It is nearly impossible to reach January unscathed from the sheer amount of goodies we treat ourselves to from Halloween to New Year’s. Cocktails at parties, rich meals at potlucks, the Christmas cookie-making parties, the eggnog on Christmas Eve—they are all staples of the traditions that fill the season. But, those traditions can leave us entering the New Year feeling sluggish, bloated, and less than our best.
Even for the healthiest of eaters, these holiday treats and meals can be a source of both obvious and hidden sugar. According to Ashley Koff, Prevention Magazine’s Registered Dietician, sugar consumed during the holidays can impact the health of our cells through April, promoting disease-causing inflammation, reducing immune health, and leading to unhealthy weight gain. So, if you’ve fallen for the treats over the holidays, are you destined for an unhealthy 2015?
InDependent has developed a plan to help you get over whatever indulgences may have been a part of your holiday season. From January 1 through 28, on our InDependent | Virtual closed Facebook group (must be a military spouse to join), we will guide you through becoming sugar savvy so you can kick the sugar habit. The plan includes:
-
A list of the sneaky synonyms for sugar found on most ingredients lists.
-
Did you know that there are over 50 names for sugar, both natural and artificial? We have provided a printable list of the ingredients to avoid over the 28 days. Print the PDF at the bottom of this post to check out the foods in your fridge and pantry, and take it with you to the store to help you with your grocery shopping. There are two levels you can join depending on how far you want to take your challenge. Level 1 removes artificial and heavily-processed sweeteners. Level 2 takes it a step further and removes minimally processed sweeteners, including dried fruit. We encourage whole fruit on both levels. Your challenge is to avoid consuming the ingredients found on the printout for 28 days.
-
Daily Check-ins and support in the InDependent | Virtual closed Facebook group.
-
Every day for the 28 days participants will check in so everyone knows they are not alone in the challenge. You will be able to share your daily challenges and temptations, learn from others, ask questions, and be encouraged in a positive atmosphere.
-
Pinterest board full of sugar-free recipes.
-
You’ll be amazed at the number of delicious recipes that do not involve any sweeteners! We’ve curated a list of our favorite naturally sugar-free recipes on our Sugar Savvy Pinterest board so you’re never at a loss about what to eat.
-
Weekly Blog posts offering tips and advice.
-
Written by our nutrition experts and InDependent team members, these posts will help you tackle issues such as cravings, gut health, and other challenges.
-
Weekly Google Hangouts with your InDependent team members.
-
We will learn a new sugar-free dish for the week that you can cook in the comfort of your own kitchen. Each hangout will be scheduled via the InDependent | Virtual Facebook group in advance, and will be limited to 9 people for the live Hangout, so RSVP early. First come, first served!
Change can be hard, and sometimes it can feel absolutely impossible. After six months of making our New Year’s resolutions, 54% percent of us have gone back to our old ways, and only eight percent of us actually achieve our resolutions. But it helps when you have a community to support you. We are here to help you ditch sugar, learn about the ingredients you and your family consume, and become a savvy grocery shopper. We can’t wait to have you join us as we start 2015 off on a healthier and happier note.
What about giving up sugar intimidates you the most?
