(Read the updates below!)
Was one of your New Year Resolutions to cut back on sugar? Have you been meaning to cut back on desserts or wean yourself off of refined foods? Do you feel that you are too addicted to even naturally sweetened foods? Well, the Sugar Cleanse Challenge might be just the thing for you!
For the last couple of years, I’ve done a sugar-free challenge, inviting you to join in cutting on refined sugar and flour, and, for those who feel they need it, even unrefined sugar. It’s been a community project with accountability and support from those doing the challenge with you.
This year the sugar cleanse was a little late in coming because of some scheduling conflicts (that is, I was trying not to schedule it when we were on vacation). If I am honest, perhaps there was just a little hesitation on my part as well. After the holiday sweets, I remembered that I do indeed like sweets! But it’s time. Both my five year old and I need a break from sweets, even naturally sweetened ones. Maybe you are in the same boat as us. In fact, several of you mentioned to me this last week that you needed to cut back on sweets!
So what is the Sugar Cleanse Challenge? Here’s the plan. For 2 weeks (just 2, mind you), we will be all giving up all forms of refined sugar and white flour. Some can choose to give up all sweeteners, others to limit it. Here are the categories.
Category 1: No refined sugar or flour (this includes white flour, white sugar, corn syrup and agave syrup)
Category 2: 2 teaspoons at a time (no more!), up to 2 tablespoons per day. (Read about the 2 teaspoon rule here)
Category 3: No sweeteners of any kind. Cutting out fruit or stevia is not required, but can be cut, if desired.
If you have any health issues related to yeast, two weeks will not be enough to heal you. However, doing the two week challenge successfully will get you started in the right direction. For me, I find that if I strictly adhere to the no sweet rule for two weeks, my taste buds adjust and I no longer crave sweets in the same way. That means that I find doing a two week challenge helpful for long term results. I am going to be giving information, encouragement, and resources for the challenge. Meanwhile, if you’d like a little push to do the challenge, read this article, Is Sugar Toxic?
For inspiration, read how taking out refined sweets changed one woman’s life. You can read other encouraging stories here.
Stay tuned for more resources, and when you are ready to join the challenge, sign up by leaving a comment below saying what category you are committing too.
Sugar Cleanse Challenge
1. Kimi Category 3
2. Elena-Category 3
3.Michele-Category 3
4. Jenny ~ Category 3
5. Flo Makanai-Category 3
6. Jessica G.
7. fern-Category 3
8. Tonya Scarborough-Category 2
9. Keri -Category 3
10. Kim and daughters-Cat 3
11. Cait-Cat 2
12. Shiloh-Cat. 2
13. Shannon-Cat. 1
14. Sarah-Cat 1
15. Jennifer-Cat 1
16. Allison-Cat 3
17. Laura-Cat 2
18. Ki Vick-Cat 2
19. Bethany@ Grafted Vine-Cat 3
20. Aneta-Cat 2
21. Katie Ellen@ A Humble Harvest-Cat 3
22. Dani-Cat 3
23. Stephanie R.-Cat 1
24. Nancy-Cat 2
25. Amy-Cat 2
26. Brooke-Cat 2
27. Allison-Cat 1
28. Kelly Powers-Cat 2
29. Jen-Cat 2
30. Amber-Cat 3
31. Christina-Cat 2
32. Jane-Cat 3
33. Vanessa-Cat 3
34. hillary-Cat 3
35. Betsy- Cat 2
36. Nicola-Cat 2
37. Liz-Cat 1
38. jacqui-Cat 3
39. Leigh-Cat 2
40. Wendy-Cat 2
41: Meghan-Cat 1
42: Sarah Jess-Cat 2
43: Karen B.-Cat 1
44: Pat-Cat 3
45: Jean-Cat 3
46: Amy M-Cat 3
47: Janina-Cat 1
48: stephanie-Cat 3
49: Shanna: Cat 2
50: Amy Carter-Cat 3
51: Lisa-Cat 2
52: sammiejo-Cat 2
53: Kathy Thierry-Cat 3
54: Daisy-Cat 1
55: Christina-Cat 3
56: Jenny Odegard-Cat 3
57: Meghann Milton-Cat 2
58: Beverly-Cat 3
59: Elisabeth-Cat 3
60: Kristi Cooke-2 1/2
61: Kelly R.-Cat 3
62: Ann Q.-Cat 3
63: Jenn Best-Cat 1
64: Jen B-Cat 3
65: Emi-Cat 1
66: Kei- Cat 2
67: xtina-Cat 2.5
68: Elena-Cat 3
69: Ruth Avery-Cat 2
70: Mellow-Cat 2
71: Sharon-Cat 2
72: Esther-Cat 2
73: Rebecca-Cat 3
74: Nance-Cat 3
75: Vikki Kay-Cat 3
76: Jennie-Cat 3
77:Kellie-Cat 2
78: andreab-Cat 2
79: Emily-Category 3
80: Renee-Cat 2
81: Celena-Cat 2
82: Tania Berg-Cat 3
83: Jamie-Cat 2
84: Katie @ Mexican Wildflower-Cat 2
85: jani-Cat 1
86: Emily-Cat 3
87: Jen C-Cat 3
88: Kathy-Cat 3
89: Sharon-Cat 2
90: Amanda-Cat 1
91: Becky-Cat 2
92: Sarah Laughlin-Cat 1
93: Stephanie-Cat 3
94: Naomi – category 2
95: Stephanie Marchbanks-Cat 2 1/2
96: Tonya Daniels-Cat 2
97: Sheila-Cat 2
98: Stephanie-Cat 1
99: Judee @ Gluten Free A-Z-Cat 1
100: Sara- Cat 3
101: Lauren-2 1/2
102: Colleen -Category 1
103: Giselle-Cat 3
104: Sharon-Cat 2
105: Jess-Cat 3
106: Andrea-Cat 2
107: Teresa-Cat 1
108: Kimberly-Cat 1
109: Ami-Cat 3
110: Jaime-Cat 1
111: Anne-Cat 2
112: cindy-Cat 2
113: Jessie-Cat 1
114: Rachel-Cat 2
115: Leala-Cat 2
116: Sarah-Cat 2
117: Meredith-Cat 1
118: Sarah C-Cat 2
119:Marliss Bombardier-Cat 1
120:Nicole Blackmon-Cat 3
121:lisa-Cat 1
122:Angela Kuhn-Cat 3
123:Hilary-Cat 2
124:Jacquie Olsen-Cat 3
125:Melody-Cat 2
126:Olga-Cat 2
127: Lechau-Cat 3
128:Melissa-Cat 1
129:april-Cat 3
130:Maria-Cat 2
131:Alicia-Cat 2
132:Holly-Cat 3
133:Shawnee Scott-Cat 1
134:Julie-Cat 2
135: Kristy-Cat 1
136: kris-cat 2
137: Rebecca-Cat 1
138: Amber-Cat 3
139: AndreaKJ-Cat 3
140: Raquel-Cat 1
141: Kristen-Cat 2
142:Carrie-Cat 2
143: Beth P-Cat 2
144: Martie – Cat 2
145: Denise-Cat 3
146: Juliet- Combo of Cat 1-2
147: Cat-Cat 2
148: Ashley Knight-Cat 1
149: Khandhi-Cat 2
150: Rhonda-Cat 1
151: Laura-Cat 3
152: Kate S-cat 2
153: Carol Harris-Cat 3
154: Gail-Cat 3
155: Rebecca Marchbanks: Cat 2
156: Anne-Cat 3
157: Gretta: Cat 1
158: Valentia-Cat 3
159: Amy-Cat 1
160: Natalia-Cat 1
161: BetsyB-Cat 1
162: Jessica langley-Cat 2
163: managersam-cat 2
164: Susan-cat1
165: Laurie R.- cat 1
166: Karen- Cat 3
167: Tanis- cat 2
168: Aubrey-cat 2
169: Shelly-cat 2
170: Barb- cat 2
171: Ash Bak- cat 2
172: Carolyn-cat 1
173: Karrie- cat 1
174: Jennifer- cat 1
175: Sherrie- cat 3
176: Kelli- cat 3
177: Jill Ward- cat 3
178: Kelly- cat 1
179: Jennifer Burns- cat 1
180: Theresa- cat 3
181: birgitte- cat 3
182: Karen Kwiatkowski- cat 2
183: Mara Lightwood- cat 2
184: Lea H @ Nourishing Treasures- cat 2
185: Natalie – cat 3
186: Celeste- cat 2
187: Amy M.- cat 1
188: Cindy- cat 3
189: Oly- cat 2
190: Anna- cat 1
191: Karen Ferris- cat 3
192: Dawn- cat 2
193: taylor kelch- cat 1
194: Laur- cat 1
195: Monique- cat 3
196: Teresa- cat 2
197: Valerie- cat 1
198: Sarah W- cat 2
Your turn now! Who wants to join us?
Latest posts by KimiHarris (see all)
- 2 Ingredient Peppermint Bark - December 21, 2022
- Herbal Hibiscus Lemonade (Keto, THM) - March 16, 2022
- Creamy Curry Red Lentil Soup - December 8, 2021
Cat 2
Cat 1
I’m signing up for Category 2.
Cat 1
I am in! Category 3
I am in! Category 3
Count me in – Cat3 with fruit. Thanks for creating this opportunity!
Aiming for category 1! Just the motivation I needed..
Cat 2
I’ll do category 2
I plan on eating one serving of frut a day, so Cat.2
Martie – Cat 2. Like many others, fruit is a huge part of my life. Sadly, so are peanut butter twix. Seriously, we have an unhealthy relationship. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye. No, twix…it’s not you, it’s me. Wait, I take that back. Actually, it is you.
Category 3
Interestingly, I have already completed two weeks and was planning on doing four.
Oh sorry, mine is a combo of cat 1 and 2. I am doing a detox from wholelifenutrition.net.
category 2 (won’t add any natural sweeteners, but I’m assuming there will be at least 2 tsp. in the foods I eat)
Category one.
Such a great idea for the first steps in a new year. Category 2 . What will I use my beautiful sugar bowls for?? Maybe plant holders to feature on GardenGreenAngels.com!
Category – 1
Cat 3 – bring it!!
Cat 2 :]
Cat 3 … all or nothing…. LOL
Cat 3
Rebecca Marchbanks: Cat 2
Cat 3
Gretta: Cat 1
Category 3.
Category 1, with my husband too!
OK, sign me up. The timing is just too perfect to say no. Category 1.
Category 1 works for me; this will get me started on a healthful habit rather than a two-week burst (which I’ve done). With a 4yo in the house, the balanced diet with fruits is a must.
Catagory 2- I hope I can hang in there cuz I am a sugar junky 🙂
Category 2
Sign me up for Category 1. Just the inspiration I needed! Thanks!
I’m in for Category 2. I’ve been done with Category 1 for 2 weeks now for more of a challenge. I’m up for it.
I’m in at #3! When does it start?
category 2. So happy to find this support here!
I want to join in! Category 2…cuz I do use stevia and lots of fruit! Love this!
cat.2
cat. 2
Category 2 for me.
Category 1
Category 1
I’m going to try Category 1 – really looking forward to it!
Category 3 …As I now know I have systemic candida, been on the anti candida diet 18 days today so far with no cheating. I’m doing well so far, I have been so sick for the last 2 years that now I know I have candida I will do just about anything to get well. Fresh fruit/dried fruit and a little chocolate are my weaknesses. Well no more I plan to never eat sugar again . I also haven’t eaten any grains either. Just chicken/fish & meat,eggs, vegetables, nuts & seeds, only fruits are lemons,limes,avocados,tomatoes…..
So I’m definetly in the challenge, any tips to make it easier will be a true blessing …good luck to every one on the challenge
The only “sugar” I’ll have is stevia and 2 servings of fruit a day. I don’t know what category that puts me in.
Category 3!
Category 3, with fruit, moderately 🙂
Category 1
Category 1 – great idea! thanks!
3
cat.3