I feel fantastic four weeks into quitting sugar. Photo: Grace Koelma. FOUR weeks ago I started a sugar- quitting experiment where I cut back on all sugar to detox my body and rid myself of the dreaded sugar cravings. I’d had some moments where the need for sugar almost drove me crazy, and at one point I even fell off the bandwagon and ate a piece of cake. But I’ve kept on going, because I’m curious to find out how a heavily reduced sugar intake will improve my well being, energy levels and foster increased happiness and contentment. The reality is, I couldn’t have predicted sheer range of positive benefits quitting sugar has had for me in the last four weeks. ![]() ![]() What would be the side effects of cutting Sugar out of my diet? Well, uh, nil, if you mean eliminating the sugar from your coffee. But, if you wanted to eliminate all sugar from your diet, you would have to eliminate most fruits. 2 Desktop notifications are on The Effects of Taking Sugar Out of Your Diet April 17, 2015 By Bryan Smith Carbs and sugar are staples of the endurance athlete? Can endurance athletes actually see a performance gain by avoiding. Here’s what I’ve observed so far, and keep in mind that everyone responds to the sugar- free detox differently. Money saving. Quitting sugar has had a very positive effect on my hip pocket. Before this eight week detox, I would often find myself spending any spare change on a range of sweet treats: doughnuts at the station, banana bread for morning tea (which I absurdly justified as . Newsflash: It’s actually cake!) and French macarons for an afternoon pick- me- up. Now I bring snacks (almonds, granola, fruit) with me and find that I’m not buying impulsive sugary treats when I’m out. The name of this article is . In Finland during WWII, there was a shortage of hops, so they started using a 5 carbon wood alcohol sugar. The data came in that they were having.News. My husband and I have stopped ordering Thai and pizza, which often comes loaded with sugar. We’re saving heaps of money by choosing to cook at home, or eat before we go out. Weight loss This seems an obvious benefit, but surprisingly losing weight wasn’t my main motivation for quitting sugar. Even so, I’d put on a few extra kilos over winter and when my jeans started cutting into my waist, I knew that losing a few kilos couldn’t hurt. Since quitting sugar I’ve lost three kilos in three weeks. MORE: Why I’m glad I fell off the I Quit Sugar bandwagon. Clearer skin. I’ve never had serious acne, but I have noticed that the occasional pimples I used to get have now become rare, and when I do get them they’re gone within a day. My skin tone is more even too, and make up is more flattering. Increased energy. I have noticed a huge improvement in this area, particularly in the afternoon when I’d usually get an energy slump between 2pm- 4pm that warranted chocolate or cupcakes. I find that when I get home from work I’ve still got energy to go running or catch up with friends. News. Motivation to eat clean and healthy. I’ve observed that the more healthy, sugar- free or low- sugar choices I make, the more I’m motivated to keep going, experimenting with new foods and researching recipes. While some organic foods can cost a lot more, I’m happy to spend extra on my weekly shopping bill because I know that the food is nutrient- dense and good for me, as opposed to paying less for processed and packaged . Increased appetite and therefore, less snacking. Those who know me well will know that I usually have the appetite of a pigeon. I don’t need very much food to keep my body going. ![]() But since quitting sugar I’ve found that my appetite has increased dramatically and I’m often able to eat double what I ate before, even going back for seconds and thirds. Eating up big at meal times also means I don’t need to snack in between meals. News. I’m not a couch potato. Working full time often means I arrive home and collapse on the couch with the TV remote. But I’ve found that I’m now more driven to clean our tiny kitchen (to free up bench space more than anything!) This could be a coincidence though? Let’s see if the attitude lasts. I’m more creative, driven and ready to solve problems. There has been a notable change in both my work responsibilities and my creativity with projects outside of work. I’ve had projects on the backburner, but I’m starting to seriously consider how I can act on those now. My willpower is stronger. I’ve always had a pretty weak willpower. I’m now able to resist temptation all the time, instead of caving and relying on my husband, Eric Koelma, or colleagues to take the sweet stuff away. Reduced anxiety. If I’m going to be honest, the eight week I quit sugar program triggered my pre- existing anxiety initially, but that was a combination of a lot of other life stresses. I found choosing low- sugar foods and restocking my pantry quite overwhelming at first. Protein, protein, protein at every meal . Mark Hyman, MD Mark Hyman MD is the Medical Director at Cleveland Clinic Now I’m settling into a more comfortable cooking and shopping routine and time has proven (for me at least) that I feel less anxious overall about issues that would previously have had me worrying constantly. I’ve yet to research the science behind this, but it doesn’t surprise me that cutting out sugar calms your mind and body, if eating sugar in large amounts (eg. Join the conversation by commenting below. Grace can be found blogging at www. Instagram: @quitsugarforgood.
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