Four Steps, One Month to Quit Sugar

Sugar. is. so. darn. yummy.

We cannot help it. Like moths drawn to light, our taste buds are drawn to sweetness. We have evolved to become sugar lovers. It is now ingrained in our beings. Check out this great piece on how this has come to be: HERE

Sugar is so integrated into our lifestyles that it is used as a way to express love. Happy Birthday, here is a cake coated in sugary icing. Happy Valentine’s Day, I love you, enjoy this box of chocolates with over 500 grams of sugar. Great job at work today, here is a plate of cookies and donuts.

Unfortunately, sugar in high doses (more than 25-30grams a day) can cause some serious health concerns. Even more, unfortunately, sugar is HIGHLY addictive. Quitting sugar has, on many occasions, been compared to quitting cocaine. Check out this piece comparing sugar addiction to cocaine addiction: HERE

Going cold turkey is a miserable experience. Not only are you faced with 3-5 days of a relentless headache, you can expect the shakes, sleepless nights and flu-like symptoms. It is not fun and it is not easy. It is also not necessary for as long as you are consuming less than an average of 30 grams of sugar a day, you are in good shape.

When I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis I realized it was time to make some serious lifestyle changes. I thought I was healthy. Little did I know, I was consuming TONS of sugar. A vegetarian and exercise fanatic, I was convinced I was doing everything right. Well, I was wrong. Sugar was creeping in all over my diet. From honey in my tea (or I should say tea with my honey) to apples in my green juice to an overdose of fruit in my smoothies. Little did I know, I was a sugar addict.

After my own trials and tribulations, I was finally able to make the change. My Rheumatoid Arthritis has been in remission and I have never felt better. I never took ANY of the medications prescribed to me, I just quit sugar. Now consume around 25 grams of sugar a day. From blueberries in my morning smoothie to 90% dark chocolate at the end of the day, I have just enough to satiate my sweet tooth while maintaining a healthy balance in my system.

I saw the tremendous impact this made on my own health, I made it one of my life’s callings to help women make the same change. My “Four Steps, One Month to Quitting Sugar” program WORKS. It is totally manageable, easy to maintain and lasts forever. I hope you enjoy the program. If you have any questions or would like support while embarking on the program, please do not hesitate to reach out!

Good Luck and LET’S DO THIS!!!

Week One
Start Simple

Take an honest look at where sugar is creeping into your diet. Have you been putting sugar in your coffee? How about cutting that in half? Do you add jam to your toast? Consider skipping the jam. Just as adding these ‘hidden’ sugars became a habit, removing them can just as quickly become a habit.

By the end of week one you will have:

Cut your added sugars in HALF

Week Two
Start reading labels
As I mentioned, I was in SHOCK when I realized my ‘green’ juice was mostly apple and contained over 40 grams of sugar. For Week Two, try telling yourself you will not eat anything with a label that shows more than 10 grams of sugar per serving. Check out that ‘protein’ bar…how is the sugar content? Perhaps instead of a protein bar you can grab a yogurt or a hard boiled egg. How about the ice tea drink you mindlessly reach for from the beverage cooler at work? Some “organic”, “healthy” ice teas have more than 30 grams of sugar per serving! Try replacing this with water or a fruit enhanced seltzer water.

By the end of week two you will have:

Cut your added sugars in HALF
Learned a ton about packaged foods
Reduced the overall grams of sugar per day by 50%-75%

Week Three
Healthy Snacks
Pick one snack a day and replace it with a healthy option. For instance – do you grab a handful of sugary sweets at the office? Try nuts, seeds or crunchy veggies with hummus instead. You may suffer a headache the first day or two but by day three you will notice the healthy snack will give you sustainable energy as opposed to a sugar high and then crash.

By the end of week three, you will have

Cut your added sugars in HALFlearned a ton about packaged foods
learned a ton about packaged foods reduced the overall grams of sugar per day by 50%-75%
reduced the overall grams of sugar per day by 50%-75%added healthy alternatives as replacements to sugary snacks (NICE WORK!!!)
added healthy alternatives as replacements to sugary snacks (NICE WORK!!!)

Week Four
Evaluate Your Carbs
By this point, you have made a tremendous dent in your sugar intake. You are ready for the final phase! Simple carbs have the same effect on your system as refined sugar. Make a list of the refined foods you tend to eat (e.g., crackers, white breads, white pasta). Use this week to replace these simple carbs with healthier alternatives. For instance, instead of white pasta, try a brown rice pasta or skip the pasta all together and try for soup and salad. As opposed to grabbing the white dinner roll, order a small salad instead.

By the end of week, two four will have: Cut your added sugars in HALF

Cut your added sugars in HALFlearned a ton about packaged foods
learned a ton about packaged foods reduced the overall grams of sugar per day by 50%-75%
reduced the overall grams of sugar per day by 50%-75%added healthy alternatives as replacements to sugary snacks
added healthy alternatives as replacements to sugary snacks started to reevaluate carbs and make informed decisions around your meal choices
started to reevaluate carbs and make informed decisions around your meal choices

Warning: some side effects of completing the program may include: better sleep, more energy, weight loss, clear complexion and a stronger immune system. But don’t say I didn’t warn you!!!

Written by:
Marion Roaman – Former Sugar Addict
Virtual Lifestyle Coach

Take the time to visit her site @ www.marionroaman.com