Katie Couric's No Sugar Challenge: My Astonishing Results

Gwyneth Paltrow doesn't feed her kids sugar, gluten, dairy or soy. Photo from her cookbook, "It's All Good" www.linenme.com

Going sugar-free like Gwyneth Paltrow or vegan like Beyoncé is too extreme for me.  That's why I didn't immediately commit when I heard about Katie Couric's challenge to give up added sugar for 10 days (I also did a video for Katie's "Co-host for a Day" contest).

Fed Up is Katie's new film about our health crisis. The challenge, promoting the movie's launch, intrigued me because of my own struggle with obesity and family history of stroke, diabetes and weight-related issues.

Afraid I'd be setting myself up for failure, I decided to try it for three days instead of 10.  While I've mostly beaten food cravings, some of my choices are still high in sugar:  flavored yogurt, chocolate, fruit juice. I'd already given up most processed junk foods and sodas, so what was the benefit in going totally sugar-free?

Turns out there were plenty!  Starting with a shrinking gut, clearer skin, weight loss, shinier hair.

photo www.katiecouric.com

I share more about how I'm beating genetic obesity on the health and fitness site, Feel Rich, started by music mogul Quincy Jones' son but suffice it to say my body was showing astonishing benefits from being sugar-free for the first time ever.

Most surprising was the rapid weight loss. I wish I'd taken measurements on the first day of the challenge. I didn't expect to firm up and get toned like Kelly Ripa (ok, that might be overstating the results a bit).

Surprisingly, I felt compelled to keep going after the first three days.  It wasn't nearly as brutal as I'd feared; no major withdrawal like headaches or jitters.

the amount of sugar I'd normally consume in just three days!
a 'Katie' viewer suggested putting what you give up in a jar - stunning visual

I believe in listening to our bodies, which is how I lost 50 pounds defying traditional diet wisdom (read my article, Throw Away Your Scale to Lose Weight for Life) and why I kept going for 10 days.

I did feel VERY deprived at first. I especially missed drinking tea with sugar, which I replaced with sparkling water.  I also missed fruit juice - particularly since I'd already given up soda.

Quitting desserts was the hardest part. I'd already swapped super poor choices - cookies, cupcakes, Ben & Jerry's - for healthier ones like frozen yogurt and power bars but those were taboo since they have added sugar.

There were some drawbacks like afternoon exhaustion (managed with a nap) and intense sweet cravings (tamed with fresh berries).

My conclusion?  My body wants far less sugar than I've been eating - even the 'good' kinds like honey and 100% fruit juices.

So will I religiously avoid sugar like Gwyneth Paltrow and other Hollywood stars? Nah, a girl needs her occasional red velvet cupcake. But I do plan to make some permanent changes, like avoiding sweetened salad dressings and peanut butter.

Check out the challenge at www.fedupmovie.com - start your own if you missed this one!

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