Oh yeah, this month’s challenge is a Sugar Showdown.

Become a fan of the Barenakd Facebook Page and leave us a post that you are “in.”

Come on, while our spirits are high and our resolutions lofty let’s tackle sugar this month and see how your body responds. Both physically and mentally!

I’m going to say it. Sugar is REALLY BAD FOR YOU. In fact, it’s the worst thing you can eat. Oddly enough I never wanted anything sweet growing up but now that my hormones are changing and adulthood is in full swing I have a love/hate relationship with the drug. Not so much for chocolate or candies but for a good ole’ Dr. Pepper every once in awhile.

While having an occasional desert is not a big deal and should be enjoyed to the absolute fullest, having a 6 pack of Cola’s around is not ideal!

Starting tomorrow, January 5th we are going on a Sugar Showdown. We (yep, you too) are eliminating:

• White granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Maple syrup
• Agave Nectar
• Honey
• Fructose / High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Fruit except: granny smith apples and green pears
• Fruit juice or anything sweetened with fruit juice
• Stevia or any of sugar substitutes (this means no diet sodas)
• No refined while flour
• No alcohol
• AND ANYTHING WITH THESE SWEETENERS IN IT

The dark side of sugar

• Promotes weight gain and prohibits weight loss
• Disrupts sleep patterns
• Creates lack of mineral and vitamin absorption
• Suppresses your immune system
• Contributes to anxiety, depression, and mood swings
• Promotes growth of yeast and bad bacteria
• Causes hormonal imbalances
• Increases insulin resistance and energy crashes
• Reduces good HDL cholesterol and increases bad LDL cholesterol

What happens when you give it up?

I’m not asking you to give it up forever but this little challenge should teach you more about how you respond to it and in turn your taste buds will liven up for other foods and you’ll decrease your overall intake of sugar. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

During this time of detoxing from sugar, you are turning up the fire on your fat burning potential. By removing sugar from your diet, your body has a chance to utilize it’s own intellegence and burn fat that you have stored for energy. See, now you are running off the energy from sugar and storing fat. Completely backwards from the way we were designed to function. When you consume sugar you are providing your body with glucose (a.k.a fuel) that is needed to live. The problem is, we are eating WAY too much and the body can’t use it all so it stores it as fat for later. I’m all about igniting my fat burning flames. You?

On another note and just as important you will find your mental clarity will soar! You’ll sleep better at night and feel more rested upon waking. You’ll lose the muffin top, clear up your skin, improve digestion, and waken up those taste buds.

The Sugar Showdown

This really can be easy if you shift your perception to learning about your body rather than giving up a favorite food. Come on…we have 27 days and no excuses. Allow your body to detox by eliminating sugar for the rest of the month. Pay close attention to the labels on the processed food that you shouldn’t be eating anyway (smile) and make sure no sugar or sugar substitutes are listed. My bet is that if it is reasonably low fat, it has sugar and too much of it. Don’t let it sneak up on you – show it down.

What to eat:

How about vegetables? Any and all that you’d like. If you aren’t vegetarian add lots of protein to your meals: eggs, fish, beef, chicken, lamb, pork. Vegetarians should add beans while trying to stay away from anything that comes in a package. Grains like quinoa, brown rice and Ezekial sprouted grain bread are fine. Diary is fine (raw is better) and granny smith apples and green pears. Oh, and don’t be afraid of fat. See, when you aren’t feeding your body too much sugar, you NEED the fat to function.

Sample meals:

Breakfast

Scrambled Eggs, Avocado, Salsa

Lunch

Big mixed green salad with hard boiled egg, blue cheese or mozzarella, lots of veggies, beans and olive oil dressing with seasoning

Or, a yummy batch of homemade vegetable beef soup that you can make ahead

Dinner

Meatballs (no breadcrumbs – just egg) with zucchini peels and tomato sauce (look for varieties with no sugar or make from scratch – lots of easy crock-pot recipes out there!) pair it with steamed broccoli or add some sautéed onions

Snacks

Try to steer clear from snacking – your meals should be satisfying. But, if you must snack on raw veggies, cheese and nuts. If you chose veggies make sure to add some fat with nuts, avocado dip or oil based dressings.

It’s time to show sugar down.

Make sure you are a fan on our Barenakd Facebook Page and let us know that you are “in” by leaving a post on the fan page wall. Three most inspirational winners will be chosen who have been posting daily on their own Facebook Wall about their experience. Winners will get a choice between our two inspired solutions: Individual Coaching and Project Iron Angel.

Posting on YOUR facebook wall with a link to www.barenakd.com begins no later than Friday, January 8th. Each post must contain the link in order to be eligible for the free solution.

Remember that you must friend me, Amanda Forrester, and include the www.barenakd.com link in each of your wall posts.

You can ask any questions you have here on the blog or on the fan page.

See you on facebook!