10 Tips to Cut Down on Sugar - IRL

SUGAR! There doesn’t seem to be a week that goes by where the media aren’t talking about it. It’s being given a pretty bad rap and for many a good reason.

The thing is, this is a pretty big deal for me. I'm from a generation brought up eating processed food at pretty much every meal, with sugary snacks in between. And innocently so. My parents certainly weren't aware of the health implications of so much sugar in our diets. And neither was I, until very recently. It's obvious to most of us that biscuits, sweets, fizzy drinks and the like, have sugar involved. But the extent of products that contain sugar goes beyond Haribo. It really is a big deal. It's also something a lot of people don't want to believe and something people who do believe it, like me, find very difficult to change. 

Whatever your feelings. It's something we need to be aware of.

I've read up a lot about the health implications of having too much sugar in your diet and I've got books about quitting sugar all together. 

I get it and I want to reduce our sugar intake. 

However as much as I’d like to declare ‘I’m cutting out all refined sugars forever.’ I just know it’s not going to happen like that.

I am much more aware of the ingredients in our food these days though and consciously look out for, and avoid, sugar loaded products when we're shopping. 

Unfortunately, it's not that easy. 

Too many of the brands we believe are sugar free and healthy, are in fact loaded with sugars and even have added sugar. 

Of course, it's incredibly hard to avoid all sugars. And actually, I'm not sure i want to do that. I avoid processed foods and refined sugar wherever I can, but I won't be cutting out my favourite fruits and homemade juices, and chocolate and biscuits will still be my sweet treats. Just not as often. 

Moderation my friends! It's all about moderation! 

I made a decision a couple of years ago that I would cut down on the amount of refined sugar I have. It’s hard to keep it up though. Especially when you’re a sauce fiend like I am. I’ve either had ketchup, salad cream or mayo, and sometimes all three, as well as a blob of BBQ sauce, on most of my meals (even in sandwiches) for as long as I can remember. It’s been a habit for so many years. The problem is, it tastes so dam good. And that’s the biggest issue we have. Our minds react to a sugar hit by making us feel good, so we want it more and more. It makes total sense then, that you just can’t resist buying that can of coke when you pass the huge marketing display in the supermarket. Your mind is telling you ‘buy it, taste the sugar, you’ll feel great’.

But, sadly, it isn’t good for us. No one can deny that. So I really do want to cut it down as much as I can. For myself and also for my young son. If I can start his life by getting him hooked on naturally delicious foods rather than processed varieties, I’m hoping he won’t get into the same bad habits as I have.

I’m still a long way off kicking the habit completely. I’ve definitely been a sugar addict in the past. I still crave a sugary ‘treat’ after some meals. During my period it’s all I can do to stop myself from bathing in a tub of melted Galaxy. But I’m working on it. I’ve been working on it and I’ll continue to work on it in the way that suits me, until I’m at a place where I’m happy with my sugar intake. (or lack of)

If you’re up for reducing your sugar intake too I’d love for you to join me. I need all the support I can get. So I’ll share the information I find out about sugar, I’ll keep you posted on the things I'm doing and I’ll also share my recipes along the way. 

To kick things off, here are my top 10 tips to help you start your sugar ass kicking journey;

KICK SUGAR’S BUTT 

with my sugar reducing tips

Quit the obvious stuff

I started reducing my sugar intake by cutting out fizzy drinks and sweets completely. There is just so much crap in a can of coke. There are so many scientifically proven facts that tell us this is stuff is nothing but bad for us. I went years ignoring the facts and carried on drinking it. But once i made the decision to look after my body it just made sense to cut the obvious shit. I used to drink a lot of coke. I was drinking a can or more a day when I first had my son. I thought that was the way I'd get through the sleep deprivation. It was also my drink of choice whenever we went out for something to eat (when wine wasn’t on the cards) so I had to break the habit. But I did it and I haven’t had a coke for over two years. And now I don’t even want one. (I never thought I'd say that!)

Make it easy on yourself

Stop buying it! I stopped buying chocolate, sweets and biscuits when I did our food shop. That way, when I fancy a bar of chocolate, I have to go out and buy it (or send my husband out!) so it’s never just in the cupboard for me to pick at. Likewise, I can’t give in to my moaning toddler when he’s asking for a biscuit. It stopped the habit of nipping into the cupboard when my son was napping and where I was probably eating chocolate every day, I can now go a whole week without even thinking about it. (I’m getting there!)

Set yourself a goal

I knew I couldn’t (and still can’t) cut sugar completely all in one go. It’s been almost two years of gradually changing habits. And each thing I’ve cut out or down on has been a conscious decision I’ve made. Take it at the pace you need to. (and of course speak to your doctor if you have any health concerns!)

Eat really great food

I can honestly say I don’t miss any of the foods I no longer eat. I did. I craved it for ages. Of course, I haven’t cut it out completely, I’ll eat biscuits and chocolate, have sauce on my dinner, when I want to. (although it’s not as often as it used to be and it’s getting less and less as I go on) What I do is to have fun with food. I choose really great natural foods instead of the processed stuff. I love trying different things and I’ve even made my own raw chocolate bars. So I still have my sweet fix, when I want it. But now it’s a better kind of sweet fix. Experiment with different foods and have some fun with it so you don’t miss the sugar.

Talk to the experts

If you’re really serious about cutting out sugar and you know you can’t do it by yourself, there are plenty of resources out there. From quit sugar courses to nutritional therapists who can help devise you a new eating plan, so you can swap your fake sugar fix with the natural kind. There are also books and 100’s upon 100’s of blog posts out there from people who have kicked the habit. Google ‘how to quit sugar’ and be astounded by the amount the internet has to offer. Before you make any big decisions always talk to your doctor about health implications for you. I’m not a trained expert, so speak to one if you’re unsure about anything. This is all stuff I've done, knowing my own body and what's right for me. Ensure you know what's right for you too.

Stay away from packaged foods

I’ve stopped buying any pre-packed food. Microwave meals and anything else where they are pre-made and packaged up can be loaded with sugar. If you’re serious about reducing your sugar intake stop buying them and start making all your own meals from scratch. If you’re one for pasta sauces in a jar and have a freezer full of pre-made lasagne and cottage pies for your ‘can’t be arsed to cook’ days, this is going to be a pretty scary concept, but it’s not as hard as it sounds. You can whip up a tasty pasta sauce in no time and that goes for just about everything else too. It’s not hard to make your favourite dishes from scratch. And it doesn’t have to take long either.

Do it with a friend

Nothing’s as hard when you’ve got support. If you’ve got a friend who wants to cut out sugar, make a pact and do it together. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who don’t want to change what they eat and plenty more that don’t understand it. (I have a lot of those people in my life) Don’t focus on their negativity, leave them to it and focus on supporting your friend and know that it’s you that will benefit in the long run. Haters be haters after all.

Get out 

If this is a big deal to you and you’re finding it hard. I definitely did (and sometimes still do!). Leave the house and stop thinking about it. Go for a walk, meet a friend (preferably the one you’re doing the sugar kick with), take a few deep breaths and then eat some really great sugar-free food.

Stick with it

I know it’s hard. It’s really hard. But I promise, it’ll be worth it. I’ve never felt so good as I do when I’ve eaten nothing but naturally created foods. My skin is better, I look better, I feel great and I’ve got more energy now than I’ve ever had before. (And I felt like that with the least amount of sleep I’ve ever had, running around after a toddler) Cutting down on sugar really has helped me in so many ways. I hope, one day, I’ll be able to be completely sugar free. I can only imagine how good I’ll feel then.

Reward yourself 

Yes you deserve it. Cutting sugar is hard. It’s everywhere. So when you reach your goals, treat yourself to something you really want.

If you’ve been considering cutting the amount of sugar you’re having, I hope this gives you the little push you needed to give it a go. And I really hope you start reaping the benefits, like I have.

However, please bear in mind that I am not a medical expert or trained nutritionist, so if you have any health issues, please check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet. This is what works for me, but everyone is different. 

Here are a few articles and recipes I've found, that you might like: 

I love Gabby Bernstein Here are her tips for quitting sugar.

There are a lot of books out there. I’ve got ‘IQuit Sugar’ by Sarah Wilson. It’s great for giving you something to follow and includes lots of great recipes. Worth getting in my opinion. (it's only £5 on Amazon at the moment too)

Sarah’swebsite is full of great info too.

And I’m constantly pinning recipes and health tips on my Pinterest page if you want to check it out.

I'd love to hear how you're cutting down on sugar. Please share your stories and advice on my Facebook page or pop over and say Hi on Twitter or Instagram (azestofgem for both)