I quit sugar and here's what happened......

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you gave up sugar altogether?

About three months ago, I was listening to one of my favorite speakers on audio, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and he said something that really set in for me. He talked about a book called The Belly Fat Cure and how after reading it, he cut sugar and lost thirty pounds. He told the audience he was speaking to, that if they just cut sugar to less than 25 grams a day they would lose 20-30 pounds in just a couple of months. I thought wow, is it really that easy? My husband and I both agreed right then that we were going to do just that. We did, and he was absolutely right. We found ourselves able to wear clothes we haven't worn in years. For me, something I realized was that even though I hadn't been consuming any refined sugar previously, I was still getting a lot of sugar in fruits I would snack on throughout the day and maple syrup in my oatmeal. I've seen significant changes in cutting sugar alone. My clothes have been getting baggy on me, my belt goes further around my waist. My waistline is smaller, the belly fat is going away. It’s almost like it hit a reset button for my metabolism, in actuality, I’m sure it did just that.

So, here are the unexpected changes that happened.....I started feeling fuller with smaller portions and I wasn't as hungry as normal. I asked my husband if he was feeling the same and he was a little surprised also when he realized he was feeling the same way. Our cravings went away and we had more willpower to say no to sugar. Now when our son has something with sugar in it in front of us it doesn't even tempt us. It’s just not a big deal and we don’t feel like we’re missing out.

If you do have cravings look to protein, healthy fats, and fiber to help curb those unwanted thoughts. Things like nuts, avacado, fresh veggies and hummus will make you to feel fuller, longer. I like to make my own hummus, it's easy, ingredients are minimal, and it's delicious. You can make a big batch that goes so much further than store bought.

Some people experience withdrawal symptoms for the first three to five days, but hang in there, they will go away. If these become too much to handle, having a piece of fruit can help them subside. You may experience a little brain fog and low energy levels in the first week. By the second week, that will change. During this time, I recommend having some foods around that are very nutrient rich like one of my favorite recipes from Forks Over Knives, Caldo Verde. Getting all the nutrients you need can reduce your side effects dramatically. I believe ours were very minimal because of this.

You will most likely lose a few pounds by the end of the first week. During the second week you will definitely see a difference in the scale, and by the third week you will really start seeing the rewards for your efforts. Some people will have no symptoms or cravings and will start losing weight right away. You will also start noticing that naturally sweet foods will taste much sweeter than normal and flavors will be stronger. The CDC reports that the average American consumes between 13-20 teaspoons of added sugar a day (approximately 230 calories for women and 335 for men).

About ten years ago, I started eliminating refined sugar. I stopped drinking pop, other than on a very rare occasion. In my coffee and sweet tea, I started using Stevia which is a natural, no calorie sweetener that is derived from a plant. Stevia has been used in Japan for decades, though it has only recently been adopted among the health conscious in the US in the last ten years. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked it. You do get used to it and end up preferring it. There are some brands of Stevia that I never really cared for but there are a few that I love. It may be a little more spendy than sugar but will last a long time because it's so concentrated. You do have to be careful and read labels because some Stevia brands add maltodextrin and dextrose. I recommend pure Stevia extract that contains no additives. The brands I like to use are NuNaturals and Trader Joe's Organic Liquid Stevia, although it does have some organic alcohol (alcohol is a sugar) in it because it is an extract. Since you're only using a few drops, you still stay way below the 25 grams of sugar per day. I stopped using refined sugar in baked goods and started using things like honey, pure maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar, or brown sugar as these are more complex sugars and your body will take longer to break them down. This was all a great start, but I have to say, I had so much further to go to really eliminate sugar......it's in everything! It’s in sauces, salad dressings, cereal, dairy, bread, peanut butter, ketchup, canned goods, crackers, pasta, and so much more.

The next thing I did along my sugar cutting journey was cut dairy. I never really realized how much sugar was in my milk, yogurt (especially), cheese, and half and half for my coffee. I know what you're thinking, what's left if I cut all of that? At one point in the past I didn't think this was even possible for me. You would be amazed at how far dairy free replacements have come and they're so good you won't even look back! Since I've done this, I've experienced more amazing food than I ever have in my life. You begin to get creative in the kitchen and become a real cook. I started drinking almond creamer that has very little sugar in it, only 4 grams. I use Daiya dairy free cheese when I want something cheesy. I use the Daiya mozzarella for pizza and quesadillas, and the Daiya American slices for wraps and on tofu scrambled eggs. You'll hardly know the difference. I drink almond milk which only has 6 grams of sugar and zero fat as opposed to 12 grams of sugar in regular milk and 8 grams of fat. It took me awhile to get used to the taste as opposed to milk but once I did I didn't even really think about it being almond milk anymore. I haven't really found a replacement for yogurt, I've tried a few that I didn't really care for and just decided it wasn't a big deal to go without it. When a recipe calls for yogurt, I mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of almond milk, then set it aside to curdle for about five minutes. It makes a great yogurt replacement. I just read labels and don't buy things if they have sugar added. The worst sweeteners are the man-made ones like aspartame or anything that ends in -ose or -ol. Sweeteners that end in -ol are alcohol sugars and is one you want to avoid also if you are trying to stay away from all sugar. Something to be aware of is many times when something says sugar free, it most likely has a man made sweetener added. If you haven't looked into artificial sweeteners and the health effects they can have and the all hidden the names for sugar, I would recommend doing so.

Some of the health benefits of quitting sugar you may experience are:
•You'll sleep better
•Clearer complexion
•Younger looking skin
•Less digestive problems
•Less inflammation
•Better mood
•Weight loss
•Reduces the risk of cancer
•Boosts your immune system
•More energy
•Reduced food cravings
•Lower blood pressure
•Lower risk of diabetes
•Better oral health
I’ve seen the changes since I stopped having sugar and feel that it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made. Will I have a treat here and there? Yes, there's nothing wrong with having a something sweet every once in awhile and I love to bake. It’s all about moderation and making the best decisions for your body and your health.