Lifestyle

I tried a no-sugar diet for two weeks

no-sugar diet

At the end of this summer, I challenged myself to do a no-sugar diet for two weeks. This diet is more of a “no added sugar diet” because almost all foods contain a certain amount of natural sugar. In this article, I will tell you more about the no-sugar diet and what I think about it.

The no-sugar diet

The no-sugar diet is a diet that consists of removing sweets, sugary drinks, foods containing a lot of sugar, and sugar itself from your food regime. In other words, it’s removing all the harmful sugars from your diet. Of course, you can eat foods that contain natural sugar, such as fruits and certain vegetables, but at a reasonable quantity. Cutting out all the harmful sugars from your diet will allow you to detox, lose weight, and keep form and vitality.

Needless to say, you must be sure to accompany your sugar-free diet with healthy nutrition in order to gain all the benefits of this diet.

Why did I try the no-sugar diet?

I decided to try the no-sugar diet for two main reasons. The first reason is that I spent the most catastrophic summer of my adult life from a dietary point of view. To give you an idea, I weighed 74.7 kg in mid-June, and I went to 83.2 kg in mid-September. So I gained 8.5 kg in one summer. That day, my scale shocked me so much that I sat down for 10 minutes in total silence.

I was completely overwhelmed because I was still going to the gym during Summer. I went three times per week instead of four times, but I still didn’t expect any of that. It just made me realise how much I had exaggerated. I had fallen back into all my old bad eating habits. I ate candies like potato chips and drank Fanta almost every day. Just thinking about it again makes my stomach hurt.

The second reason is a kind of continuation of what I have just explained above. After realising that I had spent a particularly fat and sweet summer, I questioned myself. I thought of all the health problems that a poor diet and excessive consumption of sugar can cause, such as diabetes, heart problems, cavities, overweight problems, and more. So, it was simply time to get back on track.

My two weeks with no added sugar

My no-sugar diet began on Monday, September 23, 2019, and ended on Monday, October 7, 2019. During these two weeks, my only sweetness was fruits and fruity yoghurts without added sugar. I also decided not to eat fast foods, fries, pasta, bread, and not drink alcohol during this time.

The first week

The first week went better than I expected. I thought I was going to be sad, and I would seriously miss all the sweets, but that was not the case at all. In the morning, I would eat some fruits and yoghurt. I would drink tea around 11:00 am, eat salad around 1:00 pm, some fruits at 4:00 pm, and vegetables with meat in the evening. The real challenge for me was in the evening because I didn’t know what to eat, and I ended up eating the same thing every evening. However, I survived! I drank a lot of water, as usual. I only went 3 times to the gym, but I still lost 2.3 kg. You can’t even imagine how happy I was.

Regarding my energy level, I could already feel much less tired than usual. This first week was a very good start.

sugar free diet
Source: Pinterest.co.uk

The second week

The second week was a little more challenging. The problem was not the no-sugar diet, but more the fact that I did cut out a lot of carbs in my food regime. I was slowly starting to count the days until I can add them back, and I ended up eating a good plate of pasta on Friday night. I did expect this to happen at some point because it’s not easy going from a “feeding frenzy” to a perfect healthy sugar-free diet for two weeks. Apart from this misstep, my diet was similar to the one in the first week. The only difference was that I would eat soup (with meatballs) at 1:00 pm instead of salad. I went four times to the gym that week, and I felt good. However, I did gain 800 grams at the end of the week… I was so annoyed, lol.

My final thought

To be honest, it’s a challenge that I still appreciated. It allowed me to successfully curb my overconsumption of sugar of this Summer. I was feeling good during those two weeks, and I was also a little more productive at work. I also lost a few kilos in the process, so the outcome was quite positive. I, therefore, recommend the no-sugar diet without any hesitation. It’s good for your health, and it’s full of benefits!

FAQ

Have you changed your nutrition since the end of your no-sugar diet?

I have more or less kept the same diet. I just allow myself a glass of juice and a chocolate croissant now and then, but nothing more. I am currently on a mission because I want to lose 10 kg, so I need to stay focused. I’m not saying that I have not had a few cheat meals from time to time, but I make sure to stay reasonable.

Did you have other cheat meals during these two weeks?

Ugh… I ate a small pizza the first week, lol. But hey, I still managed to lose 2.3 kg. Don’t judge me, lol.

Do you eat a lot of sweets in general?

I will say that I have periods when I eat too many sweets and some when I could care less about sweets. I’m not a very big fan of chocolate, pastries, etc., but I have a soft spot for candies. I eat them like someone who eats rice, so if I’m not careful, I can quickly fall into excess. However, I eat less than when I was a teenager. It’s this Summer that I went completely left. I’m trying to remove candies from my life.

Do you have problems with your weight?

Yes and no. I know for a fact that I’m not overweight, but my problem is that I’m always on a roller coaster ride with my weight. It’s something that I absolutely want to stop doing. Once I lose my 10 kg, my goal will be to keep an approximate weight. Gaining weight is easy, but losing weight is hell. I made the promise not to put myself in this situation again before having children, but hey… we’ll see if I will stick to that. Unfortunately, I LOVE eating.

Do you recommend a no-sugar diet for more than two weeks for those who want to lose weight?

The duration depends on everyone. I personally chose to do it for two weeks because food deprivation doesn’t work with me in the long run. I prefer to do challenges for two or three weeks because it’s enough to change my bad eating habits. To lose weight, you must have a proper diet and exercise. I recommend reading my article “how to lose 5 kg in 30 days” to all those who want to lose weight.

Can you share your tips once you’ve lost your 10 kg?

Of course! Once I lose my 10 kg, I will share everything in detail! At least, from what I will remember LOL.

Source featured image: Shutterstock.com