(This is not a sponsored post though I am a Go Sugar Free Course affiliate.)
Happy 2016, everyone, I hope you had a wonderful new year celebration full of fun, family, and friends! How are you feeling heading into 2016? Optimistic? Excited? Ready to make a change or two?
If one of your goals is to achieve better health in the new year, today’s post is going to help you get there – I’ve teamed up with Jacqueline Smith, a woman I look up to so much, to release a FREE download of 50 gluten and sugar-free snacks for work and travel!
Going Sugar-Free
Two years ago, after having to go gluten-free, I started eating refined sugar like a crazy person. There’s no other way to describe it. I’ve always had a sweet tooth, and would’ve listed candy as one of my favorite “foods” (oy) at that point, but after I had to give up all my favorite gluten-containing foods in 2013, things really spiraled out of control. I was making up for losing those foods by eating something sweet after every single meal – and we’re not talking about snacking on an apple before bed.
Breakfast was followed by a handful of skittles. Lunch was capped off by a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Dinner was only finished when I had a bowl of ice cream. Snacks were gluten-free cookies or even more candy. The fatigue and low energy I was already experiencing from Celiac Disease was being exacerbated by the amount of sugar I was consuming. Even worse, it was inhibiting my healing by causing more inflammation. But, I turned a blind eye and told myself that if I couldn’t have gluten then I should be able to have more of something else.
WRONG-O.
I’ve joked “calories don’t count on the weekends!” and “I got lettuce on my Taco Pizza – it’s practically health food!” like everyone else, but in reality it’s not true. Everything in moderation, of course, but there’s a very real consequence to what we put into our bodies – good or bad – and putting that much sugar into mine was making me more sick. Not to mention, mentally, there was a bigger reason why I was eating more sugar than ever, and I needed help finding better coping mechanisms then asking Ben to pick up a pack of gluten-free licorice on his way home from work.
Just when my sugar consumption was at an all time high, an email from Jacqueline appeared in my inbox. Jacqueline had battled with sugar addiction herself and after years of suffering from cravings, belly fat, adult acne, fatigue, and low energy she cut added sugar out of her life cold turkey. The change in quality of life was so drastic that she created the Go Sugar Free Course to help others achieve the same success, and wanted to see if I’d like to take it.
Go Sugar Free Course
I put the Go Sugar Free Course in my list of Top 5 life changing experiences, along with getting married, having Lincoln, and putting a remote starter in my car. (Kidding about that last part.) Seriously though, I went into the 9.5 week online course thinking there was no WAY I, a lifelong candy crusher, was going to be able to quit sugar, but desperate enough to try. I quickly found out that sugar is in everything. As much as I thought there was gluten in everything, there is added sugar in e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. I feel like for many people there’s no way to get out from under the thumb of refined and artificial sugars without being extremely intentional about it because sugar is hiding in so many store-bought products. We’re losing a game that we don’t even know we’re playing.
9.5 weeks of daily email lessons containing everything from resources to help identify and eliminate sugar in my life, tools and exercises, nine personal check ins, plus lifetime access to course materials and upgrades was what finally put the nail in my sugar coffin. I mentioned a few weeks ago that my afternoon Sierra Mist had slowly crept its way back into my life, which I quickly squashed, but it was more out of wanting something other than water to drink vs craving sugar.
My sweet tooth is gone.
Can I appreciate a photo of chocolate cake dripping with frosting. Heck yeah! But do I feel compelled to turn around and make it? Not anymore.
I want to keep going, but will wrap it up before telling you more about the free downloadable snack list, an exclusive resource usually reserved for Jacqueline’s course readers, which we’re giving out today. The reason why I’m so gung-ho about sharing my story and helping you eliminate excess refined and artificial sugar in your life is because they’re not good for you and I want you to be the BEST you, you can be. Unless you have Celiac Disease, gluten is not “unhealthy.” The same cannot be said about regular consumption of excess added sugar.
Excess sugar consumption has been linked to everything from the obvious like weight gain, to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease – and that’s despite eating a diet rich in healthy foods (source.) The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day. Guess how many teaspoons are in one can of Sierra Mist? Over 7. A can of Coke? Almost 10. A can of Mountain Dew? 11.5. 11.5 teaspoons of sugar in ONE can of pop!
I’m not a person who usually responds to fear-based motivation (except for fitness – still holding out for Jillian Michaels to come kick my butt!) but I’m telling you this because I want you to be the best version of you in 2016, and maybe that means cutting back or eliminating regular consumption of excess sugar. That doesn’t mean you can’t have cake on your birthday, or a doughnut with your kids on Saturday morning, but if you feel chained to sugar like Jacqueline and I did, and want help breaking free from that chain, the next Go Sugar Free Course is January 6 – March 12, 2016, and registration is open until January 5th.
Jacqueline is a sugar-free goddess, not to mention a kind and wonderful person in general, and will help you drastically change your life by cutting out excess added sugar, if you’re willing to put in the work. It was one of the hardest yet rewarding, lifetime-lasting experiences I’ve ever had. And if I can do it, YOU can do it!
50 Snack Ideas for Work and Travel
While you mull that over, let’s get to the good stuff – the free, downloadable list of 50 gluten and sugar free snack ideas for work and travel!
Gluten and sugar-free snacking can be difficult because convenience foods are commonly packed with both added sugar and gluten. Luckily Jacqueline has done a ton of work compiling a list of convenient, easy, and healthy snack ideas that are not only free of added sugar and gluten, but made with REAL FOOD. These snack ideas are perfect to pack in the car for road trips, throw in your suitcase for vacation, or stash in your desk for an afternoon snack. I for one am always wandering around after Lincoln goes down for his afternoon nap, searching for a little something to tide me over until dinnertime, and I’ve already made/eaten a number of these filling and delicious snacks in the past week.
As I mentioned, this snack list is usually only available to those who enroll in Jacqueline’s course, but we’re passionate about helping you reduce sugar in your everyday lives, and eliminate gluten for people with Celiac Disease or a gluten-intolerance, and this list is a great place to start.
Click here to download the FREE Go Sugar Free Snack List >
What do you think about excess sugar in our lives? Why do you feel it’s hard to quit? Is sugar a habit or a reward for you?
I second Sagan’s bowl of oats with banana. I also like a bowl of oats with a little bit of peanut butter in it. It doesn’t take much and it tastes like a peanut butter oatmeal cookie. But my go to snack is a container of yogurt, maybe with some fruit mixed in. In the summer, a popsicle! At 35 calories it’s cooling, satisfying and makes you feel just a little decadent.
Hi Kristin!
I just wanted to tell you that I’ve been keeping my eye on the Go Sugar Free course since the first time you talked about and just yesterday learned that I won one of the scholarships for the course beginning in a couple of days! Im so excited and want to thank you for telling us all about it!
Does this mean you don’t eat dessert? Ever? What do you do instead? I’m a major sugar addict and know I should give it up. But am struggling with the mental idea of never having dessert again. Do you use more “natural” sugars instead? (ie honey, agave, etc.)
I don’t eat dessert anymore. Honestly and truly, the thought of it is just not appealing. My tastes have completely changed after taking her course!
[…] This website focuses on going sugar free and offers an online course. This would be a big step for me but it might be something others want to try. You can also find her 50 sugar and gluten free snack list at Iowa Girl Eats here. […]
Wow – thank you for the reminder that I really need to work on eliminating sugar this year. I’m not sure I’m ready for the course – but maybe later on in the year? It doesn’t sound easy, but it does sound worth it. I’m not sure if I’d miss chocolate or cocktails the most.
I can relate to this so much right now!! Just recently went gluten-free and my sugar intake has dramatically increased. Does your book or the sugar-free course talk at all about social events? That’s where I’m struggling the most.
Absolutely – Jacqueline’s course talks at length about how to deal with being sugar free in social situations (and helping your friends/family understand what you’re trying to do for yourself.) My ebook also touches on this on the gluten-free side of things!
I am almost gluten free, I don’t have CD but I do have UC and it really bothers me if I eat too much. I try to avoid it as much as possible. Same with Lactose. I do see that sugar really messes with my gut and I find a need to take probiotics esp. if I have too much sugar. I will try to cut as much as I can. Thank you for the download and Happy New Year to you and your family! xoxox
I really needed to see this today. My husband and I were just talking about how much sugar we eat and how we should cut back.
I had weight loss surgery almost two years ago and did so great without sugar my first 18 months or so-losing 155 pounds and going over a whole year with no dessert, candy, soda or alcohol. The sugar has slowly crept back in over the fall and I KNOW that is the reason I feel so tired and sluggish and grouchy. I think it is a vicious cycle of the more sugar you eat, the more you crave it and the harder it is to stop eating it. I don’t necessarily want to eliminate it completely from my diet, but for sure staying away from the refined and processed sugars is a goal of mine.
Thanks for sharing and I am printing out this list of snacks!
100%. Sugar has been found to induce cravings like heroin or nicotine. For me, that’s why I needed outside help to kick it! http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/opinion/sugar-season-its-everywhere-and-addictive.html?_r=0
Thank you so much for sharing both your story of going sugar free and the list if snacks. I too am a sugar addict that needs sugar after every meal (even breakfast!). I’m committed to kicking the addiction to the curb this year! The GSF course sounds amazing. Wold love to give it a try.
I’ve found that the first two weeks or so of trying to eliminate something or make a change is the toughest. Usually after that, habits begin to form and it becomes more second nature and less of a challenge.
When I would go for periods without sweets or Diet Coke and I had them, I often times didn’t enjoy them and felt gross afterwards. Thinking about how it would make me feel (typically worse) wasn’t worth it.
Thanks for sharing!
Totally! That’s exactly why Jacqueline’s course has a life long effect – it’s 9.5 weeks versus the 30 day or 3 week programs most people try. I completely agree on the sweets and sodas too – I tried some of Ben’s diet Mt Dew a few months after taking the course and ALL I tasted was sickly sweet chemicals.
A bazillion thank-you’s! I am a cancer survivor. I learned quickly that cancer loves sugar. Sugar is pretty easy to eliminate when you realize it is a direct threat to your life! Dessert at our house is usually a big smoothie with lots of green stuff in it.
I’ve also eliminated dairy and only eat a small amount of meat once a week, so I love your dairy-free recipes as well.
I’m going to forward this blog to some physicians who will readily pass it on to their patients. Thanks again. Hopefully, this wakes up a few more people to what the food industry is doing.
One of my best friend’s cousin was diagnosed with cancer many years ago (she’s a survivor too!) and one of the first things her doctor told her after giving the diagnosis was to immediately cut regular and diet soda from her diet, for the reason you said. Thank you for sharing your story!
[…] (Maybe) Diet Change for 2016: Sugar Free + 50 Snack Ideas. Hi my name is Leesa, and I am a Sugar addict. Seriously guys. Sugar…. guh. I have in […]
As a graduate of GSF and one who has gone completely sugar free for the past 4 1/2 months, I highly recommend the course. Like you, I had sugar after every meal (and much more than you said) and was totally addicted. I am now happy to say that I feel so much better than I ever have, sleep great, reduced my adult acne and have lost almost 3 inches off my belly (I was not fat to begin with). I’m so happy to have this snack list brought to the forefront because I’m traveling for work next week and these snacks will be so helpful to have with me.
Glad to hear from another GSF alumni! My results were very similar to yours and I’m glad the list posting was timely for you!