About 2 years ago, I finally admitted that my weight and health had gotten out of control. I had skin issues, chronic, pain, was constantly tired, and couldn't honor God or my family in the way He had created me to live. Our family of 6, decided to cut sugar completely. Two years later and we are amazed at all the health benefits for our entire family!
1. Weight loss
Most of my life my weight would fluctuate up and down, based on the AMOUNT I was exercising or eating. I learned that exercise is NOT the healthy way to lose weight. My doctor explained that exercising when your body is unbalanced just tears down your health and does not help. She taught me how to balance my body by eating REAL food. As someone who got caught up in "diet foods" as a teenager, this style of eating and not dieting, has been very freeing! While my boys don't need to lose any weight, my husband and I dropped several sizes and pounds. I went from 170 to 120lbs and dropped from a size 14 to a size 4!
2. No more cravings!
I didn't realize how addictive sugar was, until I was freed from the addiction to sugar and food! It feel wonderful to no longer be a slave to food cravings!! Sugar feeds the bad bacteria in our digestive systems and causes our bodies to crave it. Many "picky" kids are actually playing out their addiction to sugar as they refuse to eat anything but breads/cereals.
3. No more pain and inflammation!
For about 7 years, I had "tendonitis" or chronic pain in my feet. My joints were super stiff every time I got up from sitting for even the shortest time period. I had started to associate it with my age, but 35 years old was just too young! After cutting dairy, grains and sugar, and adding probiotics, my foot pain resolved COMPLETELY and has not returned!
4. Healthy immune system!
Did you know that sugar weakens your immune system and leaves you susceptible to illness? My oldest son used to get ear infections often. We finally noticed that he would get sick the day after consuming sugar (even just 1 cookie). Our health has significantly improved since cutting sugar, dairy and grains.
Maintaining an alkaline diet, also helps protect our bodies from cancer, which can not thrive in an alkaline environment.
There is no moderation with sugar consumption, it always causes health problems. It breaks my heart to see moms talk about how their kids and family are constantly sick. Many don't make the connection with diet & health, but they're completed connected.
5. ENERGY and Mental Focus
After having 4 boys, my sleep patterns were off balance and I was completely exhausted most of the time. I relied on sweet tea (my source of sugar and caffeine) to get me through the day. Did it work? NO! I would crash shortly after finishing a glass of tea and just crave more to give me energy. Since cutting sugar, I realize how the sugar was CAUSING the fatigue and exhaustion! I now have tons more energy, feel so much better and can think clearly without the brain fog from sugar! I drink 1-2oz of NingXia Red (an antioxidant drink with no caffeine or sugar) daily for immune support.
6. Digestive health
Several members of our family have digestive issues and food intolerances. Since cutting sugar, dairy and grains, and adding probiotics and food enzymes, our tummies are much happier (less gas, bloating, and other issues). I found that I don't feel "full" or bloated after meals. I didn't realize how terrible carbs and sugar made me feel! My husband suffered from terrible reflux and esophagus problems that caused difficulty eating and swallowing food. Meal times for him were not pleasant! Since cutting sugar, dairy and grains, my husbands digestive issues are completely better! No medicines necessary! Also, my son's eczema has also cleared up and everyone is sleeping better:)
7. Skin Health
The dermatitis that I had struggled with for years, magically disappeared! My son's eczema also got better! We learned that problems on the outside of our body are just symptoms of problems on the inside. Thankful for healthy skin!
How did we do this??
Because wheat and processed foods turn straight to sugar in our bodies, we also cut those foods. Due to gut health imbalance, we completely cut dairy, grains and sugar. We follow this simple meme...
We eat local, organic meat, vegetables, fruits, seeds, beans and nuts. We shop the perimeter of the grocery store, shop farmer's markets, grow our own food and buy meat from local farmers. Here's a post on where we get our food.
I drink this incredible drink daily and it helps support my lymphatic system and really helped when detoxing from sugar!
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| GGMS - 1 quart of water + 1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar + 1-2 drops Citrus oil + stevia to taste |
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| Drinking kombucha and other fermented foods has greatly increased our digestive health and cuts sugar cravings. |
My doctor and nutritionist teach that our bodies need a Protein + Fat + Healthy Carb for a balanced meal and complete fuel for your body. Trim Healthy Mama is an awesome plan that understands this concept also. The sisters who created THM explain that our body can only burn one fuel at a time (FAT or CARBS) and if you consume both, one of those is stored as fat. You also always need PROTEIN for your body to use those fuels. In my effort to lose weight, my meals consisted of [PROTEIN+FATS] OR [PROTEIN+HEALTHY CARBS], but not fats and carbs combined.
Once I hit my weight goal, I began combining Protein+Fat+Healthy Carbs (in healthy amounts) to maintain a healthy weight. My 4 boys have always eaten all three together, to support their growth and development.
Here are a couple simple meals I cooked for my family...
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| Roasted chicken with sweet potatoes and sauteed green beans |
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| Stir fry made with local beef, coconut aminos and tons of veggies (including beet greens) |
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| Lemon broccoli chicken quinoa... we eat healthy carb quinoa at least once a week! |
Who's ready to cut sugar??
I know it's a little after "New Year's Resolutions, but I made several natural changes two years ago, this month, and I'm so happy I did!
** Disclaimer: I'm just a mom sharing from our research and experience.
This is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any illness.
I am so glad I found your blog spot. Sugar is one of those things that is hard to control. It can keep resurfacing as a problem when you try to decrease it without seriously committing to let it go. I am trying to make healthy changes for my picky husband who jokes about his disdain for veggies. My oldest son is 5 and has started eating a greater variety, any fruit I put in front of him, good water drinker, and I limit the salty and sweet snacks. I really want to get my husband on board, but know I have to allow room for him to do things his own way, while not derailing myself or my 2 boys. I love to cook, so does he. He cooks veggies for me when he cooks, which is nice. Altering recipes has been a hard challenge to get right thru the years. I struggle to cook things he will eat, though I do notice he is willing to try more and talk about the new recipes. My little guy is 8 months and loves veggies so far, yippee!
ReplyDeleteAny help or ideas is much appreciated. It's very hard to stay out of junky foods. My husband keeps them around the house, and it is not a conversation that goes well. I have thought about giving him a basket and all of his items go in that, and I don't touch it.
So wonderful to continue reading your story of transformation, Kelly! I love it!! Two questions: how long did it take to lose 50lbs on THM and do you use raw honey or maple syrup w your family?
ReplyDeleteThanks Celeste!! I do use maple syrup and honey with my family sparingly. One of my son's has candida and is super sensitive to sugars, even honey and fruit sugars, so we're all mostly sugar free.
DeleteI wish I had kept better track of how quickly the weight came off. I know the first 15-20 lbs came off pretty quickly... in 1-2 months. By 6 months in, I was 25-30lbs down. By 1 year, I was 40lbs down. I started doing more crossovers and still gradually lost the last 10 lbs. I also had to go completely grain, and egg free, about 9 months after I started (I was already dairy and wheat free).