Last week, I chose to do a reduced sugar intake. I set a limit of 5g of sugar per day. If I am being honest, it wasn’t as difficult as I expected it to be. I filled my time with cooking new recipes, trying new foods, and feeling better every day! From this, I learned quite a few interesting things & thought I would share them! So let’s jump on in:
1. SUGAR IS IN ALMOST EVERYTHING
Now this should go without saying. But my gosh, pick up a favorite snack of yours off of the shelf in the grocery store & you’ll most likely find it has sugar in it. & then take a look closer. You’ll probably find that is also has added sugar. WHAT THE HECK?! Why does everything have sugar in it? Well, sugar can be addicting. So if you like it, you’ll buy it, which leads to more revenue… i think you get my point here.
2. RESTRICTING DIETS NEVER LAST
I never planned on having this diet last for months on end. But even for only one week, it can be very difficult to have healthy nutrition habits if you are constantly focusing on a “restriction” diet. Instead, try to focus on the healthy habits that make you feel good. For me, it was cooking in the kitchen almost every night & discovering that I had more fun with it than I imagined.
3. I FELT BETTER
I know what you are probably all thinking – of course you’re going to feel better when you eat right! But until you experience it for yourself, sometimes it doesn’t click the right way. I have a passion for working out but have depended on supplements to get me through the day instead of depending on my overall diet to help me. & I even noticed that my supplements were loaded with artificial sugars too!!! But when I was able to eat right, my skin, my body, & my overall well-being seemed to be better. I could think more clearly, which allowed me to feel productive at the end of each day. I felt as though I wasn’t in a slump every day.
4. IT TAKES SOME PREPARATION AND MOTIVATION
The limit of 5g of sugar per day forced me to be mindful of what I was eating. I had to meal prep & sometimes I was hungry for a little while until I cooked what I was going to eat for dinner. I couldn’t just mindlessly snack on empty calories & sugar. Instead, I had to make better choices and follow through with my commitment to myself. But this is not easy. You have to be willing to prep for these. You have to have a game plan if you have a busy schedule to work around. It can seem like a lot in the beginning but can really help in the long weeks.
5. THERE ARE RESOURCES FOR HEALTHIER EATING BUT YOU HAVE TO SEARCH
I simply googled recipes containing little to no sugar. I also used Pinterest for some ideas throughout the week. You do not have to eat bland foods to eat little or no sugar. My favorite meal this week was Stuffed Bell Peppers. I have never had any before (WHAT?!) & I think this is going to be a new favorite of mine. But look for recipes you want to try or you know you like. If you are trying to eat a balanced diet, definitely look for recipes full of flavor! Life will not be fun if you force yourself to eat bleh food.
Let me know if you have any recipe ideas that are low in sugar! I would love to hear about them!
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