Care2 Healthy Living/Maggie McCracke: A 3-Week Plan to Ease Into a Sugar-Free Lifestyle

Care2 Healthy Living
A 3-Week Plan to Ease Into a Sugar-Free Lifestyle

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    By: Maggie McCracke
    May 3, 2018

    About Maggie
    Follow Maggie at @MaggieBlogs

For many of us, sugar can be just as — if not more  — addictive than coffee, alcohol or other vices. And in many ways, it may be more sinister. Thanks to sneaky labeling, it’s often hard to tell just how much sugar is in the products you eat.

However, limiting your sugar consumption is important for your health. The health impacts of too much sugar are by now well-studied, so we could all do with eliminating this ingredient from our diet. Here’s a simple three-week plan to help you wean off sugar.
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Week 1: Educate Yourself & Make Healthier Substitutions

During the first week of your sugar-free lifestyle, it’s all about education. If you purchase any pre-prepared foods (and yes, whole grain products count as pre-prepared too!), look at the ingredient label to see if sugars are hiding in there. Learn about the different names sugar often goes by on ingredient lists.

Once you’ve nixed sugars from your cupboard, allow yourself some healthier substitutions. Honey and pure maple syrup are the two wholesome ingredients that can be helpful if you have a major sweet tooth. Just try to limit yourself to 1-2 tablespoons per day.

In this phase, feel free to eat fruit, a healthy and fibrous source of natural sugars, to your heart’s content.
Week 2: Reduce Your Reliance on the Alternatives & Be Gentle With Yourself

On week two, move down to only having sugar substitutions every other day. By now, you’ll probably have started experimenting with healthy savory recipes that can sub in for your usual go-to sweet treats.

When people greatly reduce their sugar intake, they often experience an energy crash. Throughout the week, be sure to stay well-hydrated and get plenty of rest. Add plenty of protein into your diet to provide energy… When your body is low on carbohydrates, it is able to create energy from proteins through a process called gluconeogenesis.
Week 3: Go Completely Sugar Free!

By week three, the side effects of your sugar reduction should be starting to abate. Nix the honey and maple syrup altogether, and limit fruit intake to 1-3 servings per day.

If your energy lags, go for a brisk walk, attend a fitness class, or load up on hydrating H2O. Feel free to enjoy healthy natural sugars as a treat every now and then, but avoid letting it become a component of your daily diet.
Related Articles:

    5 Documentaries About Sugar That Will Keep You On Your No-Sugar Diet
    5 Ways to Survive a Sugar Detox
    5 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Give Up Sugar

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53 comments
Victoria P
Victoria P25 minutes ago

Thank-you
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Rhoberta E
Rhoberta E32 minutes ago

Know your own lab values and talk with your physician if you may be a bit older when type 2 diabetes often starts showing itself.
We are individuals with individual needs. Be sensible :-)
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Brad H
Brad H37 minutes ago

thanks
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Maria P
Maria Pabout an hour ago

thanks for sharing
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Ruth S
Ruth S1 hours ago

Thanks.
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Cathy B
Cathy B1 hours ago

Thank you.
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Kathy G
Kathy G1 hours ago

Thank you
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Mary Seymour
Mary S2 hours ago

TY!
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Carol Torrance
Carol T2 hours ago

Thank you
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Katharina F
Katharina F2 hours ago

thank you for tips
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