With the holidays wrapping up, I finally had time to sit... rest... and FEEL the effects of all the holiday goodies had on my body. Seriously. I was a wee bit cranky... and the mama-fanny pack, aka. MFP, was protruding more than I care to admit. But, hey. I couldn't resist some of those homemade desserts that only come out during Christmas celebrations... right? You feel me?
Anywho.
I figured it was the PERFECT time to do a quick "5 Day Sugar Detox"... and thankfully, some beautiful ladies in our Community were ready to link arms with me and kick the sweet cravings together!
But... you may be wondering, "why on EARTH would I need to do a sugar detox?" Hmm... Well. Check it.
With the Sugar Detox Series, we broke things down simply in our community with daily lives. But, I'll break it down for you, too... because. honestly, who wants to watch me talk for 10 minutes. 😉 There's so many facial expressions popping out on the screen it's downright comical.
Here you go, love!
Seriously.
Did you know that ~75% of all packaged foods contain ADDED SUGARS?!? Seventy-Five percent! So... it's time to prep yourself + become a master label-reader.
Now. One cool tip to spot sugar is by looking for the ingredients that end in "ose"... check it: glucose, fructose, dextrose, lactose, galactose, maltose and sucrose. But a scary thing is that sugar holds many other aliases and we talked about ~67 different names sugar can be masquerading as on a label! Some of these aliases include: barley malt, carob syrup, agave nectar, and molasses.
If you want to dive deeper, here's an article which lists a few more.
We explored the world of sweeteners... for instance, did you know studies have linked artificial sweeteners to certain health problems. Thinking these chemical sweeteners may actually change the bacterial makeup of your microbiome which can be a trigger for autoimmune problems, diabetes and metabolic disorders. YIKES, right?
Want to keep reading? Here's an article you might enjoy!
But you may be wondering... um. what DO you use, Amber?!? Well. Let's break it down in BULLET-FORM, shall we?
We focused on the three MAIN SUGAR TRIGGERS... for me, I confess. and, hey, maybe these are the same triggers for you!
What I mean by "switching up your routine"... is by eating within a certain time period which is known as Intermittent Fasting! Now. This is a lifestyle (aka. eating pattern) I have been implementing for the past… 2-3 years.
Basically, you are eating within a certain window-frame… or breaking your fast (breakfast) LATER than standard time. It allows your body to transition from a state of glucose-burning (sugar burning) to a steady state of fat burning. Multiple studies have shown its proven ability to lower insulin resistance and increase metabolism.
NOTE: with any changes to your fitness or nutritional lifestyle, it is important to work with your doctor FIRST… your doctor can monitor your progress and increase your fasting length as glucose starts to stabilize.
There are multiple ways to fast, but the most popular is the 8-window fast… where you fast for 16 hours and eat within a 6 hour window. Here's my typical schedule: fasting from 6pm to 10am, breaking the fast at 10am + closing the kitchen after dinner at 6pm!
Drop me a line + tell me the health hacks which help YOU kick the sugar habit! Because the more you know... the more you can grow, love!
Sleep, love. Sleep.
With our busy schedules and endless to-do lists, I know at times I swipe a few precious hours of sleep for additional time to complete xyz. Which is most likely MORE harmful to my self... my mental health... and my gut health.
Sleep is quite essential for your body to run optimally… it allows your body to rest, repair + refresh! And... just skimping on sleep, even just for one night, may cause your sugar cravings to rise.
A "high performance" coach also mentioned a lack of sleep (from the coveted 7-8 hours) can also affect your productivity + performance levels. Hmmm... maybe I should be more intentional + learn to shut off all technology at night!
I figured it was the PERFECT time to do a quick "5 Day Sugar Detox"... and thankfully, some beautiful ladies in our Community were ready to link arms with me and kick the sweet cravings together!
I know... that was A LOT of information! But, you handled it like a champ 😊
If you are thinking, hey- this chic is speaking my language + I know with some accountability and tough love, I can hit my health goals. Then... yes. I'm your gal. Join our complimentary (aka. FREE) Community!
Until then...
Grit + Gumption.
ALG