Well, what I should say is “no added sugar.” I frequently talk about eliminating added sugar from my diet 257 days ago because it changed my life in so many ways. In short, I had NO IDEA how much time I spent fantasizing about which fast-food place to hit on the way home, or how to follow-up pizza with cookies or ice cream without my husband knowing. I was obsessed. Period.
Now that I’m “off” sugar, I feel free to pursue my potential the way I was intended. I’m following my own spark. I even wrote a book about what to expect when you say goodbye to the white stuff!
What does NAS mean? I regularly get questions about what “no added sugar” is and if I still have cravings. No added sugar means I literally don’t eat anything with added sugar in it. I eat naturally-occurring sugar, as in fruit and dairy. Sugar is sneaky, though. It can be listed in ingredient lists under 56 different names! If you are contemplating removing added sugar from your diet, you must do your homework and review those names before you conduct your three-hour research trip to the grocery store.
Check out https://blog.virtahealth.com/names-for-sugar as a reference.
When people deride me for not eating sugar, I remind them, It’s not a food group! Added sugar isn’t real! It’s toxic for our bodies! And now I will step off my soapbox…
Cravings – Here’s the great news: I no longer have physical cravings! In truth, they went away pretty quickly, but the emotional attachment still triggers me sometimes.
If you feel ashamed for your reliance on sugar, isolation for binging, or disgust at your body, I’m right here with you. I understand. I promise you all of that can be overcome. We are in this together, ok?
Love,
Allison
