Welcome to the 30-Day Sugar-Free Challenge 2025
Welcome to all the newcomers as well as the veterans to the 30-day Sugar-Free Challenge. This is my sixth time hosting a sugar-free January. I can’t tell you how many benefits the participants, as well as myself, experience. I hope you see the same or even better results!
Nuts and Bolts
First things first. Please consult your health professional before drastically changing your diet. The low carb lifestyle can cause many positive changes, like lowering blood pressure. You will need to work closely with your doctor if you are currently on blood pressure or other medications.
If you have not already read the How to Kick the Sugar Habit post, make sure to take a look to get the low down on what to expect.
Now to the nitty gritty. If you haven’t already ordered Simply Keto by Suzanne Ryan and you intend to, I would do that today. Feel free to search all places that sell books like Target, Walmart, and Barnes & Noble etc.
Our start Date is January 2, 2025.
You will need the book to follow along with my January posts.
Otherwise, you can march to the beat of your own drum and utilize the menus I’ve posted from the 2023 challenge. This is your journey, so you do you!
For those of you that have the book, let’s get down to making this as easy as possible.
I picked this particular book because Suzanne has very simple recipes and 30 days of menus. In addition, the book has over 10,000 reviews on Amazon!
Flipping through the book, the recipes seem to be straightforward and easy. This is exactly what I was looking for this time around. I also appreciate that she doesn’t include snacks or desserts. Ultimately, we are trying to break those habits and concentrate on eating real food that is filling at each meal.
Macros
There are no macros provided on the suggested menus. This is not a deal breaker for me since each recipe lists the macros. You can easily create daily macros for yourself using this information.
Shoppping Lists
Suzanne provides weekly shopping lists on her website for the 4 weeks of menus. Take note of the recipes you will need to double or alter due to your tastes.
Doubling a recipe ensures there is enough food left over for lunch the next day. I find this super convenient but decide for yourself whether this is right for you. And most importantly, make sure the final grocery list is an accurate reflection of what you need. Nothing is worse than buying items you do not need!
For those of you who do not know me personally, I freely admit that I am absolutely incapable of following menus as written. I require fancier recipes on the weekends. We do not go out to eat often during the challenge. On Friday and Saturday nights, I like to make dishes that make us feel like we are at a restaurant. No FOMO here! You will see this reflected in my menu plan. Know yourself and make adjustments to make this transition as easy as possible,
As I always say, no one diet is right for everyone. You may be more active, have more people to feed or love to eat leftovers for lunch the next day. All of these variables impact the plan and thus the shopping list. Plus I believe this is a wonderful way to get in the habit of making a shopping list each week. A skill that is invaluable as we move past January.
The 30 days of menus reflect a keto approach. I will add servings of low carb vegetables because I know that is what works for me. You will need to experiment to see what works for you. When in doubt, follow the menus as written and make changes week to week.
Preparing for Success
Sugar Free Notebook
I am not going to lie. I am a huge fan of paper. I keep a physical 3-ring notebook with print outs recording my progress from each sugar-free challenge. Waking up each morning and entering information keeps the challenge at the forefront of my mind. Staying focused and on task is vital. This method keeps your successes right in front of you. It also helps you see if you need to make any changes to what you are doing.
There is a lot of information at the front of the book. It is easy to just skim over this part since there are a lot of words!! To make it easier, I suggest to break down the information into manageable chunks. Understanding the reasoning behind what you are doing can make all the difference for some people. And I have certainly discovered that each author has their own way of covering the basics. I love this because hearing the same information a different way can provide an “ah ha” moment when you least expect it!
Thursday, 29th
Read the Introduction through page 25
Friday, 30th
Read Chapter 1 pp. 27-49
Saturday, 30th
Read Chapter 2 pp. 51-63
Purge your pantry of temptations.
Review the menus for the first week and finalize your shopping list.
Sunday, 31st
Shop and prep for the first week.
Take body measurements.
Print out any forms that you feel will help you stay on track here and here.
Additional Challenge
If you are ready to kick things up a notch, I highly recommend abstaining from alcohol this month. Alcohol is its own separate beast and impacts fat burning. It also impacts blood glucose regulation even though it doesn’t raise blood glucose levels in and of itself. Suzanne discusses alcohol so again you need to make your own decision about consuming it.
I hope that you are as excited as I am to get started. Cheers to your health!!
Melissa
DISCLAIMER: This website is for informational purposes. I am not a health practitioner and no information should be construed as personal medical advice or diagnosis.
