Quitting Sugar: A Simple 7-day Detox Plan for Weight Loss

Today, processed sugar is so ubiquitous that it’s hard to imagine life without it. From sodas, candy bars and ice creams to packaged sweeteners in cereals, sauces and crackers — we eat it all the time. But the science on how sugary foods make us fat is very clear. Sugar releases insulin into our bloodstream in roughly equal amounts from each bite of food, but other than weight loss programs and crash diets that result in rapid drops in weight followed by quick regain of most of it (and you know why), there’s no long-term health benefit to this release. In fact, processed sugars cause inflammation and disrupt our hormones in ways that are harmful to our hearts and overall well-being. That said, not everyone is a fan of cutting out all forms of processed sugar from their diet entirely. A lot of people enjoy eating delicious desserts with friends or family once or twice a week; others might do so even more frequently. For those who stay active throughout the week with some form of physical activity at least once a day, having only one dessert per week can be easy to accommodate as well! Here we share with you a simple, practical 7-day plan for quitting sugar as an experiment to see how your body reacts if you cut down on its intake for such a long period of time.

What Is Sugar?

Sugar is the most common type of carbohydrate in processed foods. Sugar can be made from many different natural sources, such as sugar cane, sugar beet and sugar maple trees. For a healthy lifestyle, it’s best to avoid all forms of processed sugar, including honey and agave nectar. By eating real food that is not processed with artificial sweeteners, you will provide your body with the nutrients it needs without the harmful effects of sugary foods.

Why Quit Sugar?

The obvious answer is because processed sugars are bad for your health. They increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity and have negative effects on neurological function and cognitive performance. But there’s a more compelling reason: to enhance your mental clarity, motivation, focus and mood — all things that can be improved by reducing sugar from your diet. The 7-day detox plan outlined below is not a replacement for a healthy diet; it’s meant to just give you an idea of what the possible benefits could be if you were to try to reduce your intake of processed sugars over a long period of time. This can help you decide whether or not it’s something worth trying for Thanksgiving break or Valentine’s Day. And while this kind of experimentation won’t guarantee weight loss, it will help you discover what foods work best for your body in terms of satiety (feeling full) and hunger control so that you can make better food choices in the future.

Jump-start Your Weight Loss on Day 1

Breakfast: A cup of coffee with no sugar or milk; or green tea, Stevia to taste. One hard-boiled egg. Half an orange.

Lunch: 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and one ounce grilled salmon.

Dinner: Cucumber, sliced into rounds and topped with a teaspoon of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper each; then sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds; and a handful of arugula.

Day 2: Water, Black Tea and Coffee only

This is a gentle detox. Your body will adjust in a positive way and feel good after the first day. On Day 2, we recommend that you only drink water, black tea or coffee with no sugar or milk added. This will be hard at first, but it’s worth it! The caffeine in these drinks will help your body stay energized and alert throughout the day, while the antioxidants in this detox can prevent inflammation and protect you from chronic diseases later on. You might also want to try adding lemon juice to your water onto which you’ve sprinkled some fresh mint. Not only does this help with digestion, but it also has anti-inflammatory properties (try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper for extra flavor!).

Day 3: No White or Brown Rice, Potatoes or Bread

Breakfast: Protein shake with fresh berries.

Lunch: Asparagus with green beans and a side of quinoa.

Dinner: Chicken breast with steamed vegetables and sautéed kale Asparagus is high in fiber and protein, which make it a great addition to your diet. It also has some vitamins A and C, which are good for your overall health. To give this meal extra kick, add some smoked paprika or red pepper flakes to the vegetables before they’re cooked. Green beans are rich in ascorbic acid, a type of vitamin that helps your body absorb iron. Quinoa is also a good source of fiber and protein that can help people feel fuller quicker because it’s made up of mostly water. This dinner option is full of flavor and great for those who are trying to eat healthier without having to sacrifice taste or satisfaction. Of course, this dinner choice isn’t the only option available out there! You’ll need to experiment with other tasty dinner options if you’re interested in finding something different from what we’ve listed out here. The key is just making sure you’re still getting enough protein for your body’s needs — most days you’ll need at least half a gram per pound of lean body weight (about 0.5 grams per kilogram). That means if you weigh 150 pounds (68 kilograms), then you should get about 75 grams of protein at dinner time each day.

Day 4: No Milk, Yogurt or Ice Cream

If you want to give up dairy for a 7-day detox plan, today is when you start. It’s important to stay hydrated during this time, so make sure that you drink plenty of water and herbal tea throughout the day. When it comes to what kind of dairy products to avoid, stick with those that are low in sugar like whole milk or low-fat yogurt. When it comes to choosing what dairy substitutes you’ll be consuming, try almond milk or coconut milk (both of which are high in calcium) or unsweetened plain soy milk.

Day 5: Only Fresh Fruits and Veggies, No Dry Fruits or Candies

Today, we hope you will focus on having as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. No dry fruits or candies! If you don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables at this time, consider this a reminder that the time is coming soon when those items will be in abundance.

Day 6: No Alcohol; Eat Only Cooked Foods

This transition is a tough one for many. Alcohol has been a part of our culture for centuries and its consumption is prevalent in many cultures around the world. If you’re going to abstain from alcohol, you have to make sure that you’re eating healthy fats like avocados, eggs, nuts and seeds instead of processed fat-laden foods. If you’re looking for an easy transition, try replacing your alcoholic beverage with green tea!

Day 7: Strict Fast Day with Only Water and Teas Allowed

Day 7 is a strict fast day to complete the 7-day process. During this fast day, you’ll drink only water and herbal or green teas.

Many people have done stricter fasts and water-only fasts, but this 7-day fast is a simple and gentle introduction. Once I am a day into my fast, my mind is clear, my spirit is happy. Fasting is indeed miraculous. Start with this one, and quit sugar, you can do it!

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10 Best Herbs for Weight Loss

Here are our picks for the 10 best herbs for weight loss to help you shed those unwanted pounds naturally.

There are many ways people can lose weight. We can eat more vegetables, we can cut back on our sugar intake, we can work out and, of course, we can go on a diet. What we aren’t usually told to do is eat more of something.

Surprisingly enough, eating certain foods can help us lose weight. Among the most effective are herbs. They’re most often used as seasoning, so we don’t typically eat a lot of them. But they help keep our weight down when added to our diets by either letting us better fight off food cravings or boosting our bodies’ ability to burn fat.

To help you get started on your weight loss journey, here are our 10 picks for the best herbs for weight loss that will not only make your meals more tasty but also more healthy.

Ginseng

Ginseng is a fleshy, light-tan root with stringy, twisted shoots. It vaguely resembles a voodoo doll, hence its nickname “man-root.” A staple in traditional Chinese medicine, it has many health benefits. Rich in antioxidants, it may reduce inflammation, boost your brain’s functions, your immune system and your energy levels; and lower your blood sugar or blood glucose. Studies suggest it’s a powerful weight loss aid, able to stimulate weight loss, delay the absorption of fat and modify its formation. It’s available as herbal teas, energy drinks and dietary supplements.

Caralluma Fimbriata

Caralluma fimbriata, or caralluma for short, is an edible cactus that grows in India. It’s used in preserves (ex: chutneys), medicine and diet pills. It’s thought to aid weight loss by increasing the levels of serotonin, the chemical that affects mood, emotions, appetite and digestion, in the body. When this happens, your appetite decreases. The less you want to eat, the less food you consume. The less food you eat, the more you lose weight.

Gymnema Sylvestre

Gymnema sylvestre is a woody vine with green, elongated, oval-shaped leaves that is native to Asia. Australia and Africa. Aside from just gymnema, its common names include Australian cowplant, periploca of the woods and gurmar, which is a Hindi term meaning “sugar destroyer” in English. Its last nickname perfectly (although a bit dramatically) describes its ability to ward off sugar cravings by reducing the sweetness of foods. Excessive sugar intake has been proven to cause weight gain. Since gymnema sylvestre helps avoid this, it effectively aids weight loss.

Withania Somnifera

More commonly known as ashwagandha or winter cherry, withania somnifera is a short, tender shrub with elliptic, dull-green leaves that bear small, green, bell-shaped flowers and tiny, round, orange-red fruit. Native to India and North Africa, it’s been called the “king of Ayurvedic herbs,” able to reduce the levels of cortisol—the stress hormone—in the body. Since being stressed can lead to overeating and withania somnifera helps relieve it, the herb is effectively a weight loss aid.

Green Tea

Green tea isn’t just a nice, relaxing drink. It’s also a great weight loss aid, thanks to its several weight loss-aiding properties.

To begin with, green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate, an antioxidant that can boost metabolism.

It also has caffeine, which helps our bodies burn fat.

Last but not least, it’s scientifically proven to curb food cravings by suppressing appetite as well as stimulate the hormones that help burn fat as well.

Hibiscus

Aside from planting some in your garden, you can take hibiscus flowers and boil them to make a vermillion-colored tea that can help you lose weight. The plant itself contains antioxidants called anthocyanins, phenolic compounds and flavonoids that all boost fat elimination by helping regulate the genes involved in fat digestion. It’s also been scientifically proven to lower the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver, fat accumulation and adipogenesis. It also reduces ghrelin, the hunger hormone, in the body as well as blood pressure.

Dandelion

Just like the hibiscus, the dandelion is a pretty flower that can be turned into fat-fighting tea. It’s been scientifically proven to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity properties. It also increases our sensitivity to insulin and our ability to secrete it, which both help regulate our blood sugar levels, as well as improve digestion. Its leaves may also help reduce blood sugar, cholesterol levels and a type of fat found in the blood called triglycerides.

Aloe Vera

Almost everybody knows aloe vera is good for our hair and skin. What most of us probably aren’t aware of is how helpful it is in losing weight.

In addition to being an Ayurvedic herb for having laxative properties, it can help boost metabolism, enabling our bodies burn fat better.

To enjoy its weight loss benefits, you can take 1–2 teaspoons of aloe vera extract every day or take the plant’s gel right from its leaves and add it to the juice or smoothie you drink every morning.

Arugula

Usually eaten as part of a salad or burger, arugula is quite a nutritious herb. It’s a great source of folate, vitamins A, C and K; and the dietary minerals magnesium, manganese and calcium. As a weight loss aid, it helps our bodies produce a digestive enzyme that helps metabolize carbs.

Rosemary

Most commonly used as seasoning in a variety of dishes, such as stews, casseroles, salads and soups, rosemary is a surprisingly good weight loss aid. It has antioxidant properties and helps reduce blood sugar levels by increasing liver glycolysis, or the breakdown of glucose stored in the liver. It also increases fat oxidation, or the process of breaking down fatty acids.

References

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