Sugar is bad ass. Studies show that it causes many diseases that are easily preventable by heaving a healthy diet. Unfortunately, sugar is in almost everything. The natural stuff you find in fruit is good. The processed stuff in packaged food is not. Sugar is linked to heart disease and obesity, depression and eczema, infertility and diabetes. It’s a poison that we’re infecting our bodies with every day.
Mind you, I don’t plan giving up chocolate for the rest of my life. Like everything, have a slice of cake or a piece of chocolate from time to time is good for the soul. However, eliminating the unnecessary daily sugar is another matter.
I don’t want sugar to rule my life. I hate eating a sandwich and feeling like I’m about to fall asleep at my desk because of the sugar content in the bread. It happens a lot. I don’t want to be craving a chocolate bar mid morning or afternoon when a cup of melon should suffice. Nor do I want to be binging on a box of Guyliun seashells when a craving hits before bedtime.
As a fit person who does a considerable amount of exercise and training I’m growing sick and tired of the permanent fat that surrounds my abdomen. I’m still dreaming of the flat stomach with a slightly visible six pack. I want the abs of steel without sucking in my stomach and tensing my muscles (ok so maybe not steel but just a bit of definition).
Sugar is not the only culprit, I know that. There are also portion sizes that need to be considered, eating slowly rather than shoving food into your mouth like you haven’t eaten in days, and ensuring I drink enough water and reducing the amount of salt. But for now, at least for the next 50 days, sugar is the enemy.
This isn’t a diet. It’s not about weight loss. Although it’s possible to lose weight on it. A friend lost almost 7kg in 50 days by eliminating sugar from her diet. She didn’t look like she had much to lose in the first place. What this challenge is about is making healthy choices, experimenting in the kitchen with different salads, vegetables and meals, getting over the sugar addiction and having more energy.
Search Google for ‘50 day no sugar challenge’ and you will find a vast amount of information on it. There are different varieties of the challenge, some are stricter than others so it’s important to choose one that suits you and also modify it to suit your lifestyle at this moment in time. You might want to do a less strict version first and then do it again by sticking to all the rules. Either way your body and mind will benefit.
The rules I’m looking at for the next fifty days are;
No processed food, junk food or take away
No chocolate, sweets, lollies or sugary products
No soft drinks or store bought juices (juices juiced at home using fresh fruit & veggies are ok)
Curb sugar cravings with an apple, orange or some berries
Swap white pasta and rice for buckwheat, quinoa, and millet
Exercise portion control with all meals and eat slowly
Any processed food should have less than 6g of sugar per 100g (eg. marinade)
Black and herbal tea no sugar added (I can’t stand sugary drinks so no problem here)
No sauces or condiments that contain more than 6g of sugar per 100g
Eat only full fat dairy (it has more flavour and less sugar per serve than low fat varieties)
Ensure there’s enough good fats by eating avocados, nuts, and olive oil
Avoid drinking alcohol for the 50 days (one glass of wine ok if special occasion)
Drink enough water during the day (for me that’s about 1.5L + extra 0.5-1L if training)
Drink spirulina once per day (with water or juice if making fresh juice)
Current Measurements:
Weight: 59.1kg
Waist: 75cm
Hips: 85cm
Butt: 94cm
Thighs: 53cm (L) 54cm (R)
Measure again at 25 days (27.1.13) and 50 days (21.2.13).
How do you feel about sugar? Could you make smarter choices and reduce the amount of sugar in your day?
