Tasty Tuesday: Sugar Free/Carb Free Holiday Tips!

Well hello there!  Welcome to my regularly scheduled Tasty Tuesday post.  If you are looking for recipes then you should visit my Recipe Tuesday post which is all about July 4th food and drink ideas this week!

If you're here for another one of Amanda's Fun Nutrition Lessons then take a seat and pull out a pencil and doodle as you read.  Isn't that supposed to be effective?

I received a couple emails this month from people who were starting their sugar free and carb free journey.  It was delightful to get to answer some of their questions and help them navigate the waters of protein and fat without the heavy weight of carbs and sugar.  Their emails were the catalyst for this post.

The most popular question was this....

Since I'm going sugar and carb free does that mean I should not eat any carbs or sugar again?  What about (celebrations) I go to?

Ummm....no.

When I detoxed to get on this path I cut sugar (all but naturally occurring) and carbs from my diet for the first two weeks.  The third week I brought in some complex carbs but no more than 10 a day.  I stuck with that for another couple of weeks.

Make a trifle with angel food cake or sugar free vanilla cake mix, sugar free cool whip, and fresh berries!  Easier on the waistline, skin, and energy!

Celebrations can be a tempting time and also a time to allow yourself a bit of lenience.  Having said that you need to make sure you look before you dive into the table of sweetness and bad carb central.  Here's what I suggest you take into account before you fix a plate of everything you've been walking away from:

1.  Is it something you really love or is it just something sweet.

Sometimes we eat to eat and that is what gets us in trouble.  If you're favorite cake on earth is carrot cake and you aren't a huge fan of vanilla then why are you picking up a slice of the vanilla cake?  Because it is there?  Because you want to be nice?  Those are bad answers.  You don't eat something you're not a huge fan of because it is in front of you.  You don't eat to be nice.  You compliment to be nice.

2.  Can you make the necessary adjustments to your diet if you eat that sweet?

When I take in an item that is on my no-no list then I know I must make adjustments to my diet for the day.  For me a brownie is my go to baked good.  I realize if I eat a brownie for breakfast (it happens sometimes) that means I am carbed and sugared out for the day.  That means I'm eating protein and healthy fat the rest of the day with zero grams of carbs and sugar coming in.  Can you do that?  Yes, you can.

3.  Disciplined?

Anything worth having takes work.  If I was giving you tips on starvation then the second you ate a piece of cake you would then eat two brownies and six pieces of pie and within a few days gain back water weight, fat, and that horrible feeling you had before you took sugar and carbs out of your daily routine.  Ask yourself if you are really disciplined enough at this stage in the game to eat that treat(s).  Be honest with yourself.  If you are disciplined enough and you really want to feel better and look better then trust yourself to splurge - smart!  If it is a baked good - go small on the portion.  If it is alcohol then try your best to make a low carb choice.



Should I reintroduce carbohydrates and sugar into my diet?  When?

Give yourself 15-30 days to stay sugar and carb free.  Start with ten and see how easy it is and how many changes occur in your body then go on to 15 days, 20 days, 25 days, and 30 days.  At thirty take a really good look at what you have accomplished:

*What does your skin look like?  Clearer, smaller pores, decreased number of lines or fine wrinkles?
*How much more energy do you have?
*How are your clothes fitting you?
*Can you focus better?
*Is sleeping easier?

All of those should be answered in a positive response (though after the first three to four days you will probably be swearing quite a bit and hating me and life in general.)  Eliminating the sugar and carbs makes us healthier and naturally prettier people!  It may even make you look a bit younger and slimmer!  SCORE!

What does your carb and sugar intake look like two months in?

My carb in take after the total detox looks like this:

On the mornings that have me off to clean client's homes I now have a bit of carbs to start my day off.  I have found that about 10 grams of carbohydrates help me get through the tasks of scrubbing, mopping, dusting, vacuuming, wiping, disinfecting, etc without feeling totally drained.  I'll go into more detail about this when I do my post about exercise and nutrition keys in August.

When I treat myself this summer with some naughty sugar and carbs it is a 4:00 allowance a couple days a week of a classic Coca-Cola!  (Small, which is about 12 oz.)  Because a soda is packed with nasty sugar and loads of carbs I know I have to steer clear of carbs all through the day.  Luckily, this is easy because I keep lots of lean meats and fresh vegetables (non starch) around for my meals and snacks!

On the weekends I have a couple beers - my choice is Michelob Ultra because of the low carbs.  There are other low carb options out there but Mich Ultra is the most widely sold/available.

I do not have these foods and drinks every day.  Remember: I allow myself 10 carbs a day but on the days I have 10 carbs in the morning I have no more that day.  When I have a soda (two days a week) those are my only bad sugar and total carbs I take in that day unless I sneak in a complex carb or two.

And just so you know after my sugar detox I moved to supporting the new lifestyle with Trim Healthy Mama recipes and nutrition tips.  This means I have low/no sugar and low/no carbs still!  But if I need to pull from a carb I do....a complex one.

We have a huge barbecue for Independence Day.  What should I do?

Party, obviously.

OK maybe a more serious response is needed.  Easy things to do at the barbecue can include:

*Eat your burger or hot dog without a bun.
*Try to steer clear of ketchup.
*Chips, baked beans, potato salad, and pasta salad are not your friends.  Instead, if you're hosting the barbecue make a couple of better side choices for yourself and anyone else who wants to cut down on the carbs - a great option is deviled eggs! Remember non starchy vegetables on the grill too!
*Sugar free dessert options are real and are good.

And being that it is a big holiday for festive drinks and summer shandy remember that the carbs you eliminate from your plate aren't being added to the carbs you sip.  The same goes for sugar!  Just remember the carbs and calories in alcohol are insane and much higher than the plate of food you're probably engulfing after being on the water all day.  (FYI:  The average margarita has 500 calories in it!)  Drink smart.

Peace Love and Low Carb has a listing of cocktails that are friendly to us low carb girls!

I hope this smash of tips and advice helps you out as you party this weekend!  These tips apply to vacation too but maybe I'll formulate another little post for vacation too, very soon!

Happy eating & Happy living!

Amanda