10 Steps To Begin Your Sugar-Free (-ish) December!

If you, too, are planning on joining me in my Sugar-Free (-ish) Advent Calendar this December, but don't really know how to move forward, here are a few tips as well as a few great reads on the subject:

1. First, enjoy this song about being Sugar Free by a K-Pop band called T-ara.
2. Then gain a little more insight in to Why We Focus on Fructose (Even Though It Is Not In Our Name) by I Quit Sugar
3. Now, start to begin the process of defining your sugar parameters by reading these 4 Tips To Become Sugar-Free.
4. Now, look over your monthly calendar. What 1-5 days this month have celebrations and situations during which you think it would be hard to avoid sugar? Place a marker (whatever color you've chosen to represent your celebration days) in each of your advent pockets that align with the date of the celebration. Make sure to leave at least one-to-two marker(s) for any spontaneous celebrations that may come up.
5. Then, create a clean eating grocery list. This list should include many vegetables, proteins, and supplies to make sugar free sauces or dressings. I highly recommend prioritizing how you're going to make sugar-free breakfasts as this is often the hardest meal to make, sugar-free. Over the coming weeks, I'll be suggesting various sugar-free breakfast ideas that you can try! 
6. If you know that it will be hard to avoid sugars that are already in your house, place them all in a box to put in your pantry. Then label the box "CELEBRATIONS." This way, if you get the urge to pull them out or use them, you're making the intentional decision to consider this one of your 7 celebration days.
7. Know that you WILL crave sugar. It will happen. During these times, either acknowledge the feeling and then let the feeling pass or allow yourself a small serving of your exception food. Often times when we are craving sugar, it is actually our body in want of protein. Try feeding yourself your protein of choice. If you're a dairy eater, this could be cheese. If you're an egg eater this could be a hard boiled or fried egg. If you're a vegetarian or vegan this could be a combination of a legume and a grain. Or if you're a meat eater, this may be a slice of (non-processed) meat.
8. Then if you're feeling like you JUST HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING WARM AND SWEET TO DRINK WHILE SITTING BY THE FIRE/ READING A BOOK ON YOUR SOFA WHILE IT GENTLY RAINS, go out and buy some fructose-free Rice Malt Syrup and make this amazing Anti-Inflammatory Hot Chocolate. 
9. Make sure to assess how you feel each week. Do you notice that your skin is clearer? Are your joints feeling less inflamed? Has your Psoriasis cleared up? What small victories are you accomplishing by minimizing your sugar intake? Note these victories and write them down so that you may look at them again when you're feeling frustrated about minimizing your sugar intake (and about the fact that sugar seems to be in literally everything).
10. If you are just having a hard time with removing sugar, message me. Lets be accountability buddies!