NO Sugar Cheat Sheet!
Have you ever tried cutting out ALL the sugar from your diet? It can be a really great healthy challenge to take for a week, 2 weeks, or even a whole month! When I say all sugar, I mean ALL of it (with one exception… see below). Fake sugar, sugar substitutes, refined sugar, processed sugars, and any kind of sweetener you can think of. This includes sugar free sweeteners, or foods labeled “natural” or “organic”. I created a little no-sugar cheat sheet for all of you interested in taking this challenge! Follow the guide below, and share your own no-sugar challenge experiences in the comments!
Fish: You can have all kinds. Ex: tuna, salmon, tilapia, shrimp, crab, lobster, sushi (I’ll explain further below), scallops, etc.
Sushi: When you go to a sushi restaurant you can pretty much ask for any sushi roll without rice. They will put up a fight just because it is a hassle, but ask for it either wrapped in nothing but soy paper or in cucumber (that’s my favorite!) Then just be careful with sauces. Low sodium soy sauce is perfectly ok! Just don’t go for the teriyaki, eel sauce, or spicy mayo.
Chicken
Turkey: *Turkey jerky or even beef jerky is a great snack
Pork and Ham: Keep in mind that these are the fattiest of all meats, so eat in moderation.
Beef, Veal, Bison, Venison
Eggs: Any style. Ex. Deviled, Fried, Hard-boiled, Omelets, Poached, Scrambled, Soft-boiled
Cheese: Stick to 2 ounces or less a day! One ounce is about the size of one individually wrapped slice of American cheese.
Vegetables: Vegetables, and fruit (in moderation) are the one exception to the strict no-sugar rule. I honestly don’t care about any of the sugar or carbs in vegetables. Each as much as you want and any kind you want. Again, be aware of sauces like salad dressings, and sauces restaurants cook their vegetables in.
Herbs and Spices: These will become your best friend when you are cooking as they will give you back a lot of the flavor you think you will be losing.
Salad Dressing: Straight balsamic vinegar and olive oil is my favorite. But there are a bunch of dressings you can make that taste like italian or even balsamic that are 100% sugar free. A few ideas… (freshly squeezed lemon juice is ok)
Another really easy go to is balsamic vinegar, olive oil, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, pepper, and a packet of italian seasonings.
Butter: Believe it or not! Haha, don’t use too much, but butter is sugar free so you can use it to cook with. REAL butter! Not “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” or margarine, BUTTER!
Nuts and Seeds: Salted or raw.
Drinks: Water, Perrier, black coffee, tea (unsweetened obviously), and unsweetened almond or soy milk.
Fruit: In moderation though! Mainly just for breakfast.
There it is! If it’s not on the list, there is a pretty good chance you can’t have it on your no-sugar challenge.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
