so many of us are addicted to this stuff!

Daily Recap (how my day went with no sugar)

  • Being a Friday night, I probably felt a little more tempted to indulge in something sweet (it’s so fun to eat ice cream on a Friday night!)
  • I think physiologically I felt different today
  • I realized how unnecessary sugar is
  • Grocery shopping was a little boring with no fun little treats (but maybe I saved some money)

Sugar Rehab

You are probably really starting to see what habits you actually had with sugar.  It’s amazing how big a part of our lives sugar is.  I am not against ever eating sugar, but sugar has really become way too important in our diets.

Here are some tips for breaking those bad habits:

If you…

like something sweet after every meal

Try…

brushing your teeth or chewing minty gum right after a meal

If you…

like to eat sweet breakfast foods

Try…

to make your own oatmeal with honey and fruit

If you…

Crave something sweet in the afternoon

Try…

a protein bar (may satisfy that craving and also give you a good bit of added protein)

 

Habits are hard to break sometimes, but if you stick with me for these 30 days, you will start to leave the old habits behind.

 

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