Hey friends!
Are you ready for Sugar Free January?
I know I’m always ready for a sugar reset after the holidays.
That’s why I’ve been doing SFJ for the past 3 years!
In case you’ve never done a SFJ before, let me tell you what it’s all about!
What is Sugar Free January?
Sugar Free January is a reset after the craziness of the holidays.
You cut out sugar for the month of January.
It’s a way of helping your body determine how much sugar actually feels good for you.
Sugar Free January is NOT a diet.
Weight loss is not the goal.
Rules for Sugar Free January:
- During the month of January, cut back on your sugar consumption.
- The challenge starts on January 2nd and ends on February 1st.
You Can Customize the Rules to Fit Your Needs!
For example, you may want to cut out only the super processed forms of sugar (this is what I’m doing this year) such as white sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, corn syrup, etc.
Even if you still consume coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup you’ll probably be eating a lot less sugar since you’ll have to cook the majority of the food yourself (instead of buying prepackaged cookies, for example).
Or you could cut out half of the sugar in every recipe you make.
You could also just go sugar free until the weekend.
Or have 2 desserts a week instead of 7, or 5 instead of 7, or 1 a day instead of 3.
Another options would be to just cut out all candy and pop.
Or, if you already eat a really low sugar diet, you might want to try cutting out the more sugary fruits such as bananas for 30 days.
Make this challenge your own!
My Personal Sugar Free January Rules:
This year, Reuben and I are doing an elimination diet during the month of January.
We’re cutting out the top 8 allergens, and I’m cutting out corn as well.
So no wheat, dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, seafood, soy, or corn.
Yeah. It’s gonna be tough.
We want to experiment and see if some symptoms we’ve been having diminish or go away.
Since I’m being so restrictive with my diet in other ways, I’m going to be a little more lenient on myself with Sugar Free January than I have been in past years.
So these are my personal SFJ rules for 2021:
- No highly refined sweeteners, such as white sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, corn syrup, etc.
- Small amounts of coconut sugar, maple syrup, and honey are fine.
- If there are 0 grams of sugar per serving in things like bacon and breakfast sausage, I’ll eat it even if there’s sugar in the ingredients list.
Warning: This is Not for the Faint of Heart!
If you’re going to be super strict and cut all forms of sugar, including honey, maple syrup, and dried fruit, you might have sugar withdrawals.
I know I did back when I did my Whole30 and I also experienced it during Sugar Free January in the past.
But it was so worth it since it showed me how addicted to sugar I was and how it’s in EVERYTHING.
Just be prepared for it to be HARD for the first week.
It gets better, I promise!
But obviously it’s a good idea to chat with your doctor if you’re making major dietary changes!
So, Are You Ready For the Challenge?
I highly encourage you to leave a comment below with your own personal ground rules.
Getting it out in writing really helps to cement it in your mind and make a commitment.
Okay! Good luck, friends!
Here’s a video in case you absorb information better that way:
Resources to Help You Have a Successful Sugar Free January:
- 50+ Sugar Free Meal Ideas + A Free Sugar Free Meal Plan – (I wrote this a couple of years ago and put a lot of work into it!)
- 10 Tips to Tame Your Sweet Tooth – (A post I wrote for Pioneer Woman after my experience with Sugar Free January)
- 25 Sugar Free Snack Ideas – Having sugar free snacks on hand is SO important!
- Lindsay from Pinch of Yum’s master post about Sugar Free January – (Lots of great info, and a wonderful community of fellow SFJ followers!)
Sugar Free Recipes:
Breakfast:
- Savory Dutch Baby Puff Pancake
- Roasted Veggie Breakfast Bowls
- Savory Waffles
- KETO Crepes
- Egg Muffin Cups – Make sure your bacon is sugar free!
- 3 healthy Kefir Smoothie Recipes
Lunch:
- Creamy Roasted Garlic Mushroom Soup
- Creamy Potato and Bacon Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Ricotta Avocado Toast
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- BLT Salad – make sure your bacon is sugar free!
- BLT Bowtie Pasta Salad
- Arugula, Avocado, and Blood Orange Salad with an Orange Vinaigrette
Dinner:
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- One-Pot Sausage and Veggie Rice
- How to Cook a Roast Beef Dinner
- Caramelized Onion, Bacon, and Arugula Mac & Cheese
- Salmon En Papillote
- Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie
- Creamy Leek, Bacon, and Asparagus Tagliatelle
- Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms
- Chicken Wild Rice Stuffing Casserole
- Ground Beef Gimbap
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Healthier Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Skillet
- KETO Shrimp and Asparagus Alfredo
Sides:
- Sour Cream and Dill Mashed Potatoes
- Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese from Scratch
- Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
- Sourdough Tortillas
Kristen
Thursday 31st of December 2020
Wow, your elimination diet sounds quite intense. Meal prep must be a challenge. I will pray that you find some answers by doing it. I love the idea of trying to reset your sugar cravings. I know it's so addicting! My Sister and I are planning on using honey when baking as much as we can this month...and hopefully beyond. It is hard when I am making food for others and they like things sweeter. Most of the time I don't use that much refined sugar but over the holidays, consumption goes up and I feel the cravings hit. Wishing you a Happy New Year! ~Kristen
Erica Kastner
Saturday 2nd of January 2021
It is intense! Yes, meal prep will be crucial. Thank you for your prayers!
Yes, it can be quite addicting! That's a wonderful idea to use honey in baking. Yep - friends and family enjoy their desserts sweeter than I do, so I have to strike a balance when I'm cooking for other people.
Hope you have a Happy New Year as well!