7 Days, 7 Ways! Your Sugar Detox Challenge Assignment Calendar

Day 1: January 4, 2016 Clean Out Your Pantry & Fridge Welcome to the first day of Further Food's 7-Day Sugar Detox Challenge. Get ready to kick sugar to the curb and start feeling great. Over the next seven days, I, your health coach, Samantha Elkrief, will be sending you daily tips and assignments to help you cut out sweets and reach your goals. Nutrition coach, Amy Shapiro, RD, and I have also put together a meal plan, shopping list and sugar-free detox food guide so that you know what foods to eat and what to limit. Ready to get started? First, put your head in the right place and start thinking positive thoughts. Here's some motivation. Today, we’ll be focusing on cleaning out your pantry and fridge. Remember the old adage "out of sight, out of mind"? Well, it applies to food as much as anything. Your first exercise is removing food you don't want to be eating from your kitchen. Donate, give away, or toss the foods that you know contain tempting sugars and that aren't serving you. Pay special attention to canned foods and packaged items, which are often the worst offenders. So start looking at ingredient lists on those snacks, sauces, and beverages you have at home and at work. There's hidden sugar everywhere! If you’re not sure it’s sugar, use this list of fancy names to identify the addictive, elusive ingredient. It’s referred to in many different ways, but at the end of the day, it’s all sugar. Here's what to look for and avoid: •sucrose •HFCS •turbinado sugar •cane sugar •maltose •brown sugar •corn syrup •raw sugar •confectioner's sugar You may be thinking, “what’s left to eat?” The answer is plenty. Next time you’re at the grocery store, choose whole, unprocessed foods free of lengthy nutrition labels. When was the last time you saw an ingredient list on a stalk of broccoli? Go for these naturally sugar-free, delicious options: •low & medium-glycemic fruits (all berries, kiwi, melons, pears, etc) •all types of nuts •eggs (hard boiled eggs make great snacks!) •all vegetables •seeds •fish •whole grains •beans •meat Remember: whole foods (meaning unrefined and unprocessed foods) are best for our bodies. Additionally, eating local produce is another way to get the most natural sweetness from your fruits and vegetables. Keeping your pantry and fridge stocked with colorful, fresh, healthy food is step one. Set yourself up for success! Today’s Assignments: 1.) Clean out your pantry and fridge. Looking for ideas on how to restock your kitchen? The items listed in our food guide and shopping list are great options. 2.) What is your reason for taking this Challenge? Tell us in the comments below. 3.) Check today's meal plan. The highlights are chicken sausage egg muffins, a detox cauliflower rice bowl and spicy chocolate chili pepper bark. Enjoy! What's Everyone Making Today? What sugar-free foods are you eating? Share a pic on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #FFSugarDetox for the chance to win private consultations with the Challenge coaches. Be sure to tag @FurtherFood so we see your entry. Here are some of our favorites pics you've shared with us so far. See contest rules. Day 2: January 5, 2016 Make Smarter Food Choices How did it go on Day 1 of the Challenge? Don’t forget to ask us all of your nutrition and health questions below in the comments. We’re on call all week to provide advice and encouragement. Here is some motivation to help you start off the day committed to the detox. Post with pride on social media and share with your friends. Today, we’re going to take a look at the root of your cravings for all things sweet and find easy, realistic ways to conquer them. Changing a behavior can be tough in the beginning. In fact, Days 2 and 3 of this Challenge will most likely be the hardest for you. Don't give up. The first step is to understand why you crave sugar by asking yourself these questions: •When do you usually crave sugar? In the morning, afternoon, or evening? •Do you find yourself eating sugary foods at night when you're tired, instead of going to bed? •What are your associations and memories of sugar? Was it how your mom soothed you when you were sad or angry? What emotions are behind your sugar habits? •Who are your sugar co-conspirators and enablers? •What kind of sugar habits do you have? Do you always finish a meal with dessert or put sugar in your coffee? After you've honestly answered each question, gradually make small changes throughout the day to help you avoid caving. These simple hacks will help: 3 Foolproof Hacks to Curb Sugar Cravings •Find new sugar-free indulgences. If you crave muffins, pastries or other sugar-laden breakfast foods at work in the mornings, prepare an easy-to-make, sugar-free indulgence that tastes just as good. A creamy chai tea or faux ice cream smoothie are two nutritious option for sweets lovers. •Set a timer. Does your sweet tooth kick in at night? Make yourself wait 20 minutes before heading to the kitchen for your evening fridge raid. Go for a quick walk around the block, drink a glass of sparkling or ice water with lemon or spend some quiet time meditating in your room. (If meditation isn't your thing, reading or stretching also work.) Most likely, your cravings will be gone when the timer goes off. •Rethink your meals. This might be the most important tip of all. Incorporate more whole foods into your diet. Eat fruits and veggies low in sugar like blackberries, raspberries, lemons, limes, leafy greens and cauliflower. Fill up on healthy fats, like olives, nuts, avocados and salmon. Whole foods not only help control your blood sugar, but they keep your hunger at bay so that you aren't as tempted to reach for sweets. These simple hacks will help eliminate your need for a sugar fix. Remember, going sugar-free is not about deprivation. It's about training your body to feel satisfied without it. Today’s Assignments: •Try one of our hacks for eating less sugar, like incorporating more whole foods into your diet. •Check out today's meal plan. It features some can't-miss recipes, like avocado toast, a tomato basil quiche and a banana french toast "ice cream" smoothie. •What stands in your way of eating clean? Tell us in the comments. •Enter our contest: Share a pic of the foods you’re eating on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #FFSugarDetox. Be sure to tag @FurtherFood so we see your entry. See contest rules. << Read yesterday's assignment Day 3: January 6, 2016 Maximize Your Sleep Did you know that getting enough rest is just as important as meeting your vegetable requirement and hitting the gym or going to yoga? Your body needs adequate time to rest and reboot and consistent periods of rejuvenation help reduce long-term stress. When we’re not stressed, we don’t crave sugary snacks. See where I’m going with this? The good news is you don’t have to give up your evening activities to squeeze in a few extra hours of refreshing shut eye. Focus on quality, not quantity. Your sleep needs are as individual as your food requirements – depending on your day-to-day schedule you may need more or less. Whether you require six, seven, or eight hours of sleep, these pointers will help you maximize that precious time: 3 Tips for Better Sleep •Watching TV and surfing the web right before bed will leave you overstimulated and restless – so turn off your electronics at least one hour before and listen to soft music or meditate instead. If you have kids, lay down a no TV before bed rule. •Turn the lights and noise down as you get ready to sleep. Light candles, turn off or mute noisy electronics, and try to keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature. If your room doesn't get very dark (or stay dark when the sun rises), try investing in an eye mask. •Late-night snacking (especially on junk foods) and caffeine before bed will keep you counting sheep into the early hours, so plan your last meal in advance. However, don’t go to bed on an empty stomach either – balance is key. Sleep well to be well! Today’s Assignments: •Create a plan for better sleep. Start by counting backwards. What time do you need to go to bed to get the amount of sleep you know you need? Make it your goal to get in bed by this time every night this week. •What food has been the hardest to give up this week? Tell us in the comments. •Start cooking. Today’s meal plan includes a flavorful chia almond butter oatmeal, creamy winter chai, turkey chili and much, much more. << Read Yesterday's Assignment Day 4: January 7, 2016 Get Your Veggie Fix You’re half way through the Challenge. How are you feeling? Have you been experiencing cravings? Some ups and downs? Tell us about it in the comments. Even if you've had a few hiccups along the way, the key is not to beat yourself up. Today, like every day and every moment, is brand new. You can make a new choice about how you want to treat your body right now. Remember, if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. Today we’re going to focus on foods that can actually help curb your sugar cravings. Vegetables. Veggies are the most neglected food in standard diets. Maybe it’s because you recall memories of being forced to eat mushy broccoli before being excused from dinner or maybe you never actually started eating vegetables until later in life (I began in my 20s!). Better late than never! The truth is, vegetables are delicious and pack a serious number of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients. Best of all, naturally sweet veggies can help you fight the urge for refined sugar. The natural sugars these vegetables contain stabilize blood sugar and reduce the need for artificial sweets. Try one (or all!) of the following naturally delicious, nutrient-dense options: •beets •onions •winter squash •sweet potatoes •carrots •turnip/parsnip Have a favorite from this list? Eat often and enjoy! Today’s Assignments: •Start incorporating more veggies into your daily meals. •Celebrate the halfway mark with us. Share your progress in the comments. •Check out today’s meal plan. It brings back some favorite meals from earlier this week. •Enter our contest: Share a pic of the foods you’re eating on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #FFSugarDetox. Remember to tag @FurtherFood so we see your entry. See contest rules. << Read Yesterday's Assignment Day 5: January 8, 2016 Take Another Look at What Causes Your Cravings When it comes to what drives sugar cravings, top culprits often include the hectic morning rush-hour and looming afternoon deadlines, prompting sugary coffee drinks and spiraling blood sugar levels. Sugar has a temporary mood lifting effect on the brain, leading to a serious crash soon after. Not exactly the best situation when you’re stressed. Think about what else causes you to crave. Aside from daily stress that spurs sugar cravings, I encourage you to consider how other components of your life may be affecting what you eat. Think back to a time you were madly in love. Your partner’s care and affection may have blunted the intensity of some of your sugar cravings, making you feel satisfied and appreciated. Many people crave sweets when they are lacking supportive relationships (romantic, familial, friendships or otherwise). Take a look at the people you surround yourself with – is it time for a change? Along with the actual food you put on your plate, healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career, and a spiritual practice can fill your soul and satisfy your real hunger for life. When these areas of your life – your primary foods – are balanced, your life feeds you, making what you eat secondary. Next time you find yourself responding to a craving with a sugary dessert, focus on the root of these urges. Look at these primary foods: •relationships •career •physical activity •spirituality Give each one a rating from 1 – 10 as you see them in your life right now (10 being satisfied and 1 being dissatisfied). It’s OK if you are dissatisfied with some (or all!) of your primary foods – you are now one step closer to truly understanding where your cravings are coming from. If you rated relationships low, delve a little deeper and ask yourself why you rated it as such: •Are friends off-loading their problems without taking the time to ask about you? •Family members expecting too much from you? •Coworkers gossiping and creating a negative environment? •An ongoing rift with an old friend or family member? Any of these relationship issues will cause stress and anxiety, causing you to turn to sugar for quick comfort. Before giving in, list five people in your life who totally support you. Next to each name write one reason that you are thankful for them. If a person on your list is someone you have not talked to in a while, reconnect with them today. Old faces can inspire new changes! And to prepare for moments of weakness, make a list of sugar-free treats to call upon when your primary foods feel unbalanced. Today’s Assignments: •Rate these areas of your life: relationships, career, physical activity, spirituality. •Did you cave in to your cravings this week? Tell us about it in the comments. We all have triggers that leave us weak to our cravings. They key is knowing those triggers, knowing how we react, and bouncing back faster each time. There's no shame in the health game! •Review today’s meal plan. You'll be devouring a matcha green tea chia seed pudding, chicken sausage egg muffin and some can't-eat-just-one frozen banana coconut cups. Enjoy! << Read Yesterday's Assignment Day 6: January 9, 2016 Make Time for Exercise You've almost reached the end of the detox. Only one more day until you can declare success! We've focused a lot on making good food choices and becoming more mindful eaters during this Challenge. But getting the right amount of exercise is just as important as being aware of what you put into your body. Our bodies are such a huge part of who we are, but we often walk around without really paying it any mind until something goes wrong. I know that I was in that boat! I can't tell you how great it feels to be paying more attention to my body (even though it takes some effort and exploration outside of my comfort zone, for sure). I even hired a personal trainer, because I know how effective having an accountability partner and coach is. Now, when I don't exercise, I feel how sluggish I start to feel, and it takes a toll on my mental clarity and peace of mind, too. Think about a typical scenario where you feel tired and weary. Do you often reach for sugar to provide a quick energy boost? Although it may not seem like it, physical activity revs up the body and provides energy. Unlike sugar and the imminent energy crash it leads to, the effects of exercise last long after you stop activity. Make a point to schedule physical activity on your calendar every week, if not every day. Start small and slowly increase the number of days you include exercise. Remember, you don’t have to engage in strenuous activities to see results. The goal is to find a type of movement you enjoy, and then integrate it into your life on a regular basis. Consider mixing it up by trying something new: •If you love to dance, take a class at a local gym or dance studio. Or, do it at home! Hipshake offers daily dance livestreams as well as pre-recorded dance workouts that you can do in your living room on your own time. •If you’ve never done yoga, drop into a beginner class and see how it feels. •If you like to jog in your neighborhood, try a new route today. •Go for a long walk, explore a new area. Or, if the weather isn't nice, try Leslie Sansone's Miracle Miles workout program. While you're at work today, see if you can refresh your energy and combat stress by taking a quick break in the middle of the day. Instead of playing online or checking Facebook or Instagram, get up and step away from your desk for 15 minutes. You can even close your door (if you have one) and do some squats! In order to keep our bodies happy and healthy, we need to get moving! Today’s Assignment: •Create a realistic exercise plan. Go for a walk, do yoga or find another activity you enjoy. •What’s your favorite type of exercise? Share it with us in the comments. •Enjoy today’s meal plan. Shakshuka baked eggs, red lentil coconut curry and 3-ingredient dark chocolate fondue are some of the highlights. •Enter our contest: Share a pic of the foods you’re eating on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #FFSugarDetox. Be sure to tag @FurtherFood so we see your entry. See contest rules. << Read Yesterday's Assignment Day 7: January 10, 2016 Drink the Good Stuff Congratulations! You made it to the end of the Challenge. Take the time to appreciate all that you’ve accomplished. Maybe you feel like you stayed on course and didn't face too many challenges; maybe you had days when it seemed impossible to keep up. Wherever you are, make a fresh start each day moving forward. Nobody’s perfect and your cleanse doesn’t have to be either. Don’t stop now! Because the efforts you do put in will bring on a positive shift you’ll feel great about. Be pleased with your progress and proudly share it with your friends. And now, one last tip: Water is the best thing you can drink for you health, period. It's so easy to be sucked into the world of shiny bottles promising energy, youth or satisfaction, but the truth of the matter is, water is where it’s at. Take a second to think about the beverages in your life. Maybe you’re drinking a couple coffees, drinks with added sugar or booze. The good news is that integrating the changes we’ve been talking about this week will reduce your need for a lot of these things. Just be mindful of your consumption, and hydrate well with good ‘ol H2O. We've enjoyed taking this journey with you. Today’s Assignment: •Invest in a 64. fl. oz. water jug and carry it with you. It’s a great way to remember to get your 8 glasses a day. •Tell us about your sugar detox journey in the comments. What were the highs and lows? •Check your final meal plan. The egg wraps and spaghetti squash casserole are a real treat. Reminder: It's the last day to enter our contest! Share a pic of the foods you’re eating on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #FFSugarDetox. Be sure to tag @FurtherFood so we see your entry. See contest rules. << Read Yesterday's Assignment