Introduction
Interested in knowing how removing sugar from your diet can affect you? Find out the positive changes that can happen when you go without sugar for only a couple of weeks. Saying no to sugar can bring about great results like reducing puffiness in your face and boosting mental sharpness, leading to significant enhancements in your health and wellness. Here, we explore the particular improvements you might see, highlighting the many benefits of living a sugar-free life.
1. Slimmer face
The first thing you would notice is that your face would be less round and puffy. I used to have a kind of puffy, roundish face. It wasn’t a full-blown moon face, but it was definitely rounder and not as thin as it is now. So, the shape of your face will change because you’ll have less fat in your face.
2. Reduced Puffy Eyelids
You can often identify how much sugar someone is consuming by looking at how puffy their eyelids are. In fact, I had puffy eyelids for many years. I didn’t know what it was, but after I got rid of the sugar, that puffiness went away.
3. Reduction in Midsection and Belly Fat
Your midsection and belly fat will reduce. Too much sugar converts to excess liver fat, which then spills over into your gut, creating fat around the organs and giving you belly fat. Belly fat is a good indication that you’re eating too many carbs.
4. Decreased Carb Cravings
Your cravings for carbs will go down to zero. You just won’t want carbs anymore. Even a little bit of sugar here and there will keep that craving persisting, making it really hard to give it up.
5. Significantly Reduced Hunger
Your hunger will decrease significantly. You won’t be hungry all the time; you’ll feel satisfied, which is huge if you want to stick to any type of plan. It’s torturous to crave things and be hungry all the time when you’re trying to lose weight. Sugar increases insulin, and insulin makes you hungry.
6. Improved Mood
Your mood will greatly improve. If you were depressed or had anxiety before, you’ll probably be a lot calmer and feel more upbeat. I remember getting a success story from a gentleman who was very depressed to the point of suicide. He locked himself in his room and stopped eating everything, essentially fasting. When you’re fasting, you’re not eating any sugar, and your body goes into ketosis. By the third day, he felt wonderful, and his depression went away. Intermittent fasting or lowering your carbs can create a similar effect.
7. Better Attention and Focus
Your attention will be much better. I remember when I was on a high-carb diet, I had brain fog. I had no idea it was coming from all the sugar. Until one day, I decided to give up sugar, and it was like someone took a brain fog helmet off my head, and I could finally think clearly.
8. Reduced Fluid Retention
Your fluid retention will go away. I used to have it. I could press my finger into my ankles, and it would leave a dent. That’s pitting oedema. I had no idea it was from all the sugar I was consuming. Sugar retains fluid, which affects your eyes, kidneys, arteries, and nerves. High amounts of sugar can increase your risk for glaucoma and cataracts.
9. Decreased Pain and Inflammation
Your pain and inflammation will go down considerably. It’s not until you reduce your sugars that you’ll realize how much they were contributing to arthritis, inflammation, or pain in your body.
10. Reduced Bloating and Abdominal Pain
Your bloating and abdominal pain will decrease. I had years of bloating and gallbladder problems from eating so much sugar.
11. Improved Sleep
Your sleep will improve. I remember when I had really bad sleeping problems while consuming a lot of carbs. I used to eat a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream before bed to go into a sugar coma and sleep. Little did I know that made things worse. I started having restless leg syndrome and would wake up in the middle of the night needing to run to get the energy out. That was lactic acid buildup from all the sugar not being burned properly in my mitochondria.
12. Feeling Calm
You’ll feel really calm. Your adrenal stress will be much better, and if you have kids, you’ll notice their demeanor will improve. Many kids are wired on sugar, making them restless. Sugar depletes B1, leading to nervous tension. Giving someone B1 can make them feel calm within minutes.
13. Healthier Skin
Your skin will improve. Not just acne, but also dry or excessively oily skin. The overall color and tone of your skin will be much healthier.
Refined Starches: The Hidden Sugar
Now, let’s talk about something in the majority of the population’s diet that creates a sugar-like effect: refined starches in ultra-processed foods, AKA junk foods. For example, let’s look at some of my old favorites. These foods contain dried potatoes, vegetable oil, corn flour, corn starch, rice flour, and maltodextrin. All of these are refined starches, which are not sugars but have a huge effect on your blood sugar levels. Maltodextrin has a glycemic index between 110 and 136, higher than glucose (100) and table sugar (65).
The Impact of Refined Starches
If we look at the total carbohydrates in these foods, it’s 16 grams with zero sugars. But this 16 grams quickly turns into sugar, raising your blood sugar levels. So, 16 grams is equivalent to four teaspoons of sugar. Imagine consuming the whole thing; you’re dumping a lot of sugar into your body, even though it’s not listed as sugar.
The Effect of Starches on Blood Sugar
When I talk about getting rid of sugars for two weeks, I’m also talking about starches. For example, Fruity Pebbles contain sugar and starches that turn into sugar. One cup of Fruity Pebbles has about 4.5 teaspoons of sugar, but with the added starches, it totals nine teaspoons per cup. An average child or adult might consume four cups per breakfast, equating to 36 teaspoons of sugar.
Healthier Alternatives
Pecans, almonds, dried coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chicory root fiber, erythritol, coconut cream, coconut oil, cinnamon, monk fruit juice concentrate, vanilla extract, and sea salt. This has one gram of sugar and eight grams of carbs, but five grams of fiber, resulting in three net carbs and one gram of sugar. This is not ultra-processed food, so it won’t turn into sugar quickly.
Conclusion
Cutting out sugar for a fortnight can do wonders for your well-being. It can help lower inflammation, shed belly fat, boost your mood, and sharpen your thinking. When you say goodbye to sugar and processed carbs, you might notice a trimmer body, clearer mind, and a more peaceful attitude. Embracing a sugar-free way of living opens the door to these advantages and lets you savor a healthier, livelier life. Kick-start this change today and watch the good things happen.
