an invitation

I'm going to invite you to join Adriana and me on a journey next week. I don't want you to be scared, because this isn't meant to be scary. It might feel like a step outside the mundane, outside what you know, and that might feel uncomfortable. But I'll be here with you, and Adriana will be here, and other people will be here, too, feeling our way along the path and discovering things together. After a few faltering steps, after tripping on snags in the earth and climbing steadily up a few boulders, you'll realize that you're actually having some fun. That's my prediction, anyway.

Now. Are you ready to hear what I'm proposing?

I'm inviting you to join Adriana, me, and some other Thin Crust Deep Dish friends as we embark on a week of Sugar Freedom. This is an experiment. It's an opportunity to explore new sweeteners, to step away from the mainstream and into a world of thrilling flavors that you might have forgotten about or have yet to encounter. It's also a chance to break free of a dependence on sugar. Officially, the week of Sugar Freedom will run from January 11th to January 18th. Adriana and I will be blogging each day about our sugar-free experiences, and anyone who would like to contribute may do so. If you would like to participate, please leave a comment here, and I'll add your name (and blog, if applicable) to our running list. You can also follow along and share your experiences on Twitter using the hashtag #sugarfreedom.

Our week of Sugar Freedom will be loosely based on Kimi of The Nourishing Gourmet's Sugar-Free Challenge, the event that spurred me to step back from sugar three months ago. Based on Kimi's challenge, we will have three different levels at which to participate.

Beginner: This is the level that I have been implementing loosely since October. While it's called "beginner", it has changed my life immensely, in terms of eating and many other aspects, too. Those who participate at this level will cut out refined sugar, corn syrup and white flours. You can experiment with more natural sugars, including honey, stevia, date sugar, molasses, coconut sugar and agave nectar.

Moderate: Here you will also remove those natural sugars. The sweetness in your food will come from the fruit you eat. You might also think about removing other starchy foods like potatoes and rice that can lead to sugar cravings or encourage yeast growth if you have yeast issues.

Advanced: Remove all sugar-forming foods, including most grains, starchy root vegetables, and fruits. Kimi tells us that buckwheat, millet and quinoa are still acceptable at this level. Please note that this level is intended mostly for those dealing with candida. I'd recommend caution with this level if you have any health issues or a history of eating disorders. Restrictive eating is not at all what we're aiming for with this challenge. We're looking for the fun and adventure!

We hope you'll join us on this week-long journey. If you have any questions about the challenge, feel free to ask them in the comments section, and I'll answer them as best I can. We can't wait to start this journey of Sugar Freedom and hope you'll join us along the way.

-Kylie

 

Sugar Freedom Participants
Adriana - Beginner
Kylie - Beginner
Justine - Beginner
Lauren - Moderate
Marcia - Beginner
Jim - Beginner
Eylem - Beginner
Grace - Beginner
Mary - Beginner