7 days to kick sugar

I’ve been pondering what my goals in 2015 should be. There are many things I want to accomplish this year. I plan on writing about them next week. But this week I want to highlight a product I began working on over Christmas break. It’s called 7 Days to Kick Sugar.

I’ve been learning a lot about the damaging effects of sugar in my diet. Dr. Robert Lustig’s book Fat Chance has been an eye opener. Apparently, fructose (found in table sugar, fruit, and 99% of the processed food items you’ll find at the grocery store) is a metabolic poison when over-consumed. It makes the liver sick and fatty and causes metabolic syndrome (obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc). It’s not hard to over-consume fructose either, especially given the overwhelming presence of High Fructose Corn Syrup in the modern American diet.

Dr. Lustig explores the reasons behind our overconsumption of fructose (besides the fact that is tastes amazing). He also suggests some ways that we as a society can solve this massive problem. One of his recommendations is to only consume fructose in its natural form: whole fruit. Apparently, fiber is critical to “blunt” the impact of fructose on our liver which is why fruit juice is not a healthy option. And even when consumed from fruit, our fructose consumption should be limited to 15g per day or less.

I’ve been limiting my sugar consumption for the past couple of years. I only consume whole fruit. I never consume HFCS or anything with added sugar. I’ve cut soda and fruit juice out of my diet completely. And I feel fantastic. I wake up each morning full of energy, and this energy sticks around the entire day. I used to get very tired after eating lunch, but this doesn’t happen any more. In short, cutting sugar out of my diet has increased my productivity and my enjoyment of life. And I want others to be able to experience that too.

That’s why I started building this email course over Christmas. My first few weeks without sugar were pretty rough. It’s an addictive substance and it can be very hard to stop consuming it. I literally had withdrawal symptoms. The intention is for this course to provide a daily dose of encouragement, as well as a single actionable step you can take that day to eliminate sugar. By the end of the week, you’ll be feeling amazing.

I’m roughly 50% finished writing the course. The pre-launch page live. I’d very much appreciate feedback on the content. Additionally, if you sign-up to be notified when the course launches, you’ll receive a free infographic listing 56 different names for sugar that often appear in ingredient lists. It’s going to be a fun ride. I hope you’ll join me.