Kick the sugar habit and break free of cravings with this 7-day challenge.
Lets Get Started - 7-Day No Sugar challenge
Of all the things you can do to improve your health, cutting back on sugar tops the list.
But that’s easier said than done.
Sugar is highly addictive and lights up the reward centers of your brain. Once you eat it, your body craves more, which can make it hard to break free of sugar’s spell.
Unless that is, you have the right game plan. Enter the 7-Day No Sugar Challenge.
Taking a timeout from sugar helps you break free of the sugar cycle.
This helps you hit the reset button on your metabolic response to sugar... and your cravings.
And yes, even avoiding sugar for 7 short days can help it lose its pull over you.
In this challenge, you’ll cut out all sugary foods for 7 days and focus on nourishing, nutrient-dense foods instead. Here are a few benefits you may or may not notice:
Benefits of a low-sugar lifestyle:
Improved sleep
Balanced energy
Reduced pain & inflammation
Better mood
Decreased cravings & hunger
Improved mental focus
Weight loss
We’ll get into the nitty-gritty of how this challenge works soon. But first, let’s first cover why taking a breather from sugar is important...
And what exactly sugar does to your body and your health.
Sugar 101
What it does to your body
Sugar may be sweet. But what it does to your health is anything but. Here’s what I mean...
How Sugar Affects Your Health
Insulin resistance: Sweetened foods like soda, cookies, and candy spike your blood sugar (also known as blood glucose). As your blood sugar rises, your pancreas pumps out insulin to help get glucose into your cells. But if you eat a high-sugar diet for too long, your body can become less sensitive to insulin. This is known as insulin resistance, and it can lead to diabetes.
Weight: Sugary foods are low in nutrients and fiber, but high in calories. That’s why high-sugar diets are linked with weight gain. Also, people who eat more sugar tend to have more visceral fat (aka belly fat), a risk factor for chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
Liver: Your liver uses a form of sugar (fructose) to make fat. Eating too much sugar can cause fatty buildup in the liver and over time, put you at risk of liver disease.
Heart: High sugar diets increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and high LDL “bad” cholesterol.
Skin: Diets high in added sugars are linked with acne and premature aging.
Mood: Depression and anxiety are more common in people who eat high-sugar diets. Research shows cutting back on sugar may ease these symptoms.
Energy: Sugar provides an instant source of energy. But soon after, your blood sugar crashes, along with your energy levels.
Brain: When your blood sugar stays high, it damages blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your brain. This can lead to brain fog, memory and attention issues. High sugar diets also increase the risk of developing dementia.
7-Day No Sugar Challenge
How it works
Now that you understand what sugar does to your body, let’s get into the rules for this challenge.
For 7 days, you’ll be avoiding sugar in all forms, including all of the following:
Sugary sweets. That means no cookies, cakes, donuts, candy, muffins, pastries, and ice cream.
Sweetened drinks. This includes sodas, energy drinks, or sweeteners in coffee.
“Sugar free” or artificial sweeteners. This includes Splenda, stevia, monk fruit, xylitol, & erythritol. These can trick your brain into thinking you’re eating sugar, and still cause cravings.
Fruit. Let me be clear, fruit is NOT bad! It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. But fruit does have some natural sugars. And since the purpose of this challenge is to reset your metabolic response, you’ll avoid it for 7 days.
Natural sweeteners. That means no honey, maple syrup, agave, dates, or coconut sugar. While these are better options than table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, they still spike insulin and cause cravings.
Foods with added sugars: These hide everywhere, including in healthy foods like yogurt, granola, and salad dressing. So check your labels.
If you feel overwhelmed, remember this is just for 7 days. You can do ANYTHING for 7 days! Once the week is over, you be so glad you stuck with it.
7-Day No Sugar Challenge
What to expect
Since sugar is addictive, when you stop eating it, you may go through withdrawal. Knowing what to expect can make it easier to navigate this when it hits.
Here are symptoms that may be experienced during a sugar detox:
Signs of sugar withdrawal
Low energy
Mood swings
Headaches
Trouble sleeping
Brain fog
Strong desire for carbs and sweets
If and when withdrawal hits, stay strong! It will pass. Be gentle on yourself and get plenty of rest. When cravings strike, eat a high fat or high protein snack from the meal plan.
Once the withdrawal passes, you’ll feel better than ever. So hang in there!
After the 7 days are up, how to proceed is up to you. If you feel amazing and don’t want it to end, you can extend the challenge for another week or even a full 30 days!
When you feel ready to add some sugar back in, start with low glycemic fruit like berries.
Be sure to use the following page to note any changes you experience from the challenge.
Whether it’s less sugar cravings, balanced energy, or better sleep, this will fuel your motivation keep sugar in check going forward.
Meal Ideas
Here are some recipes to keep you true to the no sugar challenge.
Eggs, Beans, & Greens
Ingredients
1 tsp (4.5 g) avocado oil
1/2 cup (65 g) canellini beans
1 tbsp (7 g) sliced almonds
1/2 tsp (1 g) oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs
1.5 oz feta cheese
Directions
Heat avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add beans, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix to coat beans.
Push beans to the side and crack two eggs into the pan.
Allow eggs and beans to cook for approximately 3 minutes, until egg whites are mostly cooked through.
Mix almonds into the beans on the skillet.
Add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, until spinach is wilted.
Serve warm with an apple on the side.
Calories: 380, Carbohydrate: 15 grams, Protein: 23 grams, Fat: 26 grams
Eggless Breakfast Hash
Ingredients
1 tbsp (14 g) ghee
2 cups (266 g) sweet potato, cubed
1/4 cup (40 g) white onion, chopped
2 cups (226 g) zucchini, cubed
2 cups (140 g) cremini or white mushroom, chopped
8oz (227 g) grass-fed ribeye meat, sliced or cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large skillet, add the ghee on medium/high heat.
Add the cubed sweet potatoes and cook until the edges start to brown (3-5 minutes).
Turn the skillet to medium heat and add the chopped white onions.
Cover the skillet with a lid and let the veggies cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
Uncover the skillet and add the zucchini and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to he veggies to taste.
Sauté the veggies for another 5-8 minutes or until all the veggies are cooked. Remove the veggie hash from the pan and set aside.
Turn the skillet to high heat and cook the ribeye for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked to desired internal temperature.
Mix the cooked ribeye in with the veggies.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Calories: 407, Carbohydrate: 35 grams, Protein: 30 grams, Fat: 17 grams
Turkey, Egg & Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
4 whole eggs
6 egg whites
3 oz organic sliced turkey
1/2 of a red pepper
1/2 of a small white onion
3/4 cup fresh mozzarella, chopped
2 tbsp chives
Non-stick spray
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together whole eggs and egg whites
Chop the deli turkey, red pepper, small white onions, and chives into small pieces, and set aside
Spray the muffin tin with non-stick spray
Place about 1 tbsp each of turkey, red peppers, and onions into each muffin tin
Pour the egg mix into each muffin tin
Sprinkle the top with cheese and chives
Bake for 20-25 minutes
Remove from the oven and let the bites cool before removing from the muffin tin
Serve warm
Calories: 394, Carbohydrate: 7 grams, Protein: 42 grams, Fat: 21 grams
Turkey and Veggie Skillet
Ingredients
1 tbsp (14 g) avocado oil, divided
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped small
1 red bell pepper
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp (1 g) fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
10 oz (285 g) ground turkey
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cups (60 g) baby spinach
Directions
Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add sweet potatoes, onion, and 1 tbsp water to the skillet. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes, until sweet potato softens. Add bell pepper, fresh dill, salt and pepper and cook approximately 5 more minutes, until sweet potatoes are cooked through.
Remove veggies from the skillet and set aside. Add remaining olive oil and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute then add ground turkey. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, crumbling and breaking up the turkey as you go along.
When turkey is no longer pink in the middle, add the cooked vegetables back to the skillet along with the lemon juice and baby spinach. Cook 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
Enjoy warm!
Calories: 424, Carbohydrate: 34 grams, Protein: 32 grams, Fat: 18 grams
Smoked Salmon Salad
Ingredients
2 cups (200 g) mixed salad greens
3 oz (85 g) smoked salmon, sliced
1/8 small red onion, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
5 green olives, halved
Handful of sprouts
1 tsp (3 g) sesame seeds
1 tbsp (14 g) olive olive
1/4 tsp (0.5 g) dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Top mixed salad greens with salmon, onions, tomatoes, olives, sprouts, and sesame seeds.
Mix olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper together and drizzle over salad.
Calories: 489, Carbohydrate: 37 grams, Protein: 26 grams, Fat: 28 grams
Turkey Bacon Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
3 strips bacon
1 small head of bibb, iceberg, or butterhead lettuce
3 oz (85 g) sliced organic turkey
1 small vine ripe tomatoes, sliced
1/4 avocado, sliced
1/2 tbsp avocado oil mayonnaise
1 oz (28 g) mozzarella cheese, sliced
Directions
Cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Spread mayo on 2-3 pieces of lettuce and fill with all other ingredients.
Calories: 557, Carbohydrate: 20 grams, Protein: 27 grams, Fat: 43 grams
Roasted Veggie Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
3/4 cup (128 g) quinoa, uncooked
1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 small onion, sliced
1 tbsp (14 g) avocado oil
1/2 tsp (1.5 g) turmeric
1/2 tsp (1.5 g) cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp (18 g) sunflower seeds
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Cook quinoa according to package and set aside.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a large bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, sweet potato, and onion with olive oil, turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper until well coated.
Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet and roast for approximately 20 minutes, until vegetables are at desired consistency.
Top quinoa with roasted veggies, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, and parsley. Enjoy warm or cold.
Calories: 466, Carbohydrate: 69 grams, Protein: 15 grams, Fat: 16 grams
Greek Inspired Turkey Patties
Ingredients
1lb (454 g) ground turkey
1 cup (24 g) fresh parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 tbsp (15 g) lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp (14 g) avocado oil
2 tbsp (30 g) tzatziki sauce
1 sweet potato, baked
Directions
In a large bowl mix together ground turkey, parsley, garlic, onion, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well blended.
Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Form circular patties with the turkey mixture (makes 6-8 patties) and place on the skillet.
Cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through.
Serve with tzatziki sauce and a baked sweet potato (or salad).
Calories: 502, Carbohydrate: 21 grams, Protein: 48 grams, Fat: 26 grams
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
3 tbsp (40 g) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 g) red (or white) wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2 g) oregano
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz (227 g) chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbsp (30 g) plain greek yogurt (for serving)
8 grilling skewers
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Add chicken and mix to dress chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour (or overnight).
When ready to cook, heat grill to medium heat.
Thread the skewers, alternating between chicken, bell peppers, and onion.
Cook over medium heat on the grill for 5-7 minutes per side or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Calories: 396, Carbohydrate: 15 grams, Protein: 28 grams, Fat: 25 grams
Bison Greek Skillet
Ingredients
3/4 lb (340 g) ground bison
1 tbsp (14 g) olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 orange or red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
1 tsp (0.75 g) dried basil
1/2 tsp (0.5 g) dried thyme
1/2 tsp (1 g) ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (180 g) fresh diced tomatoes
1 cup (200 g) brown rice, cooked
1 cup (30 g) spinach, chopped
2 tbsp (30 g) crumbled goat cheese (optional)
Directions
Cook brown rice according to package.
Warm a large skilled over medium-high heat. Add bison and cook until browned all the way through, crumbling and flipping as it cooks.
Push the bison to the edge of the skillet and add olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 4-5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
Add oregano, basil, thyme, ginger, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Mix together with the vegetables and the bison. Cook approximately 5 minutes.
Add brown rice and spinach. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Serve warm, topped with crumbled goat cheese.
Calories: 520, Carbohydrate: 35 grams, Protein: 42 grams, Fat: 23 grams
Spaghetti Squash & Scallops
Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash
1 cup (21 g) baby spinach
1/8 cup (14 g) sun-dried tomato, chopped
2 tbsp (56 g) feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp (27 g) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 g) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 g) pesto
Salt and pepper to taste
10 medium scallops
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 C) .
Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise in half. Remove seeds with a spoon, scraping away the softer insides.
Add 1/4 cup water and 1 tbsp olive oil to to a large glass baking dish.
Place spaghetti squash in the baking dish with the open side down (skin facing up). Bake for 40 minutes then allow 5-10 minutes to cool.
While spaghetti squash is cooling, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet. After drying scallops with a paper towel, add scallops, 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt, and pepper to skillet.
Cook scallops for 2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
When spaghetti squash has cooled some but is still warm, use a fork to scrape the strands and fluff the inside.
Mix spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and feta into the spaghetti squash. Top with Scallops and serve.
Calories: 351, Carbohydrate: 21 grams, Protein: 16 grams, Fat: 24 grams
Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork with Brussels
Ingredients
1/2 lb (227 g) pork shoulder
1/2 cup bone broth (120 g), or use chicken broth
1/4 - 1/2 cup (124 g) non sugar BBQ sauce
Brand recommendation: Primal Kitchen
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 cups (264 g) brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 tbsp (14 g) avocado oil
1/2 (1.5 g) tbsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Mix together broth, BBQ sauce, and garlic cloves and pour over pork shoulder in a crock pot. Set crockpot to cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Before pulled pork is finished, make brussels sprouts by heating avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add brussels sprouts and 2 tbsp water. Cover and cook, approximately 10 minutes.
Removed cover and add basil, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, flipping occasionally.
Calories: 447, Carbohydrate: 20 grams, Protein: 27 grams, Fat: 29 grams
Comments