Pure Start Challenge : forming healthy habits one week at a time

Hello my lovelies.

I hope 2015 is off to a great start for you and I hope you’re been participating in our Pure Start Challenge challenge last week, which was #DrinkMoreWater

Did you drink more water? How have you been feeling when you drank more H2o?

I felt great! Even sleep deprived (I have a baby) and also getting sick with a cold really went all right.

I noticed I was more alert and energized. My focus was more improved and I got more done. And my face felt fresh and refreshed – as opposed to my usual heaviness on my face from being tired all the time… Then I still managed to get sick (bleh) that’s winter for you! But it was a mild cold and it went away after just two days – shall I contribute this quick recovery to drinking more water – I don’t know, but it may have just helped a little ;)

After all, water helps with our health and mood so much ;) 

I hope you’ve also been feeling great! Keep it up! The Drink More Water Challenge is not over – remember we’re forming healthy habits – keep it up!! 

This week, we’re introducing a new challenge!

Pure Start Challenge : wk 2. Cut the Sugar!

Sugar is linked to so many health problems and it’s highly addictive – it’s a legal drug! It’s time to give it the boot!

When I first started making changes to my diet and getting healthier from a rare illness, this was the first change I made. I cut out the sugar!

Since my late teens and throughout my twenties I was highly addicted to sugar in all forms. If it wasn’t a donut after lunch, it was 3-4 teaspoons of honey in my tea or coffee. (Ha! I sweetened with honey because I sorta knew that sugar was bad and thought honey was healthier.) Now I know, it’s all sugar! Sure, honey is a better sweetener as it actually has some great nutritional value (especially raw honey) but when you overdo it, it doesn’t matter – you could be getting a sugar-fix from grapes for all I know. Your body knows no difference. If you go over 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of sugar a day, a Larabar bar has 23 grams – so easy to reach the max, right?!) (and you thought energy bars were healthy???)

So there was only one thing I could do – I did a sugar-detox! No sugar in all forms, even fruit! 
I stuck to it, that’s the key, to pull through. And I saw amazing changes in my body, my mind and overall symptoms. I felt great, my mind was clear, my headaches stopped. It was a life-changing experience. I invite everyone to join in and Cut the Sugar!!

4 tips to Cutting out the Sugar!

1. Remove it from the house and don’t buy anything sweet, even fruit, except for organic green apples and grapefruit (and one little reward*) 

(if you already have cookies and other sugary foods, pack them up and get rid of them for the full week, give them to your neighbour, mom or sister and give to your partner or roommate to hide completely out of sight). Or if it’s junk anyway, do yourself a favour and toss it! If it’s artificially sweetened, coloured or flavoured – then your decision will be easy to make. Dump it and never buy this stuff again.

2. Trick your taste buds! This is why it was great to already introduce a habit of drinking water with lemon. Keep it up! The lemon will help you cut the cravings and alkalize your body and hydrate it too. Other foods that are great are Grapefruit, Cucumbers, Radishes and lots of satiating healthy savoury dishes. Increase the heat level a little with cayenne pepper. If you have oatmeal for breakfast, don’t add any fruit even dried and sprinkle it with cinnamon and ground cloves. These spices help to curb sugar cravings. Cinnamon also actually lowers blood sugar. Add it to unsweetened coffee or chai tea or almond milk – so good and good-for-you!

3. Be prepared for cravings! Keep healthy snacks around. Protein-rich snacks are great too, like nuts and seeds. My personal favourites are walnuts and sunflower seeds, but I switch around between nuts and seeds to keep things interesting. I mix up my own trail mix – nothing fancy, just mixed nuts and seeds in a bad and I keep that around by my desk. Cut up veggies are also great, my favourites are cucumbers and carrots with hummus and cherry tomatoes are fab! I remember when I first did my sugar detox and I realized how sweet those cherry tomatoes really were. Yum!

4. Plan a reward system! Giving up your favourite sweet treat has it’s rough moments. Pull through and give yourself a treat for doing something amazing and healthy for your body. This is a great change and you need to be strong and patient this week. Sugar is terrible for your health, it literally feeds cancer cells, it can bring on diabetes, heart disease and everything from skin problems to mood swings, headaches and digestion problems. 
For pulling though this week with no sugary treats, you need a reward. Plan a mani and pedi, go on a date, go out somewhere fun with the kids… and yes, have a treat. A healthy ‘approved’ treat. Make it yourself from healthy ingredients with ‘good’ sugar – perhaps sweetened with dates or other fruit, or maple syrup or better yet, stevia!
When I have a great week of eating healthy, I plan for a great healthy sugar-free dessert for the weekend. I don’t think you have to deprive yourself from eating the foods you enjoy. I don’t believe I have a strict diet (although some would say it is) but I know my limits. I like a little dark 70-80% chocolate once a while for a treat.

When I cut out the sugar from my diet I saw amazing health improvements and not only. My skin got clear, my head got clear – I used to have such foggy brain – I couldn’t focus on anything at work. Plus I had piercing awful headaches. All these things cleared. Now would you believe that when I do (rarely) overdo it and have some white sugar, my headaches return. Plus my health improved so I can have a normal life again…

#CutTheSugar

Let’s do this! Ditch the sweet stuff for just one week and join the fun on facebook and IG, twitter with the hashtag #CutTheSugar! (and #PureStartChallenge so I can follow your journey)

This truly is life changing! If you’re suffering from uncontrollable sugar cravings than you have to do this. You’re the only one capable of change. Imagine a healthier, better YOU!
Good luck with this week’s challenge. I’m here for you if you need me or if you have any other questions.