When I talk about my goals for the Simply Sweet Challenge, people often wonder how I manage to stick to them If you recall my goals are:
- To strive for an added sugar intake of less than 10 grams per day on six days each week and no more than 35 grams on one designated day per week during the 10 week challenge.
- To pre-prep healthy snacks for my snack box each week on Sunday and replenish it as needed during the 10 week challenge.
The second goal doesn’t get questioned much, but the first one often makes people think I’ve lost my mind! However, reaching this goal isn’t as difficult as it sounds, as long as I stay mindful and make intentional food choices throughout the day.
For the most part, my main meals haven’t changed much, but my snacks and evening munchies have undergone a major shift. So, what does a typical day look like for me now?
Breakfast
For the longest time, my go-to breakfast was peanut butter and jelly toast on various types of bread. While the peanut butter I eat only contains peanuts and salt (so no added sugar), the jelly does. That meant I had to make a change. Now, if I want something sweet, I add half a banana to my toast instead. I also started paying closer attention to my bread choice, as some brands contain added sugar—one had 3 grams per slice! My new favorite is sourdough, which has no added sugar.
Lunch
I don’t really have a go-to lunch. In fact, as I’m writing this, I can’t even think of what I typically eat for lunch! Since I work from home, many of my lunches are simply leftovers from the night before. I also like to prepare batches of vegetarian dishes and freeze them in single-serving portions, making it easy to have a quick and healthy meal.
Dinner
My dinners don’t usually contain much added sugar, but I did discover that the brioche hamburger buns I was using had over 5 grams! Now that I know this, I make sure to plan accordingly or opt for a different bun. To balance my meals, I focus on loading up on vegetables—either by having a salad or using pre-prepped veggies to eat raw or sauté as a side. I also include a protein and starch to round out the meal.
Snacks
This is where most of my changes have taken place. Before starting this challenge, I frequently reached for chocolate, baked goods, granola, flavored yogurt, and cereal bars. Now, I make better choices by prepping a variety of fruits and vegetables on Sundays for easy grab and go snacks. I also may have small servings of nuts, dried fruit, cheese or plain yogurt with berries.
Evening Munchies
For the most part, I have drastically reduced my evening munching, primarily because I’m not as hungry. By fueling my body with more nutrient-dense foods throughout the day, I find that I don’t crave as much sugar at night. Interestingly, I’ve also noticed that my sweet tooth isn’t as strong since I’m not constantly feeding it throughout the day.
However, if I do feel like I need something sweet, I opt for a small square of 85% dark chocolate, a piece of fruit or dried fruit, popcorn, berries with whipped cream, or even a couple of spoonfuls of ice cream. On my designated high-sugar day (up to 35 grams), I allow myself a full portion of a treat.
This challenge has opened my eyes to the amount of added sugar in my diet. By making small, mindful swaps, I’ve realized I can still enjoy satisfying meals and snacks without relying on sugar laden foods. Overall, I am starting to feel better, have fewer cravings and feel I have more control over my choices. While reducing added sugar may seem daunting, it is completely doable with small intentional changes.
-Megan
*AI Generated Image
