![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Woman-adding-sugar-to-coffee-770x513.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n![\"holiday](\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-sugar-cravings-jpg-120x120.webp\")
<\/div>\n![\"how](\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/how-to-lose-weight-fast-jpg-120x120.webp\")
<\/div>\nOur No Sugar Challenge Results<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n After thirty days of the no sugar challenge, here were our results…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interestingly, Vanessa actually gained two pounds and also two percent body fat during this challenge. (Perhaps due to more lax compliance, but more on that later…) Still, the decrease in her waist is noticeable in these photos. Measurements revealed she lost two inches from her midsection. “I definitely had extra room in my pants by the end of the month,” Vanessa confirms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In thirty days I lost 2.8 pounds and decreased my overall body fat by 3.6%. Shockingly, my waist decreased by three full inches. (For context, that’s better than the results I saw doing Whole30<\/a>! And I didn’t even have to give up grains and legumes this time. Hallelujah.) More importantly, I felt the mental health benefits I was looking for. By the end of the month, I felt empowered in my food choices, stable in my energy and mood, and even more productive in my work days.<\/p>\n\n\n Here’s a full breakdown of our biggest lessons from completing the no sugar challenge:<\/p>\n\n\n If undergoing this challenge yourself, be prepared to be\u00a0that\u00a0<\/em>person at restaurants. Between sauces, dressings, marinades, and bread, no dish is a sure thing. All of these seemingly harmless side ingredients are likely sweetened with some form of added sugar in a restaurant setting.<\/p>\n\n\n Don’t be afraid to question your server\u2060\u2014but do remember to tip them nicely. They will most likely have to check with the chef to confirm specific ingredients. Our suggestion? Be your own chef<\/a> as often as possible for optimal ease and compliancy in the no sugar challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n Vanessa considers herself a fairly healthy eater with only the occasional sweet tooth. However, she was surprised to find that many of her pantry staples didn’t make the cut.<\/p>\n\n\n “My full-fat greek yogurt, my nut milk, my granola, and my cereal all had added sugar. One of the most challenging parts of this was realizing how much sugar is in the foods that I thought<\/em> were healthy,” she shares.<\/p>\n\n\n Don’t let a label claim fool you. Learn how to read nutrition labels like an expert<\/a> and decide for yourself whether a product is in line with your goals, or not.<\/p>\n\n\n Seven to ten days into the no sugar challenge, I felt downright dismal. I was tired, sad, anxious, and couldn’t focus at work. So much so that I feared I was entering a serious depressive episode or having an existential life crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n Luckily, some quick research on sugar withdrawal symptoms revealed otherwise. Medical News Today reports that sugar withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, fatigue, irritability, and feeling down<\/a>. Ding, ding, ding! Knowing this gave me some peace of mind, but I wish I’d been better prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n If attempting yourself, I recommend scheduling therapy in advance or clearing your schedule to allow for as much rest<\/a> and relaxation as possible during the testy withdrawal period<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n Doing the no sugar challenge gave me a whole new awareness of the inner workings of my sugar cravings<\/a>. Personally, my sugar cravings typically arose out of boredom, sadness, or with the intent to celebrate.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"Vanessa's](\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Vanessas-before-and-after-results-after-thirty-days-without-sugar..png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\nVanessa<\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"Zena's](\"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Zenas-before-and-after-for-the-thirty-day-no-sugar-challenge.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\nZena<\/h3>\n\n\n
What we learned during the no sugar challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n
Avoiding sugar at Restaurants is Basically impossible<\/h3>\n\n\n
Most of your so-called “health foods” are also loaded with sugar<\/h3>\n\n\n
Sugar withdrawal symptoms are no joke<\/h3>\n\n\n
You are stronger than your cravings<\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"Counter](\"https:\/\/cdn.humnutrition.com\/assets\/3330c8c0-7ede-11f0-a0ef-c10dbf4f15a4.png\")
\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t