Back at the beginning of August, I decided to have a ‘no added sugar’ month. That meant that I could still eat fruit but I eliminated any foods to which sugar had been added as an ingredient. Now you might think that just means no cake, chocolate, biscuits and fizzy drinks. However it goes further than that. You might be surprised how many processed foods have added sugar. 
So how did I get on? Here are my five top lessons learned:
- You can lose weight easily by eliminating sugar from your diet. That sounds obvious but I was surprised to lose 3kg over the month without going hungry or feeling deprived.
- Lots of processed savory foods have sugar added. Look at the ingredient list on your favourite pre-prepared lasagna, pasta sauce, crisps, salad dressing and soup. And don’t even start me about shop bought sandwiches, salads and sushi!
- Some treat foods are a habit you don’t really notice eating. I realised that my after-lunch bun and evening chocolate were just habits that were adding unnecessary calories to my diet.
- It is important not to substitute foods that naturally contain high levels of sugar. One portion of fruit at lunch and dinner is enough. Avoid fruit juices.
- Reducing sugar in your diet does affect your mood. In the first couple of weeks my mood felt a bit lower as my brain tried to encourage me to have some sugar. After that I felt fine and lost he mood swings.
If you decide to give it a go, make sure you drink plenty of water and non-caffeinated drinks. Could help you get into that Little Black Dress for Christmas!
Join me and nutritionist Jenny Tschiesche for our Women’s Wellness Weekend Getaway in October.
For recipe ideas see Cool Recipes for Hot Women
