UPDATE: New challenge starting January 11, 2016! Go here for the official announcement, but the rules for the challenge are on this page.
Let’s do this! Here we discuss the rules of the challenge. Whoo hooo!
Am I seriously excited about not having sugar?
After learning more about sugar addiction and the Fed Up Challenge, I started to take note of how often I ate sugar. I realized that I seek out sweets on a constant basis. Like all the time. (Listen, don’t you dare judge me but I caught myself eating leftover chocolate frosting out of a Duncan Hines tub as I was doing research about sugar addiction. Yeah.)
But recently, I admitted that I’m a serious sugarholic and you didn’t laugh at me. I think we’re bonding.
For the next step in my research…I started reading labels.
Scary horror music: “Dun dun dunnnnn!”
Just try it. Rummage through your fridge and pantry for 5 minutes. Read the labels. Go ahead. I’ll wait.
What you’ll find is almost every product has added sugar. If the ingredient list doesn’t list “sugar” it might say “high fructose corn syrup”, “cane sugar” or “maltodextrin” among others. Most sugar-free food products have artificial sweeteners like “Sucrolose” (Splenda) or “Aspartame” (NutraSweet). These sugar substitutes are just as bad, and, in my opinion, worse for you. For a list of names that sugar hides behind, check out this list of Other Names for Sugar.
My sugar-loving friends, this is scary.
So not only have I been eating sugar with every snack, drink, and dessert, I’m also consuming unnecessary added sugar with my bread, canned/jarred sauces, ketchup, salad dressings, yogurt, juices, and a whole lot more.
Hold up. Let’s stop right here. Bread?! Can you believe they add high fructose corn syrup to bread? It’s bread, people! Ya know, flour, yeast, water, salt?
I had no idea. If this concerns you (and it should), you might want to read this fantastic article by the Food Babe about what’s in your bread and some tips on which healthy bread to buy. What an eye opener! What really concerned me is the fact that some of the worst breads seem to be the ones labeled as “whole wheat” or lead you to believe they are healthy. There just isn’t a need for all of these chemicals and sugar substitutes. Sure they might have a longer shelf life, saving the bread companies and grocery stores money, but you and I are the ones that suffer.
Now that I’m done freaking out, let’s get back to the Fed Up Challenge rules.
The Rules for the Fed Up Challenge
So I’m giving you 2 options to try. One is definitely doable. The other is hard core, man. Like whoa. Choose the best fit for you and your limitations.
1. Pick a plan
2. Read the rules for your plan.
Rules for the Fed Up Challenge Plan A
- No added sugar of any kind. No sugar substitutes (including honey, molasses, sucrolose, etc). This means no dessert, candy, soft drinks, sports drinks, diet drinks.
- No processed products that have added sugar or sugar substitutes (pasta sauce, salad dressings, ketchup, yogurts, etc). For reference, see this list of Other Names for Sugar. You will be doing a lot of label reading!
- No fruit juice (even if it says 100% fruit juice and doesn’t list added sugars).
- No white flour or white starches (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice). Use brown rice or whole wheat flour. If using whole wheat bread or pasta, make sure there aren’t any hidden sugars in them. You’ll be surprised how many of them have sugars or sugar substitutes. I’m going to use Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain. (Ezekiel also sells pasta) If you’re allergic to gluten, eat the bread you need to, but try to find one with no added sugar.
- Limit alcohol intake. Definitely no mixed drinks (because you’re not allowed sodas and juices). No alcohol is preferred with this challenge but if you have a glass of red wine, shhhh…I won’t tell. But, you may not lose as much weight. Just don’t overdo it. If you drink too much, you’re bound to dig into that bag of potato chips or order a pizza.
Rules for the Fed Up Challenge Plan B
- No added sugar of any kind. No sugar substitutes (including honey, molasses, sucrolose, etc.). This means no dessert, candy, soft drinks, sports drinks, diet drinks.
- No processed products that have added sugar or sugar substitutes (pasta sauce, salad dressings, ketchup, yogurts, etc.). For reference, see this list of Other Names for Sugar. You will be doing a lot of label reading!
- No fruit juice (even if it says 100% fruit juice and doesn’t list added sugars).
- You may eat white flours and starches but try to eat them in moderation. You can do it! Also, make sure you look for breads with no added sugar. One of my favorite breads has no added sugar: Heidelburg French Peasant Bread. It’s downright delicious!
- Limit alcohol intake. Definitely no mixed drinks (because you’re not allowed sodas and juices). No alcohol is preferred with this challenge but if you have a glass of red wine, ssshhh… I won’t tell. But, you may not lose as much weight. Just don’t overdo it. If you drink too much, you’re bound to dig into that bag of potato chips or order a pizza.
3. Follow the plan
Misery loves company, right? Let’s stick together. If you mess up, remember that your next meal is an opportunity to eat healthy. Just do your best!
FAQ
What is the purpose of doing the Fed Up Challenge?
My personal reason for doing this is truly an experiment with my body. I tend to snack quite a bit between meals and don’t always pick carrots! I wonder: will my skin look better? Will I lose any weight? Will I stop craving sweets? How strong is my willpower? I also have been having some health issues in the last few years and wonder if the sugar is affecting my health. I need to train myself to pay more attention to what I eat, and this 10-day Fed Up Challenge is part of that training.
You will probably have your own personal reasons for wanting to take sugar out of your diet. But I think the most important thing is that we both learn to read labels and realize what these food manufacturing companies are putting into our foods.
Why can’t I have sugar substitutes?
Artificial sugar substitutes may not have the calories, but they are loaded with chemicals, some proven to be cancer causing. All sugar substitutes (including natural ones like honey, and fruit juices) have the same impact on your brain as sugar does. They make you crave more sweets, increase hunger, and don’t help you kick the sugar addiction, which is what we’re trying to do here.
Why is it okay to eat fruit?
Fruit has nutritional value that these other chemical and natural sugar substitutes don’t have. They also have fiber and water.
If I follow Plan A, why can’t I have white flour, bread, rice, and potatoes?
White flour, bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes have a high glycemic index and turn into sugar in your body. The refining process used in making white flour removes about 100 vitamins and minerals from the wheat kernel. I’ve read that white flour is worse for you than sugar!
Complex carbohydrates like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are more slowly absorbed into the body and provide longer lasting energy.
For a really good explanation read What’s So Bad About Flour and Sugar from ProcessedFreeAmeria.org.
What can I eat during the Fed Up Challenge?
Check out this handy dandy Sugar Free Diet Shopping List. I’ve also written Sugar Free Diet Tips for those who need a little extra help.
Get Informed
Did you know that in order for the body to digest sugar, the body adapts by pulling nutrients, normally found in the fibers of the sugarcane, from its own bone and tissues. Yikes!
Start reading labels and educating yourself. I promise you’ll be shocked at how much sugar and chemicals are added to your favorite foods.
Please let me know in the comment section below if you’ll be joining me for the Fed Up Challenge! Don’t let me do this alone 🙂
For updates on the challenge, sign up via email in the upper right hand corner of this page. You can also follow me on Pinterest and Twitter, where I will be pinning and tweeting healthy choices during the duration of the Fed Up Challenge.
Checkout my recaps of the 2014 Fed Up Challenge on Day 1, Day 3, Day 5, and Day 8. After doing the challenge, here are 5 Things I Learned while on a sugar free diet.
Here are some great Kitchen Snob recipes that are Sugar Free:
Poor Man’s Steak Salad (my newest sugar free recipe!)
Spicy Power Turkey Sandwich with Avocado Spread
Spicy Chicken Fried Rice
Impress Your Mother-In-Law Avocado Toast
Herbed Basmati Rice (instead of white rice use brown rice)
Easy Pan-Seared Pork Chops (omit the bread crumbs or use wheat flour or Ezekiel bread)
Fresh Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Bacon
Marinated Vegetable Salad
Mashed Potatoes With Caramelized Shallots
Hey can you drink?
Hi Sophia! Technically, no you can’t drink because alcohol has sugar and would fall under the same category as juice. But, if you’re going to cheat, just keep it in moderation – I won’t tell 🙂
I am big in juicing for breakfast (mixture of fruits and vegetables) . Is this ok?
Good luck! Unfortunately, no – juicing is not allowed on the sugar free challenge. I wish it was! That would have made it easier for me. I mean, you probably could get away with juicing vegetables, but not the fruit.
I am ready to take my first step on this journey. Wish me the best of luck:=).
I’m on day 3 and am noticing a difference in my taste buds. My day stated with large coffee with splenda. Still having the coffee but no splenda and not missing it or the daily diet cokes,
I want to confirm that fruit including banana’s are ok.
(PS afternoon cravings seem to be less as well)
Yes fruit is ok in moderation. Make it your dessert 🙂 Good luck!
I have suffered from food addition my whole life. I recently started working with the Skinny Coach in LA and I have turned my whole life around. I love the personal meal plans and her attentiveness to my needs. I don’t feel like a prisoner to food cravings anymore. I urge anyone who struggles with addiction to look her up!
so can I have milk on pLan A??
Yes, you can.
I feel wonderful, i struggled the first few days however my weight is still the same . is this normal. Im on plan B. Im on my 6 th day. Is this normal?
Hi Becky! It’s great to hear that you’re feeling good. I usually only lose the weight when I’m on Plan A. I think the quick weight loss I had in 10 days (without working out) was because I was also cutting out all those white carbs discussed in Plan A. It’s a lot harder doing it that way – believe me 🙂 But your body turns the white starches into sugar quickly and that can affect weight loss. If you don’t want to cut out all white starches, maybe just try to have them in moderation with small portions. That might help. Otherwise the sugar free challenge doesn’t have to be about weight loss. It’s great that you’re feeling the difference. Maybe continue with Plan B and next time try it again with Plan A. Baby steps!
So I am going to start the 10 day challenge along with my girlfriend and roommate. I am very excited to start this. I am a service tech and I am constantly driving around and do work very long hours and so I do eat fast food more then I should. I do enjoy juice in the morning, but I also own a juicer is that okay to use during the challenge. I have already starting to prepare for it finding recipes researching organic groceries.
Hi Andy! I’m happy to hear you’re going to start the challenge. Unfortunately, juicing is not allowed during the challenge. Believe me, I wish it was 🙂 Eating on the go is very tough! You’ll want to pack some lunches of your own because finding prepared foods with zero sugar or sugar substitutes isn’t easy.
I just started sugar free yesterday after a long time of ‘thinking about it and have found your site very helpful. Only problem is I’m in New Zealand and we don’t have a lot of the products you do, such as Ezekiel bread.
It’s crazy what sugars are in the foods still in my cupboards. I’ve got my shopping list prepared and am thrilled that I can still eat loads of meat and cheese. Yeehar! Bring on the (no glaze) Christmas Ham in a few weeks.
I’m mainly doing this to see what it will do to my body and sense of well-being. Perhaps I’ll feel less sluggish? Wish me luck!
Thanks, Jade. Let me know how you do on the challenge! I’ll be hosting another 10 day challenge on the blog in January.
Just checking in to see how you’re doing! My husband and I did the FED UP 30 day challenge in November which then led us to the Forks Over Knives eating plan. We still do not use any sugar or sugar substitutes (of any kind!!), but we do eat all fruits and vegetables. We feel wonderful and hope you do to!
Hi Valerie! Wow – 30 days good for you. That’s great that you’re still doing it. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to let the sweets go for forever. I plan on doing another online group challenge in January though. Hope you’ll check back and chime in with any tips or favorite sugar-free recipes.
The Fed Up Challenge demands you give up all foods that have added sugars. No exceptions, so don’t ask. And be warned, foods that have added sugar are pretty much everywhere.
Im on day 2 and I’m super paranoid that I’ve been “accidentally” eating sugar because it’s everywhere and I feel like it’s out to get me!!! I have been reading labels but for instance was going to have some steamed rice and veggies (packaged) for lunch and it says 3G of sugar but the ingredient list is just rice corn peas carrots…so I’m hoping that just means natural sugars? Also I feel like cheese is cheating because it’s just so good…are some better than others? Help! I want to do this right but not sure if I am. Other than that…so far so good.
Hi Hayley! Sounds like you’re doing good. As long as the ingredients don’t say sugar or any of these Other Names For Sugar, you should be okay. Most likely the 3 grams is from the carrots. If it is white rice, from what I understand, your body will react to the simple carbs in the same way it does to sugar. I’ve been trying to stick to brown rice and whole grains. Also, I know what you mean about cheese. Any dairy has natural sugars in it (lactose). Personally, I’ve been eating the cheese and not worrying about it. Cutting out added sugar, juices, and white starches is enough for me to contend with!
I just read all the comments and I am impressed with everyone! What courage! I have not done the full challenge..my challenge would be “PLAN C”….but I wanted to share this. I have always had hypoglycemic episodes and to mitigate these I got in the habit of munching on Gobstoppers. I LOVE THEM!!!! So I really needed to kick this habit because I found that I wasn’t just eating them WHEN I got low blood sugar but WAY BEFORE it occurred and it made it much worse and it happened more often. OF COURSE it did. So…several months ago I stopped buying them at all and in my purse I always have fresh baby carrots and I eat those when I am hungry or any other fresh fruit when I am home and I completely broke the “habit”; I feel so much better; and have VERY FEW episodes of low blood sugar. I still pop an occasional cookie or small chocolate but I find I want to do that less often. Thanks for all the great posts!
Plan C is not an option 😉 Yes, I also commend everyone for making changes in their diets! And good for you for breaking the Gobstopper habit.
It’s day one and I had an English muffin, mostly because I just didn’t think to kick bread. I think I’ll start with the 10-day challenge and see how I feel on the last day. I really enjoy my sweets anything from granola or tea with agave syrup all the way to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. What’s going to be challenging is my mom. I live with her and every time I try to modify my diet she thinks I’m being obsessive and encourages me to “have a little bit”. *sigh* I always say that if I lived on my own I wouldn’t buy half of the crap she does! Here goes nothing!
-Camillia
Hi Camillia! Yes, English muffins have sugar, I believe. It will be challenging if you’re the only one in the house doing the challenge but I’m sure you’ll do fine. A few days in, it does get easier! I don’t know if you saw but we’re starting a new 10 day challenge on April 20. Here is the announcement.
I will be starting tomorrow. My only concern is I work night shift, 7pm-7am and all I do is snack on sweets. I was on a weight loss plan last year and lost 57 pounds but due to life stress and starting school, I have gained but I have gained 30 back. I’m looking for a lifestyle change. I did learn how to make my own condiments, such as ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch, mustard dressing, taco sauce, marinara, and mayo. All condiments that are sold in stores all have sugar in them. I make these sauces without any sugar and they taste great. I am looking forward to the change.
Hi Charity! That’s pretty impressive that you make all your own condiments! For your night shift, I would suggest doing everything you can to set yourself up for success. Bring LOTS of snacks from home (sweet and savory) like vegetables with your homemade ranch sauce and easy to eat fruit like bananas, grapes, apples. Because if you let yourself get hungry, that vending machine is going to be calling your name! 🙂 Good luck – I’d love to hear updates on how you’re doing.
I love it!! I want to start tomorrow, can’t wait!! I just started to read about sugarholics and sugar addiction, I must admit I AM a sugarholic…
Any suggestions on a 10 day plan?? I’m not very creative when it comes to planning what to eat, I always follow my cravings, so it will be easier if I have a plan to stick to…
Thanks for your blog! I just found it and I love it already!!!
Thanks for your comment! The best advice I can give is plan a few yummy meals that will give you something to look forward to. I love this Marinated Vegetable Salad! This Herbed Basmati Rice is really flavorful too (use with brown rice instead of white for the challenge). For breakfast I either did the Ezekiel cereal or had some hard boiled eggs ready to go and paired them with sliced tomatoes and avocado. Also, buy way more fruit than you’re used to eating. You’ll be craving something sweet and will go through fruit pretty fast. Take time in the grocery store. You won’t be able to just breeze through it grabbing your favorite things. You’ll want to slow down and read EVERY label very carefully. It’s time consuming but very eye opening! Feel free to email or comment with more questions!
I am addicted to sugar. Cravings are out of control. Type 2 diabetic on insulin injections. I need to stop the insanity now. I am in for the challenge asap. I plan to start Sunday. Any advice or support would be welcomed
Great job, Barb! Taking the first step is the hardest part. If you slip up, just remember that the next meal is another chance to make a change. One thing I realized when doing this was that I needed WAY more groceries than I anticipated. Because I was used to grabbing things on the go or grabbing something unhealthy out of the fridge, I found myself way too hungry. Planning and preparing are keys to this. Don’t wait until you’re famished to get food, or you’ll be more likely to make bad choices. If you like sweet things, buy a lot of fruit before you start. For example, when we did ours it was summer and watermelon was in season so we bought some every few days and cut it up so it was on hand. When we were jonesing for something dessert-like or a sweet snack, the watermelon was ready to go. I was surprised how amazing it tasted because my taste buds hadn’t had any sweets. Before the no-sugar challenge, I would have scoffed at having watermelon for dessert! It tasted like candy 🙂 Feel free to shoot me an email or comment on the blog if you have any questions!
I’m planning to do the challenge but I have one question. I understand it’s a no sugar plan but is Stevia ok? From everything I have researched it’s a natural sugar and sold in the health food store. Is this “sugar” also restricted?
Hi Michelle! With the Fed Up Challenge you aren’t supposed to have any sugar substitutes, whether chemical or natural. No honey, no agave, no Stevia, etc. The idea is that your body is addicted to sugar and chemicals in your brain recognize the sweetness in “natural” sugars and cause you to still crave sugar and maybe crave it more. You want to re-train your taste buds to recognize naturally sweet things like fruits and vegetables. Just remember, it’s only 10 days. Once that time period is over and you want to use some natural sugars like honey or Stevia, I think that is fine. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck!
This is very helpful thank you . I am starting this with a bunch of people from work and starting our own support group! Wish us luck 🙂 can you recommend any good resources or books on this topic?
Congratulations on starting the challenge with your colleagues. What a great idea. Here are a couple of resources:
Make sure you’re reading ingredient labels for everything you’re eating. Click here for a list of Other Names for Sugar to be mindful of.
Here is my Sugar Free Diet Shopping List
The Fed Up movie is now on DVD – this is a great starting point.
Another book I recommend is 100 Days of Real Food. However, there are recipes with natural sweeteners (which on the 10-day challenge you can’t have) but a still a good resource for other recipes and introducing foods with natural sugars back into your diet after the challenge but still keeping out the processed foods.
Good Luck, Shahr!
I don’t see anything here – yet – about maple syrup. I get that you need to retrain your brain about sweets so I’m guessing that it is a “no.” I put maple syrup on my oatmeal every day and I don’t really eat sweets but will be checking out how much white flour I’m consuming! Thank you for these articles. Penny
Steviia is natural, but is processed to the hilt. if your eating the plant, then I guess ( Mich like the situation with fruit, you are getting the fiiber along with the fructose) of coarse my goal is to train my brain into accepting foods without adding anything to make me want to eventually go back to adding sugar, so no sweeteners of any kind for me.
I’m in! Actually 4 days in. I am so glad I found your site! I am thrilled to learn I can eat some fruit! It has been so difficult to resist all the temptations but I’m so glad I have as I already feel a difference in my energy levels and focus. Thank you for the great info!
That’s great, Christine! I need to get on the ball with my no-sugar plan and get to the store. I’ve been struggling to get out of my post-sugar-coma from the holidays!
Even though I’m 5 months behind you, I’m glad I found your page! I started yesterday and am committed to getting through this challenge and even making it a lifestyle. Thank you for your wonderful information!
Thanks, Lisa! I’ve been thinking of starting up a new challenge for the new year. If anyone else is interested in joining me, let me know in the comments!
Great writing, glad I found your page. Thank you~
I am sooooo on board with this! I attempted doing a Whole30 back in May, lasted 19 days then gave up. Since then I have been on a sugar feast that has spun out of control. I have tried several times to break the sugar cycle I am on with no success at all and I just googled sugar free starting aug 1 hoping I could find someone else doing the same challenge and that’s how I found you! Good luck to us all who are ready to kick this habit!
Great! I hope I can break the habit too and learn to eat sweets in moderation.
I am ready shonda!!!