Take the Yahoo Life x Woman of Today 5-Day Sugar Detox Challenge to reduce your daily sugar. Follow us as Camila Alves McConaughey and top experts show us how to cut back on sugar this week and learn new habits every day. This is the first day of the 5-day sugar detox.
When the going gets tough, the riders get to work … to the gym, to the running path, or to the meditation cushion. But for many of us, it’s natural to respond to stress by seeking quick fixes that don’t serve us in the long run. If you’re stuck at home during a pandemic, snacking on sugar-filled foods and drinks can provide that comfort you crave. It’s time to give your body a break from refined sugars.
Today is day 1 of a 5-day challenge in collaboration with lifestyle guru Camila Alves McConaughey – wife of iconic actor Matthew McConaughey – and her website, Woman of Today, for the Yahoo Life x Woman of Today 5-Day Sugar Detox Challenge. It is a guided program that almost anyone can do at home. For the next five days, we’ll give you the encouragement and know-how you need to adopt healthier habits and become a “quitter” forever.
“[A sugar detox] is important no matter what, but especially now at this time in which we live. Your immune system must be very, very strong. So it’s very, very important to kick that sugar out of your daily routine, ”says McConaughey.
The mother of three, along with licensed nutritionist Maya Feller, challenged readers on Day 1 to take the bold first step: you commit to quit sugar. Sure, the journey is a winding road, but once you’re out and about, you’re well on your way.
Why should you commit to cutting out sugar? Disease prevention, more energy and better skin, just to name a few …
“Many of us feel tired, bloated and stressed out by everything that is going on around us,” says McConaughey. Sugar is a temporary fix, as it activates your brain’s pleasure pathways. But after a while you feel the crash and you need an even bigger hit. Feller adds, “It’s this very complicated cycle that happens because our bodies are saying, ‘Hey, give me more.'”
Like any drug, sugar becomes addictive – and it’s kind of an epidemic in our country. How Much Added Sugar Do Americans Consume? ‘The numbers are going through the roof. It’s like more than 34 percent of our total energy intake [for teens]. I think adults are over 40 percent. It’s just part of our everyday life, and it’s so common, ”says Feller.
Here’s the good news: give up the sweet stuff is absolutely doable and gets easier with time. Take it from Alexandra Sowa, MD, a board-certified internal medicine physician specializing in metabolic health (and an outside expert not affiliated with Woman of Today). “In fact, it will really change your relationship with sugar,” Sowa tells Yahoo Life. “There really is a light at the end of the tunnel that you just don’t want [sugar-y] eat again. “
Eliminating sugar can combat those icky short-term feelings, like bloating and crashing, pretty quickly – and permanently, if you really commit – but the long-term effects of a sugar detox are even deeper.
“When you consume too much added sugars, it actually increases your risk of all non-communicable diseases, [such as] diabetes, cardiovascular disease, [and] hypertension, ”says Feller.
Sugar is also a major cause of inflammation. “We all know that when you have high inflammation in your body, your immune system starts to weaken. Then you would be more likely to feel unwell and get illness, ”says McConaughey.
Feller agrees. “This is a time when we really want our immune system to be as strong as possible. And we know that having high amounts of added sugars changes the diversity of those bacteria in your gut, ”notes Feller. “What you really want is all the beneficial bacteria, instead of having the ones that don’t allow your body to show its best health.”
Feller adds that giving the boot sugar can balance the microbiome of your gut and also work wonders for your energy levels and complexion. “You can expect more radiant, radiant skin if you cut some of those added sugars out of your daily diet,” she says.
Another advantage? You won’t have those times when you are so hungry you could bite someone’s head off! “ You’re going to have less of that up and down ‘hangry’ feeling, ” Feller says as she describes the angry-hungry combo you feel after a sugar crash. “So you can expect to have a little less of the highs and lows.”
You’ll also be able to listen to your hunger better if you don’t “fill up” the hole with sweets such as sugar-sweetened drinks, which fool you into thinking you’re full. “You don’t really know when you are hungry or full, and when you will leave [sugar], you’re like, ‘Oh wow. I feel really great after this meal, ‘or’ Oh, I feel like I can get a little bit more, ‘she says.
How should you commit – gradually or cold turkey?
Once you’ve done a sugar detox, the question becomes, how? Should you wean yourself off this highly addictive substance little by little, or should you quit cold turkey? There is no unambiguous answer: “It is very dependent on the person and the situation,” Sowa says.
“If your life is incredibly hectic and you say, ‘I’m going to do a 180 in the way I eat,’ then you may have a hard time, and you may not be able to,” adds Sowa. “So for some people, if you intend to cut back on sugar, instead of doing it all at once, you could start with one meal or cut something like sugary soda or a sweet snack.”
The goal here is to teach you how to do that [adopt] lifelong good habits. One thing at a time, slowly but surely, so … you can keep going for the long haul. Camila Alves McConaughey
Sowa says others find it easier to make a big change all at once. ‘They’ll say,’ you know what? I really feel like I’m addicted. If I don’t even surround myself with the sugar choices, I’m not going for it, ” Sowa insists. “So I really put an emphasis on taking stock of your life circumstances and what your goals are, and really start there before deciding whether to put your toe in or do a drastic sugar detox.”
“So we talked about how we’re going to do this detox: cold turkey or slow transitioning. Choose what works for you, ”says McConaughey. “But what should we cut from our diet on the first day?”
Practical ways to start your sugar detox – and a few temporary downsides at first
“See where the added sugars end up in your individual daily routine,” says Feller. It can be processed foods, soft drinks, energy drinks, sweetened yogurt, sauces, or even salad dressings. “Also read that nutrition facts label, [which shows] added sugar. Anything close to 20 percent is considered high, ”she says.
While you’re at it, look for sodium, Sowa says. “You’ll find that most packaged foods, even if it’s just a snack bar or a prepackaged biscuit, have more salt than you need in an entire day.” She says the same is true of most sweet electrolyte drinks. For this reason, dehydration is a surprising side effect of the omission of sugar. So if throwing out processed foods is part of your sugar detox plan, Sowa strongly encourages drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day.
Other side effects of sugar detoxification will also vary from person to person, as will the amount of time it takes for those effects to hit you – this is no one-size-fits-all challenge. “Typically for most people who consume really large amounts of added sugars, it can be within 24 hours,” Feller notes. You may feel … a decrease in your mood. You may have a headache that resembles caffeine withdrawal. In terms of starting to feel the upsurge and feeling good, some people even report feeling a little better within 72 hours. “
Is a sugar detox right for you?
Of course, no matter how excited you are to get started with your sugar detox, don’t forget to be smart about it. Detoxing sugar is not for everyone.
“People with a history of eating disorders or an active eating disorder should steer 100 percent clearly,” says Feller. “Also people with a certain medical condition should talk to their doctor or dietitian” before starting a sugar detox.
Sowa adds that if you are (or think you are) insulin resistant (frequent sugar crashes may indicate this), you should also see a doctor before starting a sugar detox. “If you start to feel dizzy, if you start to feel nauseous, if you have a fever or chills as a result of the detox, then call your doctor and stop what you’re doing,” Feller adds.
Above all, be kind to yourself and be patient with the process. “It’s day to day, step by step and lots of deep breathing,” Feller encourages. “The goal here is to teach you how to do that [adopt] lifelong good habits, ”agrees McConaughey. “One thing at a time, slowly but surely, so … you can keep going in the long run.”
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