Learning how to detox from sugar is like trying to figure out how to end a toxic relationship… At first, it might feel like the hardest decision you’ll ever make but once you make it a weight is lifted and suddenly you feel like a new woman with nothing holding you back! (New phone, who dis? 😎💁🏽)
You just need to get the nerve to say… “Sugar… I don’t think this relationship is working anymore. It’s time we put an end to this once and for all. We need to break up.” But like many toxic relationships, a rebound is almost inevitable. Eventually, you’ll experience that moment of doubt and worry that you’ve made a terrible mistake and all of a sudden… YOU GO ROGUE… Before you know it you’re at the Krispy Kreme drive-through ordering a dozen donuts all to yourself trying to avoid making eye contact with your reflection in your rearview mirror–knowing the shame and guilt you feel will be all too real the second you do 🙈🍩.
We’ve all been there before. But here’s the 411 on how to detox from sugar and achieve a lasting sugar cleanse once and for all… It is possible to lose weight by cutting out sugar. There are just a few things you need to understand in order to see the results.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Is Sugar The New Fat?
For decades, Americans have been brainwashed to believe that fat is the root of all evil when it comes to weight gain or weight related diseases. But recent studies prove otherwise. Sugar has been named the number one culprit causing an obesity epidemic across the nation. How, you ask? Allow me to explain…
When our bodies process sugar, it is broken down into glucose and then stored in our liver as reserve energy. The only problem is that our liver is only able to store a certain amount of glucose at any given time. This can become a problem whenever we fill our body with more fuel than we actually need (which can be very easy to do when you’re eating foods with a high sugar content).
In this case, our liver will convert excess sugar into fatty acids (fat) and is then transported to the bloodstream where it gets transported throughout your body and inevitably stored (as fat) wherever your body holds onto adipose tissue (ie: butt, thighs, stomach, arms, back).
Unfortunately, that is not the only way that sugar can sabotage your health. Once all of these regions are full of adipose tissue, the fatty acids begin to spill over into your organs, such as the heart, liver, and kidneys, preventing the organ to function properly. This is when you’ll see a spike in blood pressure, a decrease in your metabolism, and a weaker immune system.
Sugar Cravings & Food Addiction: What’s The Connection?
We all know that sugar cravings and consuming excessive amounts of sugar have several negative effects on our body and health. Excess sugar turns into body fat, and has been linked to obesity, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, among others. But not all sugars are created equal. Sugar that is found naturally in fruits, vegetables, and milk (such as fructose, glucose, and lactose) are much healthier than other forms of sugar. The sugars we need to worry about are the sugars that are removed from their original source and then added back into foods.
You’d be surprised to know that sugar is eight times as addictive as cocaine, according to Dr. Mark Hyman, Physician and Medical Director at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine. “Being addicted to sugar and flour is not an emotional eating disorder. It’s a biological disorder, driven by hormones and neurotransmitters that fuel sugar and carb cravings— leading to uncontrolled overeating” [1].
Here’s another surprising fact: Food manufacturers add sugar to 74% of packaged foods sold in supermarkets [2]. Although it is very common to think that added sugar is mainly found in sweet treats like donuts, cookies, and cakes, it’s surprisingly hiding in places you wouldn’t expect–in pasta sauce, bread, dressings, and even health foods like yogurts and granola bars– making your sugar cravings even worse. So, even if you skip dessert, you may still be consuming more added sugar than you should.
A sad and very real truth about the food industry is that the manufacturers have a compelling reason to want our sugar addictions to remain strong— their sales depend on it! Food manufacturers have a sneaky way of hiding an ingredient that contains sugar by using unrecognizable names on the ingredients label. These types of foods are often labeled as “fat-free” or “low-fat”, and although they may be true, they are masking sugar-laden products with a false claim of somehow being “healthy”. Here are some hidden names of sugar that are frequently used on food labels to watch out for:
Benefits Of A Sugar Cleanse
We know sugar is addictive, and here is why you need to sugar cleanse ASAP. According to a food addiction study conducted at the University of Bordeaux in France, “Overall, this research has revealed that sugar and sweet reward can not only substitute to addictive drugs, like cocaine, but can even be more rewarding and attractive” [3].
Most living organisms are known to engage in behaviors that are rewarding; positive feelings + positive reinforcement = a repeated behavior. When it comes to reward, there are two types we respond to: natural and artificial.
A natural reward for example, such as food, water, sex, and nurturing allow us to feel pleasure when eating, drinking, procreating, and being nurtured. These rewards are biologically programmed for our species to survive.
Artificial rewards— like drugs— allow us to feel pleasure through a temporary dopamine rush and then a sudden crash, leaving us craving another dopamine rush. The artificial reward addiction we see with drugs is identical to the addiction cycle we experience after consuming sugar. A 2010 study observed the relation of addiction-like reward dysfunction and compulsive eating and found that overconsumption of high sugar foods triggers addiction-like neuroadaptive responses in the brain’s reward circuits and drives the development of compulsive eating [4]. In other words, a high-level of sugar consumption triggers reward addiction. This causes a compulsive cycle that results in over-eating and inevitably leads to unwanted weight gain.
How To Detox From Sugar
You can lose weight by cutting out sugar, plain and simple. So, here 5 simple steps on how to detox from sugar naturally and effectively so you can finally look and feel healthy.
1. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
If there is any time to cold turkey, it’s now! But before you do, you have to rid yourself of all the temptation. Meaning you need purge your pantry, refrigerator and anywhere you have access to food of all the junk, sugar, and processed foods. That’s right, I’m talking about the secret stash you hide from your kids, your desk at your office, and you know what, why don’t go ahead and rip up your punch card to the froyo place down the street while you’re at it…
Take a look at everything in your possession. Read the food label. See if you can find any of the hidden sugar vocabulary listed. If you do it’s time to take a lesson from N*Sync and say BYE BYE BYE! 👋 If you don’t have the time or energy to read through all the nutrition labels (because let’s be honest… who does?!), the easiest way to clean up your pantry is to get rid of anything packaged, canned, or pre-cooked. You’d be surprised at what items of food have sugar — even potato chips have added sugar! 😱 Be strong and push through the sugar cravings… you can do it.
You will experience an adjustment period, you will crave the sugary treats you love–but not for long! Over time your taste buds will adjust and your cravings will go away…which brings us to step 2…
2. Fuel Your Day With Real Food
There’s no reason to avoid the sugar that is naturally present in whole foods. Fruits and vegetables naturally contain small amounts of natural sugar, but they also contain fiber, vitamins and minerals. They’re filling and tasty so take this opportunity to eat as many as you’d like. Yes, pretend you’re at an all-you-can-eat buffet but the only thing on the menu is fruits and veggies!
Go for non-starchy veggies such as greens, cauliflower, kale, asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, fennel, eggplant, artichokes, and peppers. And if you want something sweet, go for fresh berries and the lower-sugar fruits like apples, pears, and plums. If you’re always armed with healthy whole foods, you will always have something to ease your cravings when they hit. Additionally, protein is the key to balancing blood sugar and insulin and helps curb your cravings. So eat protein at every meal, especially at breakfast!
If you struggle to get enough protein, you might want to try supplementing with a collagen protein powder, such as Super Youth. Super Youth has 7g of protein per serving and can be used up to 2-3 times per day. Spread your protein intake throughout the day with this flavorless, odorless powder that can be mixed with any food, or hot or cold beverage! What makes Super Youth the best protein supplement on the market is because it uses 3 different protein sources to supply 5 types of collagen peptides! In addition to being a great source of protein, collagen is known to have anti-aging benefits making Super Youth a must-have in your daily routine.
3. Don’t Worry, Be Happy!
There’s a reason why stress makes many people reach for the junk food. Stress raises your cortisol level, causing hunger while stimulating fat storage at the same time! When you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a break and do this: Simply take five slow deep breaths in to the count of five, out to the count of five. Five times. That’s it. Getting less sleep also drives sugar and carb cravings by affecting your appetite hormones, so getting enough zzz’s is crucial–who doesn’t want more of that?!
SkinnyFit ZzzTox helps you get better quality rest and sleep by naturally calming your body and mind. It helps you fight stress-induced weight gain and helps you fight bloating!
4. Rethink Your Drink
Sugar in liquid form is even worse for you than sugar in pastries because it goes almost immediately into your bloodstream. Plus, you don’t feel full, so you eat more all day and you crave more sugar and carbs. It’s also the single biggest source of sugar calories in our diet.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 9 teaspoons (38 grams) of added sugar per day for men, and 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day for women [5]. But the reality is that the average American consumes about 152 pounds of sugar a year. That’s roughly 22 teaspoons every day for every person in America!
Just one 20-ounce soda has 15 teaspoons of sugar alone! Instead, drink water, unsweetened fresh greens drinks or drink SkinnyFit Detox – it has a natural sweetness that helps curb your cravings and gives your body an infusion of superfoods and boosts your metabolism too.
5. Rid Your Body Of Toxins, Naturally
Your body spends quite a bit of time accumulating harmful toxins during a sugar spree. A complete detox not only includes cleansing your body from sugar, but also cleansing your body of the garbage it leaves behind. A common problem with detoxing is that most detoxes contain laxatives that are harsh on your digestive system 💩 and only provide a quick fix. SkinnyFit Detox is an all-natural detox packed with 13 powerful superfoods scientifically formulated to help release your body of harmful toxins, fight bloating, and boost your metabolism. Continue your detox while you sleep with our caffeine-free blend, ZzzTox. ZzzTox helps relieve stress and fight stress-related weight gain.
Understanding how detox tea works is just as important as knowing which detox tea to choose because some detox tea companies produce low-quality blends that contain harmful ingredients that can have adverse effects on your health.
As your body rids itself of the toxins that play an active role in the cycle of food/sugar addiction, you might experience some changes in your digestive system. Your gut contains a bunch of good bacterias that help fight off these harmful toxins and improve your immune system but can be damaged or weakened with a poor diet.
Adding Belly Balance to your daily routine will improve your gut health. Without proper care and nutrients in your digestive system during a detox, you can develop all sorts of health-related issues from minor ones like gas, bloating, bad breath, sugar cravings, and moodiness, to more serious issues like leaky gut syndrome, diabetes, and obesity.
Now, Seriously Commit
Once you commit to doing this detox…. stick with it! It may be difficult in the first few days, but believe me, it will pay off! You will feel healthier, more energized, less bloated, and pounds lighter!
After a few days you will notice your cravings for sugar and carbs slowly subside. During this time you will be giving your body a chance to get reacquainted with the natural flavor of sugar, not added sugar or chemically enhanced versions of them. But also don’t beat yourself up if you slip up from time to time. Just shake it off, and keep going! Or better yet, learn how to detox from sugar with a buddy will hold you accountable and keep you motivated! Join the conversation on our social media channels about your Detox by using the hashtag #SkinnyFitLove and see how our community is Detoxing!