Holiday sugar detox. With the holidays around the corner, a sugar detox is necessary!

It's been about a month since I got back from my euro trip. Although I lost weight travelingI came home with aBIGPROBLEM.I was used to eating bread anddrinking wine all day every day. Awesome at the time, but my body literally went through sugar withdrawals when I got home.

Most people go through the same thing during the holidays. The more you indulge, the more you want it, and the harder it is to break bad habits. Don't let those cravings own you! The best things you can do before the holidays start are increase your workouts and start a Holiday sugar detox.

If you need an extra push, I'm starting the 4 week Fall Slim Down challenge you should totally do with me! Check it out here!

There is no easy way to detox. It's like ripping a band-aid. You just have to cut the sugar out and load up on the good stuff.

Fun/Terrifying Sugar Facts

Sugar is SUPER addictive! Studies show it's as addictive as cocaine!WHAT?!?!?!?The more you have it, the more your brain responds to it and the more you crave it.

Now you get why it's theNUMBER 1thing I tell you girls to start eliminating from your daily diet. It's not always about the waistline…

Sugarhas ZERO nutrients and can cause

♥ Increased bad cholesterol

♥ Weight gain

♥ Trouble Sleeping

♥ Increased appetite & cravings

♥ Diabetes & Heart disease

Shall I go on…?

For women, the recommended daily intake of added sugar is aMAXof 25g. One banana has 14 grams. Add it to a smoothie with some dates or milk and you've met your max. You can see how quickly it adds up.The insane part is that most Americans consume more like82g per day!Barf.

Side note:A 12oz soda has 46.2g!Break-up IMMEDIATELY!

That's so freaking terrible! Terrible for our bodies AND terrible for our brains!

It's near impossible to completely eliminateALLsugar. When you have it, just make suer to keep it clean.

Rule number 1: NO"added sugar." Avoid foods that have sugar or one of the other 56+ names used to disguise it in the ingredients list. Seriously, it's insane. You can see some of those crazy names here

Always go for the purest, whole food forms first. Not because your body digests "real" sugar differently, but because you'll get vitamins, minerals and fiber too!

Best Sweeteners:

If you're making sweet treats there two things you need to do:

1. Try some of my healthier recipes like these.
2. When baking, use bananas, dates, or pure maple syrup as your sweeteners. And when it comes to chocolate, go for 75% cacao or darker!

PS… going for the no-calorie artificial stuff is just as bad if not worse for you body.

Kick the Cravings

The best way to kick the cravings was to have healthy options on hand and ready to go. Celery sticks, hummus, nut butters, eggs etc.

Your mind might be saying sweets, but your body really just needs some healthy fats or magnesium.

Snackswere easy enough. I also needed some meals that I didn'thave to think about. If it was made and ready to go, I'd have to eat it or waste it. I don't waste food

Soup is always my go-to. It's easy, fast, filling and can overload you on nutrients to help detox your body. That and a lot of water!

This recipe is especially loaded with goodness. I've seriously been making this and eating it for weeks now. Ryan sarcastically says it's "the gift that keeps on giving."I think he is sick of being forced to eat soup

The great part is it completely helped reduce my cravings and allowed me to get back to "real" life. The sugar has been detoxed!

Get the recipe HERE

I have a full blog dedicated to helping youstay on track through the holidays. With all the parties, gatherings and temptations everywhere you look, it's important to be prepared.

Clean the junk out of the cabinets, make a big old batch of this soup and get ready!

If you can do the pre holiday sugar detox and follow my tips, I know you will have your happiest holiday season yet!