We often make New Year's resolutions with dreams of a ‘bikini body’ in mind, but what about a ‘healthy body’ — one that not only looks good in a bathing suit but is healthy on the inside as well? This is exactly what giving up added and refined sugars can do for your body. Let this motivate you to cut the crap in 2020!
The First Couple of Days Without Sugar
Here’s what can happen if you go from a high added sugar diet to a no-added sugar diet: During the first few days you will probably be thinking about sugar A LOT. Some people will get headaches, others will not. Within a few days, there is a high probability that you will experience some weight loss from the expulsion of stored triglycerides and water. Your blood sugar as most usefully measured by hgA1C (glycated hemoglobin) will also likely begin to drop. Chances are you will start to feel better overall, have more energy, be clearer of thought and sleep better. Your sugar cravings will start to fade. Your friends might start to ask you what you’ve been doing as you’ll look different and better. There is a high probability that you will lose inches of visceral fat, because you have reduced the layer of fat around the liver which is where fructose is metabolized and stored.
The First Month Without Sugar
Medically, over just 28-days of no added sugar, your blood work will likely show a reduction in elevated triglycerides, cholesterol (driven by LDL) and hgA1C. If you were pre-diabetic, there is a high probability that your hgA1C will fall below 6.0 and you will no longer be pre-diabetic. If you were type 2 diabetic there is also a high probability that you will be using much less insulin (especially if you are cutting back on meat and refined grains too). Your weight loss will continue as well.
The First Year Without Sugar
After some months, your body weight as determined by your internal health, will likely settle at your new healthy equilibrium. You won’t look at sugar in the same way as you used to.
Chances are you will have reset your health and drastically reduced the chance of developing chronic disease. If you had chronic disease, you probably would have reversed it. You would no longer be a sugar-junkie, addicted to the white stuff.