How I have taken added sugar out of my diet and the results I have already seen
I have the biggest sweet tooth. My days were not complete without a treat at the end of every meal. I would have cookies, brownies, granola bars, and soda without thinking twice. It was always a reward and something I looked forward to throughout the day.Â
Though these foods were making me happy in the moment, I started to find a pattern. I would feel hungry and crave the energy I could get from sugar, after eating the sugar I was able to get that boost of energy for a short amount of time. After an hour or so I would feel my energy begin to decrease and I had conditioned my body that the only way that I could get to feeling that energetic again was by eating more sugar. That formed the cycle that made me reliant on sugar to get through the day.Â
I began to hate how I felt when coming off the sugar high and constantly needing to add processed foods into my diet. I made the decision that I wanted to cut back on sugary foods and better fuel my body with long lasting nutrients and natural sugars.Â
I made a deal with myself that I was going to cut out added sugars from my diet. I came up with this idea because I knew that if I attempted to cut out all sugars I would not have been successful. I also know that being in college with a strict diet is much harder than when I am at home and am able to have full access to many foods and ability to have time to curate well balanced meals. I decided to still make this long term doable for me. I gave myself one night a week to have a treat. This way I would still be able to go out with my friends and not overly restrict myself for birthdays and other get-togethers.Â
To set out on this journey, I filled up my fridge with fruits of all sorts, got rid of all excess sweets in the house and told my roommates to hold me accountable.Â
Though I was dreading this switch, I found it much easier than I expected. I was able to enjoy fresh fruits that satisfied my sweet tooth without needing to have the large impact that artificial sugars seemed to have on my body.Â
The results that I have felt in my body after the first two weeks have been insane. I used to have sugar before going to bed. Once I stopped that I was able to sleep so much better. I have been able to get 8 hours of undisturbed sleep and feel way more awake in the mornings. I have also felt myself perform better in workouts. I am fueling my body with sustaining foods that keep me able to complete my longer workouts without a feeling of a sugar crash. I also have felt bloating and all around body inflammation decreases. I always struggled with feeling bloated and uncomfortable after eating. With getting rid of the excess sugar, I felt my body react and become less inflamed and irritated after meals.Â
Though this is just the start of the no sugar journey, I am excited to see what it will do for my body and mind.