Have you been feeling sluggish and bloated from the minute that you wake up? Do you reach for that extra cup of coffee every single day? Are you seeing extra fine lines on your face?
"These are all signs that you might benefit from a little vacation from sugar," says Brooke Alpert, M.S., R.D., author of The Sugar Detox.
Don't worry--if you're feeling this way, you're definitely not alone. Americans are consuming 30 percent more sweet stuff than they were three decades ago, found one new study.
“Sugar is really addictive,” she says. “You eat it, you have a feeling of euphoria, and then suddenly you don’t feel good and you crash. Then you reach for more.”
You'll be happy to know, however, that a sugar detox doesn't have to be horrible. You can break your sugar addiction in as little as 3 days! Just follow these easy steps and in no time you'll regain energy and feel better in no time.
1. Just make sure the timing is right. While it might suck, sugar detoxes can cause mild headaches and mood swings, so make sure you aren't trying out your sugar detox when you have an important work dinner to go to. Try instead to do it over a weekend when you can relax and take plenty of naps!
2. Know what you should cut from your diet. Try to cut as many simple carbohydrates as possible, including pasta, bread, grains, alcohol, and all forms of added sugar (be careful with added sugar, it can sneak into marinades, sauces, and even salad dressings). "You should also (temporarily!) cut out fruit and dairy. These are healthy foods, and we bring them back on the fourth day, but they’re full of sugar and can make it harder for you to succeed if you eat them during the detox,” says Alpert. So what can you eat? Stick to whole sources of protein, like eggs, chicken, meat, and add lots of vegetables, and healthy fat sources like nuts and avocados. "You could have eggs and avocado for breakfast, a huge salad with colorful vegetables, nuts, and chicken for lunch, and a steak and sautéed broccoli for dinner. This isn't about deprivation,” says Alpert.
3. Slowly phase good sugars back in. Once the three days are up, simply add in some of the good sugars--like fruits, cheese, and whole grain breads. Try an apple and a piece of string cheese on your first day, then you can introduce a glass of wine and dark chocolate. “This will help recalibrate your palate,” says Alpert. “When you’re overwhelmed with sugar all the time, you don’t even taste it.”
What do you think about a sugar detox? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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