Hiyaaaa friends!
It’s about that time for my sugar-free update! I mentioned in the past that I wanted to give this sugar-free lifestyle a go to see what happens… at least until the wedding (and no, probably not going to do this on my bachelorette weekend in Vegas).
So far, I’ve been feeling good. I noticed that I have been sleeping very well and getting up without feeling bloated/groggy. I do eat fruit, which is no issue for me. I actually prefer fresh fruit to sweets any day of the week. The hardest part has been not putting sugar in my coffee. So to be honest, I haven’t really been drinking much coffee, either! That’s probably a good thing. As much as I love it, I definitely think cutting back a bit is a good thing. With the fall quickly approaching, I know I’ll be back to my tea drinking, anyways. I LOVE tea during the cool months! Joe and I always have a couple mugs of tea while we curl up on the couch in the fall and winter. It’s a good habit to be in.
Anyways – here is what I am eating lately, sans sugar.
Breakfast
Leftovers from the weekend! I’m obsessed with this sweet potato hash with vegetables and avocado. I am going to post the recipe in the future, I promise. Not pictured: a big bowl of ripe mango and my vitamins.
Mid-Morning Snack
A couple snacks – nectarine, saturn peach, and pistachios (my favorite nut!)
Lunch
Another awesome lunch from the cafe at work. This time it’s a spinach wrap with tofu, pickles, banana peppers, cukes, lettuce, and tomato – yummm.
Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
Apple slices with a side of peanut butter – it is SO filling. This kept the hunger pangs away until dinner – plus, awesome dose of protein.
Hydration
The cafe started carrying this brand of flavored water, and it was labeled non-gmo and vegan. I saw mango and had to have it. I liked it! It’s very subtle – tastes like regular water going down and then the hint of fruit hits you after. Definitely a fan – I want to try the strawberry kiwi flavor next.
Dinner
Can you tell that bowls are my thing for dinner? Just tossing in a bunch of healthy sides does the trick for me. Above is cooked mushrooms, fresh cucumber salad, and lentil and freekeh salad (with white vinegar, olive oil, carrots, and celery). Simple and so good.
So that is what I’ve been munching on these days – and feeling really good about the no sugar deal – you know, aside from fruit. Because honestly, anything that grows on a tree or from the earth is perfect in my book!
Has anyone else here ever cut out sugar? How did it go… did you notice any results? Would love to hear your experience. xx bianca
Since I went vegan, a lot of sugary stuff went naturally (like my mom’s baked goods!) because it wasn’t vegan. Like you, most of my sugar comes from fruit, but I do like vegan chocolate chips! When baking, I use Stevia as much as possible, and I try to stay away from stuff like nut butters, protein bars, or other foods that can have added sugars (lots of label-reading!). I never used sugar in my coffee so that was never issue (yes–I’m weird–I like black coffee). The biggest changes I noticed were with my stomach (I have like zero digestive issues since going vegan!) and skin (it just looks more “glowy” or something–if that makes sense!). I still eat some processed stuff with sugar (vegan marshmallow fluff and Oreos!), but it’s not often, and when I do eat that stuff, it seems REALLY sweet. After a while, you won’t really crave it any more.
Hi Anne – I love this comment… thank you for sharing all this! I feel like a lot of my sugars definitely come from coffee, larabars, and vegan baked goods (and occasionally vegan pancakes on the weekends!!) But I am actually finding it easier than I thought… probably because of the fruit. You are totally not weird for liking black coffee – I envy you! BUT I had a cold brew from Starbucks the other morning with only soy milk, and I actually preferred it! So that is a good start :) I’ve heard glowy skin is a side effect, which is so funny because earlier at work someone mentioned how great my skin looked and I told her it was probably because I have been sugar-free for almost 2 weeks. LOVE THAT! That alone makes me want to stick with it. I think if anything, this will just train my body to not crave it like I used to. I am really happy with it so far. From the sounds of it, it seems like you are, too. Good for you :) Thank you so much for sharing your story – very inspiring! xx