Stefanie's Story & Tips
In 2016, you could find me frequenting the coffee maker at my full time job- somewhere between 3-5 times per day. I was hospitalized for digestive problems that never fully went away and despite my healthy diet and extremely active lifestyle, I was gaining weight and “puffy”.
In January 2017, I decided to embark on my first ever Whole 30. The W30 is a 30 day “reset” for your body- completely eliminating sugar in any form, as well as grains, alcohol, and dairy. It was extreme but I was desperate. The reset eliminated my addiction to large amounts of caffeine and helped me find a gluten allergy I didn’t know I had.
However, the most important thing the W30 did for me was open my eyes to just how many things we eat every day that have added sugar in them. You don’t have to do an entire W30 to reap this benefit; the steps below will help you become aware of your intake, as well as make better decisions daily.
1. Read EVERY Label
This sounds meticulous, but if you don’t do it, you will never know exactly what you’re eating. Everyday things like salsa, ketchup, salad dressing, canned veggies and store bought guacamole can have added sugars.
2. Decide what matters to you
If you truly enjoy having a glass of red wine or a square of chocolate after dinner, don’t deprive yourself. Simply remove the unnecessary sources of sugar in your diet. Most of the time, you can find a different brand of salsa, dressings or anything named above without added sugar to decrease your intake without giving anything up.
3. Check in with how YOU feel
The most important thing when it comes to nutrition is listening to your own body. If you are still feeling the effects of sugar after making modifications, experiment with having your indulgences at a different time of day paired with a lot of water OR limiting the days per week you have sugar.
If you'd like to connect with Stefanie, email info@enrgifitness.com.
