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 For everyone who decided not to keep
the good news to themselves… the
movement you started is the reason the
Sugar Impact Diet will help millions
more people experience the power of
reclaiming their weight, their health, and
their lives—forever!
Thank you, Virgin Diet tribe!
 Introduction

HOW LOWERING YOUR SUGAR IMPACT CAN CHANGE

YOUR LIFE

When I wrote The Virgin Diet, I was on a mission. I had to help people with
what I discovered: food intolerances were sabotaging their health and holding
their weight hostage. You can be doing everything right, even eating healthy diet
foods, and still not lose a pound. Eliminating seven foods unlocked the key to
fast weight loss in just 3 weeks. It was so incredible to see people get their lives
back—weight came off fast, and the fatigue, bloating, and aches that came with
food intolerance disappeared. So people told their family and friends. I was
amazed at the movement it started. By now it’s helped hundreds of thousands of
people finally lose the weight and feel better fast.
And as I watched people go through the program, I realized that one food
was the biggest needle mover of them all: sugar. Reducing sugar is the one thing
that can jump-start your weight loss or crack the code on breaking through a
plateau better than any other, especially if you’re not dealing with other
intolerances. But—and this is a big but—not all sugar is created equal!
All of the sugar diets out there drive me crazy because they totally miss the
point. You already know sugar is bad for you! Hardly anyone is gobbling up
straight sugar anymore—consumption of table sugar is at an all-time low.
When many of my clients come to me, they’re frustrated and ready to give up
because they’re already depriving themselves of candy, dessert, and a spoonful
of sugar in their coffee. They’re sweetening their oatmeal with honey, they’re
eating low-fat yogurt with fruit, they’re fighting their hunger with low-calorie
snack bars during the day, and they’re living on salads, diet drinks, and “healthy”
frozen meals. When a sugar craving hits and they slip, they beat themselves up
for their lack of willpower. But after all the healthy low-calorie, low-fat, sugar-
free eating, they end up with the same symptoms they’d get if they were eating a
ton of sugar—weight gain, cravings, mood and energy swings, health issues like
inflammation and insulin resistance, and maybe even diabetes. Sound familiar?
So what the heck is going on?
NOT ALL SUGARS ARE CREATED EQUAL
These healthy diets are packed with hidden sugars, and these sugars are not
harmless. I had to come up with a revolutionary new way to look at sugar to
allow even more people to finally lose that extra weight and reclaim their health
—and that’s exactly what I’ve done. So let me shout this from the mountaintop
—it’s the impact of sugar that matters. You don’t have to eliminate sugar
completely, but you need to choose your sugars wisely. When you understand
Sugar Impact, you’ll know why I’ve declared sugar—especially sneaky sugars,
which I’ll describe in this book—public enemy No. 1. The high Sugar Impact of
the seven foods I’m going to share with you is the single biggest factor when it
comes to fatigue, obesity, diabetes, and a slew of other diseases, including
cancer.
Sneaky sugars hide in places you’d never suspect—whole foods, diet foods,
packaged fruit, drinks, dressings… even sugar substitutes. Even the most health-
conscious among us struggle to know everywhere they hide or how to avoid
them. It can feel incredibly daunting. But I’ve found a way to make it easy. Once
I give you the tools to drop these seven high Sugar Impact foods, you can cut out
all of the hidden sugars that have been sneaking tons of sugar into your diet,
causing you to gain weight, crave sugar, and feel terrible.
If you had success with the Virgin Diet but you’re still looking to lose those
last stubborn pounds—you’ve found your answer. You’ll have even more
success on the Sugar Impact Diet. It will change your life! People who’ve
followed this program had incredible results—most lost 10 pounds in just 2
weeks! And they reversed inflammation and bloating, eliminated symptoms
we’re all told to believe are the normal signs of aging, and feel better than they
have in years.
All that’s waiting for you, too. You’ll break free from the Sugar Impact of
seven sneaky sugars that are making you weight-loss resistant—and you’ll be
surprised at how easy it is. I’ll show you how to eliminate high and medium
Sugar Impact foods—the biggest sources of hidden sugars holding your health
and your waistline hostage—from seven food groups: grains; roots; packaged
fruit; low and no-fat dairy and diet foods; sugary sauces, dressings, and
condiments; sweet drinks; sweeteners, and added sugar. Just by dropping the
high and medium Sugar Impact foods, you’ll reset and retrain your taste buds—
and, like my clients, you can lose up to 10 pounds in just 2 weeks.
TRACK YOUR IMPACT
It will blow your mind when you see how much sugar is sneaking into your diet
—mountains of it, even in things you would swear have no added sugar. The
average American eats about 22 teaspoons of sugar every day. Sugar is a
chameleon—it has many different forms, hides under lots of different names,
and slips into foods you’d never expect. There are more than 50 names for
sugar! Studies have shown that the rising rate of obesity in kids today is coming
from the foods they’re eating at home, not the junk and sweets they’re sneaking
around eating after school. So you can’t just shrug it off—you have to become a
sugar sleuth!
But don’t sweat it—I’m here to help. You’ll find a cheat sheet in this book
that lists different names for sugar and where it hides (see Sugar Hides In Plain
Sight, here). I’ll make sure you’re armed and ready, because sugar is the number
one topic of questions, concerns, and confusion I get from people, by far. What if
it’s natural? What about honey? What can I substitute? What if I can’t live
without it? Help!
And don’t think you’re better off if you’re eating the calorie-free stuff.
Artificial sweeteners are just the wolf in sheep’s clothing. They let you think you
beat the system by eating something sweet without the calories, but your body
isn’t in on the trick. It sets its sugar metabolism machinery in motion and
screams for glucose, which means you’ll probably just end up eating more.
So if you’re like my clients—eating healthy but you just can’t seem to lose
weight (maybe you’re even gaining weight), you’ve come to the right place.
Lowering your Sugar Impact jump-starts fast fat loss, breaks through those
weight-loss brick walls, reduces inflammation, balances hormones and mood,
improves sleep, and reverses declining health more than any other change to diet
or lifestyle.
There’s even more good news—the Sugar Impact Diet isn’t about eliminating
sugar altogether; it’s about eating the right sugar. The program I’ve created and
outlined in this book is unlike any other. It lays out a step-by-step process to
wean you off the foods with the highest and most damaging sugars—those with
the highest Sugar Impact—so that you can lose weight, drop fat, and improve
your health without feeling deprived. Learning how to swap good sugars for bad
sugars for just 2 weeks will heal your body and transform your life forever.
By the end of the program, you’ll not only have lost weight and reclaimed
your life, you’ll be armed with information and lots of great alternatives to
satisfy your sweet cravings. I’ve built this program specifically to address the
world we live in, to give you the tools and the strength to avoid the sugars that
are hurting you. And if you have a sweet tooth (and yes, some people are born to
crave sugar more than others), don’t worry—you aren’t doomed. There are ways
to work with your genetics so that a lifetime in the grip of sugar isn’t your fate.
You’ll change your taste buds and your sensitivity to sugar, so passing up
cupcakes and ice cream will be a breeze, not a teeth-gnashing exercise in
willpower.
Together, we’re going to change how you think about sugar, so you can be
clear about how to make the best choices for your weight, energy, mood, and
life.

THE EVOLUTION OF HIDDEN SUGARS

We’re genetically hardwired to want food that’s sweet; our ancestors used to
gorge on ripe summer fruit and the lucky honey find to “winter up” for the cold
months ahead. Of course, back then, and even until fairly recently, sugar was
never available in the forms or amounts it is today.
Living in a world that stresses us out constantly doesn’t help. You’re always
on the run, work is crazy, you’re shuttling kids everywhere, and the last person
to get taken care of is you. Meals are whatever is convenient and fast.
Even though you don’t have much time to think about what you’re eating,
guess who does? Food companies. They’re busy, too, making sure that when you
reach for that low-fat cookie, you keep coming back for more. Little by little,
they’re slipping more sugar into packaged foods, including diet foods, to keep up
with the low-fat craze, and as food gets sweeter and sweeter, you want it even
more. Yes, sugar is an addiction. When you eat a lot of sugar, you train your
body to need it constantly, but getting rid of it is easier than you think.

NEED OR WANT?
Did you know that we can’t live without protein, fat, and water, but we can live
without carbs? I know! Shocking, because I bet there are a lot of days during the
week when you say to yourself, I just could not live without carbs. Well, that’s
what I used to say. No sourdough bread? I mean, come on! But yep, we can
survive just fine on protein, fat, and water, since our bodies can actually create
glucose on their own. It’s just who wants to? Not me.
 Besides, even though we can live without carbs, if we cut them out entirely
we’ll feel lousy and stress our bodies in the bargain. So let’s do this right.
With the Sugar Impact Diet, you’ll identify the right types and amounts of
carbohydrates so that you always feel great and the weight keeps coming off. I
want your body to get the food it needs to fuel and restore you, without putting
you in a metabolic spin cycle. Foods with high Sugar Impact—specifically,
foods with high amounts of a specific type of sugar called fructose—encourage
your body to store fat without making you feel full. Talk about a bad
combination! Throughout this book, I’ll explain how to spot and avoid high
Sugar Impact foods, and I’ll teach you delicious low Sugar Impact swaps so that
you can avoid the sugar roller coaster without feeling deprived. This is not about
“living without.” It’s about the power of being informed to make good choices,
knowing where there’s wiggle room and how to step away from bad choices—
the harmful, high Sugar Impact ones. You’ll break through the sugar confusion
to find the life that’s waiting for you—you’ll be leaner, more energetic, and
healthier than you ever thought possible!

SUGAR IMPACT TO THE RESCUE!

No other program looks at sugar as comprehensively, strategically, or
innovatively as the Sugar Impact Diet does, and certainly no other comes close
when it comes to ensuring your success.
Other programs set you up to fail by either focusing on only a single aspect
of sugar measurement, like the glycemic index, or by asking you to take drastic
and unrealistic measures, like giving up all carbs—right now! Well, how has that
worked for you so far? You’re sent on a roller-coaster ride—pumped up, then
hungry and crashing—and still craving the sugar that sent you on the ride in the
first place. That seems a little heartless of them to do to you, and more than a
little unnecessary, don’t you think? You can’t go from a high-sugar diet to a low-
sugar diet overnight without serious consequences.

MY IMPACT!

Mary Jo Bouman
Starting weight: 122 lbs.
Current weight: 112.4 lbs.
 Total lost: 9.6 lbs.

I didn’t realize the impact sugar had on me until I did the Sugar Impact Diet. I considered my diet and
lifestyle healthy. My kitchen was stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, gluten-free
grains and flours, olive oil and butter, good-quality meats and fish. Most of my meals were home-
cooked, my alcohol consumption was low, and I rarely ate candy or drank soda. I usually had a cookie
or a sweet after dinner, and often had a craving for a treat midafternoon.
The reason I did the Sugar Impact Diet was to help my husband and daughter who both are
overweight. Wow! I feel like I have been a catalyst for my family; the three of us have lost 49 pounds
combined, and another family member lost an additional 15 pounds. We are in this together and plan to
continue until my husband and daughter take off 50-plus pounds each. It feels great to be working
toward this goal together and to prepare and plan, cook and eat together. The impact of fructose was a
real eye-opener for me. I was used to reading labels, but I look at them from a sugar perspective now.
I work with energetic five-year-olds, and prior to the Sugar Impact Diet I had been falling asleep
early in the evening because I was exhausted. Now I am awake and alert until 10 or 11 p.m. Sleep is
heavenly; I wake up feeling like I’ve been floating on clouds all night. My energy is strong and steady
during long days. I also lost weight and inches. That wasn’t really a goal for me, but it feels great.

So let me set you up for the win. I’ll give you the tools to evaluate where
you’re getting the most sugar in your diet and guide you through the transition
from high Sugar Impact foods to low Sugar Impact foods. At the same time,
you’ll be retraining your taste buds to key back into the subtle sweetness of
nature’s treats.
I’ve developed the Sugar Impact Scale, which rates a food according to the
amount of sugar in it and the effect it has on your body. It takes into account a
food’s fructose levels, nutrient density, fiber, and glycemic load. The Sugar
Impact Scale, like everything else in my program, is simple and easy to
understand. Sugars and carbohydrates are assessed as having a high, medium, or
Low Sugar Impact. Think of them this way:

High Sugar Impact—stop!

Medium Sugar Impact—proceed with caution
Low Sugar Impact—go!

The Sugar Impact Diet will help you avoid the highest Sugar Impact foods
(and their negative health effects) by giving you simple swaps—nutritious, tasty
trades with lower Sugar Impact. You’ll probably like them even better!

RESET YOUR SWEET TOOTH—IN JUST 2 WEEKS!

In The Virgin Diet, I asked readers to give up seven foods for 3 weeks. If the
Virgin Diet proved you can do anything for 3 weeks, 2 weeks will be a cinch! So
prepare to be wowed. The simple three-step Sugar Impact Diet will deliver
amazing results in the blink of an eye.
The three cycles will help you taper your Sugar Impact and transition you
from high to medium to low Sugar Impact foods—slowly. You’re not going cold
turkey! Ever. I know that’s conventional wisdom in certain diet circles, but
how’s that worked for you so far? Exactly. There are a few things I can
guarantee going cold turkey will do for you, and losing weight isn’t one of them.
Instead, you’ll be shaky, irritable, lethargic, starving, and craving sugar—not the
outcome we’re after.
First, you’ll identify what sugars are undermining your weight and health.
Where are the sugar land mines in your day? How much sugar are you really
eating?
Then you’ll shift from burning sugar to burning fat—which is just as good as
it sounds! (More on this in Chapter 1.) I’ll be with you every step of the way and
I’ve put together a ton of support and strategies for navigating any rough spots—
including Sugar-Withdrawal Strategies (see here), Sugar-Attack Survival
Strategies (see here), Speed-Healing Techniques (see here). You can also see my
recommended Supportive Supplements at http://sugarimpact.com/resources.
You’re also going to read exciting stories and see the “before” and “after” photos
of people who’ve already felt the impact and had incredible results. You’ll be as
amazed as I am. Best of all, you’re next!
 The Sugar Impact Diet Blueprint

Low Sugar Impact to a T

The strategic, step-by-step approach of the Sugar Impact Diet ensures your success by
moving you through the program at your own speed, in tune with how your body responds
to the changes in your diet. You have to know where you are when you start, gently remove
high-impact sugars, shift from sugar burner to fat burner, and emerge on the other side,
ready to chart your maintenance path forward.
Simply put, the journey to low Sugar Impact freedom is guided by the 4Ts: Test, Taper,
Transition, Transformed! In just 2 weeks you’ll drop 10 pounds, no longer wonder what it
feels like to be bursting with energy, and be feeling better than ever.

CYCLE 1: TAPER
Take the Sneaky Sugar Inventory to identify how much sugar you are actually eating
Take the Sugar Impact Quiz to identify the impact sugar is having on you
Trade your high Sugar Impact foods for medium Sugar Impact foods
Take your starting weight and measurements
Focus on following the portions of the Sugar Impact Plate and eating by the Sugar Impact
Clock

CYCLE 2: TRANSITION
Trade your medium Sugar Impact foods for low Sugar Impact foods and avoid any low
Sugar Impact foods that are asterisked (i.e., most fruit)
Hide or toss the medium and high Sugar Impact foods
Take the Sugar Impact Quiz weekly
Take your weight and measurements weekly
Check in with the Sugar Impact Quiz at the 2-week mark to determine if you should stay
in Cycle 2 or shift into Cycle 3

CYCLE 3: TRANSFORMED!
Swap 3–4 low Sugar Impact servings for medium Sugar Impact servings; 1–2 of these
servings should be from fruit
Have one high Sugar Impact serving at the end of the week
 Weigh, measure, and retest at the end of the week. Decide whether you can stay in Cycle
3, or you need to return to Cycle 2

LOW SUGAR IMPACT FOR LIFE

Once a year, repeat Cycles 1 and 2 to ensure you’re retaining your sugar sensitivity, and to
bust any plateaus. You should also do Cycles 1 and 2 again if you “fall off the wagon.”

When you complete this program once, you’re good to go. Even so, I
encourage you to redo Cycles 1 and 2 once a year, to take stock and take aim,
especially if you have a new goal.
I know that the true test of a diet isn’t just how much you lose when you’re
on it, but how successfully you can stay at your goal weight for good. Most
programs yank the sugar and then leave you to your own devices—but too often
that means you end up right back where you started. If you don’t have a
maintenance plan, you’re bound to fail, and then you have to start again. When
you have to do a diet over and over, it’s fair to say it didn’t work so well, isn’t it?
Sugar is all around us. I’m going to help you make peace with it and
understand it—especially the impact it’s having on your weight and health. You
have the power. You can do this! Plus, when you know what to eat and what
swaps to make, you’ll even learn to enjoy sugar again, without the guilt.
So if you’re where I was, and where the thousands of men and women I’ve
helped were, there’s no need to be overwhelmed with despair. You can break free
from sugar and lose 10 pounds in just 2 weeks!
 PART I

SUGAR IMPACT:
The Hidden Cause of Weight Gain
 1

BREAK FREE FROM THE SUGAR TRAP

Welcome to the Sugar Impact Diet! Get ready to change your life in just 2
weeks! There are so many amazing benefits to eliminating high-impact, sugary
foods. Yes, you’re going to lose fat fast—on average, people lose 10 pounds in
just 2 weeks! You’ll also break free of your cravings, regain control of your
appetite, and enjoy high, steady energy and laser-sharp focus. You’ll finally ditch
the constant bloat that makes you feel like you could be popped with a pin.
You’ll look and feel younger almost overnight, and you’ll get rid of the nagging
symptoms that make you feel crummy every single day—once and for all. And,
more important, when you go low Sugar Impact (SI), you’ll even begin to
reverse chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

BECOME A FAT BURNER, NOT A SUGAR BURNER

One of the biggest benefits of the low SI diet is that you lose weight, fast. And
I’m talking about that really stubborn, clingy weight… the weight you thought
you were doomed to carry forever because you were told you’d be packing on a
few as you got older. Don’t believe that myth!
If you’re carrying extra pounds, it’s because when you weren’t looking your
body trained itself to burn sugar when it needed energy instead of fat. You
became a sugar burner. Now your body doesn’t even go near your fat reserves to
look for fuel. It’s gotten used to relying on a steady supply of carbs, so you need
to keep snacking to give it fuel to burn, or you’ll crash.
When you eat sugar or carbs, your pancreas releases insulin to pull the excess
sugar, or glucose (blood sugar), out of your blood and restore balance. Glucose is
a form of sugar in the food we eat. It’s also our primary source of energy. It’s
packed away in your cells for quick-access fuel, and what’s left over is stored as
fat. If you eat lots of sugar and keep calling on insulin to lower your blood sugar
all the time, you’ll eventually lose your sensitivity to it, resulting in a condition
called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a known cause of weight gain and
can lead to diabetes.
One of the hallmarks of being a sugar burner is that while you’re burning
sugar and storing fat, you experience frequent drops in blood sugar that make
your body scream for more sugar. You’ll get crazy hungry if you go for a few
hours without food or you skip a meal. And when this happens, watch out!
You’re irritable, foggy, totally preoccupied, and showing the fangs of cravings.
So let’s fix that! All it takes is 2 weeks to reap the benefits of being an Impact
player! When you make just a few simple, tasty swaps for seven high-SI sugars,
voila—with the new, low SI you will be burning fat and craving-free with sky-
high energy.

ALL SUGAR IS NOT CREATED EQUAL

Let’s start with one very important fact: all calories are not the same! The old
mantra of “a calorie is a calorie” doesn’t hold true. Isn’t that liberating? No more
counting calories! That’s because food is information, and it has marching orders
for your body. Different nutrients have different physiological effects and
distinct roles within the body.
This makes sense, when you consider that you’d never say the calories in
your spinach salad are the same as the ones in your Bananas Foster, would you?
(Would you?) Maybe it’s the guilt we associate with dessert, but we know some
calories just feel different. The calories in the spinach will have a different effect
on your body than the calories in that Bananas Foster. Let me tell you why.
Our bodies run on glucose. Our body can also metabolize fructose, the
primary sugar in fruit and a main component of processed sugars like high-
fructose corn syrup. But fructose is metabolized differently than other sugars.
When most types of sugar enter your bloodstream as part of the digestive
process, they elevate blood sugar levels, and your body then releases insulin to
help lower those levels. But fructose bypasses this trigger by heading directly to
your liver, the only organ that can metabolize it. Since it doesn’t raise blood
sugar levels, there’s no real bump in insulin. When it hits your liver, it gets
converted to glucose, and some of it is stored as glycogen, which is how we pack
away carbs for energy use later. But another metabolic fallout from fructose
metabolism is that the liver repackages excess fructose as triglycerides, or fat.
Of course, there are other forms sugar can take, like galactose, maltose, and
lactose (milk sugar). Sugar is found in many plants, though most straight sugar
as we know it comes from sugar cane and sugar beet. But no matter what source
the sugar you eat comes from—whether it’s high-fructose corn syrup, honey, or
molasses—your body is going to break that sugar down until it has either
glucose or fructose. And the end games for those two are not the same. Glucose
gives you fuel; fructose gives you fat. That’s what I mean by Sugar Impact.
Fructose, as it exists in the natural whole foods we eat (like fruits and some
vegetables), is all wrapped up in fiber and bundled with nutrients. When fructose
is delivered to us that way, things change for the better—our digestion slows
down, we burn some energy extracting the fructose, and fructose moseys to our
liver in a steady stream rather than a torrent. But most of the sources of fructose
in our diet are the ones that cause the Pavlovian response we know well… the
cupcakes, ice cream, and crunchy candy bars. When fructose is freewheeling, or
separated from its fiber source, like the high-fructose corn syrup in juice, sodas,
and candy, it might as well be taking a laundry chute–like plunge to our liver…
where its idea of a party is to start making fat.
Much of the credit for sounding the fructose alarm goes to Robert Lustig,
MD, a pediatric endocrinologist and professor at the University of California,
San Francisco. He ignited a very public conversation about sugar and the
harmful effects of fructose metabolism with his YouTube video, “Sugar: The
Bitter Truth.” And I’m so glad he did. If you haven’t seen it, it’s definitely worth
checking out.
In an October 2013 article in The Telegraph, Dr. Lustig reacted to a study in
the journal PLoS One. The study, published February 27, 2013, looked at the rate
of diabetes in 175 countries over a decade and linked increased consumption of
sugar to higher rates of diabetes, independent of obesity. Dr. Lustig explained
what that meant: the cause of type 2 diabetes isn’t tied to the amount of calories
you eat. It’s more important where the calories come from. The study showed
that when people ate more calories every day, yes, their rate of diabetes went up.
But when they added the same number of calories and got them from added
sugars like high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose, the rate went up a lot more. Dr.
Lustig noted, “Added sugar is 11 times more potent at causing diabetes than
general calories.”
But we’re not always choosing to eat more sugar; we’re being dosed with it.
Sugar is slipped into foods we’d never suspect, and often in combination with
more than a dash of added salt, to keep us hungry and thirsty and coming back
for more. No wonder you’ve been feeling like your health and waistline have
been hijacked! Taking them back will be the most powerful part of your Sugar
Impact transformation.
Eating too much of the wrong kind of sugar can also impact your appetite and
hunger levels for the worse. When you eat lots of sugar, your insulin levels stay
elevated. High insulin levels drown out the signals from the hormone leptin,
otherwise known as the satiety hormone. Leptin is an important hormone
produced in fat cells that tells you when you’ve had enough to eat. When leptin
is working right, it tells you you’ve gotten enough energy and to stop eating,
already. If things were working as they should, leptin would also keep its
counterpart, the hunger hormone ghrelin, suppressed after a meal. Ghrelin is
responsible for sending your brain the signal to eat when your stomach is empty
or your blood sugar is low. Leptin should be the stopgap we need before we eat
ourselves to death. Dr. Lustig calls leptin “the holy grail of obesity.” When your
brain ignores leptin (in a condition called leptin resistance), you eat more than
you’re supposed to, because ghrelin is never suppressed and your brain still
thinks you’re starving.
So, in essence, sugar fractures your ability to control your appetite. But
you’re not doomed to live with it as a permanent condition, something another
anti-sugar crusader, David Gillespie, points out in an interview about his book
Big Fat Lies: “Remove [fructose], and the appetite control system goes back to
working as designed and starts moderating the amount of everything you
consume. Slowly but surely, your weight returns to the normal weight range, and
it stays there.”
Isn’t that great news? You can fix it, and fast. But not by counting calories.
Even if you make an extreme cut to the calories you consume, research shows
that if most of your calories come from fructose, you’re wrecking your
metabolism and satiety signaling and paving the way for insulin resistance,
gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, and diabetes. The key is lowering your SI—
making simple swaps that deliver huge rewards.
High-impact sugars have also been found to play a role in a serious condition
called metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors including excess
abdominal fat, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides. In fact, Dr. Richard
Johnson, author of The Fat Switch, squarely points the finger at a high-fructose
diet as increasing the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Metabolic
syndrome raises your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic health
conditions. It’s the disease equivalent of being run over by a truck. He also
suggests that consuming high amounts of fructose is connected to chronic
inflammation and uric acid buildup, which can also cause you to gain more
weight.
One of Dr. Johnson’s key contributions to our understanding of fructose
metabolism is that he discovered it actually throws a pretty significant metabolic
switch in your body. Flip the switch, and you store fat! He found that fructose
activates an enzyme, fructokinase, which then activates another enzyme,
aldolase, that throws the switch and causes cells to accumulate fat. This process
can be life-saving if you’re a bear preparing for hibernation. It’s what allows
animals to beef up for a long winter snooze—or add fat when food is scarce.
Once they need access to their reserves, the enzyme is blocked, and they burn fat
to survive. But it doesn’t do your waistline any favors if you don’t have a five-
month sleep in your future!

BECOME A FAT BURNER, NOT A SUGAR BURNER

Now that you understand the ways different sugars react in your body, you can
see why SI is the key to freeing yourself from the sugar trap—and the jelly belly,
bloating, and fatigue that come with it. Some sugars cause a higher SI than
others. By tapering you off high SI foods and transitioning to a diet filled with
low SI foods, the Sugar Impact Diet pulls you out of that sugar-burning, fat-
storing cycle and transitions you to being a fat burner, which is exactly what you
want to be to lose weight fast and keep it off. Reducing the SI in your diet will
reset your body’s toxic habit of pounding you for a quick hit of fuel. You’ll move
off burning sugar, and as more good fats and clean, lean protein take center stage
in your diet, you’ll burn a steady, high-energy flame all day long.
Becoming a fat burner is exactly how it sounds—you burn fat! So you drop
weight fast. And you stay in power weight-loss mode because once your SI is
under control, your hormones will work with you to lose weight and stay lean.
You’ll finally be hearing leptin bark out the order that you’re full and you should
stop eating. Ghrelin will be back in check, so you’ll actually know what it feels
like to feel full again!
You’ll also have more energy, because when you fuel your body with low SI
foods and burn your stored fat for energy, you avoid those awful energy slumps
that come with a high SI diet (you know those sugar crashes all too well!). And
here’s a bonus—you’ll even burn more fat as you sleep!

LOW SUGAR, NOT NO SUGAR

Don’t worry. I’m not saying you have to totally give up sugar! It’s important to
remember this is a low SI diet, not a no-sugar diet. We’re designed to eat sugar;
our genes tell us so. But getting it in the right amounts and from the right sources
is the real secret. The Sugar Impact Diet will do all that for you and more. Just
by transitioning to a low-SI diet, you’ll see big shifts in your weight, energy,
bloating, joint pain, and all-around joie de vivre. And there’s lots more wind at
your back in the way of Supportive Supplements (visit
http://sugarimpact.com/resources), Speed-Healing Techniques (see here), and
strategies to beat back cravings and cope with withdrawal. You’re not in this
alone! I’ve not only helped myself dig out of the sugar trap, but I’ve helped
thousands of people do the same. In fact, you can read some of their inspiring
stories in this book. I hope their success with the Sugar Impact Diet will be all
the motivation you need!

WHAT’S WITH THE CRAVINGS?

This program is designed to help you win the battle against high-impact sugar—
and a key part of that is staving off the intense cravings that can derail your best
intentions.
Cravings can have their roots in everything from ancestry to lifestyle choices,
and you have to know where they’re coming from to break their grip. So let’s dig
in to find out the source of yours. Just so you know, these causes aren’t like
coupons—you’re not limited to just one! Knowing what kind of cravings you’re
dealing with could be the key that finally helps you break free of your sugar
addiction.
Let’s start with two of the most common causes of cravings: genetics and a
low-fat (read: high-SI) diet. We all have sweet-seeking behavior as part of our
evolutionary beginnings. But cravings could be part of your unique genetic
wiring, and that’s something different. No surprise to you! Because if you’ve got
a sweet tooth, you know it.
Just one change to a single gene could explain why you break into a sweat
trying to resist dessert, while your friend could care less about the hot lava cake
topped with whipped cream. Research shows that a difference in DNA could
mean some people are less sensitive to the taste of sugar, so they chase sweeter
and sweeter foods to get the reward—foods the average person would find way
too sweet.
The other major cause of cravings comes from eating high-impact sugars.
They give you quick energy fixes, but ultimately set off a vicious circle of
cravings for the very foods that create cravings. These two sources of cravings
may seem pretty far apart—one you inherit and one you create—but your body
responds to both the same way. The insulin spikes and blood sugar dips that
come on the heels of eating sugar make you a metabolic rag doll, with your
hormones and defense system being thrown all over the place, at the mercy of
whatever you’ve eaten, and how much.
You may not even be aware you’re eating that much sugar. Labels don’t make
it easy to spot. Sugar is sneaky, and it’s often not even listed as sugar on the
ingredients list. It may be hiding there with names like maltodextrin, barley malt,
or fruit juice concentrate. If you believe you’re making all the right food choices
and eating healthy, but you’re still dealing with the frustration of…

Bloating, gas
Cravings
Increased appetite
Poor mood (focus, irritability, depression)
Low or unstable energy
Stubborn belly fat
Inability to lose weight

… it’s likely you’re getting way more sugar in your diet than you want or
need.
Those symptoms may also be telling you that extra sugar has led to a stealth
attacker—Candida Albicans, or Candida, a systemic fungal overgrowth. Candida
is a condition that thrives on sugar and makes you crave it. You could also be
struggling with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, an overgrowth of bad gut
bacteria fed by all of that sugar (see here). These bacteria actually cause you to
extract more calories from the food you eat and store them as fat. Talk about
unfair!
Or you may be dealing with leaky gut syndrome, which results when the tight
junctions in your intestinal wall have become loose from repeated attack due to
stress, fructose, gluten, toxicity, and certain medications. That increased
permeability lets undigested food particles and toxic waste slip into your
bloodstream, triggering an immune response and inflammation. You feel all that
internal warfare as brain smog, headaches, bloating, gas, cramps, food
sensitivities, and general aches and pains. All of these conditions make it hard, if
not impossible to lose weight.
The important thing to remember is that you’re not powerless against the
forces of sugar. When you lower your SI and reset your sensitivity to sugar, your
metabolic balance is restored, which paves the way for you to drop weight and
feel better fast.

Sneaky Sugar
You may be eating more sugar than you realize. Here are some sneaky sources that might
surprise you.

Medium muffin (113 grams)—61 grams carb/37 grams sugar

Orange juice (12 ounces)—39 grams carb/33 grams sugar
Apple juice (12 ounces)—42 grams carb/39 grams sugar
Oriental Chicken Salad—42 grams carb/18 grams sugar
FAGE Total 0% Apple Cinnamon Raisins (6 ounces)—17 grams carb/16 grams sugar
Starbucks Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino Blended Beverage (16 ounces)—72 grams carb/69
grams sugar
Starbucks Hot Chocolate (16 ounces)—50 grams carb/43 grams sugar
Jamba Juice Banana Berry Smoothie (16 ounces)—68 grams carb/60 grams sugar
Jamba Juice Mango-A-Go-Go Light Smoothie (16 ounces)—42 grams carb/37 grams
sugar
Coca-Cola Classic (12 ounces)—39 grams carb/39 grams sugar
Dunkin Donuts Cinnamon Raisin Bagel—66 grams carb/14 grams sugar

SUGAR ADDICTION
That same survival circuitry that told us to eat sweets whenever we could find
them has turned into an addiction pathway in a world of sweet abundance. We’re
still driven to find it and eat it, in case it’s our last chance to have it for a while.
If only that were the case!
A sugar high is a real thing, as is sugar addiction. As Dr. Pamela Peeke,
author of The Hunger Fix, explained it to me, “Animal studies have shown that
refined sugar is more addictive than cocaine, heroin, or morphine. An animal
will choose an Oreo over morphine. Why? This cookie has the perfect
combination of sugar and fat to hijack the brain’s reward center.”
 A bag of chips or chocolate bar sends a rush of sugar that alerts the reward
center in your brain to release feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin,
dopamine, and beta endorphin. These endorphins are made in your pituitary
gland and hypothalamus and are released in response to dietary triggers—mainly
foods with that powerful combination of fat and sugar. The endorphin surge
gives you intense pleasure and blocks pain, the same as if you had just injected
heroin. Yep, this is your brain on sugar. A 2001 study published in the journal
NeuroReport states that “palatable food stimulates neural systems implicated in
drug dependence.”
But you probably don’t need to be told about serotonin or dopamine or
opioids to know you’re hooked. Just think about the way you feel when you
have to do without it: you’re tired, cranky, irritable, lethargic, and craving it.
That’s called withdrawal. So you get your hands on it (finally!) and you binge.
Ahh. You feel so good. Then you feel so lousy. And guilty.
But it’s not your fault! Don’t beat yourself up for your lack of “willpower.”
When your blood sugar gets low, you crave something that will give you a quick
hit of energy, which is nothing short of a survival mechanism. Those cravings
are your body’s way of getting what it needs to rescue your blood sugar. Sugar
does that for you. Of course, once you have sugar, you’re back on the sugar-
high/energy crash ride that started your cravings to begin with!
We can’t deny the mounting evidence of sugar’s toxicity. But if we’re sugar
addicts, we’re patients first, and we need to heal ourselves above all else.

THE IMPACT OF STRESS

Sometimes those sugar cravings are a result of low blood sugar, but it’s no
surprise that cravings strike even when you’re not hungry. We also turn to food
for comfort when we’re stressed or upset.
When we’re stressed, we don’t crave wild salmon or grass-fed beef. We crave
sugar. And you don’t have to take my word for it. Researchers at the University
of South Florida found that when people are stressed, they crave foods that are
higher in sugar and fat. But ironically, sugar actually stresses your body further,
shooting it full of short-term energy, sending your hormones into a spin cycle,
and causing your blood sugar to spike and then plummet. So our go-to crutch
actually leaves us more jittery and crankier than before. Not to mention that it
causes weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, and worse. I’d
consider that pretty stressful!
 The good news is that going low SI is the soothing change your system needs
to pull you out of the cravings/crash cycle—in just 2 weeks.

SUGAR AND YOUR HORMONES

One of the reasons stress has you jonesing for chocolate chip cookies instead of
Brussels sprouts is that stress puts a big dent in the level of your don’t-worry-be-
happy hormone, serotonin. Serotonin is one of the feel-good endorphins released
when you eat sugar.
There are lots of ways other than sugar to address chronic stress and
stimulate your brain’s pleasure center, but unfortunately few offer the immediate
relief of a “drug” like fudge. The serotonin hit you get from sugar quiets the
noise and gives you a little pleasure—even if it’s not for long. Soon as you crash,
you’re plagued with guilt and remorse, and you beat yourself up and reach for
some munchies to self-soothe. Incidentally, antidepressants do what sugar does
—they get available serotonin into your brain. That idea of self-medicating isn’t
so far off, is it?

IT’S TIME TO HEAL

Now you know how bad sugar is for you. Don’t despair—there’s a solution! The
key is to avoid drastic measures. If you try to cut out sugar cold turkey, you’ll go
into withdrawal, just as you would with any addiction. That’s why you’re going
to taper and transition, nice and easy, from high-to medium-to low-SI foods. It’s
a process that sets you up for success and prevents the cravings that can set you
back. I’m also going to give you strategies to help you fight any and all
symptoms that pop up as you make the shift to low-SI living. I’ll hold your hand
and help you ease off the high-SI foods that are hurting you—so you can seize
the vibrant life that’s waiting for you!
As you heal, you’re going to retrain your taste buds. Yes, even if you have a
genetic sweet tooth! Just as you trained your body to become insensitive to sugar
and want more of the sweet stuff, you’re going to teach it to once again to be
sugar-sensitive.
Being sugar-sensitive means you’ll finally get rid of your cravings. You’ll
appreciate the exquisite subtle sweetness of fruit like raspberries and
blackberries, spices like vanilla and cinnamon (which helps control blood sugar)
—things you hardly notice or appreciate as a sugar addict. You’ll even become
aware that some foods are “too sweet.” Yes, I’m going to ruin them for you!

LESS IS LESS, MORE IS MORE

When you give your body healthy substitutes for its addiction to carbs, it will
begin to crave those foods instead. So pile on the clean, lean protein, stock your
fridge with fresh veggies and hummus, and keep nuts and seeds at the ready on
your countertop. They’ll keep your serotonin levels even and will help keep your
amped-up food-reward cycle in check. A steady supply of sugar to the brain
from slow carbs actually helps your mental clarity and focus.
And as your taste buds come alive again, I’ll help you work more spicy and
savory foods into your diet using Cajun spices, salsas, garlic, and onions. You’ll
ratchet up the flavor in your foods until you can appreciate the way they burst!
As a sugar addict, you may not even realize that your diet is bland. But it is! Not
only because you’re eating one-dimensional high SI foods, but because you’ve
also lost your ability to truly taste. And you’re missing out on a lot. You’re
missing bitter, like the nuance in dark chocolate, and tart, like the party on your
tongue after you eat Greek yogurt. These foods and flavors will all help you
transition beyond craving sweet, and only sweet.
Don’t worry about letting go of your favorite foods—remember we’re
swapping delicious, familiar lower-SI foods for the high-SI foods you’ve been
eating, so you won’t even miss them. I’m willing to bet you like the swaps even
more—for the way they taste, and the way they make you feel.

MY IMPACT!

Lorrie Valinsky
Starting weight: 180 lbs.
Current weight: 165 lbs.
Total lost: 15 lbs.

For the past 11 years, following a radical colon cancer surgery, I had to adapt my social life due to my
gastrointestinal (GI) issues, especially after eating. I would meet my girlfriends for lunch, but instead
of continuing the afternoon with after-lunch activities, I would beg off and head home. I was fatigued
and in need of being close to a bathroom. The same held true when my husband and I went out with
 other couples in the evening. I could join for dinner, but not the “ands”… and a movie, a play, a
concert, drinks. I accepted this as a small price to pay for having my life.
About a year ago, I was flipping TV channels and heard a woman discussing The Virgin Diet. I
stopped flipping and started listening, and I liked what I heard. It made sense. Immediately, I
downloaded the book, The Virgin Diet, and started my journey with JJ. I lost 32 pounds rather quickly
and had improved energy and decreased joint pain. All was well until I hit the dreaded plateau. I still
wanted to lose another 20 pounds, but nothing was happening. I kept eating according to the Virgin
Diet, but instead of staying the course, being the sugar addict that I am, I let sugar back in my diet. I
was frustrated and thought… what harm can a little sugar do? The answer is… a lot!
My joint pain returned. My energy level took a nosedive in the late afternoon. I gained back 20 of
the 32 pounds I had lost. And worst of all, my chronic GI problems became increasingly debilitating.
How could such a sweet, natural, innocuous thing like sugar wreak all this havoc?
I decided that I needed to get this addiction under control, once and for all. I committed to the
Sugar Impact Diet and steeled myself for the inevitable headaches and moodiness that have always
accompanied my previous sugar withdrawals. I started the program a week before Halloween. I wanted
to challenge myself with all that good chocolate around. So I stayed in Cycle 1 for 2 weeks. The
headaches and moodiness never appeared. Once I started Cycle 2, my energy level was high and even
all day long, my joint pain was greatly reduced, and my GI issues improved radically. My intense sugar
cravings were gone, and within 4 weeks, I lost 15 pounds and five inches each from my waist and hips!
Somewhere during Cycle 2 of the Sugar Impact Diet, I also realized that after lunch with a friend, I
wasn’t feeling the need to run home. I had abundant energy and no GI problems. Then my daughter
came home for Thanksgiving. We decided to jump into the fray and do Black Friday at a local
shopping area. We shopped for 2 hours, had lunch, then shopped for another 5 hours! We had a blast!
When we got home, it dawned on me what I was able to do. When I pointed it out to my daughter, she
flew across the room and hugged me saying, “That’s right! I can’t believe I have my old mom back!”
I am back. I feel like my old self! The Sugar Impact Diet has given me all the “ands” back in my
life. This is huge!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

You’ll have everything you need to be successful on the Sugar Impact Diet, even
beyond the food. This program is designed to take you through three cycles (see
here for a refresher) so that you can transition to a low-SI diet without shocking
your body or succumbing to nasty cravings. If any withdrawal symptoms hit,
don’t try to tough them out. You don’t have to! I’ve got lots of helpful strategies
in Chapter 8 and in the Resources section on my website
(http://sugarimpact.com/resources) to help get you through the first week until
the withdrawal passes and you feel better than you’ve ever felt! In Chapters 8
and 9, I include fool-proof menu plans and delicious recipes that make it easy—
and tasty—to follow the program. I’ve also got your back with strategies on how
to handle stress (see the Supportive Supplements online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources) and eating out (see Chapter 12), and how to
support your transformation with powerful exercises (see Chapter 12) that don’t
require hours out of your week or a gym membership.
I’ve designed this program to win your fight against sugar—so you can’t fail!
This program will help you heal your body, shatter those weight-loss plateaus,
kick fast fat loss in high gear, and get you over the withdrawal hurdle, fast. Your
inflammation will let up, your hormones will swing back into balance, your
mood will level out, you’ll finally sleep, and you’ll wake up with enough energy
to conquer the world. Most people feel so good they want to stick with it for life.
I’m pretty sure you’ll never go back, either.
 2

TRACK YOUR IMPACT

Remember when you showed up to class and the teacher served up a surprise
quiz that day? Arriving at this chapter may bring back that feeling. But not to
worry, it will be quick and painless, and this quiz is the beginning of the path to
sugar freedom.
Take a couple of minutes to take the Sugar Impact Quiz. This quiz has you
measure some of the most common symptoms of a high Sugar Impact (SI) diet.
We’re going to use your score as a baseline to start the Sugar Impact Diet and for
progressing through the cycles, so you’ll see improvement no matter where you
start. We’ll also come back to it later for a reassessment to see how far you’ve
come.

Sugar Impact Quiz

Rate each category from 1 to 5, with 1 meaning that for you the area is a nonissue, and 5
that it’s a big problem.

Low or unstable energy

Sugar and carb cravings
Appetite
Poor mood and focus
Gas and bloating
Difficulty losing weight
Belly fat

If your total score is 20 or above, or you score at 4 or higher on 2 or more symptoms,

you may have to extend Cycle 1 by a week to ease your transition to Cycle 2. Also consider
using one or more of the Speed-Healing Techniques in Chapter 10 (here).
 If you’re struggling with chronic health conditions you also may need to spend a second
week in Cycle 1 and taper more slowly so you’ll be able to go through Cycle 2 with ease.
Use the Sneaky Sugar Inventory in this chapter (here) to identify where medium and high
Sugar Impact foods are sneaking into your diet on a regular basis, and make these the first
ones you swap out during Cycle 1.
If you’re starting from the ideal place of a score of 2 or less per symptom, and 12 or
less overall, good for you! You’ll still see a benefit from the program, and you’ll avoid these
symptoms becoming an issue for you later on.

When your symptoms are right there in front of you, in black and white, it
speaks volumes, doesn’t it? For a lot of people, this quiz is really a wake-up call.
The good news is that wherever you’re starting from, the Sugar Impact Diet can
help you heal and conquer sugar for good!

THE SUGAR IMPACT SCALES

I’ve created the Sugar Impact Scales to be your cheat sheets and take the
thinking out of this for you. You can eat and shop with blissful abandon,
knowing I’ve got your back.
The Sugar Impact Quiz no doubt made it very clear that now is the time for a
change. You’re not feeling as good as you could, and you’re carrying around
stubborn extra pounds you can’t hide, pounds that take their toll on your self-
esteem every day. Without making a change, your situation won’t change, either,
and it could very well get worse. Every journey begins with the first step. And
the first step here is to figure out where the sugar in your diet is coming from.
The Sugar Impact Scale takes into account a food’s fructose (in grams),
nutrient density, and fiber, as well as its glycemic load, a measurement of how
the food affects your blood sugar levels (more on the glycemic index and
glycemic load here). Fiber and nutrients are positives that can downshift the
effects of high fructose and glycemic load. And, of course, dose matters—the
glycemic load is also based on average serving size.
This scale is a simple and easy way of categorizing foods according to their
overall impact on your blood sugar—high, medium, or low. Think of low-SI
foods as “green.” You’re good to go on these foods; eat them regularly. Consider
the medium-SI foods yellow, so proceed with caution and incorporate only the
amount you can have and still feel great. (I’ll walk you through the best way to
taper medium-SI foods out of your diet in Cycle 1, and then I’ll explain how to
figure out the right amount for you to eat long term in Cycle 3.) When it comes
to high-SI foods, you guessed it—stop! Think of them as red. Eat and drink them
as a rare treat, and even when you do, you’re likely to feel it. And not in a good
way.
Here’s the shorthand:

High SI—stop!
Medium SI—proceed with caution
Low SI—go!

I’ve also pinpointed seven food groups where hidden sugars tend to be an
issue. Some of these may surprise you:

Grains
Roots
Packaged fruit
Low and no-fat dairy and diet foods
Sauces, dressings, and condiments
Sweet drinks
Sweeteners and added sugar

Within each of these seven categories, I’ve ranked foods according to the
Sugar Impact Scales, so that you’ll know just which high-SI foods to trade for
low-to medium-SI options. I go into more detail about the seven foods and
provide Sugar Impact Scales for each food in Part II of the book. (They are also
available online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources.)

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS: UNDERSTANDING THE THREE

CYCLES
The Sugar Impact Diet is designed to help you gradually shift from a high-SI
diet to a low-SI diet. It’s essential that you transition your diet gradually to avoid
withdrawal and cravings that can set you back, which is why there are three
cycles in the program. Here’s how they work.

Cycle 1—Taper
The first step is to identify what’s sabotaging your weight and health. Where are
the sugar landmines in your diet? You’ll figure that out by taking the Sneaky
Sugar Inventory (here). Once you pinpoint the sneaky sugars that are sabotaging
your health, this cycle will help you step away from them slowly, easing you
from high-SI foods to medium-SI foods.
Be prepared: the Sneaky Sugar Inventory is an eye-opener. It even shocked
me. And I thought I had my SI in check! But there it was… piling up in my diet
in innocent-looking fruit, sundried tomatoes, and balsamic dressing.
What’s great is that it doesn’t matter where you start out—you can always
improve. You’ll make a big jump or a lot of little ones, but any size step makes a
difference, especially when it comes to everyday habits. And remember—you’re
not going cold turkey! You’re going to trade and taper with swaps. Nothing is
cut from your diet without being replaced. Don’t be surprised if you like the
swaps better anyway—doesn’t a sauce made with fresh tomatoes, basil, and
olive oil sound a heck of a lot better than a sugar-filled jar of boring marinara?
Depending on where you start on the Sugar Impact Quiz, you’ll spend 1 or 2
weeks in Cycle 1. This time is necessary to lay the groundwork for Cycle 2. As
you swap high-SI foods for medium-SI foods, you’ll begin your shift from sugar
burner to fat burner—and seeing the change in your energy levels and on the
scale will be the motivation you need to stay on the plan until you’re ready to
move to Cycle 2.

Cycle 2—Transition

These are the weeks you’ll see the weight fall off and you’ll truly reset your
body and taste buds after years of eating the wrong way. During Cycle 2 you’ll
swap medium-SI foods for low-SI foods, and your metabolism will shift from
burning sugar to burning fat! And to keep your motivation high, you’ll be losing
weight—specifically losing fat—quickly. The average person loses 10 pounds
during these 2 weeks! As the weight melts off, you’re letting your taste buds
come back to life and you’re retraining them to appreciate what natural
sweetness really means.

Cycle 3—Transformed!

By the time you get to Cycle 3, you’ll feel like a new person—you’ll be lighter,
more energetic, and more in tune with how your body is designed to eat. Many
of my clients feel so great by the time they get to Cycle 3 that they don’t want to
reintroduce any high-SI foods! But the last thing I want is for you to gradually
slip back into your old high-SI habits over time, and that’s where Cycle 3 comes
in. This cycle is all about customizing the program to your body and your long-
term goals. Using the Sugar Impact Quiz, you’ll determine how much sugar you
can handle on a daily basis without unraveling all your progress and without
losing the great feeling that comes with low-SI living. Your quiz results will help
you create a maintenance program that works specifically for you and builds on
your success going forward.

SUGAR HIDE AND SEEK

To begin your Sugar Impact Diet journey, you’ll need to take stock of where you
are. Your starting place will help map a path forward that’s tailored specifically
to your needs. So go through this Sneaky Sugar Inventory and make a note of
which foods you eat regularly. Once you’ve identified them, you’ll use the Sugar
Impact Scales to swap them out. In just 2 weeks, you’ll see weight come off fast,
and you’ll be on your way to reclaiming your health and life. Go!

Sneaky Sugar Inventory

Note any food or food ingredient eaten in the last week.

Acesulfame-K
Agave
Almond milk ice cream
Amaranth
Amaranth flour
Animal crackers
Apples
Apricots
Asian dressing
Aspartame
Baked beans
Balsamic vinaigrette
Balsamic vinegar
Banana
Barley
BBQ sauce
Bean chips
Beer
Beet juice
Beets
Biscotti
Black bean flour
Blue cheese dressing
Brandy
Bread and butter pickles
Breakfast bars
Brown rice
Brown sauce
Brown sugar
Buckwheat
Buckwheat flour
Caesar dressing
Cakes and pies
Candy
Cane syrup
Canned fruit cocktail
Capri Sun
Caramel sauce
Carnation Instant Breakfast
Carrot juice
Catalina dressing
Cereals
Champagne
Cherries
Chocolate syrup
Cocktail sauce
Coconut milk creamer, sweetened
Coconut milk ice cream (sweetened) Coconut palm sugar
Coconut sugar
Coffee creamers
(refrigerated or dry)
Commercial “smoothies”
Cookies
Cool Whip and Lite Cool Whip
Corn
Corn cereals
Corn chips
Corn syrup
Corn tortillas
Cornstarch
Couscous
Crackers
Cream cheese spread
Cream of Wheat
Creamsicles
Crystal Light
Crystalline fructose
Cyclamates
Dates
Diet soda
Dried fruit snacks
Energy bars
English muffins
“Enhanced” waters (with sweeteners) Ensure
Farro
Fat-free baked chips
Fat-free muffin mix
Fat-free or sugar-free Jell-O
Fat-free pudding
Fat-free Twizzlers
Fava bean flour
Fermented soy
Fish sauce
Flavored almond milk yogurt
Flavored coconut yogurt
Flavored kefirs
French dressing
French fries
Fresh figs
Frozen yogurt
Fruit added cream cheese
Fruit juice concentrates
Fruit juice Popsicles
Fruit juices
Fruit leather
Fudgesicles
Fuze
Garbanzo flour
Gatorade
Gelato
Gin
Glazed nuts
Glucose
Gluten-free beer
Gluten-free flour
Graham crackers
Granola bars
Grapes
Green curry sauce
Grits
Half-and-half
High-fructose corn syrup
Hoisin
Honey
Honey mustard
Honey mustard dressing
Honey roasted peanuts
Honeydew
Hot and sour sauce
Hot cocoa
Ice cream
Ice cream sandwiches
Instant oatmeal
Instant rice
Italian dressing
Jams
Ketchup
Kiwi
Kombucha tea
Kool-Aid
Lentil chips
Low-fat cheeses
Low-fat cream cheese spread
Low-fat graham crackers
Low-fat or fat-free ice cream bars Low-fat or fat-free Ice Dream
Low-fat or light frozen dinners: Lean Cuisine, Lean Pockets, Lean Gourmet, etc.
Low-fat Oreos
Low-fat plain yogurt
Macaroni and cheese
Maltodextrin
Mango
Mannitol
Maple syrup
Marinara sauce
Marshmallows
Mashed potatoes
Matzoh
Milk chocolate
Millet
Millet flour
Mixed drinks
Molasses
Mousse
Muesli
Muffins
Mung bean noodles
Nectar
Neotame
Nestlé’s Quik
Neufchatel cheese
Non-fat cheeses
Non-fat cream cheese
Non-fat plain yogurt
Nut chips
Oyster crackers
Papaya
Parsnips
Part-skim mozzarella
Part-skim ricotta
Pastas
Peanut sauce
Pears
Pickle relish
Pineapple
Pineapple cottage cheese
Pita
Plain coconut yogurt (sweetened)
Plums
Polenta
Pomegranate
Popcorn
Pop-Tarts
Port
Potato chips
Potato starch
PowerAde
Preserves
Pretzels
Pudding
Puffed millet
Puffed rice
Quick breads
Quinoa flakes
Quinoa flour
Quinoa pastas
Ranch dressing
Raspberry vinaigrette
Red curry sauce
Reduced-fat cookies
Reduced-fat crackers
Reduced-fat macaroni and cheese
Reduced-fat peanut butter
Reduced-fat Pringles
Rice cakes
Rice chips
Rice crackers
Rice flour
Rice pasta
Rice syrup
Rice tortillas
Risotto
Rockstar energy drink
Root veggie chips
Rum
Rutabaga
Saccharin
Scones
SlimFast
Snack packs
SnackWells low-fat and fat-free cookies and treats Sobe
Soda
Sorbet
Sorbitol
Soy cheeses
Splenda
Sprouted whole grain breads
Steak sauce
Strawberry cream cheese
Sucralose
Sundried tomatoes
Sweet chili
Sweet pickle relish
Sweet pickles
Sweet potato fries
Sweet potatoes
Sweet tea
Sweetened coconut water
Sweetened cows’ milks (vanilla, chocolate) Sweetened dairy-free milks
 Sweetened nut butters
Sweetened whipped cream
Tangerines
Tartar sauce
Tequila
Teriyaki sauce
Thousand Island dressing
Tomato juice
Tomato paste
Tomato sauce
Tortillas
Unsweetened rice milk
Unsweetened soy milk
V8 juice
Vitaminwater
Vodka
Wasa crackers
Water crackers
Watermelon
Wheat breads
Whipped cream cheese
White flour products
White potatoes
Whole grain cereal
Wine
Worcestershire sauce
Yams
Yogurts with sugar
or artificial sweeteners
<85% dark chocolate
94% fat-free microwave kettlecorn 94% fat-free microwave popcorn

HOW DID YOU DO?

Now that you’ve given it the once-over, tell me—how many foods on this list are
you eating every week? Every day? Well, guess what? You’re far from alone.
 After decades of a misguided information-assault and billions of dollars in
advertising that seems to find us when we sleep, here’s a look at a day in the life
of “healthy” eating as an average American: Yawn, stretch. What’s for
breakfast? Oh, look! It’s instant oatmeal or fruit yogurt with wheat toast and
orange juice. Yum. Maybe a snack mid-morning, but just a protein bar. So far so
good. And for lunch, it’s a salad. How about the one with raspberry vinaigrette,
glazed walnuts, dried cranberries, and a pita wedge? And, of course, diet soda.
Dinner? Everyone loves pasta! Thank goodness there are healthy pasta choices.
Whole wheat pasta and canned marinara sauce it is.
During a day like that, this is what the average American body registers:
Breakfast—sugar
Lunch—sugar
Dinner—sugar
If there were a sugar seismograph in your body, it would be scratching out a
catastrophic event at every meal. But how could you know? That’s the way
we’ve all been taught to eat for most of our lives. It’s just one more reason it’s so
important to understand where sugar hides, how it’s metabolized and, most
important, that you can actually reset your sugar sensitivity. When that happens,
you’ll be more attuned to subtler, naturally occurring sugars, and your cravings
for sickeningly sweet sweets will be gone for good.

GAUGING SUGAR’S IMPACT

If anyone ever tries to tell you “sugar is sugar,” you can leave them where they
stand, right there in 1999. All sugars are not created equal, especially when it
comes to the major differences in how your body processes each one.
Unless you only eat meat (and I don’t recommend that, you’re not a jungle
cat), you’re going to get some sugar in your diet. And not just from sweet things.
Even green, non-starchy veggies and raw nuts contain a little sugar. Ideally, you
should focus on eating whole foods, which means there are no added sugars. For
processed foods, my rule is that food should have no more than 5 grams of
added sugar per 100-calorie serving (and the less the better, of course). And, of
course, it goes without saying (but I figured I might as well) that I mean the
healthier, least-processed choices here.
As you learned in Chapter 1, food is information, and from here on out
you’re going to look at carbohydrates differently. All carbs except straight fiber
will end up as sugar. You’re going to evaluate them based on their overall impact
on you: Do they create steady, sustained energy, or spike and crash it? Do they
slowly raise blood sugar or send it on a ride? Do they keep you satisfied or make
you hungrier?
The SI of a food is determined by a variety of factors: its glycemic load (a
measure of how much a serving of food changes your blood sugar levels—see
here for more on this), fructose levels, nutrient density, and fiber. The Sugar
Impact Scales take all of this into account. Your body’s response to a high-SI
food, in turn, is governed by your metabolic health, which is directly a result of
how high an SI diet you’ve been eating and for how long. That’s what influences
your degree of sugar sensitivity.
And, by the way, no one is immune from sugar’s impact—given enough time
and exposure, we’ll all become insensitive to it. You can take measures to
protect yourself with quality sleep, good stress management, and regular
exercise. But the single most effective thing you can do to reverse the damage
sugar has already done and to increase your immunity to it going forward is to
make sure you eat food that’s low on the SI Scales. When you do, you’ll reset
your sugar sensitivity—in just 2 weeks!

THE GLYCEMIC INDEX

The foods you eat on the Sugar Impact Diet create a slow, steady rise in blood
sugar. Among other things, they’ve been chosen based on the source of the sugar
in them, which will give you some information about its impact. That brings me
to the glycemic index (GI).
The GI is a rating system designed to measure how much the food you eat
affects your blood sugar levels. Pure glucose is ranked highest, at 100, and all
other foods are measured accordingly. The higher its glycemic rating, the greater
the effect a food will have on your blood sugar. The best choice to keep your
blood sugar levels balanced is to stick to lower glycemic foods.
Some fruits, most veggies, lentils, and hummus with raw vegetables are all
low on the GI scale. Higher-glycemic fruits like bananas and grapes can raise
blood sugar pretty quickly because they have more sugar and less fiber than
other fruits, like berries.
So the glycemic index can be useful, within limits. The problem is that the GI
makes fructose look like an angel. That’s because fructose doesn’t raise your
blood sugar or insulin, so according to the GI it should be a great and healthy
choice. But we know it’s anything but.
 The glycemic index also doesn’t take quantity into account, which is an issue.
All foods on the glycemic index are measured using the same amount—it
doesn’t use realistic serving sizes. Potatoes, beets, and carrots are all high on the
glycemic index. But it’s easier to eat a lot of potatoes in one sitting than a lot of
carrots, right? That’s why the glycemic load is a better tool.

THE GLYCEMIC LOAD

The glycemic load (GL) uses the glycemic index as its foundation. Then it takes
serving size—the amount you eat—into account. That makes perfect sense,
right? The amount of a food you eat also matters.
GL, like the GI, uses a numerical ranking system to assess how much a food
will raise your blood glucose level after eating it. It’s calculated by multiplying
the GI of a food by the amount of carbohydrate being consumed, and dividing
the total by 100.
Let’s say a carrot has a GI of 92 and 6 grams of carbohydrates. Its GL, then,
is 92 × 6/100, or 5.52. Mashed potatoes, on the other hand, have a GI of 83 with
20 grams of carbohydrates, so the GL is 83 × 20/100, or 16.6. Just as with the
GI, the lower the GL, the better.
Now, at least, we’re taking the dose of sugar into account. But we’re not there
yet.

FRUCTOSE HAS US PEGGED

The amount of fructose in a food can have a big influence on its SI. When you
eat fructose, you bypass every one of your body’s satiety safety nets, and your
system functions in reverse. Your appetite switch is pegged in the on position,
and it causes you to overeat. And worse yet, you’re storing that fructose as fat.
So now you’re fat, overweight, and hungry! I assume you don’t want to be good
at storing fat and being hungry, right? What a nightmare! Let’s put that thought
right out of our minds.
The good news is that the less fructose you eat, the less fat you store! When
you reduce fructose, you can restore your sugar sensitivity very quickly, which
means you’ll get rid of your cravings, you’ll appreciate the natural sweetness of
whole fruits, and you’ll naturally want to avoid foods that taste too sweet. Best
of all, you’ll get those results fast.
FIBER AND NUTRIENTS
I’ll get more into the nutritional role of fiber in the next chapter, but let me touch
on its role in SI here. Consider the difference between a carrot and carrot juice,
an orange and orange juice. Don’t you think the sugar in the juices will have a
slightly different impact on your system than the whole food? Of course it will!
A cup of blueberries has 15 grams of sugar, and that’s a lot (by comparison, a
cup of raspberries has just over 5 grams and the same amount of strawberries has
about 7 grams). But berries are low on the glycemic index, and provide a slow,
steady rise in blood sugar that won’t trigger a dramatic insulin response. How’s
that possible? The answer is fiber.
Nature packed blueberries and other fruits with nutrients, fiber, antioxidants,
and all kinds of other goodness that cumulatively lower the SI on your body. The
fiber and nutrients in blueberries are the reason they’re relatively low on the
glycemic index, despite their sugar content. In fact, studies show blueberries can
actually help normalize blood sugar levels and reduce your risk for diabetes. In
2006, a study in the journal Phytomedicine demonstrated that extracts of the
Canadian blueberry have promise as a complementary anti-diabetic therapy.
Vitamin C in fruit acts as an antioxidant that specifically improves insulin
sensitivity and insulin’s ability to get glucose out of the bloodstream.
The phytonutrients and fiber in nature’s foods change the way your body
deals with sugar. Even high-GI fruits like dates and watermelon and higher-sugar
tubers and starchy carbs like sweet potatoes and beets have phytonutrients and
fiber, so you don’t want to cut them out of your diet completely. I’ll arm you
with all the info you need on how much of them you can eat, and how often, in
Part II with my at-a-glance Sugar Impact Scale lists.

SUGAR HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT

Sugar is right under our noses, popping up on labels with more than 55 “fake
IDs.” That hardly seems fair! Here’s a look at some of the masqueraders.

The Many Names for Sugar

Barley malt
Beet sugar
Brown sugar
Buttered syrup
Cane juice crystals
Cane sugar
Caramel
Carob syrup
Castor sugar
Confectioners’ sugar
Corn syrup
Corn syrup solids
Date sugar
Demerara sugar
Dextran
Dextrose
Diastatic malt
Diatase
Ethyl maltol
Fructose
Fruit juice
Fruit juice concentrate
Galactose
Glucose
Glucose solids
Golden sugar
Golden syrup
Grape sugar
High-fructose corn syrup
Honey
Icing sugar
Invert sugar
Lactose
Malt syrup
Maltodextrin
Maltose
Maple syrup
Molasses
Muscovado sugar
Panocha
Raw sugar
 Refiner’s syrup
Rice syrup
Sorbitol
Sorghum syrup
Sucrose
Sugar
Treacle
Turbinado sugar
Yellow sugar

The Many Names for Artificial Sweeteners

Acesulfame potassium
Alitame
Aspartame
Aspartame-acesulfame salt
Cyclamate
Isomalt
Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone
NutraSweet
Saccharin
Splenda
Sucralose

You can make huge gains toward your health and weight-loss goals just by
identifying added sugar in the food you’re currently eating and beginning to cut
those foods—and that sugar—out. When you also manage the amount of
naturally occurring sugar you’re eating, mostly in fruits, juices, roots, and grains,
you’re going to shoot your energy and weight loss to the next level, fast. On my
plan, you’ll notice a visible difference in the way you look and feel in just 2
weeks!

NO-SUGAR-ADDED AND SUGAR-FREE FOODS

Let’s be honest. You get excited when you see that sparkly starburst on the box
telling you there’s been no sugar added to those fruit roll-ups. Well, I’ll be
delicate here. They’re taking some poetic license—with your health.
Manufacturers give you some credit, and they know that if you saw a box that
read “21 teaspoons of added sugar for your metabolic upheaval!” you might
think twice. So they’ve spent a lot of time and money testing ways to get around
your sensible objections so they can manipulate you into buying as much of
what they’re selling as possible, guilt and worry-free. They’ve made all your
favorite treats “without added sugar,” so you could have your cake and eat it,
too. It’s a little like the magician’s equivalent of “Look over here at this shiny
object!”
And just because a manufacturer labels a food or drink “no added sugar,” that
in no way means that it doesn’t contain sugar. No added sugar does not mean
sugar-free. It can also mean they’ve used fruit juice concentrate as their
sweetener. That’s essentially fructose without the fiber. And remember, white
flour will end up as sugar anyway, so many of the ingredients in your no-sugar-
added cookie will turn into sugar as soon as you start munching.
Labels can be misleading. You don’t see labels on fruits and vegetables or
nuts and seeds, do you?

MY IMPACT!

Pia Civiletti
Starting Weight: 143 lbs.
Current Weight: 130 lbs.
Total Lost: 13 lbs.

Wow, I used to eat so much sugar, and food in general, and I did not even realize it. I was diagnosed
with hypoglycemia in 1996 and have struggled with the daily ups and downs of how my body
processed sugar. If I ate a heavy lunch, my head would practically be on my desk by 3 p.m. I typically
would eat constantly, but even if I was eating healthy foods, it was way too much food for my body,
 leaving me chubby and lethargic. I had frequent gas and bloating, and I had trouble digesting some
vegetables. My endocrine system was burning out. I just felt big, fat, and tired.
Eating very low amounts of sugar has allowed my body to go back to doing what it needs to: get
rid of extra weight and digest foods better. I don’t really miss the sugar either—that includes the bread,
pasta, and fruit. I am not craving anything, so I don’t feel deprived. Losing weight has been easy and
pretty effortless, and I’ve really enjoyed it. I feel light, sexy, and younger. I am wearing clothes that I
would never even pull out of the closet. I am wearing my skinny jeans and can see my hip bones!
I was tickled pink the other day when my son said he noticed how skinny I was getting. Friends
are noticing that I am losing weight and saying how great I look. My energy and ambition has
increased and I just want to go, go, go… make some changes and get moving. Sitting on my big butt
really had me sitting on my proverbial butt as well.
Sugar really had a hold on me, but now I am the boss, and my body knows it. I don’t feel fat
anymore, nor do I feel like an aging woman having to accept the extra weight and Rubenesque look I
was sporting. I have done a lot of diets and detoxes and also hold a certification in health coaching, but
this program holds a crucial piece of the puzzle. There is something about the Sugar Impact Diet that
just makes it so easy to lose the weight. The other diets make you dread having to give something up.
On this program, I don’t feel like I’m giving anything up—except the unwanted pounds!

VOLUME AND IMPACT

No doubt you’re dying to know: How much sugar am I really eating? And
you’re probably wondering how much you should be eating.
Well, to really make the about-face in your weight, your energy, and the
symptoms of inflammation and depression you battle every day, you’re probably
catching on that it’s not only the amount of sugar you’re eating that should
concern you. You also need to make the kinds of sugars you consume and their
impact a priority.
The American Heart Association says added sugars should only be 5% of
your daily discretionary calories. In a measurement that’s a bit easier to
understand, in 2009 a paper published in the journal Circulation established the
limit as 5 teaspoons of added sugar for women and 9 teaspoons for men. The
important distinction here is added sugar, which means they aren’t including
refined grains, fruit juice, and other foods that have a high SI.
The reality is that, according to National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey data published in JAMA, any given one of us is averaging 21.4 teaspoons
of added sugar a day (and the 2009 Circulation paper cites a survey that put it at
22.2 teaspoons a day). Sadly, the highest consumption is among 14-to 18-year-
olds, who average a yikes -inducing 34 teaspoons every day. Not so
coincidentally, children are now being diagnosed with diabetes at an
astronomical rate. It’s jumped more than 20% since 2001. A SEARCH for
Diabetes in Youth Study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention found that of almost 3.5 million people under 20 years old in 2009,
just over 7,500 had diabetes, including 6,668 with type 1 diabetes and 837 with
type 2 diabetes.
The good news is that symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be (totally!) turned
around. Those children—and you—can avoid a miserable lifetime battle with
weight, debilitating conditions, and medications with just a few simple changes
to what you eat.
According to Dr. Robert Lustig, the pioneer in fructose research we
introduced in Chapter 1, 50 grams of sugar (10 teaspoons), with 25 grams being
fructose from fruits and vegetables, is a reasonable daily amount. Ideally that
comes from whole foods. Remember, you have to count all the sugar you’re
consuming, not just the extra table sugar you’re sprinkling on your cereal!
Even if you’re a vegetarian, which is regarded by most measures as a pretty
healthy way of eating, you’re often consuming exponentially more sugar than
you know, especially if you’re also trying to follow a low-fat diet. You’re
probably opting for high-carb options in the absence of meat, and high-carb is
high sugar. (Don’t stress if you’re a vegetarian—you can get great results from
this program, too!)

CHANGE YOUR IMPACT!

You’ve tracked your impact—now it’s time to change it. Don’t panic!
Remember, this program isn’t about deprivation, and you’ll be gradually
decreasing your SI to avoid feelings of withdrawal and cravings. You’ll begin by
simply trading high-SI foods for medium-SI choices, and then medium-SI for
low-SI foods. You’ll make the most sizeable impact when you switch away from
the foods with added sugar or sweeteners, but I’ll also be here to help ensure you
don’t fall prey to the trap of believing all whole foods are created equal, either.
I’ll guide you to the best choices, keep you away from the worst, and let you
know how much you can have of each, so you see a big difference—fast!
 3

THE SUGAR IMPACT PLATE

I’m all about giving you the tools you need to succeed. Getting you off high
Sugar Impact (SI) foods is too important—in fact, it’s no exaggeration to say it’s
a matter of life and death. So you bring the commitment, I’ll bring the strategies,
and together we’re going to crush your sugar addiction, get rid of the extra
pounds you’ve been lugging around, and get you back in the game, feeling great.
One of the most powerful tools is the Sugar Impact Plate. It’s set up to
improve satiety, reduce hunger between meals, create steady sustained energy
and focus, and help you burn fat for fuel. It’s your first step in transitioning from
a sugar burner to a fat burner. I’ll get into each part of the plate in detail later so
you’ll understand its purpose.
When you eat according to the Sugar Impact Plate, with balanced meals of
clean, lean protein, healthy fats, colorful non-starchy veggies, and some slow
carbs, you’re not going to be chased by cravings all day, and you’ll eat less
overall. Plus, what you do eat will be food that heals and honors your body, and
burns fat fast.
 The Sugar Impact Plate

UNDERSTANDING THE SUGAR IMPACT PLATE

I’ve talked a lot about how this book will help you transition from higher-SI
foods to lower-SI foods. But food quality matters, too. And it’s worth
understanding how all of the major food players work together to support you
and get you to the finish line faster.
Each macronutrient—protein, fat, or carbohydrate—creates its own hormonal
response, depending on the quality, timing, and amount you eat. Carbs are a
source of energy, and they trigger the release of insulin to help absorb glucose
from your blood and move it into your cells, where it’s stored as glycogen or fat.
Proteins are the building blocks of lean muscle tissue, and they support satiety
by slowing down stomach emptying, which keeps ghrelin, the hunger hormone,
suppressed. Fat releases chemicals in the small intestine that tell your brain you
are full.
But we don’t typically eat foods in isolation, so what really matters is what
happens when those macronutrients are combined. That’s why the Sugar Impact
Plate is so important. You may remember that refined sugar by itself is a bad
thing (especially liquid sugars like juice and soda), but you should avoid
processed foods with added sugar and fat together at all costs—it’s a fat-storing,
metabolically toxic combo.
Meanwhile, your body’s reaction is further impacted by your own personal
chemistry lab. If you’re diabetic or insulin-resistant, eating certain foods can
change you chemically for the worse in a hurry. The good news is that the Sugar
Impact Diet will heal your metabolism quickly—all by eating from the Sugar
Impact Plate and living by the Sugar Impact Clock, a guide for meal timing to
keep your blood sugar nice and even (more about the Sugar Impact Clock later
in this chapter). Your body is amazing, and it will heal fast with the right input!

PROTEIN: THE BUILDING BLOCK YOUR BODY NEEDS

One of the fastest ways to calm your sugar cravings is by eating protein. It’s
fairly common knowledge that protein is great for filling you up and keeping
you satisfied, but did you know that it can actually decrease your cravings, too?
It puts the brakes on our neuronal reward system, the brain chemicals that make
us feel good and motivate us to get more food, even when we’re not hungry.
When we’re low in protein, cravings take over and crack the whip in search of a
quick fix.
Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks your body needs to
make muscle, hormones, and neurotransmitters, and that help you have great
hair, skin, and nails and healthy bones. They’re in every tissue in your body.
Your body is able to create some amino acids on its own, but there are key amino
acids in protein—called essential amino acids—that can only come from food,
which is why protein is so important to your health and such a key part of the
Sugar Impact Diet.
Many times when a sugar craving hits, your body is really crying out for
protein. When you’re low in protein, your system knows it needs energy, and
you crave foods that will give you fuel fast. But a refined high-carb treat is only
going to raise your blood sugar and trigger an insulin response, which shuts off
fat-burning. If you reach for protein instead, it will actually help curb cravings
for sweets by giving your body the kind of sustained energy it really needs. By
eating protein, you can outsmart your sweet tooth!
Protein only minimally impacts blood sugar and doesn’t create a big insulin
spike. That’s because when you eat protein, your pancreas responds by releasing
the hormones glucagon and insulin, which help stabilize blood sugar. Insulin’s
job is to lower your blood sugar by driving glucose into your cells. Once it’s
done its job, glucagon makes sure your blood sugar doesn’t get too low (and you
don’t get too cranky) so it raises your blood sugar by driving glycogen, or stored
sugar, out of your cells. That’s what you want!
GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN
Even if you’re eating enough protein, you may not be assimilating it well. You
can interfere with its absorption if you’re a speed eater, if you drink too much
fluid with your meals, if you don’t chew enough, or if you’ve got low stomach
acid. Low stomach acid is a real concern if you’re over 30 or under stress or—
worse yet—both. And if you’re taking acid blockers, you’re lowering the
stomach acid needed to break down your protein.
So clearly, your goal is to be sure you’re eating enough protein and digesting
it well. I’ll get into specific portions for women, men, athletes, and vegans and
vegetarians in Chapter 8, but in general, every meal should include 1 serving of
clean, lean protein (4–6 ounces of fish, chicken, turkey, or grass-fed beef for
women, 6–8 ounces for men). Vegans and vegetarians—hang on, I’ll be back to
you in a moment.
In general, the average woman should get 75–80 grams of protein a day, and
most men should get 100–120 grams a day. This is based on average size—160
pounds for a woman and 200 pounds for a man. Your protein requirement isn’t
static, though. Your weight and body composition will influence the amount of
protein you need. It will increase if you’re under stress, if you’re healing, and if
you’re doing some heavy resistance training (I’m talking to you, CrossFitters!).
The best protein sources are animal protein, and not just any animal protein.
Choose organic, free-range, cage-free, grass-fed, and no-hormones-added
sources whenever possible. When you choose fish, avoid farm-raised fish and
fish at risk for medium or high levels of the toxic heavy metal mercury, like
orange roughy and swordfish (see here for a helpful list).

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

One of the things you’ll notice about this program is that it’s going to encourage
you to eat more whole foods, the way nature intended. But sadly, not all of the
meat, fish and poultry you eat today—foods you might consider to be healthy,
natural foods—are as healthy for you as you think they are. You not only are
what you eat, but you are what you eat, ate.
I’ll use grass-fed beef as an example. Cows are biologically designed to eat
grass and forage. That’s it. So when you buy and eat meat from a cow that’s only
ever been fed what it’s naturally meant to eat, you benefit from the purity of the
food in that chain. When you don’t ensure your cow was grass-fed, it’s more
than likely that you’re getting your meat from an animal that was fed corn, a
foreign food source for them. In fact, they’re fed corn specifically to fatten them
up. Big leap coming here—what do you think that corn in their diet is doing to
you?
And corn-fed cows aren’t just fed any corn, they’re munching on genetically
modified corn that has been altered to withstand pests and pesticides. So there
goes any diligence you’ve had about keeping genetically modified organisms
(GMOs) out of your diet. They’re also being pumped full of antibiotics to protect
them from the damage their overly acidic diet is doing to their gut and to keep
them from succumbing to disease in the filthy close quarters they’re forced to
endure. Plus they’re often given growth hormones so they produce more meat
and get to the dinner table faster. Make no mistake about it—their stress
becomes your stress. And this is true for all factory animals. When they’re
stressed, their stress hormones increase and end up in the meat you eat.
Grass-fed cows get better food and have a higher quality of life, which
equates to less stress for them and you. They also have higher omega-3 fatty
acids, higher levels of B12, other B vitamins, and trace minerals like magnesium
and calcium. Just by letting a cow be happy and allowing it to eat what it wants
to eat, you’ll get all that goodness in you. So always choose meat from an animal
that was fed its native diet—it’s best for you, too. And supporting farmers who
treat their animals humanely is simply the right thing to do.

IF YOU’RE VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN

I’ve included vegetarian/vegan protein powder on my list of protein sources, but
unless you’re a vegetarian or vegan for spiritual reasons, I personally don’t
advocate getting all your protein from plant-based sources. When you do, you
have to eat either a lot of carbohydrates or a lot of fat to get the protein you need.
If you can’t be swayed, be extra diligent about including protein powder,
legumes (especially lentils), quinoa, nuts, or seeds at each meal. Also, please be
sure to take a B12 supplement (B12 is only available to us naturally in animal-
based food) and an algae-based omega-3 DHA/EPA supplement as well.

Protein
JJ’s Top 10
1. Wild salmon
2. Wild Alaskan halibut
3. Grass-fed beef—all types
4. Virgin Diet All-in-One Shake or protein shake powder per my specifications—see
here
5. Sardines
6. Wild scallops
7. Pastured eggs
8. Grass-fed bison
9. Grass-fed lamb
10. Pastured chicken breast

Food Intolerances
If you have a food intolerance, you may lack an enzyme to digest a certain food well, as
with lactose intolerance. Or you may just have a sensitivity to a food, so it creates low-grade
symptoms over time, such as fatigue, digestive unrest, and joint pain. Food intolerance is
very different from a true food allergy, which is rare but can cause an immediate, scary
physical reaction, as happens when someone allergic to peanuts takes a whiff of one and
their throat starts closing up.
Some foods are more notorious for causing food intolerances, like eggs, dairy, and
gluten. I’ve listed pastured eggs as a good source of clean protein, and I’ve included dairy
foods in this book in the recipes, but you know your body best. If you suspect that you have
any issues eating these foods, avoid them! Choose another option—it’s as simple as that.

JJ’s Worst 10
1. Commercial hot dogs
2. Soy burgers
3. Soy hot dogs
4. Factory-raised 80% ground beef 5. Commercial bacon
6. BBQ-sauced pork ribs
7. Honey-glazed ham
8. Chicken fingers
9. Farmed salmon
10. Bologna
 Do You Need Enzymes?
If you have digestive issues like heartburn or gas and bloating after you eat,
you may need the support of a digestive enzyme supplement. Our body’s
own digestive enzymes, especially our stomach’s hydrochloric acid
secretion, slow down by the time we’re in our thirties, which means we
have more problems breaking down our food. If you’re experiencing the
fallout from that with symptoms after you eat, you may be tempted to self-
medicate. Let me tell you, you’re not doing yourself any favors by popping
antacids. Overuse of antacids can push your hydrochloric acid levels even
lower and make your digestive issues worse. When you’re not digesting
your food well, you’re also not absorbing nutrients, so you can be setting
yourself up for vitamin deficiencies, too.
Highly reactive foods, especially high-SI foods, trigger indigestion,
leaky gut, inflammation, bloating, cramping, and other gut-related issues.
You need to give your gut a chance to heal. Moving to low-SI foods will
help you do that, but you might need some reinforcements, including
probiotics, antimicrobial herbs, fermented foods, and digestive enzymes to
attack your symptoms and get your digestion humming again.

FAT: YOU NEED TO EAT FAT TO BURN FAT

Fat doesn’t make you fat; sugar makes you fat. So connect those dots—a high-
sugar diet is actually a high-fat diet. I’m not asking you to tattoo that
somewhere, but you should know it as if you had. There are many reasons to
start calling fat your friend. For one, it helps curb your cravings for sugar and
fast carbs.
Here’s another big reason—fat doesn’t raise your insulin levels at all. As you
just learned, protein can raise insulin a little, and fast carbs can raise it a whole
lot more. But insulin doesn’t acknowledge fat, and that’s just the way you want
it. When your body digests fat, it breaks it down into monoglycerides and free
fatty acids, which are absorbed by your small intestine and then connected to
form triglycerides. Just as oil and water don’t mix, triglycerides slide through
your bloodstream without being absorbed. They connect to other fat, protein, and
cholesterol molecules to form lipoproteins or water-soluble molecules that act as
shuttles moving these triglycerides around. Once the lipoproteins arrive where
they’re meant to be, they break down in one of three ways:

1. they become stored as fatty acids in your liver

2. they become a source of energy for muscles
3. they get stored as fat.

HOW TO GET RESULT #2

The quick answer is to eat the right kind of fats! Healthy fats like avocado and
olive oil reduce your appetite and stabilize your blood sugar by slowing the
release of sugar into your bloodstream. Because you don’t trigger a surge of
insulin, your blood sugar doesn’t drop too low. That means you’re not starving
and tortured by more cravings almost as soon as you’ve eaten, like you are when
you eat sugar. When fat moves through your small intestine, it triggers satiety
signals that tell your brain you’re full.
Our bodies thrive on good fats; they’ve been an essential component to our
diet—and brain health—for millions of years. When you’re on a diet rich in
healthy fats, you’ll lose more weight, lower your triglycerides, raise your large
fluffy HDL cholesterol, and reduce inflammation, which means you’re lowering
your risk for chronic disease.
But watch out for fats that take aim at your health and waistline, like
damaged fats and trans fats. I think of trans fat as the artificial sweeteners of the
fat world. They’re manufactured by pumping hydrogen ions into polyunsaturated
fats to make them shelf stable (getting suspicious yet?). These modified fats
actually increase your small dense LDL particles, or bad cholesterol, and reduce
your large dense HDL particles, or good cholesterol—the exact opposite effect
you get from good fats. They’ve been linked to heart disease, as have the
processed foods you find them in: cookies, crackers, cakes, donuts, chips,
microwave popcorn, and so on.… basically anything you have to get by shoving
your fingers in a box or bag.
If it’s made to last on a shelf, chances are good that it has trans fats in it. So
read your labels, and when you see the words “partially hydrogenated vegetable
oil,” which is code for trans fat, run away, far away!
The other kind of fats to watch out for are damaged fats. These are fats that
have been altered by heat, light, or air and have become rancid—think of the
“bulk buy” vegetable oils in your local grocery store. I call them “damaged”
because that’s how they’ll leave you. Instead, choose organic, cold-pressed oils
in dark bottles and store them in a cool place.

HOW MUCH FAT DO YOU NEED?

Ideally, you should have 2–3 servings of healthy fats at every meal. Men and
athletic women can go up to 4. This is where the Sugar Impact Plate will come
in really handy, because it will lay it out for you. You’ll meet the mark with
things like 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ avocado, 4 ounces cold-water fish, 5–10
nuts, 1 tablespoon nut butter, or 10 olives. If you’re having grass-fed beef or fish,
you’ll want to count the fat in that as a serving, too, so you’re not doubling up.

Fats

JJ’s Top 10
1. Grass-fed ghee
2. Macadamia nut oil
3. Avocado
4. Walnuts
5. Chia seeds
6. Freshly ground flaxseed meal 7. Malaysian red palm fruit oil
8. Grass-fed beef
9. Wild salmon
10. Sardines

JJ’s Worst 10
1. Margarine
2. Processed peanut butter
3. Honey-roasted nuts
4. Corn oil
5. Cottonseed oil
6. Thousand Island dressing
7. Honey mustard dressing
8. Raspberry vinaigrette
9. Butter substitutes
10. Cooking sprays
WHEN FAT MAKES YOU FAT
I can see that you’re flipping back a few pages to the sentence that read, Fat
doesn’t make you fat, sugar makes you fat. Well, that’s true. Unless… you serve
it up with some sugar.
Remember, fat in and of itself doesn’t trigger an insulin response. But when
it’s combined with high-SI foods, insulin skyrockets in response to the sugar or
fast carbs. Insulin triggers fat-storing enzymes and decreases fat-burning
enzymes—a knockout punch for anyone trying to lose weight. And if you’re
under chronic stress, ka-boom. Other chemical reactions come into play that
ensure you’ve mixed the perfect fat-storing cocktail.
For those already dealing with high blood sugar or insulin resistance, fat will
slow the speed of blood sugar entering the bloodstream by slowing down
stomach emptying, and that’s important for all of us—especially if you’re
diabetic. But if you eat sugar and fat together all the time, the combined sugar
and fat load in your diet will eventually come home to roost, and lead to lots of
extra pounds.

THE BASICS ON SUGAR, STARCH, AND FIBER

First, know this: sugar, starches, and fiber are all carbohydrates. Of the three,
only fiber isn’t a source of sugar for your body. We don’t have the digestive
enzymes to break fiber down into sugar, so fiber scrubs its way slowly through
our digestive system and provides huge benefits of its own, including keeping
your blood sugar stable and helping you feel full longer. More on this in a bit.
Now for the other two: sugars and starches. All sugars are carbs, but not all
carbs start as sugars. Both end up as sugar, though—they get converted into
glucose, which every cell in your body uses as fuel. And that process starts as
soon as food hits your tongue. Digestive enzymes in your saliva, like amylase,
begin to break down any sugar or starch that isn’t already glucose or fructose.

FAST CARBS
You may have heard sugars being called simple or complex. But that’s not the
way I look at sugar, because, frankly, it misses the point. It’s not important to be
concerned about the molecular makeup of carbs (though I’ll share a little of that
with you). It’s really about SI—how high they raise your glucose and insulin or
how fast they hit the liver and start making fat. That’s what determines whether
you’re lean, sharp, and full of energy, or exhausted, overweight, and foggy. So I
want you to look at carbs as fast or slow, depending on how they affect you. That
said, here’s a little of the biochemistry.
Fast carbs are made of one or two sugar molecules, called monosaccharides
(like glucose and fructose) and disaccharides (like sucrose, which is table sugar).
Notice the -ose ending—it tells you something’s a sugar. Another example is
lactose, the sugar found in milk. When eaten, the monosaccharides are absorbed
right into your small intestine without having to be broken down further.
Disaccharides are snapped apart quickly before they’re absorbed. So mono-and
disaccharides are fast carbs.
When you eat refined sugar or fast carbs, whether it’s in a soda or maple
syrup, you get a quick shot of energy from the injection of glucose. Your insulin
wire is tripped, and it mobilizes to get that blood sugar stored. Ideally, it’s
packing the blood sugar away in your muscles and liver to use as fuel for your
next workout, but when you run out of storage there, there’s only one option left
—it gets stored as fat. Usually around your belly.

STARCHES
Starches, on the other hand, are slow carbs and are digested very differently than
their fast counterparts. They’re plant-based, so they occur naturally in
unprocessed whole foods, and they’re made up of long chains of sugar. The
starch is broken down into maltose in your mouth, and then into glucose in your
intestines.
Slow carbs take longer to digest because your body has to work harder to
break down all the links in the chain to get the glucose it needs. After that, the
glucose is metabolized the same way it is in refined sugar digestion; it’s used as
energy or stored as glycogen or fat as a reserve fuel source. But because the
process of getting to glucose takes longer, your blood sugar rises more slowly, so
the insulin cavalry responds lower and slower too (a good thing).
But here’s something to file away: starches aren’t all the same. If starches
have been processed, as is the case with some flours and cereals, they can
behave more like fast carbs and have a more immediate impact on blood sugar
and insulin response. That’s also true of white rice and white potatoes; they’re
made up of long chains of glucose that are more easily broken down by our
digestive system, so they raise blood sugar faster than the starches I consider
slow carbs. So instead of refined and high-SI carbs, choose less processed
grains, lower-SI roots, vegetables, and legumes like black beans, quinoa,
artichokes, spinach, lentils, and wild rice, and cruciferous veggies like broccoli
and cauliflower. More on these in a bit.

FIBER CHANGES EVERYTHING

Fiber is a carb, and it’s the only carb our body doesn’t turn into sugar. It’s the
part of plant-based foods that our bodies can’t digest, and it doesn’t provide us
with any nutrition or calories. It’s simply roughage. High-fiber, water-rich foods
slow down stomach emptying and take longer to move through our digestive
tract, so they make us feel full on fewer calories than foods with very little fiber,
like refined grains.
Fiber does some other good deeds, too, like helping fat move smoothly
through our digestive system without loitering, so less of it is absorbed. Fiber
also keeps blood sugar on an even keel, which helps feed a steady supply of
energy to your brain. And fiber feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut, which
supports a strong immune system and beats back the bad kinds of bacteria.
When sugar is served up in a healthy fiber wrap, as with the pulp in an
orange, that fiber is designed to slow down our absorption of sugar and have us
burn some energy in the bargain as our metabolism works to get at the sugar it
wants. Whole foods are also rich with protective antioxidants, such as vitamin C,
which combat free radicals to stave off the effects of accelerated aging. I’ll take
that!
Things change dramatically when whole food is “unwrapped” from its fiber
packaging; the amount of sugar we get from that food soars (as does the speed at
which it spikes our insulin), and there is often added sugar in processed foods, to
boot. So it’s safe to say that the 15 grams of sugar in a processed protein bar has
a completely different effect on your blood sugar levels than natural, whole
foods with the same amount. Seemingly healthy foods like dried fruit or fruit
juices also count as processed food. Why? Even if you get a little fiber in them,
you’re not getting enough nutrients and antioxidants to offset the impact of
concentrated sugar on your insulin.
Fiber is a fierce secret weapon for balancing your blood sugar and helping
you break free from the vise grip of sugar. My goal is for you to eat 50 grams of
fiber a day. That might sound high, mostly because if you’re like most people,
you’re probably currently only getting 5 to 14 grams a day. Be patient and
increase your fiber intake slowly, and drink plenty of water while you do—it
may take you 1 to 2 weeks to get there. If you ramp up too fast, you could find
yourself dealing with gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.

LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE: SLOW, LOW CARBS

I want you to eat more slow, low carbs and non-starchy veggies. Eating a small
amount of slow, low carbs and non-starchy veggies every day gives you sharper
focus, better bowel movements, and higher energy, while revving your
metabolism. That should keep you in a good mood!
The more non-starchy veggies you eat, the better, considering all the
phytonutrients, fiber, and bulk they’ll get into your diet. Shoot for 5 to 10 or
more servings a day. At a minimum, I want you to get 2 or more servings at
every meal (using ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw as a serving size). Also aim to get
1–2 servings of high-fiber starchy carbs per meal or snack (using ½ cup cooked
as a serving). Larger or more athletic men can have 3 servings per meal.
Here’s one simple way to bump your fiber intake—eat more whole foods and
fewer processed foods. The Sugar Impact Diet is all about getting as close to
nature as possible, minimizing the amount of fructose you consume, and
reducing your glycemic load. Nuts and seeds, legumes, wild rice, quinoa, berries
(except in Cycle 2), and non-starchy vegetables are all awesome sources of fiber.
Here’s another idea—toss a fiber blend, chia seeds, or freshly ground flaxseed
meal into your breakfast shake. Those two tips alone, if you do them
consistently, should get you to 50 grams of fiber a day pretty easily.
I always encourage you to buy organic whenever possible. Even so, it’s not
necessary that all your fruits and vegetables be organic, so if you’re on a budget
or just need help making choices, check out this website:
www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php. It’s the Environmental Working Group’s
complete list of both the “Dirty Dozen Plus” (a list of the most pesticide-laden
fruits and veggies) and the “Clean Fifteen” (just the opposite). And always wash
your fruits and veggies before you eat them. Even organic fruit can be coated
with dirt and germs, or carry pesticide “drift” from nearby farms.

Dirty Dozen Plus

Apples
 Celery
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumbers
Grapes
Hot peppers
Nectarines (imported)
Peaches
Potatoes
Spinach
Strawberries
Sweet bell peppers
Kale/collard greens
Summer squash

Clean Fifteen

Asparagus
Avocados
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Sweet corn
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Mangoes
Mushrooms
Onions
Papayas
Pineapples
Sweet peas (frozen)
Sweet potatoes

Non-starchy vegetables should take up the most space on your Sugar Impact
Plate, and considering the major role they play in your fast fat loss, don’t be shy
about piling them high. Mix it up at each meal with creative and colorful choices
—look how many you have to choose from!

Non-Starchy Vegetables

Here are your best choices:

Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Bamboo shoots
Bean sprouts
Beet greens
Bell peppers (red, yellow, green) Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cassava
Cauliflower
Celery
Chicory
Chives
Collard greens
Coriander
Cucumber
Dandelion greens
Eggplant
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Garlic
Green beans
Jalapeno peppers
Jicama
Kale
Kohlrabi
 Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Okra
Onions
Parsley
Radicchio
Radishes
Shallots
Snow peas
Spaghetti squash
Spinach
Sugar snap peas
Summer squash
Swiss chard
Turnip greens
Water chestnuts
Watercress
Zucchini

Slow, Low Carbs

Adzuki beans
Berries (blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, elderberries, gooseberries,
loganberries, raspberries, strawberries, acai) Black beans
Chickpeas (garbanzo)
Cowpeas
Cranberries
French beans
Grapefruit
Great Northern beans
Groats
Guava
Kabocha squash
 Kidney beans
Leeks
Lentils
Lima beans
Mung beans
Navy beans
Nectarines
Oatmeal (steel-cut or rolled) Okra
Oranges
Passion fruit
Peaches
Persimmon
Pinto beans
Pumpkin
Quinoa
Split peas
Squash (acorn,
butternut, winter)
Star fruit
Tomatoes
Turnip
White beans
Wild rice

Slow, Low Carbs

JJ’s Top 10
1. Black beans
2. Butternut squash
3. Cranberries
4. Hummus
5. Kabocha squash
6. Lentils
7. Quinoa
8. Raspberries
9. Tomatoes
10. Wild rice
 JJ’s Worst 10
1. Apple juice
2. Agave nectar
3. Baked beans
4. Cornbread
5. Flavored rice cakes
6. French fries
7. Fruit leather
8. Granola bars
9. Kettle corn
10. Root veggie chips

Non-Starchy Veggies

JJ’s Top 10
1. Artichoke
2. Arugula
3. Broccoli
4. Brussels sprouts
5. Cabbage
6. Cauliflower
7. Garlic
8. Kale
9. Red peppers
10. Spinach

JJ’s Worst 10
NONE!

One important note as you increase your fiber, though—you have to also
increase the amount of water you drink. It’s critical in order to keep everything
moving smoothly through your digestive pipes.

MEAL TIMING: EATING BY THE SUGAR IMPACT CLOCK

If you’re dragging yourself through the day, caffeinating and snacking every 2
hours to pull yourself through stretches of plummeting energy, you’re
compensating for blood sugar spikes and crashes brought on by your high-SI
diet. No doubt your fatigue is crippling you, and your insulin levels, your
immune system, and your metabolism are all taking a beating, too.
So one of the very important shifts you’ll be making on the Sugar Impact
Diet is to change from eating every 2 hours to eating every 4–6 hours. (I’ll give
you details on how to make this happen in Chapter 8.) You’ll move from those
high-SI foods to medium-and low-SI foods, so you’re eating blood sugar–
balancing foods that are high in fiber along with protein and good fats. You’ll be
amazed at the difference this is going to make for you! When you stabilize your
blood sugar, you’ll stay full longer, so stretching out the time between meals is a
breeze.
As you make this move, you’re going to drink plenty of water between
meals. It will help stave off hunger pangs, and—surprise—you may find that
when you think you need to eat, you could just be thirsty. I have some tips on
that coming up.

THE SKINNY ON SNACKING

Snacking is pretty polarizing in fitness and nutrition camps, and as someone who
wants to lose weight, facing completely opposing opinions can be pretty
frustrating when you just want the answer with no fuss, no muss. Advocates
argue snacks or “mini-meals” throughout the day can curb appetite, stabilize
blood sugar, and help you eat less during meals.
However, based on my research and experience helping people who struggle
with weight loss, especially people who just can’t seem to shake those last few
stubborn pounds, I’m in the anti-snacking camp. There’s just no getting around
the fact that it sabotages fat loss and fast metabolism. All it does is give you
permission to eat more than you need. Every time you eat, you raise your insulin
levels. So snacking keeps insulin levels elevated and the fat-burning doors
locked. Taking a food break between meals encourages your body to reach into
those fat stores to burn what you’ve already got.
Sweet and salty snacks also increase cravings, so that snack pack has the dark
power to make you reach for seconds, even if you just had one. Snacking
becomes a mindless, many-times-a-day habit, and the repercussions land on your
waistline. Junk food manufacturers love this vicious circle: you’re snacking
throughout the day and never really satisfied, but still reaching for more.
A study published in the American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory,
Integrative, and Comparative Physiology found evidence suggesting that young
women who snack at nighttime prevent fat breakdown and increase their obesity
risks. Another study published in the journal Obesity showed that mice fed a
high-fat diet before sleep gained about 48% body weight compared to mice that
ate the same amount at other times of the day (they only gained 20%, but I
should point out, they still gained!).
That makes sense, right? Those calories have to go somewhere, and unless
you’re doing sprints in your sleep, chances are they’ll land around your middle.
If you’re an after-dinner snacker, you’re missing out on the significant fat-
burning benefits of fasting. It’s not about starvation or deprivation, but when you
simply cut out after-dinner snacks, your body goes into fat-burning mode for
about 12–14 hours until the next morning’s breakfast. That’s going to help
transform you into a fat burner!

In Case of Emergency

I want you to carry emergency foods to prevent you from going off the rails in a moment of
weakness, or when bad choices are the only ones you’ve got. If your blood sugar crashes or
you’re in airport hell, one of these little goodies will save the day.
They’re fast, easy, tasty options to grab and go (you may recognize a few from the smart
snack list). They make being armed and ready so simple.

Aseptic-packed wild salmon

Celery with almond butter
Hard-boiled eggs (if not intolerant) Hummus with veggies
Kale chips
Low-roasted or dehydrated nuts and seeds Nitrate-free, no-sugar-added jerky Raw veggies
with black bean dip Shaker carry cup with protein powder (just add water!) Virgin Diet bar
or other approved bars (see Resources at http://sugarimpact.com/resources)

Finally, add high-quality supplements—a multivitamin and mineral complex, essential

fatty acids, and a high-potency antioxidant blend—and you’ll be armed against sugar
wherever you go, all day long.

Help—It’s Midnight, and I’m Hungry!

Well, this might help blunt that hunger fast: snacking at night isn’t just fat
storing, it’s age-accelerating. Ack!
Eating sugar can make proteins sticky and “gum up” the works,
preventing those proteins from doing their jobs in a process that results in
what are called advanced glycation end products (AGEs—and yes, they
do!). This process is exacerbated at night, because when you snack on
something sugary before bed, your body is less likely to utilize that sugar
and it has a higher chance of being stored as fat and wreaking metabolic
havoc.
But even if you’ve done everything right, you may still find yourself
gnashing your teeth, completely preoccupied with food, and scrambling for
some fast relief. As with most solutions, this one is simple, and it’s right
under your nose. It’s… water. A study at the University of Washington
showed that everyone who drank just eight ounces of water before bed
curbed their hunger completely. Everyone!
And here’s another tip—tossing 5 to 10 grams of fiber powder into a
glass of water 30–60 minutes before you eat will make you much less likely
to reach for seconds.
Believe it or not, as simple as water seems, it can be a powerful weapon
in your battle against the bulge. Read more about how in Chapter 6.

Lemon-Aid
There’s an old wives’ tale that lemon juice lowers blood sugar. Well, it
turns out, there’s some truth to it! My hero Tim Ferriss, infamous biohacker
and author of The 4-Hour Body, experimented with it and discovered that
having 3 tablespoons of lemon juice when he ate lowered his blood sugar
peaks by about 10%.
Choose “Lemon-Aid” once or twice a day to ease your hunger pangs
and keep hydrated. Here’s how to whip it up:
Juice and zest of one lemon (or lime)
½ thinly sliced lemon
32 ounces water
1 teaspoon glutamine (an amino acid) powder
Stevia, monk fruit, xylitol, or erythritol as needed (use as little as
 possible).

Combine the juice and zest of one lemon or lime with the water. Add the
glutamine powder and sweetener (only if needed). Stir well and gently stir in
lemon slices.
You may have noticed one of the secrets of the Lemon-Aid recipe in the
ingredients list—a teaspoon of the amino acid glutamine. Remember when I
mentioned that protein can reduce reward (i.e., sugar) seeking behavior? Well, a
little glutamine, an amino acid that helps your body synthesize protein, can also
alleviate sugar cravings and support gut healing at the same time. Plus, the sour
taste of lemon can curb your sweet tooth, so be sure to sweeten as little as
possible.
To kick it up another notch, add a little fiber. I use either a fiber blend or chia
seeds. Fiber helps keep ghrelin suppressed so you aren’t as hungry, and it
reduces the absorption of fat at your next meal.

JOIN THE SMART SNACKING CLUB

It’s safe to say I made the case against snacking, right? But it’s a challenge, no
lie. Those sugary treats—and their well-funded marketers—are a formidable
opponent. So rather than deprive yourself, just pivot. Reward yourself with
something other than food. Take a spa time-out if you can afford it, enjoy a hot
bath, or walk through the park to reduce your stress and bring yourself back to
feeling good.
Still, I get it: sometimes there’s no way around it—you have to have a snack.
And I can help you make a better choice than microwave popcorn. Check out the
tasty options in Chapter 8. They’ll support you as you condition yourself to shift
to 4–6 hours between meals.

TOO MUCH HEALTHY FOOD IS UNHEALTHY

You can actually get too much of a good thing. Too much food is always going
to be too much food, whether it’s healthy or not. You only need so much to keep
your engine running, and any extra will be packed away in the storage closet of
your hips or your belly. So, less is more, even when it’s low SI.
When you’re eating balanced meals of clean, lean protein, healthy fats, non-
starchy veggies, and some slow carbs, you only need three meals a day, and
possibly a snack if you’re going to have to wait more than 4 to 6 hours between
meals. That’s enough to keep you humming between feedings and burning fat.
More meals just means more chances to overeat.
Here’s how the timing of those three meals breaks out:

Eat a substantial breakfast within 1 hour of waking up. No skipping!

Skippers spike their blood sugar and tend to be fatter and less healthy than
people who regularly eat breakfast.
Eat every 4 to 6 hours, and have a snack if you need it.
Close the kitchen and stop eating 3 hours before bed (no, you cannot just go
to bed later!). Ideally, I’d like you to have at least a 12-hour span between
dinner and breakfast to allow insulin to return to fasting levels so your body
can use stored fat for fuel.

EAT BY THE PLATE

I designed the Sugar Impact Plate to make sure you’re getting all the nutrition
you need and engaging your fat-burning machinery at every meal. When you eat
according to the Plate, you’ll have a full and happy tummy for longer stretches,
so you can eat three balanced meals every 4 to 6 hours without feeling deprived
of a thing.
 The Sugar Impact Plate

In addition to 1 serving of clean, lean protein and 2–3 servings of healthy

fats, each meal should include 2 or more servings of non-starchy vegetables—
and the more the better; my goal for you is 5–10 servings per day (yes, 10!)—
and up to 2 servings of high-fiber starchy carbs like beans or quinoa. As you
now know, getting enough fiber is critical to fast fat loss. As you move from
high-SI foods to low-SI foods, your fiber is going to trend the other way, from
low to high.
When your diet is full of lean protein, plenty of non-starchy veggies, fiber-
filled slow carbs like lentils and beans, and good fats like avocado or olive oil,
you’ll lose weight fast, have to-die-for energy, and your blood sugar levels will
be nice and stable. That’s a pretty good return on just changing what you eat!

PREPARE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

You’re almost there. Soon you’ll have all the tools you need in your arsenal to
lower your SI and lose fat fast—in a healthy way. In the following chapters, I’ll
walk you through the seven most common high SI foods, and I’ll outline the
simple swaps you can make to bring your SI down. When you do, you’ll drop
the weight, boost your energy, and feel better than ever—in just 2 weeks!
 PART II

SEVEN FOODS TO SWAP

 4

BE GONE, GRAINS, ROOTS, AND FRUIT

Now we’re getting into the nitty gritty. Let’s dig into my seven high Sugar
Impact food categories to get a better understanding of what impact each is
having on you and how you can make better choices. Keep in mind that your
primary goal will always be to eat as close to nature as possible. Whole foods
that are closest to their natural state give you more nutrients than food with a
label.

LOSE THE HIGH SUGAR IMPACT GRAINS

They’re the medicine you need to lose weight, fight disease, and slow down
aging. What’s not to love?! The problem with many grains is that we don’t eat
them the way nature intended us to. To lower your SI, you’ll swap grains—
especially refined grains (a top ingredient in many processed foods)—for
natural, whole foods like beans, nuts, and seeds.
Grains weren’t part of our ancestors’ diet, so we don’t need them to survive.
But we’ve been told that whole grains like wheat, barley, and rye are healthy and
good for us, and to eat more of them. Compared to more processed, refined
grains, they are healthier—but don’t buy into the myth of whole grain goodness.
By the time grains make their way into our diet, they’re usually refined,
meaning pounded into powder with all the nutrients and fiber sucked out of
them. That’s even worse than it sounds, which I’ll explain in a bit. On the other
hand, beans, nuts, and seeds are nutrition powerhouses, dense with protein,
healthy fat, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

ENERGY IN THE FORM OF STARCH

Grains and beans are packed with energy in the form of starch. The starches in
plants are mostly made of long strings of glucose, which we easily break apart
for fuel. All starch turns into glucose. But not all sugar is created equal. Starch is
metabolized differently than, say, sucrose (table sugar), which is half-glucose,
half-fructose. When you eat sucrose, you’re actually ingesting glucose and an
equal dose of fructose. You know the domino-like effect fructose can have on
your health and weight.
Starches, or slow carbs, take longer to digest than fast carbs, as their names
would suggest. Plus, your body uses enzymes to break down slow carbs and get
to the glucose, so you burn some energy during that process. That digestive
process begins in your mouth with enzymes in your saliva—right then and there,
starch starts turning into sugar.
How fast that happens depends on how the food was processed and prepared
and its molecular makeup. So whether it’s raw or cooked, whole or processed,
liquid or solid determines how quickly it will turn into sugar. Cooked foods are
more easily digested than in their raw form, so the sugar in cooked foods is more
accessible to your body and hits your body faster. And, of course, when you eat
whole foods, the fiber in it slows the rate at which sugar hits your bloodstream,
whereas processed food and liquids don’t have the fiber and give sugar a free
pass.
The good news is, grains, beans, nuts and seeds are loaded with fiber. Fiber
puts the brakes on stomach emptying, which keeps you full longer. It helps feed
the good bacteria in your small intestine and improves nutrient absorption. It
also pushes food through your intestinal tract (scrubbing all the way) and
provides bulk to the stool so that you produce poops you can be proud of (yep, I
really said that).
But wait, there’s more. Fiber prevents free fatty acids from accumulating in
your bloodstream. You want and need this. Your body should metabolize and use
those free fatty acids; they shouldn’t be hanging out in your blood! Free fatty
acid buildup can create insulin resistance and diabetes, and they’re often
elevated in obese people.
Your colon also puts fiber to good use: it converts it to short-chain fatty acids,
which gives it the energy it needs to keep metabolic machinery humming along.

SHOW ADDED SUGAR THE DOOR

Obviously, eating as close to nature as possible is the deal. If you’re serious
about wanting to lose weight fast and shift your health back to great, you’ve got
to eliminate foods that contain added sugar, as well as refined grains like bread
and pasta. It’s the path toward the light, out of that dark diet maze, and the key to
throwing off the cloak of conditions that keep you from really living and loving
your life. If you struggle with eliminating sugar and refined grains completely,
you’ll find that once you go through Cycle 2 you don’t even miss them,
especially when you discover low SI swaps you like even better (promise!).
Most people who bought into the “high-carb, low-fat” myth have wrestled with
their weight and health but have no idea what they’re doing wrong. And, sadly
enough, they feel like they’ve failed, when they’re just following the wrong set
of rules.
Clearly there’s a lot to be gained by eating the right kinds of foods, but the
right amounts matter, too. The problem is that when you overdo the carbs, you
can prevent fats from being used for energy and stimulate an increase in fat
production and storage. Your body has a limited capacity to store excess
carbohydrates. That’s one of the reasons elevated blood sugar follows
overeating: more is more, and lots of carbs equals lots of blood sugar. If you’re
eating too many carbs and you’re not able to immediately use all the sugar you
eat—and you’re not likely to unless you’ve got some seriously intense physical
activity going on—there isn’t any more room to store it as glycogen.
So one of the ways your body avoids dangerously elevated blood sugar is by
converting those surplus carbs into fat, usually around your belly. Not pretty!
Here’s how it works. Any carbohydrate not immediately burned by your body
as fuel is stored in the form of glycogen, a long string of glucose molecules
linked together. Your body has two primary storage sites for glycogen: your liver
and your muscles. Once the glycogen levels are filled in both your liver and
muscles, surplus carbs are converted to fat and stored in your adipose, or fatty,
tissue.
So the fact that carbs are considered “fat-free” is, at best, misleading. Worse
yet, they can sneak into your diet in huge amounts if you’re eating processed and
packaged foods, or if you’re a mindless muncher. Here’s a tip and some label-
reading shorthand to prevent that from happening to you: when you see refined
grains on a food label, think of them as “hidden sugar,” and when you see sugar,
think of it as “hidden fat.” Bye-bye, pretzels!
Even a meal or snack high in slow carbs like beets or yams is packed with
those long chains of glucose molecules that raise your blood sugar, regardless of
whether they’re mitigated by fiber. To compensate, your pancreas secretes
insulin, which then brings your blood sugar back down. The problem is that
insulin is essentially a storage hormone, and its primary function is to hoard
carbohydrate calories in the form of fat. Excess carbs keep insulin busy padding
you with as much fat as you’re willing to make available. Sure, that was great
when our ancestors were wandering the savannah hoping to hunt or gather
something. But today, scarce calories—and the savannah—are not everyday
issues in our world, are they? As a result, this protective mechanism actually
sabotages your health. When you eat too much sugar, bread, pasta, or any other
processed grain products, you’re sending a hormonal message, via insulin, to
your body that says “store more fat, please!”
But that’s not even the worst of it. Insulin triggers the release of the hormone
leptin, which comes out of your fat cells to tell you you’re full. Chronically high
insulin from excess carbs means your leptin never comes down, either. When
leptin stays elevated, your appetite control center eventually tunes it out and no
longer hears the message to curb hunger. And you go crazy trying to figure out
why you still feel like you’re starving after you’ve just eaten. So excess carbs
help make you fat, and tell you to eat more. Devious!

REACH FOR THESE CARBS

I’m not saying that you should avoid carbs completely. I eat carbs, too!
Processed sugary carbs are the culprit in obesity and insulin resistance, not
nutrient-dense carbs. Nutrient-rich slow carbs don’t spike your blood sugar and
accelerate fat storage the way empty fast carbs do. Stay close to nature and
you’ll be fine. Whole, unprocessed carbs come packaged with immune-
supporting, anti-aging nutrients and blood sugar–balancing fiber. Besides,
nobody ever got fat eating asparagus.
My personal top slow, low carb faves are quinoa, hummus, wild rice, black
beans, and lentils. Stick with those and you’ll be making nutritious choices that
aren’t the blood sugar equivalent of a taser. Also check out the great swaps I
have for you later in this chapter (see here). Make those easy trades and you’ll
never feel deprived. Instead, you’ll just feel energized and giddy about thinking
clearly, the weight falling off, your skin looking brighter, and your aches and
pain evaporating.

GONE WITH GLUTEN

Some grains deliver more starch than others. And several, such as wheat, barley,
and rye, also contain the sticky protein gluten.
 We get a lot of our gluten from wheat. Wheat sounds wholesome enough, but
don’t be fooled by the halo—it might as well be the devil in disguise. Wheat
serves up a platter of diseases, conditions, and weight-gain cocktails, and it’s
slipped into thousands of things we eat. Today’s wheat is essentially an
engineered food product created (yes, I said created) within the last 50 years that
has an entirely different effect on our digestive system than the wheat your Great
Aunt Betty ate.
This newer dwarf wheat has been genetically manipulated to endure harsher
conditions than its natural predecessor so that it delivers a higher yield. But
what’s good for agriculture isn’t necessarily good for us. This genetically
engineered wheat contains much more gluten and starch, including a compound
called amylopectin A. According to Dr. William Davis, author of Wheat Belly,
amylopectin A is a complex carbohydrate unique to wheat. Wheat’s amylopectin
A is more digestible than other amylopectins in unprocessed carbs like legumes.
He writes: “Because wheat carbohydrate, the uniquely digestible amylopectin A,
causes a greater spike in blood sugar than virtually any other food—more than a
candy bar, table sugar or ice cream—it also triggers greater insulin release.”
To drive the point home, Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar
Solution, calls amylopectin A a “super starch.” He says amylopectin A is behind
those big, fluffy slices of wheat bread we love to slather with PB and J. And as a
super starch, it doesn’t just bump your blood sugar. Dr. Hyman says “two slices
of whole wheat bread will raise your blood sugar more than two tablespoons of
table sugar.”
The food business is a mega-machine, and gluten has become its go-to
ingredient in everything that sits on a shelf. While gluten may be getting
applause for its sticky, stretchy ability to shape muffins, it’s not being so helpful
to you, unless you appreciate how it helps you store belly fat. People with a
condition called celiac disease—a severe reaction to gluten—get sick if they eat
even a small amount of gluten. But even in people without celiac disease, gluten
can also trigger leaky gut and inflammation (and the onslaught of conditions that
follow).
Odds are you’re being negatively affected by gluten. It’s estimated that 30–
40% of Americans have a sensitivity to it. I find that estimate to be just a little
low; about 90% of the people I pull off gluten feel enormously better without it
(and I’m convinced the other 10% didn’t really get it all out). If you haven’t
identified gluten as a problem for you yet, maybe this will help: symptoms of
intolerance include weight gain or inability to lose weight, cravings, digestive
upset, headaches, joint pain, anxiety, depression, brain fog, and especially leaky
gut. Hmmm.

GLUTEN AND LEAKY GUT

Gluten can trigger the release of the protein zonulin, which regulates the
permeability of your intestines. When zonulin is out and about, it loosens the
tight junctions in your gut. Suddenly, proteins and toxins not meant to penetrate
your gut wall slip into your bloodstream and incite an immune response. But the
manifestation of that response—as joint pain, brain fog, gastrointestinal
problems, anxiety, depression, and more—can be delayed hours or even days. So
you can give yourself a break for missing the connection between the headache
you have one morning and the wheat pasta you ate the night before. Leaky gut
has also been linked to chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes,
in addition to gastrointestinal issues.
Gluten can even sneak into foods that are naturally gluten-free. Oatmeal is a
great example. Oats are not a grain that contains gluten, so oatmeal shouldn’t
contain gluten, either—and pure oatmeal doesn’t. But commercial brands of
oatmeal are often cross-contaminated in the facilities where they’re made, so
they can contain little bits of wheat, barley, or rye. If you’re hankering for some
oatmeal in the morning, make it pure steel-cut or rolled for the lowest SI.
Flavored instant oatmeals are always a bad choice; they’re just reservoirs of
added sugar.

CUT THE CORN

Then there’s corn. The “vegetable” we all grew up loving at backyard parties and
barbecues. There we were, zinging it along our teeth, feeling truly American.
The trouble is, corn is not a vegetable. Corn is a grain, and a very starchy one at
that. It turns to sugar right there in your mouth and becomes a gusher headed for
your bloodstream. Yep, corn = sugar.
That’s one of the reasons industrial farms feed their cows and pigs corn—to
make them fat, fast! Knowing that, it’s a little hard to believe it’s doing anything
different to you. To heighten the concern here—and it should be heightened—
the corn (and other grains) factory-farm animals are fed is often genetically
modified, which means you end up eating those GMOs, too. (And remember,
you are what you eat, ate.) GMOs are plants that have been genetically altered to
increase crop yield or shelf life. They’re engineered by inserting foreign genes
into the DNA of the plant. Even scarier, according to the American Academy of
Environmental Medicine, there are serious health risks associated with
genetically modified food.
Studies show there’s a direct through line to obesity when you eat GMO corn
or GMO corn-fed animals. And there’s mounting evidence that GMO crops are
connected not only to obesity, but also to immune issues and a host of
gastrointestinal problems like leaky gut.
China and most of Europe already require GMO labeling, but in the United
States we have to work a little harder to figure out how to dodge GMOs in our
food. Until GMOs are on our labels and highlighted in red, it’s worth the
additional legwork to sleuth them out. GMOs are in as many as 80% of the
processed foods available in the United States. For more information and a
complete list of where they might be slipping onto your plate, visit
www.responsibletechnology.org/buy-non-gmo and download the non-GMO
shopping list. Also, look for the certification of the nonprofit organization Non-
GMO Project; it puts its seal on brands it verifies as GMO-free, so you can buy
worry-free.

SAY NO TO SOY
For years, a lot of us have been led to believe soy is a health food. Nothing could
be further from the truth. That pretty glow around soy was put there by (you
guessed it!) soy companies. So let me be the one to break it to you—there’s no
joy in soy! Here’s its rap sheet: soy has been linked to impaired thyroid function,
reproductive disorders, cognitive decline, digestive problems, and lower sperm
count. In evolutionary terms, it’s relatively new to our food supply, so many
people respond to it as an allergen. And nearly all soy has been genetically
modified, which means it’s likely to contain high amounts of pesticides. It also
contains the antinutrients phytates and lectins.

PHYTATES AND LECTINS: ANTINUTRIENTS

Phytates can block mineral absorption, leading to nutrient deficiencies, including
iron-deficiency anemia. Lectins can cause leptin resistance and result in
increased hunger. I’m guessing the last thing you want is to eat food that makes
you hungrier, am I right? Lectins are part of a plant’s defense mechanism, so
they’re born to fight. Lectins in grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and other plants have
been shown to damage intestinal cells, leading to leaky gut. Read on to learn
how to eat beans, nuts, and seeds without worrying about lectins.

IMPORTANCE OF SPROUTING, SOAKING, DEHYDRATING, AND

SLOW-ROASTING
Nuts like almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts and seeds like pumpkin and hemp
are rich sources of protein, fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, and vitamins and
minerals. And they can be healing. They’re also effective soldiers against free
radicals, inflammation, and aging, so even though they have phytates and lectins,
I want you to incorporate some of them into your diet. The key is to soak and
sprout them to lower the antinutrient load, so you get all the good without the
bad. The same goes for grains. All grains can raise your blood sugar and insulin,
so go easy on them, but when you do indulge, the most ideal choice is sprouted
grains, which have been soaked and germinated and are more nutritious and less
refined than others.
How does this help? Sprouting reduces lectins in beans and seeds, because
once the seed starts to germinate and form a wee plant, a lot of the lectin gets
broken down to feed the growing baby (some of it hangs behind to protect the
seedling).
Or, if you can, buy your beans (and grains) dry, and rinse and soak them
before cooking them. They’ll be more nutritious, lower in salt, and less
expensive than canned beans. Soaking also ensures they’ll cook evenly and cuts
down on the gas they generate.
There are two main ways to soak beans: the long soak method, and the quick
soak method. To long soak, rinse the dried beans, put them in a bowl, and add
enough water to cover them by about 3 inches. Then just put them in the fridge
overnight, and they’ll be ready for you to drain, rinse, and cook in the morning.
When you’re in a hurry, pour the beans into a large pot and add water until
they’re covered by about 3 inches. Boil for 1 minute, then cover and let stand for
an hour. When the beans are tender and have doubled in size, they’re done and
ready to drain.
Slow-roasting nuts and seeds is essentially the same process. You soak them
overnight in a bowl with water that covers them by about 3 inches. In the
morning, with most of the work done, you drain them, spread them out on a
baking sheet (or place them in a dehydrator), and bake them at 140° for 8 hours.
YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SWAPS: GRAINS
These swaps will help you effortlessly reduce the impact starchy grains are
having on your metabolism, digestive tract, and fast weight loss. They’re just as
tasty as the high-SI choices, and I guarantee you’ll like them even better,
knowing they’re releasing you from the grip of foods that are sabotaging your
health and holding your weight hostage. Don’t feel limited by this list, though—
experiment with your own, then let me hear about them!

Swap Your BBQ beans for Pinto beans

Swap Your Bran cereal for Quinoa flakes
Swap Your Corn soup for White bean soup
Swap Your Cornstarch for Arrowroot powder
Swap Your Creamed corn for Black beans
Swap Your Instant oatmeal for Long-cooking oatmeal
Swap Your Mashed potatoes for Mashed cauliflower
Swap Your Nutella for Almond butter
Swap Your Pasta for Spaghetti squash, shirataki noodles Swap Your Peanut butter for
Cashew butter
Swap Your Potato chips for Kale chips
Swap Your Tofu for Lentils
Swap Your Tortilla chips for Bean chips or kale chips Swap Your Tortillas for Lettuce wraps
or coconut wraps Swap Your Trail mix for Slow-roasted nut mix
Swap Your White rice for Wild rice
Swap Your Whole wheat pasta for Corn-free quinoa pasta

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SCALE: GRAINS

Let me introduce you to the Sugar Impact Scale for grains. Remember, the
framework for these categories is based on the amount of sugar in them and the
impact they’ll have on you: how much they’ll spike your blood sugar and insulin
and send your body the message to store more fat. So get excited about stopping
that message in its tracks!
In Cycle 1, you’re going to swap high-SI foods for medium-SI choices, then
in Cycle 2 you’ll swap the medium SIs for lows. Ready? Go!
 LOW SUGAR IMPACT

Lentils
Black beans
Black turtle beans
Boston navy beans
Broad beans
Cannellini beans
Chickpeas
Fava beans
French green beans
Great Northern beans
Green beans
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Mung beans
Pinto beans
Wax beans
Quinoa
Hummus
Wild rice
Groats
Long-cooking oatmeal (rolled or steel-cut)
Shirataki noodles
Lentil soup
Chili (homemade, no sugar added)
Coconut wraps
Coconut flour
Dehydrated unsweetened coconut
Roasted chestnuts
Almond flour
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Flaxseeds
Chia seeds
Sesame seeds
Hemp seeds
Pecans
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Macadamia nuts
Walnuts
Almonds
Pine nuts
Pistachios
Poppy seeds
Peas
Unsweetened nut butters
Peanuts*

Mistaken Identity
Peanuts are not nuts at all. In fact, they’re legumes! Legumes are plants
with seeds that grow inside pods. Nuts are grown on trees, but peanuts are
part of the pea family and grow underground.

MEDIUM SUGAR IMPACT

Rice pasta
Arrowroot
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Millet
Rice tortillas
Sprouted whole grain breads
Brown rice
Fermented soy
Ezekiel brand sprouted cereal
Quinoa flakes
Quinoa pasta
Chili (store-bought, sugar added)
Amaranth, rice, millet, or buckwheat flour
Garbanzo flour
Quinoa flour
Fava bean flour
Black bean flour
Rice crackers
Rice chips
Bean chips
Lentil chips
Nut chips

*Note: if a small amount is used in a recipe (e.g., 1 tablespoon for 4 servings), this is safe for Cycle 2.

HIGH SUGAR IMPACT

Gluten-free flour blend

Mung bean noodles
Honey-roasted peanuts
Cornstarch
Potato starch
Glazed nuts
Sweetened nut butters
Instant oatmeal
Instant rice
Baked beans
Puffed rice
Puffed millet
Rice cakes
Polenta
Corn
Cornbread
Wheat bread
Pasta
Tortillas
Couscous
Soy cheese
Muffins
White flour
Cakes and pies
English muffins
Scones
Biscotti
Cream of Wheat
Pop-tarts
Grits
Macaroni and cheese
Matzoh
Pita
Risotto
Muesli
Quick breads
Sugar cereals
Edamame*
Barley
Farro
Graham crackers
Water crackers
Animal crackers
Wasa crackers
Oyster crackers
Popcorn
Corn tortillas
Corn chips
Cookies
Crackers

I hope you can already see how fun and easy this is going to be. Pretty soon
you’ll also see results! Now that you have a grip on grains, it’s time to kick roots
to the curb.

GIVE HIGH SUGAR IMPACT ROOTS THE BOOT

Now let’s swap those high-SI roots for low-SI veggies and squashes. This closer
look at roots and vegetables is all about shifting the balance on your plate away
from those high-SI carbs you’re relying on, like mashed potatoes, to lower-SI
carbs like pumpkin and non-starchy veggies like Brussels sprouts and red
peppers. Do you remember how big the non-starchy section of your Sugar
Impact Plate is? You’ve got some filling to do!
And my guess is that right now the slow, low carb and non-starchy vegetable
sections of your plate are parked in each other’s spaces. But there’s no need to
overthink how you’ll flip the equation; this is an easy category. Focus on eating
from the rainbow. Let color be your guide. And I want you to go hog wild on the
low-SI veggies—there’s no limit to how many you can have! Try to overdo it.
I’ve yet to get an SOS call from someone who has binged on broccoli.
Root Vegetables

Root vegetables are the edible underground part of a plant, but they’re not
always literally roots. They store their energy in the form of carbohydrates in
that tube you yank out of the ground. Think potatoes, carrots, parsnips, radishes,
beetroot, sweet potatoes, yams, and turnips. There are also different categories of
root vegetables—taproots (like beets and jicama), tuberous roots (like sweet
potatoes and turnips), tubers (yams), and bulbs (like garlic and onions).
Root vegetables are typically starchy, and most (though not all) are high on
the glycemic index. Potatoes have the highest glycemic index of any vegetables,
so the carbs in them turn into sugar and get absorbed into your blood fast. (Don’t
worry—I’ve got plenty of swaps here so that you don’t miss your mashed
potatoes.) I want you to be aware of which roots impact your blood sugar and
insulin—and your energy, mood, weight, and more—for better or worse. Of
course, the Sugar Impact Scale will be your guide for that.
Non-Starchy Vegetables
Non-starchy is essentially the name given to veggies that don’t contain much
starch. They’re usually lower in sugar and higher in fiber than starchy
vegetables, and many of them are green and juicy. Why are you always being
told to eat your veggies, and why am I saying you can have as many as you
want? Impact, impact, impact. As a rule, you can eat more non-starchy
vegetables and get fewer carbs (and calories) than when you eat fruits, whole
grains, or starchy vegetables. That results in less of an impact on your blood
sugar, insulin, and, ultimately, your weight. They’re a great source of fiber, so
pile them on your plate to hit that goal of 50 grams a day (for a list of your best
choices, see here). Plus, non-starchy veggies are loaded with phytonutrients.
(More on that in a bit.)
Beet This

In some circles, beets and carrots have gotten a bad rap because they’re
higher on the GI than other vegetables. But as you know, the GI doesn’t tell the
whole story.
Carrots have a GI rank of 39—but their GL is only 2. So please, munch on.
The same green light goes for beets. While they have a pretty high glycemic
index—with a rank of 64, their glycemic load is only 4. Compare this to a russet
potato with a GI rank of 111 and a GL of 33.
The amount of carbs in carrots is so low, you’d have to eat more than 4 cups
of them to get 50 grams worth of carbohydrates. That’s a lot of carrots! Eating
that much in one sitting hardly seems possible. But there are 50 grams of carbs
in just one large potato; I’m guessing you’ve hardly thought twice about that,
until now.
Vitamins and Minerals

Non-starchy vegetables are also vitamin and mineral rock stars. They’re
packed with the energy-providing, bone-building nutrients we need to keep our
metabolism revved and humming, like the finely tuned machines we’re meant to
be.
Vitamins don’t yield energy directly when they’re broken down; instead, they
work in concert with enzymes to release energy from carbohydrates, proteins,
and fats. For example, green leafies like spinach give us B vitamins that support
energy metabolism and nerve function, and colorful red bell peppers and
tomatoes give us vitamin C to promote a healthy immune system, collagen
synthesis, and help iron absorption.
Non-starchy vegetables also provide sodium and potassium, which help
maintain electrolyte balance, and magnesium, which helps maintain healthy
blood sugar levels and is involved in hundreds of essential metabolic functions.
Of course, many non-starchy veggies and herbs like artichokes, parsley, spinach,
and broccoli can also be a rich source of iron, which is an essential part of the
process of carrying oxygen to your cells. That’s always nice to have.
Phyto Superstars

Non-starchy vegetables are also universally high in phytonutrients (literally

nutrients “from plants”), making them the most nutrient-dense foods on the
planet. Phytonutrients are bioactive chemicals that support a plant’s immune
system by warding off bacteria, viruses, bugs, and other threats to a plant’s
survival. Fruits and starchy vegetables are also high in phytonutrients, and
they’re found in grains, nuts, and seeds as well.
Studies over the past 30 years have confirmed the benefits of eating 5
servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The Harvard-based Nurses’ Health Study
and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study tracked the dietary habits of almost
110,000 men and women for 14 years. People who averaged 8 or more servings
of fruit and vegetables a day were 30% less likely to have had a heart attack or
stroke. Evidence also suggests fruits and vegetables protect against a laundry list
of other diseases and chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure
and diabetes.
The phytonutrients in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower,
and Brussels sprouts make them disease-fighting warriors. They contain
sulforaphane, an antioxidant and natural detoxifier, which studies suggest has
powerful cancer-fighting properties. Cruciferous veggies are also high in indole-
3-carbinol, another potent anticarcinogen.
Of the many classes of phytonutrients, there are two that pack a real punch:
carotenoids and flavonoids.
Carotenoids

There are more than 600 carotenoids, which give fruit and vegetables their
red, orange, and yellow color—think carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, and
pumpkin, to name a few. Carotenoids like the beta carotene in carrots are thought
to protect against certain cancers, heart disease, and vision loss. Studies show
that people who frequently eat spinach or collard greens, plants high in the
carotenoid lutein, have a decreased risk of age-related macular degeneration
compared to those who eat them infrequently. Are you beginning to see why I
want you to eat a rainbow? You knew it wasn’t just so your plate will look pretty
(though it will!). Eating a variety of colorful veggies gives you an infusion of
immune-boosting phytonutrients.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids include catechins (found in green tea and known for their anti-
cancer potency) and flavonols. Flavonols like quercetin are found in onions,
apples, berries, and some other plant-based foods. Quercetin has been linked to
reduced risk of certain types of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SWAPS: ROOTS
Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for—specific swaps for roots. I promise
you’ll never miss those mashed potatoes!

Swap Your Beet juice for Beets

Swap Your Beets for Cucumbers
Swap Your Carrot juice for Green juice
Swap Your Cooked carrots for Raw carrots
Swap Your French fries for Baked butternut squash fries Swap Your Mashed potatoes for
Mashed cauliflower
Swap Your Parsnips for Cauliflower
Swap Your Potatoes for Turnips
Swap Your Sundried tomatoes for Fresh chopped tomatoes Swap Your Veggie chips for
Kale chips
Swap Your Yams for Pumpkin

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SCALE: ROOTS

Here’s the complete Sugar Impact Scale for roots. Remember, these lists
categorize foods as low, medium, and high SI for a reason—they’re moving you
away from high-SI carbs that spike your blood sugar and keep you burning, and
craving, sugar. Instead, they’ll load you up with heaps of low SI, non-starchy
veggies that will keep you full, energized, and burning fat. Go to town on the
Lows!

LOW SUGAR IMPACT

Acorn squash
Artichoke
Asparagus
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Butternut squash
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Cucumber
Eggplant
Escarole
Ginger root
Jicama
Kabocha squash
Kale
Kale chips
Leeks
Lettuces
Maca
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Okra
Onions
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radicchio
Radish
Snow peas
Spaghetti squash
Spinach
Sprouts
Sugar snap peas
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Watercress
Zucchini

MEDIUM SUGAR IMPACT

Beets
Parsnips
Rutabaga
Sweet potatoes
Yams

HIGH SUGAR IMPACT

Beet juice
Carrot juice
French fries
Mashed potatoes
Potato chips
Root veggie chips
Sweet potato fries
White potatoes

FORGO FORBIDDEN FRUIT

Surprise! Yes, fruit. It may not shock you that fruit is full of sugar, but I bet you
didn’t think it was one of the foods that could be contributing to your sugar
addiction, slavery to cravings, and inability to drop that unwanted weight.
What?! It’s natural! It seems so healthy! True, some of it really is. But spreads,
juices, and sorbets all slapped with a “made with real fruit” label are anything
but. They’re loaded with added sugar and sabotaging your weight and health.
Here’s another blow: fruits we’re told to eat every day—like apples—can
actually be some of the worst offenders for sneaking more sugar into your diet
than you ever imagined, especially because you’re probably giving yourself a
pass to eat up. Don’t despair, though—you don’t have to give them up entirely.
I’ll help you take back your fruit. You’ll make some simple swaps to get you on
course for fast fat loss and feeling good. You’re going to ditch the juice, jam, and
dried fruit for berries, grapefruit, and other low SI fruit. As a bonus, you’ll
retrain your taste buds to once again truly appreciate the exquisite sweetness of
whole fruit.

THE BIG PICTURE

First, a look at fruit from 5,000 feet. What we call a fruit is normally the fleshy
(or dry) part of a plant that contains the seed, and it’s usually edible in its raw
state. Plants want the seeds in their fruits to live on and prosper, and they’re very
crafty about making them attractive and delicious so we animals will eat and
deposit them elsewhere. We mostly think of fruits as being sweet, but that’s not
always the case—think cranberries and coconuts. Believe it or not, avocados are
considered fruits, too, as are olives and tomatoes.

Who Knew?
Who knew fruits could be so confusing? Did you know a tomato is
technically a fruit, but commercially it’s considered a vegetable? Is it only a
fruit if the seeds are on the inside? What about strawberries?
I’m about making things simple and easy, to set you up for success. So
let common sense rule: if you eat it and use it as a fruit, it’s a fruit (think
“culinary fruits”). If you think of it as a veggie, it’s a veggie. Officially
cucumbers are fruit, and so are zucchini and pumpkin—but you’d never
think of them that way. So I’ve kept them in veggies. I want you to keep
your eye on the main thing—focus on SI, not becoming a fruit nerd.

Fruits are a crazy good source of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, like
antioxidants. Antioxidants boost our immune system and fight off carcinogens
and predators that we ingest or that are in our environment. Colorful fruits like
blueberries and blackberries get their pigment from the antioxidants
anthocyanins. Others, such as apples, give us antioxidants like quercetin through
the chemical defenses in their skin. Studies show that a diet rich in antioxidants
and anti-inflammatory agents may slow cognitive decline and the risk of
developing chronic disease.
Fruits can be wet and juicy and filled with water, so they count as hydrating;
they’re great at satisfying your thirst as well as your hunger. They can also be an
amazing source of fiber. Fruits can deliver an experience when you eat them,
too. You know what I’m talking about! Some are succulent and tender and
transport you to the tropics. Others are exotic and weirdly shaped and take you
to the far-off place they grow.
I’m not here to deny much of the goodness that is fruit, unless you’re talking
dried fruit or fruit juice, which are different things entirely—and we’ll get to
those in a bit—but only to make some fine distinctions. As with most things,
some fruits are simply better for you than others, and you should know which
are which.

FRUCTOSE
Too much sugar is never a good thing, even from foods we consider healthy. The
increased sugar load you punish yourself with when you eat a three-banana
smoothie doesn’t behave any differently in your system than it would if you ate a
candy bar. And if too much sugar is bad, too much fructose is worse. In Chapter
1, I explained why fructose can be so damaging. Despite having the lowest GI
ranking of any sugar, fructose is more easily and quickly turned into fat (usually
belly fat) than glucose.
Fructose is naturally occurring in many foods, and it’s the primary (but not
the only) sugar in fruit. Our consumption of it went up 19% from 1970 to 2005.
That’s dramatic, and it’s not because we’re inhaling 19% more fruit. You’d be
surprised at the ways fructose may be sneaking into your diet. Fruit juice
concentrates are one of the most popular sweeteners on the market. You may be
fooled into thinking you’re choosing a “no-sugar-added” product, only to find
that it contains fruit juice concentrate.
Remember, when you connect the dots between what you eat and the result
you get, it’s simple—a high-sugar diet is a high-fat diet. So if you want to lose
weight, a good place to start is to cut way (way) back on fructose. And you’ll
feel better, too, because in a bit I’ll share with you the other damage fructose
does to you besides making you jiggle around the middle.
Just as not all sugars are created equal, not all fruits have equal amounts and
kinds of sugar. Most foods that contain fructose have about an equal amount of
glucose. But many fruits have more fructose than glucose, and some have even
more than others. Plums have less than half as much, but apples and pears have
significantly more fructose than glucose—in fact, twice as much. That’s one
reason their juices are worse for you than full-sugar sodas—they have more
sugar in them than the equivalent amount of drinks made with high-fructose corn
syrup. They’re pure liquid fructose bombs!

MAKE ROOM FOR MORE

Your capacity to absorb fructose increases the more you eat it. If that sounds like
your body doing the good work you want it to do (you don’t want that
gastrointestinal distress!), not so much. When you eat more and more fructose,
the building blocks of a transport system for it, known as Glut 5, also increase.
So you just get better and better at sending it sailing to your liver, making sure
all the extra fructose gets stored as fat, fast. And your fructose absorption really
shoots up when fructose is paired with glucose. So when you eat fruit, which has
both, you absorb a lot more fructose than if you were just to eat fructose alone.
It’s not that you can never enjoy fruit again (although thinking about that last
bit of information may make it a little less appealing), it just makes it mission-
critical that you sleuth out and ditch all the worst-offending fruit sugar in your
daily diet. Fruit based sauces, jams, and juices, which have a ton of added sugar,
should jump to the top of your list. It’s also important to know which whole
fruits (and how much of them) are okay on a regular basis, and I’m going to help
you with that.

NOT-SO-HEALTHY SWEETENERS AND SWEETS

It’s really common for me to hear fruit juice and fruit juice concentrates
recommended as “healthier sweeteners.” In reality, they’re often worse than
other sweeteners. They’re extremely high in fructose, and they don’t have any
nutrients or fiber, so that fructose barrels into your liver like a freight train.
Then there’s dried fruit. I know you want to consider it the same as fresh,
whole fruit. It’s tidy and bite-size, and you don’t need napkins or to eat it over
the sink. The problem is that when food companies remove the water, they
condense the sugar, and they often add other things, whether it’s sulfur dioxide
to preserve color or syrup to make it even sweeter. And in that case, it’s just flat-
out candy. Plus, if it’s not organic, those little raisins are just pesticide pellets.
Even if it is organic and nothing is added, dried fruit has the same amount of
sugar and calories as its water-logged counterpart, but the pieces are so much
smaller you’re guaranteed to eat more (and get more sugar) than you would with
whole fruit. I suppose you could argue that it’s better than fruit cocktail
drowning in heavy corn syrup, but it’s close enough. Give dried fruit the red X.

DON’T DRINK YOUR SUGAR

Above all, don’t drink your sugar. When you turn fruit into juice, you basically
unwrap it from its fiber and set it free to give you a big sugar hit, fast. That
includes those cool, funky juices that scream healthy and jump up and down
about being made with real fruit. Fruit juices and sugary (sometime fruit-based)
drinks are often infused with added sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, which is a
lot sweeter than sugar, setting up a vicious cycle of craving and addiction that
ensures high volumes of fructose get to take a shot at your weight and health
with every drink. The fructose and glucose in high-fructose corn syrup aren’t
bound together, and without having to be broken apart, they work fast once
they’re ingested. The fructose races to your liver, and glucose almost instantly
spikes your blood sugar and insulin.

MY IMPACT!

Lynn Kelly
Starting weight: 204 lbs.
Current weight: 194 lbs.
Total lost: 10 lbs.

I am a family practice nurse practitioner with no education regarding diet—hard to believe! The Sugar
Impact Diet explicitly spelled out for my husband and me how to live in the real world and still take
care of our nutritional needs.
I am diabetic and have heart disease. I now know that my body’s responses to sugar and gluten are
similar. My glucose has improved dramatically, and my goal is to get off many of my medications. I
really have hope for that now. I feel so much better and have much more energy!
When I started the Sugar Impact Diet, I felt insecure about yet another “plan,” even though I had
done the Virgin Diet and trusted JJ. Now my husband and I are both singing JJ’s praises!
Peers have always told me that I’m a gifted teacher, and I’m hoping to use that on this very subject
 with family, friends, at my church, and at an underserved clinic where I volunteer! The Sugar Impact
diet changed my life—now all I want to do is share it with others!

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SWAPS: FRUIT

With the Sugar Impact diet, you’ll swap your juice, jam, and dried fruit for low-
SI, whole fruits. And here’s a simple rule to live by, or at least stick on your
fridge: if it tastes sweet, don’t eat!

Swap Your Apple chips for Kale chips

Swap Your Apples for Jicama
Swap Your Canned fruit cocktail for Plain Greek-style yogurt Swap Your Dried cranberries
for Fresh cranberries
Swap Your Dried fruit for Freeze-dried berries
Swap Your Fruit juice for Lemon-Aid
Swap Your Fruit juice concentrate for Monk fruit, stevia Swap Your Fruit-sweetened or non-
fat yogurt for Plain Greek-style yogurt*
Swap Your Grapes for Blueberries
Swap Your Jamba Juice smoothie for Sugar Impact Shake Swap Your Jams for Almond
butter
Swap Your Juice bar for Popsicle made with coconut milk, berries, and vanilla protein
powder Swap Your Mangos for Guavas
Swap Your Pineapple for Grapefruit
Swap Your Raisins for Grapes
Swap Your Sorbet for Coconut milk ice cream (1g of sugar sweetened) Swap Your Sun
dried tomatoes for Fresh tomatoes
Swap Your Tomato bisque for Gazpacho

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SCALE: FRUIT

The Sugar Impact Scale for fruits will help you navigate your transitions and
swaps for high SI fruits. Look them over while you’re here and reference them
often during your cycles. See you back here soon!

LOW SUGAR IMPACT

Acai berries (no sugar added)
Avocado*
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cranberries
Gazpacho*
Grapefruit
Guava
Lemons*
Limes*
Nectarines
Olives*
Oranges
Peaches
Persimmon
Raspberries
Star fruit
Strawberries
Tomatoes

MEDIUM SUGAR IMPACT

Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Cherries
Dates
Fresh figs
Grapes
Honeydew
Kiwi
Mango
Papaya
Pears
Pineapple
Plums
Pomegranate
Sundried tomatoes
Tangerines
Tomato juice
Tomato paste
Tomato sauce
V8 Juice
Watermelon

HIGH SUGAR IMPACT

All dried fruit

Fruit leather
Fruit juices
Jams
Preserves and conserves
Nectar
Sorbet
Fruit juice concentrates
Canned fruit cocktail
Fruit juice Popsicles

I hope you can already see how fun and easy this is going to be. Pretty soon
you’ll also see results! The Sugar Impact Diet will redefine your relationship
with food to food, with benefits. The swaps for grains, roots, and fruit are
delicious and give you a huge bang for your lower-impact buck. This is clearly
not a diet that tells you what to give up and wishes you luck!
 5

DITCH THE LOW-FAT AND NO-FAT DAIRY AND DIET

FOODS

I can’t wait for you to kiss that jelly belly goodbye. And I’m willing to go out on
a limb and bet this category will make more of a dramatic shift in uncovering the
secret channels of sugar in your life than any of the others. It’s the giant leap
you’ve been waiting for to jump-start fast fat loss and bring you back to life!
Low-fat labels are wicked, aren’t they? They can set off a Pavlovian response
that you may not even catch until you’ve got your hand on the carton. It’s
because in the 1970s, fat became the villain. Now it’s as if there’s some DNA
programming we need to undo to help the truth sink in: a low-fat diet is a high-
sugar diet! Period, end of story.
This low-fat brush fire was actually sparked in the 1950s by Ancel Keys, an
epidemiologist from Minnesota who convinced us, based on some suspect
science, that fat was the villain behind weight gain and heart disease. Poor fat!
Just as it got scarlet lettered, high-fructose corn syrup swooped in to steal the
limelight. In combination, those two incidents served up a mushroom cloud
attack on American health. When we started pulling fat—meaning taste—out of
all our food, food marketers had a bit of an issue. High-fructose corn syrup saved
their bacon by filling in the taste vacuum to make food super sweet, and cheap.
But when fat came out, the fiber did, too, so low-fat foods became sugar vessels
without brakes.

IT’S A BIG TENT

Think about the wide swath covered by low-fat and non-fat food products—from
dairy to frozen meals and meal replacement bars, to processed boxed and bagged
junk food. Low fat is represented on product labels as “fat-free,” “low-fat,”
“light,” and “reduced-fat.” That clears everything up, right? According to the
Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture, here’s
what they mean:

“Fat-free” foods have less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.
“Low-fat” foods have 3 grams of fat or less per serving.
“Reduced-fat” foods have at least 25% less fat than their full-fat
counterparts.
“Light” foods have either one-third fewer calories or 50% less fat.

As appealing as they’ve been made to sound, those low-fat labels spell

trouble. Low-fat foods don’t help you lose weight—far from it. They don’t give
you a pass on developing heart disease or gaining weight; probably just the
opposite. And they certainly don’t keep your cholesterol down, either. We’re
going to shine a spotlight on anything with a low-fat label and shame it right out
of your kitchen.

GOOD FAT: YES, THERE IS SUCH A THING

So the focus here will be to help you identify and eat more of the good, life-
sustaining fats that are fundamental to weight loss and a strong, healthy
metabolism, and to dump the bad fats that are fueling inflammation and weight-
loss resistance. The good fats keep you mentally sharp, your moods stable, and
your energy high, and they play a huge role in weight control. They’re the
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids in foods like
avocados, olives, olive oil, nuts, grass-fed dairy, and wild, cold-water fish.
Cholesterol is a kind of fat, and it’s not the bad guy you think it is.
Cholesterol is essential to so many functions in your body that without it, you’d
be dead. So your body doesn’t leave it to chance that you’ll get enough from
what you eat. Instead, it goes ahead and makes its own—which is used for
everything from hormone production to the manufacture of cell membranes and
vitamin D. Yes, there’s a bit of a distinction between kinds of cholesterol
particles, and you want to eat foods that raise the number of good particles and
lower the bad. More on that coming up. But don’t avoid otherwise healthy foods
because they have a little cholesterol.

WHEN THEY’RE BAD, THEY’RE HORRID

Bad fats are a very different story. And your body lets you know that by
responding to them with increased inflammation, weight gain, and conditions
that raise your risk of chronic disease. One kind of bad fat is the saturated fat
found in factory-farmed meats like beef and pork. When animals are fed GMO
corn and soy, it changes their fatty acid profile, and not for the better. Plus, that
fat is often loaded with hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides, to boot.
Not all saturated fats are bad, though. It’s all about the quality of their source.
When you choose butter or meat from grass-fed cows or high-quality coconut
oil, sure—you’ll get some saturated fat. But make no mistake about it, it’s not
the pro-inflammatory fat you get from those factory-raised animals or potato
chips.
The oils sitting on the supermarket shelf have been robbed of their nutrients
(which have been sold off to supplement companies) and highly processed in
their journey to the plastic bottle you find them in. They’re exposed to heat
during travel, light on the shelves, and air every time you open them, all of
which helps them oxidize and turn rancid. So the value jugs of vegetable oil are
anything but. They’re damaged fats that have an effect similar to trans fats, and
you don’t want them in your body.
As you can see, the distinction isn’t small. The wrong fats can make you gain
weight and increase the risk of disease, but the rich, good fats you’ll get in
natural, organic whole foods offer a ton of benefits for your health and weight,
mostly because the fats are in the food. Remove those fats, and everything they
offer is turned on its head.

DAIRY
It might never occur to you that dairy should headline the low-fat category. But
one of the long-standing nutritional recommendations from the US Department
of Agriculture is that we eat 3 cups of dairy a day. When low fat became the
rage, it meant nutritionists were recommending only skim or 1–2 percent milk,
low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese to hit that mark. Everyone reasoned that
because full-fat dairy products are higher in calories, their low-fat counterparts
would allow kids (and the rest of us) to benefit from their calcium, vitamin D,
and other nutrients without becoming obese. It turns out, though, that may have
been exactly the outcome they engineered. Not only was the focus on calories
completely misguided, we now believe low-fat milk products may actually drive
weight gain and the very health risks the low-fat versions were meant to help us
avoid.
 When the fat is pulled out of dairy, both the flavor and that food’s ability to
make you feel full and satisfied are yanked, too. Plus, without the fat, guess
what’s left? You guessed it—the sugar! That’s why skim milk is especially
wicked.
Skim milk is also highly processed. The high heat used in making skim milk
kills all the beneficial bacteria in it. And the skimming process not only strips
the milk of essential healthy saturated fats and vitamins, but some manufacturers
even add powdered non-fat milk. So it’s got none of the healthy fats you need for
hormone synthesis, fewer of the vitamins and minerals essential for a high-
functioning metabolism, and more lactose, or sugar, than full-fat milk.
Lactose is made from the sugars galactose and glucose. The enzyme lactase
breaks down lactose into those sugars during digestion. Without fat to slow the
absorption of glucose and galactose, low-fat dairy spikes your blood sugar and
insulin response the same way any high-sugar processed snack does.
Granted, if you’re dairy-sensitive, you can have other things going on, too.
You can respond badly to casein, the primary protein in dairy. It’s similar to the
protein gluten found in grains, since both can have a drug-like effect on the
brain. Casein peptides in dairy products can react with opiate receptors,
mimicking the effects of opiate drugs like heroin and morphine. As a result, your
brain responds to dairy just like it would to any drug. It’s no surprise that cheese
is loaded with casein. Anyone addicted to cheese? Anyone?
When casein breaks up during digestion, the morphine-like compounds it
produces are called casomorphins. Dr. Neal Barnard, author of Breaking the
Food Seduction: The Hidden Reasons Behind Food Cravings—and 7 Steps to
End Them Naturally, says “Since cheese is processed to express out all the
liquid, it’s an incredibly concentrated source of casomorphins—you might call it
dairy crack.” Here’s a news flash—skim milk contains more casein than whole-
fat milk! See, there’s no such thing as a skinny latte. And cheese has an even
higher concentration of caseins than milk, so that low-fat cheese on your pizza is
not your friend—it’s your fix.
But one of the biggies of dairy sensitivity, of course, is intolerance to lactose.
Lactose intolerance is usually a result of not having enough lactase, the enzyme
produced in your small intestine that helps you digest the sugar in dairy
products. Populations around the world vary in their ability to tolerate lactose,
but it seems Europeans are the genetic winners, with the most people able to
handle it. It’s believed that many Europeans produce lactase as adults because
their ancestors used milk from cows, goats, and sheep as food throughout their
lives.
Still, the population of people who can’t break down lactose is huge. If
you’re one of them, lactose travels intact to your gut and fertilizes gas-producing
bugs, which leads to diarrhea, gas, bloating, and other gastrointestinal distress.
The good news is that you’re not doomed to suffer every time you have dairy.
You can control your lactose intolerance by being very selective about the kinds
and amounts of dairy you consume.
So, if you’re intolerant to dairy and you’re desperate to have a little dairy
now and then, I’m about to serve up some great news. There are some really
amazing choices out there that won’t wreak havoc on your system. How is that
possible? Because there’s a nutrient gulf between the good options and the low-
fat dairy from factory-farmed cows you’ve been reacting to up until now.

FERMENTATION
Fermented dairy products are also known as cultured dairy. Fermenting has been
around for thousands of years, and traditional cultures, including some in Russia
and Europe, still rely on it heavily. The fermentation process increases the shelf-
life of dairy products, makes them much more tasty (no comparison, truly), and
makes them a whole lot easier to digest.
Once Americans enthusiastically embraced pasteurized dairy products over
raw or fermented forms in the early part of the twentieth century, we lost a lot of
powerful, immunizing probiotics and enzymes right along with any potential
pathogens. Too bad, because fermentation, in particular, has some near miracle
drug-like powers—it can make food that was once inedible or even dangerous
not only edible, but nutritious.
Raw milk is fermented either by allowing it to sour naturally or by adding the
milk-loving bacteria lactobacillus to it. Lactobacilli are generally benign and
exist naturally in small amounts in our gut. They feed on the sugar and starch in
the milk, creating lactic acid and preserving the milk in the process. They also
beat back bad bacteria and release beneficial enzymes, vitamins, minerals,
omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of fabulous probiotics. And remember
the protein casein? These good bacteria also help break down casein so we can
digest it. Wow, right?
But back to the big headline—the bacteria also feed on sugar. The
fermentation process eats up the lactose, so it takes that problematic sugar right
out of the equation for anyone who’s lactose-intolerant. In doing so, it also
decreases carb content. And since labels are made before fermentation,
fermented dairy actually has fewer carbs than you see on the label. Win!
So exactly how does fermenting dairy products improve their nutritional
content and digestibility—and ability to detoxify? By preserving the enzymes
lactase and lipase, which help you absorb more of fermented dairy’s (increased)
nutrients. Fermenting dairy tends to increase B vitamins including folic acid,
important in the fight against heart disease and cancer. It also boosts the
detoxifying powerhouse amino acid glutathione and many essential amino acids,
and, of course, probiotics, the healthy bacteria in your gut.
Probiotics balance the ecosystem in your gut and earn fermented dairy a
gold-star reputation for improving digestion and strengthening immunity.
There’s evidence they can also slow or reverse some diseases.
So, as you can see, if you aren’t dairy-intolerant, I’d have you get some raw,
grass-fed, fermented dairy into your diet. That’s the trifecta. You don’t always
have to have all three, but check off as many of those boxes as you can. It will
allow you to enjoy the richness of dairy again without the guilt, or the proteins
and sugars that make you suffer with the symptoms of intolerance and extra
pounds. Imagine!
Here are some sources I recommend:

Crème fraiche
Cultured buttermilk
Cultured cheeses (especially goat cheese)
Cultured cottage cheese
Cultured sour cream
Grass-fed butter (such as Kerrygold)
Grass-fed ghee
Kefir
Yogurt

I find that even people who react to dairy can often eat some of these foods,
especially the nutrient powerhouse grass-fed ghee. It doesn’t have any dairy
protein particles, so it’s safe even if you’re dairy-intolerant, like me.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

As I explained in Chapter 3, you are what you eat, ate. That doesn’t just apply to
protein—it applies to dairy sources, too. If you reach for dairy that comes from
factory-farmed animals, you’re increasing your risk of ingesting all the
hormones, antibiotics, and stress in those horribly treated cows, goats, or sheep.
And those animals are fed corn or soy-based feed, which is likely to be
genetically modified, so they also produce more inflammatory omega-6 fatty
acids than pastured animals.
Go for raw, grass-fed, full-fat dairy. It’s so much better for you and for the
animals that produce it. It’s a win-win: happy cows, happy humans. If you can’t
get your hands on raw, grass-fed, high-fat dairy, at least make certain to choose
full-fat, organic and hormone, and antibiotic-free.

FULL-FAT, FULL-TIME—AVOIDING LOW-FAT SNACKS AND

DESSERTS
The low-fat dairy umbrella covers its processed cousins, like frozen desserts and
those little alien sticks in plastic. If low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese are no good,
low-fat packaged cheese wands are worse, since they can have preservatives and
anti-caking agents as well. (To be fair, there are full-fat versions, but it’s unlikely
they’re from grass-fed cows, and they’re certainly not raw or fermented.) How
about other dairy treats like reduced-fat cheese cubes or low-fat fro-yo? I’m
hoping I don’t have to cover Cheese Whiz Light here, but the appeal of “low-fat
dairy” goodies cannot be underestimated.
Packaged dairy snacks and desserts branded “low-fat” are meant to appeal to
anyone who’s been brainwashed to believe fat is the enemy (namely, everyone!).
Once those addictive foods get their hooks in you, your brain works you over,
telling you they’re healthy and to give them a free pass because, hey, if they
don’t have fat, you can’t gain weight. Sorry to break it to you, but there’s no
such thing as a healthy ice cream sandwich. These snacks are loaded with added
sugar (usually high-fructose corn syrup) to make up for their terrible, low-fat
taste. The added sugar contributes to their addictive quality, making you come
back for more and more, when all they are doing is sabotaging your efforts to
trim down and feel better. Frankenfood isn’t the answer. I’ve got plenty of
delicious Sugar Impact Swaps for you (see here) that will help you cut the
cravings for low-fat dairy and lose fat fast.
You can see that pulling the fat out of dairy snacks does a lot more than just
kill the taste. It also removes a very important pathway that protects you from
weight gain. When you eat healthy fat with low Sugar Impact, naturally
occurring sugar—think full-fat Greek yogurt with raspberries versus a candy bar
—you slow down the release of food from your stomach, which mitigates blood
sugar spikes and the insulin surge that goes with it. It helps you feel full and get
by for longer periods of time without eating again. Sugar in non-fat yogurt hits
your bloodstream a whole lot faster than the sugar in full-fat yogurt, and you’re
scrounging for another snack before you know what hit you.

FAT AND HAPPY

I don’t want to mince words here. Low-fat diets—or rather, high-sugar diets—
raise triglycerides through fructose metabolism in the liver. Those elevated
triglycerides, which get stored as fat, are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease
and an indicator of metabolic syndrome, a precursor to obesity and diabetes.
Many studies on the effect of low-fat diets on the risk of heart disease show they
not only don’t lower risk, they contribute to it!
Low-fat diets actually lower your large HDL particles, or what’s known as
“good” cholesterol, the one you’re trying to keep high. High levels of large HDL
particles are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Essential fatty acids,
especially omega-3s, can elevate large HDL particles, improve cholesterol
levels, and protect your heart.
A diet without good fats also increases small, dense LDL particles—the part
of cholesterol that’s considered “bad.” A high level of LDL particles puts you at
greater risk for heart disease. Studies show that low-fat diets contribute to an
increase in these harmful LDL particles.
Healthy fats are also essential for testosterone levels, and this is not just a
guy’s thing. It’s important news for everyone. Testosterone is made from
cholesterol. A drop in testosterone can lead to decreased muscle mass, increased
body fat, osteoporosis, and low libido.
Eating a diet without enough fat can also create issues with the absorption of
the critical fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Your body needs healthy fats to
help those vitamins get absorbed; otherwise, they’re excreted. And you need
them to keep your immune system strong and repair your cells.
Besides, a diet without delicious, healthy fats is just depressing. It’s not just a
bummer to eat food that’s only edible because it’s been drowned in
manufactured sugars. Worse, when essential fatty acids are missing—and those
are fats your body can only get from food—it might truly impact your mental
health. Omega-3s and some 6s are necessary for hormone synthesis and brain
chemicals, and play significant roles in mood and behavior.
Healthy fats like eggs (if you’re not intolerant), avocado, olive oil, coconut
oil, sustainably raised palm oil, wild salmon, and organic, grass-fed dairy are
sources of healthy, brain-feeding fats that keep your blood sugar stable and
regulate the amount of insulin released after you eat. In other words, these
delicious foods tee up fast fat loss by making you feel good, filling you up, and
helping you keep a handle on your cravings.
It’s time to put that old low-fat chestnut to bed and embrace the light of the
new full-fat day. Taste and nutrition, welcome back.

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SWAPS: LOW-FAT AND NO-FAT DAIRY AND

DIET FOODS
We love our swaps, and there’s no end to the list of delicious (and more
nutritious) choices to replace your low-fat crutches. Here are a few tasty treats to
try:

Swap Your Butter substitute for Coconut cream Swap Your Cool Whip for Full-fat coconut milk
(whipped) Swap Your Fat-free pudding for Mousse made with avocado, coconut cream, and
coconut milk Swap Your Frozen “light” dinner for Lentil soup Swap Your Frozen yogurt for Sugar
Impact Shake Swap Your Fruit on the bottom yogurt for Plain full-fat Greek-style yogurt*
Swap Your Fudgesicle for Homemade protein Popsicle Swap Your Ice cream for Monk fruit–
sweetened coconut ice cream Swap Your Light cream cheese for Avocado Swap Your Low-fat
crackers for Bean chips Swap Your Low-fat pita chips for Olives Swap Your Low-fat potato chips
for Kale chips Swap Your Margarine for Grass-fed butter Swap Your Microwave light popcorn for
Crudités Swap Your Pretzels for Roasted Brussels sprouts Swap Your Protein bar for Wild salmon
jerky Swap Your Skim milk for Full-fat grass-fed milk Swap Your Snack packs for Baggie of low-
roasted nuts Swap Your Sweetened creamer for Coconut milk creamer (unsweetened) Swap Your
Sweetened soy milk for Unsweetened coconut milk

Choosing Protein Powder

Protein shakes can be a great and easy way to make sure you’re eating by the Sugar
Impact Plate, even at breakfast. Here are some general guidelines to follow so you don’t get
confused when you shop for protein powder.
 Ideally, choose a high-quality protein base: de-fatted beef, or plant-based powder made
from rice, pea, chia, chlorella, or cranberry protein, or a blend of these.
Look for GMO-free and hormone-free (meaning no recombinant bovine growth hormone,
or rGBH) if choosing beef-based powders.
Avoid soy, egg, or milk protein powders, and artificial colors and sweeteners such as
aspartame and sucralose. If there is an added sweetener, it should be no more than 5
grams per serving and not come from fructose or high-fructose corn syrup.
When making your protein shakes, use 1–2 scoops of protein powder, according to the
package directions.
For some of my favorite brands and best recommendations, check out the Resources
section on my website http://sugarimpact.com/resources.

YOUR VIRGIN SUGAR IMPACT SCALE: LOW-FAT AND NO-FAT

DAIRY AND DIET FOODS
When I discovered I should be eating more healthy fat and ditching low-fat diet
foods, it was like being set free. I wanted to “Mmmm” out loud with every rich
spoonful of organic, plain, full-fat Greek-style yogurt—and I can’t wait for you
to feel the same way! Without the added sugars of low-fat foods, these delicious
low-SI choices won’t spike and crash your blood sugar… they’ll just leave you
satisfied and smiling.

LOW SUGAR IMPACT

Flax milk (unsweetened)

Full-fat cheeses (avoid blue cheese due to gluten) Full-fat cream cheese
Full-fat grass-fed milk
Full-fat organic milk
Full-fat plain cottage cheese
Monk fruit sweetened coconut ice cream
Mozzarella
Coconut creamer (no sugar added)
Coconut, cashew, or almond milk (no sugar added) Cultured coconut milk (no sugar added)
Nut cheese
Organic creamer
Organic, plain full-fat Greek-style yogurt Plain cultured coconut yogurt (no sugar) Plain dairy or
coconut kefir
Protein powder (following my parameters) Ricotta cheese

MEDIUM SUGAR IMPACT

Cream cheese spread (low-fat or full-fat) Half-and-half

Low-fat cheese
Neufchatel cheese
Organic low-fat or non-fat plain Greek-style yogurt Part-skim mozzarella
Part-skim ricotta
Plain coconut yogurt (sweetened)
Soy cheese
Sweetened coconut milk creamer
Unsweetened rice milk
Whipped cream cheese

HIGH SUGAR IMPACT

94% fat-free microwave kettle corn

94% fat-free microwave popcorn
Almond milk ice cream
Blue cheese
Breakfast bars
Carnation Instant Breakfast
Coconut milk ice cream
Creamsicles
Dried fruit snacks
Ensure
Fat-free baked chips
Fat-free muffins
Fat-free pudding
Fat-free, sugar-free Jell-O
Fat-free Twizzlers
Flavored almond milk yogurt
Flavored coconut yogurt
Flavored kefir
Frozen yogurt
Fruit-added cream cheese
Fudgesicles
Gelato
Granola bars
Hot cocoa
Ice cream
Ice cream sandwiches
Lite Cool Whip
Low-fat and fat-free cookies
Low-fat graham crackers
Low-fat or fat-free ice cream
Low-fat or fat-free ice cream bars
Low-fat or light frozen dinners
Low-fat Oreos
Low or reduced-fat crackers
Mousse
Nestlé’s Quik
Non-fat cheeses
Non-fat cream cheese
Pineapple cottage cheese
Pretzels
Protein bars
Pudding
Reduced-fat macaroni and cheese
Reduced-fat peanut butter
Reduced-fat Pringles
Snack packs
Snackwells low-fat and fat-free cookies and treats Sorbet
Strawberry cream cheese
Sweetened coffee creamers
Sweetened cow milk (vanilla, chocolate)
Sweetened dairy-free milks
Sweetened whipped cream
Unsweetened soy milk*
Yogurts with sugar or artificial sweeteners Whey Protein Powder

Now that we’ve all finally emerged from the haze of the low-fat/no-fat craze,
we can once again take pleasure in the brain-fueling, fat-burning food nature has
given us—guilt-free. Removing low-fat and no-fat diet foods goes a long way in
reducing the hidden impact of sneaky sugar. The fact that it’s also tastier is just
an awesome bonus!
 6

SO LONG, SWEET DRINKS AND DRESSINGS

Sometimes it’s not the meal itself that’s sabotaging you, it’s what you’re having
with it, even if it’s something you’ve been led to believe is a healthy choice. A
fresh salad packed with veggies becomes nothing more than a sugar delivery
vehicle when it’s drowned in “low-fat” dressing. What you’re sipping matters,
too, whether your drink is sweetened with added “natural” sugar or high-fructose
corn syrup or it’s a “diet” version. Drinks and dressings aren’t usually given as
much thought as what to order off the menu, but just because they fly under the
radar, they’re by no means innocent. My guess is that you’re about to be
surprised by the Sugar Impact (SI) of these sneaky sugars and their stealth attack
on your waistline and health.

CAN THE SUGARY DRINKS

There’s a reason the saying isn’t, “Eat, and be merry!” We’ve arrived at liquids.
Let’s give them the respect they deserve, considering you can fast without food
for a day or even more, but go without water, and you’ll feel it fast—your mouth
dries up, and you’ll get nauseous, light-headed, and maybe even have heart
palpitations.
But choice is not to be taken lightly in this category. There’s a huge divide
between beverages that give you incredible health benefits, like boosting your
immunity and brain function, and those that wreck your blood sugar levels and
leave you fatigued and frustrated. I’m going to make sure you’re always
reaching for drinks that do triple duty to fuel your fast fat loss, sky-high energy,
and peace of mind. You can do this!

THINK ABOUT IT
When you drink throughout the day, more than likely you don’t give it a second
thought. It’s less about choice than habit, isn’t it? Once you’re a sweet tea or
soda drinker, it can become a habit that you haven’t given thought to in years—
until you go to break it. Then you may find you get a serious wake-up call that
makes it hard to deny the hold some of these sugary, jolt-inducing concoctions
have over you.
The mindless funnel of liquids with and between meals is one of the biggest
ways sugar sneaks into your body and wreaks havoc on your weight and
metabolism, and now there’s evidence that added sugar in beverages does much
more harm than ever imagined. That additional sugar usually comes in the form
of high-fructose corn syrup, which is nothing more than a high-calorie, nutrient-
free setup for chronic disease.

ANYTHING BUT SWEET

Let’s start with some of those innocent looking sugar sweetened beverages.
Check out the ones I call out on the list of high SI drinks, and notice that if
you’re going to remove hidden sugar from your diet, you’ll need to have more
than soda in your crosshairs. Fruit juices, instant breakfast mixes, and even most
vitamin-supplemented waters all have added sugar, too, and I bet the odds are
good you’re drinking one or more beverages on that list most days, if not every
day.
You may be justifying these drinks away or, worse yet, barely aware you’re
slurping in empty calories and setting yourself up for chronic disease. The harsh
truth? You can’t afford to give this habit a pass. To your body, there’s no
difference between a Gatorade and a full-sugar soda (though diet sodas are
actually worse, as I’ll explain in Chapter 7). Enhanced waters and fruit juices
can be just as bad, and forget about any sweet drink you need to make with a
scoop. Of course, drinking one of those canned “weight-loss” shakes to lose
weight is, well, just ironic (check the sugar content—it’s shocking!).
But the news is especially bad if you drink carbonated sodas infused with
high-fructose corn syrup. Sugary sodas have been linked to a 78% increased risk
of endometrial cancer. A study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers
and Prevention looked at data from more than 23,000 postmenopausal women
who were followed for 24 years, from 1986 to 2010. These women might have
had a lot of other unhealthy habits, too, but there’s mounting evidence that just
drinking sugary drinks is enough to put you at risk for serious health conditions,
especially because of the fallout from the pounds it packs on.
 Obesity is its own problem, but it also creates risk factors for more serious
disease. It increases estrogen and insulin levels, and higher levels of those
hormones are risk factors for—guess what?—endometrial cancer. See how that
goes? Study after study shows the link between the added sugar in drinks and the
swing they take at your health. They hook you, then take you down ounce by
ounce, with no obvious signs, until suddenly you don’t even recognize the
chunky, exhausted, aging person in the mirror.
Sugar-sweetened beverages have been connected to an increased risk for
obesity and diabetes, which are also linked to lower cognitive performance and
cognitive decline. They’re also connected to heart disease and metabolic
disorders. Seriously! What this essentially means is that if you keep drinking
sugar-sweetened soda, you’re damaging your body in countless ways.

CAFFEINE
If you’re a coffee drinker, you might be reaping some serious rewards for your
habit, even beyond its help popping your eyes open in the morning. That is, as
long as you’re not pouring in sugar and cream and serving that cup of joe up
with a muffin.
Coffee beans and green tea are packed with beneficial antioxidants, so there’s
more to that cup than meets the eye. Green tea has been used medicinally for
thousands of years, and both it and coffee have many health benefits attached to
the plant chemicals still in them when they’re brewed. Caffeine sparks an
increase in adrenaline, which triggers the release of fatty acids from your fat
storage (something called lipolysis). So the buzz and energy you get from
caffeine, or that you used to get before you needed it just to feel normal, is due
both to the shot of adrenaline and these fatty acids floating around serving up
energy to burn.
So it’s no surprise that most research points to evidence that our beloved,
humble coffee is linked to lower weight. But what’s really interesting is that
studies show in the long run caffeine actually improves your insulin sensitivity
and lowers your risk for diabetes. And it can improve liver function. Coffee can
also reduce your hunger, even if it’s decaffeinated, according to a study in the
Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Coffee’s not a complete disease-
fighting slouch, either. Last July, the American Institute for Cancer Research and
the World Cancer Research Fund International announced findings that the
antioxidants in coffee and its role in regulating insulin may make it protective
against endometrial cancer.
If you’re a green tea drinker, you’re an even bigger winner. Green tea may
actually hydrate as well as water (the idea that caffeine causes dehydration is a
myth). Plus, it’s full of heart-protective and free radical–fighting polyphenols.
Green tea lowers your risk for developing chronic diseases ranging from
cardiovascular disease to cancer. It’s rich in flavonoids, including the catechin
epigallocatechin gallate, which is thought to be key to green tea’s anticancer and
antioxidant powers.
Too much caffeine can work against you, though, and you know what I’m
talking about if you’ve ever thrown back just one cup too many, or downed that
Americano too late in the day. Or you may just be a slow caffeine metabolizer,
which makes you more sensitive to caffeine than most. It can make you wired,
anxious, and irritable. So stick to a cup or two a day (organic, and without
mycotoxins, if possible), get the benefits you deserve, and sleep well.

ALCOHOL
If you’re not a drinker, you can skip ahead. And if you don’t drink now, I’m not
encouraging you to start. But for those of you who like to uncork now and then,
I’m going to make you just as happy as that glass of wine does—the Sugar
Impact Diet will not take away your wine (personally, I would never do a diet or
create one that took away mine for the long term!).
Alcohol isn’t sugar, but its fate is nearly the same. Fermentation of fruit and
grains creates alcohol. During the fermentation process, enzymes gobble up the
sugars. Wine, beer, and hard alcohol generally don’t have residual sugars, though
some of the cheaper wines or sweeter wines do (it’s why quality matters). Of
course, if you’re using a mixer like tonic water or cola, or an alcoholic blend that
has added sugar, you’re getting both alcohol and sugar.
Although alcohol is metabolized differently than sugar, the end result is very
similar to that of fructose metabolism. Most of that glass of wine or shot of
tequila (roughly 80%) skirts insulin response and takes the HOV lane to your
liver. Your liver then converts it to acetaldehyde (a close relative of
formaldehyde, and a poison). Some of the alcohol becomes glucose, but a lot of
it becomes free fatty acids, triglycerides, and VLDL—the end products of
fructose metabolism.
It turns out that a little alcohol—5 ounces of red wine, 1 ounce of hard
alcohol—may be cardioprotective and help with weight loss. Evidence suggests
that reasonable drinking of any kind of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol,
the large fluffy HDL particles. If wine isn’t your thing, your second best option
is tequila. Unlike vodka and other hard liquors, it’s not made from grains (see
Chapter 4).
But, as with everything, it’s all about the dose. Too much can lead to fatty
liver, poor eating habits, nutrient deficiencies, and inflammation. For the
transition weeks in Cycle 2 (yes, I’m asking you to abstain—but only for 2
weeks!), we’re giving the liver a much-needed break, and removing alcohol is
part of that strategy. Why?
When you drink alcohol, you’ll sideline fat-burning. Alcohol cuts to the front
of the metabolic line as soon as it arrives. Your body puts everything else on
hold, including fat metabolism, to metabolize alcohol.
A word of warning to the ladies—you get intoxicated more quickly than men
(even of the same weight) because you have less of the enzyme alcohol
dehydrogenase in your stomachs than men do, so you can’t break the alcohol
down as fast. If you’re menopausal, you’ll also become more intoxicated on
smaller doses of alcohol than you did when you were younger.
And another brief caution: alcohol seems to stimulate appetite, not suppress
it, so if you thought you were going to get away with swapping out alcohol
calories for dinner, think again. It doesn’t affect satiety like food calories do, and
it can actually increase hunger and mindless grazing. Basically, that means when
you’ve had a few, you decide you’re starving and you don’t have the willpower
to keep yourself from plowing through the salty snacks in the pantry (because
we both know you’re not going to binge on crudités, right?). You wake up
feeling lousy for all kinds of reasons, not the least of which is the remorse and
guilt that come with falling off the diet wagon.

What About Cooking with Wine?

When you’re moving from high-SI beverages to medium-SI options, as you
will be in Cycle 1, you’ll be okay to cook with some dry red and white
wines. But when you hit Cycle 2, and you’re not having any alcohol, leave
it out of recipes altogether. Wine doesn’t completely evaporate during
cooking (I know, surprise!) so it’s another place sugar can sneak into what
you’re eating without you even realizing it. But don’t panic—it will be
there for you when you get back, when you reintroduce it in Cycle 3.
GO GREEN
Juices can be dicey; you have to be really careful about sneaky sugar. The best
vegetable juices and green drinks are straight green, meaning, made only from
vegetables. Otherwise, you have to be sure they’re not tweaked with added fruit
and bottled as “healthy” juices. Check the label (especially for apples, carrots, or
beets), or, better yet, make your own.
Even if you do, don’t go thinking you’ll drink them all day, every day. Sure,
they’re low in sugar and carbs, but they can still drive up your blood sugar!
Ideally, drink one with your meal, but if you’re having it as a snack, consider
adding a tablespoon of chia seeds for some extra fiber and protein to temper your
blood sugar response.

WATER: THE CLEAR WINNER

Of course you can never go far without hearing the consistent chorus about
getting eight glasses of water in a day, and I’d have you drink even more if I
ruled the world. If you want to burn fat, build muscle, and have glowing skin,
water is your answer. Let me give you seven reasons that drinking enough water
is that important:
1. Water helps you eat less during your meals. A study in the journal
Obesity (Silver Spring) showed that when people drank 8 ounces of water before
each reduced-calorie meal, they had greater fat loss compared to people who
didn’t drink water before they ate. Another study presented at the American
Chemical Society’s annual conference showed that 2 glasses of water before
every meal helped people lose an average of 15.5 pounds (5 pounds more than
the non-water drinkers) over 3 months. The one time I don’t want you drinking
water is during meals, because it can dilute the stomach enzymes that break
down protein. But before and after your meal, drink up!
2. Water can make your skin glow. I’ve met women who spend hundreds of
dollars at a time on top-shelf skin care to hydrate their skin, when they should
really be reaching for some H2O. Because skin is your body’s largest organ, it’s
also your most significant detoxification agent. Perspiration and evaporation are
mechanisms designed to cleanse your skin and remove waste. Without adequate
water, that waste builds up, leading to breakouts, acne, and other problems. Poor
hydration also means your body can make less new collagen, and the existing
collagen becomes brittle.
3. Water helps muscle maintenance and recovery. Muscle tissue is about
75% water, which explains why even 3% dehydration can reduce muscle
strength up to 15%. Dehydration also shrinks muscle cells and leads to protein
breakdown. Optimal hydration replenishes electrolytes and reduces exercise-
related inflammation.
4. If you’re not well hydrated, you’re not detoxifying. Even if you’re
eating organically, dehydration means your body can’t detoxify with maximum
efficiency. Water flushes waste from your cells, but when you’re dehydrated,
your cells draw water from your blood, stressing your heart and preventing your
kidneys from purifying blood. Your liver and other organs also feel the pressure.
Toxic buildup leads to constipation, literally forcing your body to cling to the
waste it needs to eliminate.
5. Dehydration can raise stress hormones. Some experts believe
dehydration is the number one cause of stress. Even mild dehydration of 1–2%
can raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol. And what’s cortisol good at?
Storing fat around your middle and breaking down muscle.
6. Dehydration can create fatigue. When you don’t drink enough water,
nothing good happens. Your metabolism screeches to a halt, your fluid balance is
upended, and your blood volume drops. Your heart struggles to deliver nutrients
and oxygen to your tissues. You’re hit with headaches, brain fog, and fatigue.
Ironically, fatigue will probably mean you reach for a different liquid altogether
—keep the coffee coming, right?
7. Water can reduce cravings. Thirst can come disguised as hunger, and
you’re in a bad way when you can’t tell the difference between just needing
some water or that Krispy Kreme donut.
8. Hint: try the water first. And if cravings are gnawing at you before bed,
see if water beats them back. According to a study at the University of
Washington, drinking 8 ounces of water at bedtime can shut down your evening
hunger pangs. Sweet dreams.
See here in Chapter 8 for more helpful information on water, including how
much of it to drink and when.

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SWAPS: DRINKS

You’ll make the biggest impact on fast fat loss, higher energy, and glowing skin
when you stop drinking your calories. Sugar-sweetened drinks are one of the
biggest barriers between you and the you you’re about to become. Ditch high-SI
drinks, especially sugar-sweetened sodas, for anything on the low SI list. And
remember, water is a great swap for any beverage!

Swap Your Beer for Gluten-free beer

Swap Your Carrot juice for Green juice
Swap Your Energy drinks for Organic coffee or green tea Swap Your Gatorade for
Unsweetened coconut water Swap Your Hot chocolate for Warm coconut milk and
chocolate protein powder Swap Your Jamba Juice smoothie for Sugar Impact Shake Swap
Your Latte for Espresso with coconut creamer Swap Your Regular/diet soda for Sparkling
water
Swap Your Sweet tea for Brewed tea with lemon
Swap Your Sweet wine for Pinot noir
Swap Your Vitaminwater for Hint water

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SCALE: DRINKS

Sneaky sugar in sweet beverages has a huge hidden impact—it’s one of the
biggest highjackers of your waistline and health. When you drop high-SI
beverages from your daily routine, you’ll fast-track fat loss and support your
move from sugar burner to fat burner. Stay hydrated, my friends.

LOW SUGAR IMPACT

All teas
Green drinks (greens only—no fruit, carrot, or beet added)*
Green tea (no sugar added)
Hint water
Organic coffee and decaf coffee
Sparkling mineral water
Teeccino
Unsweetened coconut water
Unsweetened fruit essence teas
Water

MEDIUM SUGAR IMPACT

Dry red wine

Dry white wine
Gin
Gluten-free beer
Kombucha tea (no sugar added)
Tequila
Tomato juice
V8 (not with fruit juice)
Vodka

HIGH SUGAR IMPACT

Beer
Brandy
Capri Sun
Carnation Instant Breakfast
Carrot juice
Champagne
Commercial “smoothies”
Crystal Light
Diet soda
“Enhanced” waters (with sweeteners)
Fruit juices
Fuze
Gatorade
Kool-Aid
Mixed drinks
Nestlé’s Quik
Port
PowerAde
Rockstar energy drink
Rum
Slim-Fast
Sobe
Soda
Sweet tea
Sweetened coconut water
Vitaminwater and most vitamin-supplemented waters
Wines—sweet, dessert

SAYONARA SUGARY DRESSINGS, SAUCES, AND CONDIMENTS

If there’s one thing I wish, it’s that I was standing next to each and every one of
you when you took your Sneaky Sugar Inventory. Before that, I bet you might
have looked me square in the eye and sworn, with impressive conviction, that
you weren’t eating any sugar.
So if you now find yourself taking a deep breath about taking sugar
banishment to the next level, not to worry. We’re going to ease into this nice and
slowly, removing sneaky sugar and swapping sweet dressings, sauces, and
condiments for near-even taste trades, but with huge improvements in SI. You’re
going to hand over the sugary toppings and replace them—from high to medium
to low SI—with healthy oils and real vinegars. You’ll trade sauces and ketchup
for mustards and salsas. Odds are, you’ll like your swaps so much that you’ll
never look back. They’ll bring fireworks of rich, layered flavors to your food—
and they’ll be supporting you, not sabotaging you! Let’s show them some love!

SWIMMING IN SUGAR
This category is about to expose you to the land mines of sugar lurking in your
fridge and pantry, just waiting to plump you up and wreak havoc on your blood
sugar. Keep spooning them in and before you know it, dollop by dollop, they’ll
have laid the groundwork for insulin resistance and chronic disease. But the
good news is you can dodge them—and all their hidden sugar and the harm they
might do—when you simply know where they are. It’s time to liberate yourself
from the grip of goop with hidden ingredients!
 You may already be on to the fact that barbecue sauces and ketchup are
loaded with sugar. But this is not just about the obviously sweet sauces—you
have to be vigilantly en garde with any kind of sauce or spread. Regard them all
as suspect. You’d be amazed at the amount of sugar in everything from balsamic
vinegar to sundried tomatoes. (Yes, even in sundried tomatoes! I know! It was a
complete eye-opener for me, too.) And let’s be honest—anything glazed is just
code for “shined with sugar.”
Sugar isn’t the only thing slipping into these pre-packaged dressings and
toppings hoping to go unnoticed. Salt is dumped in with a heavy hand, as are soy
and gluten. If you’re sensitive to either of them, be sure you’re reading labels; if
you don’t, you may find out they’re in there the hard way. But remember, this is
not about giving up the sauces (or any food) you love. It’s about making smart
exchanges. There are great alternatives to every dressing and condiment you’re
using, I promise. I’m also willing to bet they’ll improve the flavor and
nutritional value of your food.
Here’s a great example. If you’re sensitive to soy, trade soy sauce for coconut
aminos. If you don’t have a soy issue, get rid of gluten-y, salty soy sauce anyway
and, instead, use liquid aminos or wheat-free tamari. Yum! In fact, as far as
swaps go, I like coconut aminos even better than soy sauce, and I’ve discovered
red wine vinegar is a huge improvement in flavor over balsamic. I’ve tossed
sugar-sweetened marinara and will never go back now that I have mad love for
checca sauce, which is just chopped tomatoes, olive oil, and basil (see the recipe
here).
Swaps really are the secret sauce (pun intended) to success on the Sugar
Impact Diet, and I’m going to take all the work out of finding them for you so
you have healthier and tastier options at the ready. But swaps are so much fun,
you’ll be coming up with your own in no time, then passing them on to the next
wave of SI players.

VINEGARS: PUCKER UP!

Vinegar is a sour-tasting liquid used as a condiment and for pickling, not to
mention its function as a natural cure-all and cleaning agent. It also has a built-in
chef’s bonus—an indefinite shelf life! It’s made by turning sugars into alcohol,
and that alcohol into acetic acid. The alcohol used is typically wine, cider, or
beer, but any fermentable carb, including fruits, can be used as a source. It’s the
acetic acid it becomes, though, that’s the organic force to be reckoned with.
 Vinegar has been used medicinally—and as a seasoning and preservative—
for thousands of years. But until recently, most of its use in treating everything
from cuts to tummyaches was scientifically suspect. Now? There’s a lot of recent
evidence to suggest it really is useful as a health aid, especially in lowering
blood sugar levels.
Carol Johnston, Ph.D., head of the nutrition department at Arizona State
University in Tempe, has done studies showing that vinegar decreases both
fasting blood sugar and post prandial blood sugar, and has suggested it can help
people with type 2 diabetes manage their disease. And other studies, including
another by Johnston, show there’s reason to believe vinegar improves insulin
sensitivity to a high-carb meal in people who have insulin resistance or type 2
diabetes.
So there doesn’t seem to be much harm in having a couple of teaspoons
spritzed on top of your salads. Plus, vinegar is a natural, flavorful tenderizer, so
you can also use it to marinate your clean, lean protein—whether it’s grass-fed
beef, free-range organic chicken, or wild-caught, cold-water fish. If you have
issues with Candida (see the Resources online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources for how to find out), avoid all vinegars except
unfiltered apple cider vinegar—it may actually be helpful in fighting a Candida
overgrowth by serving as a prebiotic and helping restore beneficial microflora
balance.

GOODBYE, BALSAMIC
Even for all vinegar’s real or imagined magical powers, there are exceptions to
the rule. Enter balsamic vinegar. Yes, the very one we love and use the most, the
most flavorful, and the one we thought was healthiest of all. I’m sorry to be the
one to break it to you.
Balsamic vinegar comes in two varieties, the real deal and the get-it-on-the-
shelf-fast kind. Authentic, traditional balsamic vinegar has been made in Italy
for hundreds of years. It’s expensive and prized by gourmet chefs and foodies. It
takes years to come to market and undergoes rigorous testing before it does.
Made from white grape juice, which is boiled to create a concentrated syrup, it’s
fermented and then aged in wooden casks for a minimum of 12 years. The aging
process removes water, making balsamic vinegar thicker than regular vinegar
and further concentrating the grape sugar. Since it has more sugar, it has more
calories, too (even though, like apple cider vinegar, it does have antioxidants).
 But, of course, big food companies aren’t going to endure a 12-year
production process to get a product in stores. So they accelerate its journey to the
shelf with highly processed manufacturing, supplying you with something called
“condiment balsamic vinegar,” modeled after the good stuff. There are variations
in the process and the time it takes, but there’s no requirement that it be aged 12
years; sometimes it’s aged as little as 2 months. This vinegar we know as
balsamic is usually made from white wine vinegar and has caramel coloring (for
color and added sweetness) and thickeners like cornstarch and gum, all of which
add calories.
The condiment balsamic vinegar is the stuff we get in salad dressings, sauces,
dips, and marinades. It can have as many as four times the number of calories in
a cup as regular cider vinegar! So proceed with caution, whether you’re using
balsamic vinegar or its kissing cousin balsamic vinaigrette, which, as a salad
dressing, can have added sugar, oil, and seasonings.

TOMATOES—NOT JUST FOR RATING MOVIES

Tomatoes seem like they’re more at home in the veggie bin, though technically
they’re a fruit. But whether you say to-may-toe or to-mah-toe, they have all the
antioxidant power we attribute to the planet’s healthiest foods.
The health outlook for tomatoes gets pretty bleak, though, when they’re
puréed and packaged with sugar. If there’s a kitchen in your house, odds are
there’s marinara sauce on the shelf. It’s as much a staple as salt and pepper—
pasta is always there for you as a quick, feel-good go-to when you need to serve
up something filling, fast. But store-bought spaghetti sauce, even the ones with
labels that look like they came right off the boat from Italy, are often vessels for
added sugar and other preservatives.
People often excuse adding sugar in marinara as necessary to cut the acidity
of the tomatoes, though it’s possible to choose less-acidic tomato varieties. It’s
beside the point in large-scale manufacturing, anyway; usually in commercial
production, sugar—even high-fructose corn syrup—is poured in simply to help
hide cheap ingredients and increase shelf life. The added sugar (and usually salt)
enhances taste in the absence of good tomatoes and herbs, and there’s often
artificial coloring and thickeners (again, high-fructose corn syrup!) to boot.
So to avoid dumping a dessert sauce on a meal already pretty high in carbs,
skip pasta sauce that lists sugar—of any kind—as an ingredient. I hope it goes
without saying that includes those with high-fructose corn syrup. White and
vodka sauces should throw up obvious red flags, too—they often have even
more sugar and calories because they contain cream and cheese. But others are
sneakier; they slip in sugar as lactose in low-fat cheese.
Also, be sure to check out the amount of sugar per serving. Usually a serving
of pasta sauce is a half a cup, way less than you’d ever ladle on your noodles.
Some sauces contain 12 grams of sugar—or almost 2.5 teaspoons—in that half a
cup. Before you put that jar in your cart, ask yourself whether you’d be willing
to swap the sauce for a handful of sugar cubes on your rigatoni. Eek!
I suppose you could argue that you have a fighting chance with jars of
marinara and other sauces—at least you can read their labels before you buy
them. You actually have to hunt online to find the ingredients used in the sauces
on big brand pizzas. And when you find them, you’ll never be able to unknow
what’s in them. You’ve been warned!

NOW YOU’RE COOKIN’

Instead, make your own! It’s so fast and easy! Think of the warm, slow simmer
of tomatoes on your stove, filling your kitchen with a delicious aroma. You’re
stirring in some love… okay, maybe I’m getting carried away. But you get the
gist—homemade always tastes better, and it gives you control over what’s in
your food. (See here for my favorite sauce recipe.) As a fruit, tomatoes already
have a small amount of sugar in them, and they’re exploding with natural flavor.
So when you make your own sauces—from alla checca to marinara—you don’t
need to add any sugar. Start with meaty, fresh organic (or home-grown) tomatoes
with low acidity. You can also use diced tomatoes or pureed tomatoes with no
added sugar; just make sure you’re choosing ingredients in a glass jar or a BPA-
free can.
There’s no single way to make marinara sauce—everyone’s claim to the best
is based on tradition and taste. Beyond tomatoes, the ingredients you can add run
the gamut. They can be as colorful or conservative as you like—extra virgin
olive oil, onions, carrots, garlic, herbs, parsley, anchovies, sea salt, freshly
ground black pepper… even red wine (after Cycle 2). So experiment and enjoy!

SLIPPERY SAUCES
People love to slather. Gooey sauces and condiments are squirted, squeezed, and
swiped on almost anything edible in an effort to add flavor, and, usually, some
sweetness. Sugar is an addiction, after all, and that means we can contrive ways
to make it go with anything, anytime, anywhere.
Ketchup and barbecue sauce are faves all over the world, and their popularity
(and contribution to waistlines) is only growing. Yes, there are tomatoes in
ketchup. And some vinegar and a few other tasty good seasonings and spices.
But conversation about their nutrient content ends there. Commercial ketchup is
dosed with sodium and sugar, usually high-fructose corn syrup. There’s typically
4 grams of sugar in a single tablespoon of ketchup! That’s a teaspoon!
Barbecue and steak sauces are other tomato-based flavorings notorious for
sneaky sweeteners. They come in many more shapes and sizes than ketchup, and
some US-based regional preferences have more sugar than others. The source of
added sugar in them ranges from brown sugar to molasses and honey, and 2
tablespoons contain around 13 grams of sugar. Even quick and easy homemade
recipes often casually call for ketchup as a base, so right out of the gate, you’ve
got added sugar in your sauce.
I know we’re mostly talking sugar here, but beware the high salt in gluey,
brush-on pastes, too. We get most of our daily salt from processed foods. (Did
you know sundried tomatoes are also really high in salt? Strike two!) The current
FDA recommendation for salt is to get no more than 2,300 milligrams a day,
with the added note that certain groups should have no more than 1,500
milligrams a day. When 1 tablespoon of ketchup has over 150 milligrams of salt
(and almost 3 grams of sugar, and over 4 grams of total carbs), you have to
wonder if that sweet sauce is worth it. You’re not really wondering, are you?
Research on salt’s impact on blood pressure is mixed, but I, for one, am not
risking the potential health smackdown from the sugar-salt combo in sauce
packets. And I don’t want you or any other Impact player to, either. There are
way too many delicious and interesting ways to flavor your food and support
your health in the bargain. That world is just about to open up to you, as soon as
you kick your sugar habit and reset your sensitivity to it. (Rest easy, it’s only
going to take 2 weeks!) Need a little mouthwatering encouragement? Homemade
salsa and alla checca are fresh, amazingly flavorful alternatives to marinara and
tomato-based sauces. In Cycle 3 of the Sugar Impact Diet, you can also bring
back marinara sauce and some dressings, even those with a little bit of sugar.
Remember, this is a low-SI diet, not a no-sugar diet!

HOMEMADE VERSUS STORE-BOUGHT DRESSINGS

Flip over any bottle of commercial salad dressing, including those hawked with
healthy labels, and a-ooga! Wow, what a surprise. It’s like an anti–weight loss
party—added sugars, high sodium, less-than-stellar oils like soybean oil, and
sometimes even hydrogenated oils—or more accurately, trans fats. Lots of
dressings are high in sugar, including vinaigrettes and creamy ones like French
and Thousand Island.
You may feel like you’re wearing a healthy halo when you’re eating a
nutrient-dense salad, but if you’re dousing it with a sugar-laden salad dressing,
you may have solved one of the weight-loss resistance mysteries that’s been
plaguing you for years. I’m not saying you might as well have been pouring
fudge over your veggies but—well, okay, that’s exactly what I’m saying.
Most full-fat dressings have 2 grams of carbohydrate per serving (a serving is
usually 2 tablespoons), but the fat-free versions contain 11 grams or more. That’s
over a teaspoon of sugar for each tablespoon of dressing! Run!
My advice? Keep it simple—mix a base of some high-quality extra virgin
olive oil with a dash of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and some seasoning to taste.
Voila! Or experiment with some red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard
combinations. If you’re feeling creative, you can try tahini, a creamy spread
made from sesame seeds. How about olive tapenade in place of olive oil, or
some guacamole? As long as you’re working with low-SI ingredients, mixed to
suit your taste, it’s hard to go wrong.

NO THANK YOU, JAM

Many a morning ritual begins with some sort of fruity spread being dragged,
bleary eyed, across a piece of burnt toast or a muffin. Jams, jellies, and
marmalades propped on breakfast tables across the country all bask in the fruit-
association glow, but they don’t get the pass whole fruit does as a healthy
breakfast choice. Why not, you ask? I’ll give you one guess!
Whether they’re store-bought or homemade, how many jams do you know
that are made only from fruit, and fruit alone? Even if they are, jams are a
condensed sugar hit—like juice with a lot less liquid.
So steer clear of jams and jellies, even homemade. Fruit should be sweet
enough to give you your morning fix—and once your taste buds are reset to pick
up the rich, subtle sweetness fruit offers, it will be.
 MY IMPACT!

Susan Stephens
Starting weight: 124 lbs.
Current weight: 114 lbs.
Total lost: 10 lbs.

I lost 30 pounds on the Virgin Diet this past year, but I was still struggling with sugar and gluten. I
could never just have three bites of either—one or two bites would trigger a feeding frenzy. I have
always had a sweet tooth, and sugar was my drug of choice when I was overstressed.
I have IBS, so I would get severe gas and pain in my abdomen after overindulging. The gas at
work was very embarrassing after eating lunch. My gut was not healing even after using the gut-
support protocol.
Then I tried the Sugar Impact Diet, and everything changed. I did not gain my normal 10 pounds
over the holidays. I lost 10 pounds! My total weight loss for this year is 40 pounds, including the
weight I lost on the Virgin Diet. I lost inches from my waist. My fasting blood sugar went from 97 to
80. The gut-support supplements are working better. I am getting a better night’s sleep. I am more
aware of the hidden sugars and am diligent in keeping them out.
I am looking forward this next year to learning to cook delicious and healthy meals that my
diabetic husband will enjoy, too. Overcoming my addiction to sugar has made me more focused at
work and less in a fog, which has increased my performance. I feel more confident that I can set goals
and complete them. Thank you, JJ Virgin, for your diligence in helping us all become healthier.

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SWAPS: DRESSINGS, SAUCES, AND

CONDIMENTS
You can make a huge, fast dent in sneaky sugar and save money just by cutting
out all commercially made dressings, sauces, and condiments. You can almost
instinctively feel that they need to be poured down the drain, can’t you? Drop
this slop and let your food breathe. When you swap out sugar-heavy sauces for
rich, natural flavor enhancers, you’ll feel it from your taste buds to your toes.

Swap Your Balsamic vinegar for Red wine vinegar

Swap Your BBQ sauce for Dry rub
Swap Your Cocktail sauce for Horseradish
Swap Your French dressing for Champagne vinegar and extra virgin olive oil Swap Your
Honey mustard for Dijon mustard
Swap Your Hot and sour sauce for Hot sauce
Swap Your Italian dressing for Extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano vinaigrette
Swap Your Jellies and jams for Fresh fruit or nut butters Swap Your Ketchup for Salsa
Swap Your Soy-based stir-fry sauce for Homemade coconut amino–based stir-fry sauce
Swap Your Steak sauce for Au jus
Swap Your Sweet dressing for Savory dressings like Dijon vinaigrette Swap Your Sweet
sauces for Savory sauces like pesto Swap Your Teriyaki sauce for Coconut aminos with
orange zest and stevia

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SCALE: DRESSINGS, SAUCES, AND

CONDIMENTS
High-SI sugar that slips in on the side can be some of the most surprising, but it
can also be some of the easiest to let go. Why? These elegant low-SI options are
full of flavors that blow the doors off those garish high-SI sugary toppings and
make your food taste better than ever.

LOW SUGAR IMPACT

Avocado oil
Bragg’s Liquid Aminos*
Checca sauce
Coconut aminos
Hot sauce
Macadamia nut oil
Mustard
Nutritional yeast
Olive oil
Olives
Pesto
Red Malaysian palm fruit oil
Salsa
Sesame oil
Sour dill pickles
Tabasco
Tapenade
Vinegar
Walnut oil
Wheat-free tamari*

MEDIUM SUGAR IMPACT

Bread and butter pickles

Caesar dressing
Fish sauce
Green curry sauce
Italian dressing
Marinara sauce (no sugar added)
Pickle relish
Red curry sauce
Sweet pickle relish
Sweet pickles
Tomato sauce

HIGH SUGAR IMPACT

Asian-style salad dressing

Balsamic vinaigrette
Balsamic vinegar
BBQ sauce
Blue cheese dressing
Brown sauce
Catalina dressing
Cocktail sauce
French dressing
Hoisin sauce
Honey mustard
Honey mustard dressing
Hot and sour sauce
Ketchup
Marinara sauce (sugar added)
Peanut sauce
Ranch dressing
Raspberry vinaigrette
Steak sauce
Sweet chili sauce
Tartar sauce
Teriyaki sauce
Thousand Island dressing
Worcestershire sauce

You’ll get a giant SI benefit when you ditch the “healthy” drinks and sauces
that have been sabotaging your weight and health for years. When you
recalibrate in these categories, you’ll block two of the main thoroughfares for
sneaky sugars, setting the stage for fast fat-burning and a revved metabolism.
And once you’ve reset your sugar sensitivity, you’re going to love the way your
new, low-SI drinks and toppings bring your taste buds to life!
 7

SEE YA, SWEETENERS AND ADDED SUGAR

Aristotle said, “Change in all things is sweet.” He was a pretty bright guy. Just
wait ’til you see how sweet this change is about to be for you! Ditching the high-
Sugar Impact (SI) sweeteners can feel like the final frontier in kicking your
sugar cravings to the curb. They’ve got their hooks in you deep because they’re
actually causing you to crave more and more sweet, while your brain has you
convinced that they’re the perfect, no-or low-calorie antidote to the evils of
bright, white sugar.
If you can’t let go of the sweeteners that are fueling your sugar addiction and
you’re feeling defeated, hardly able to recognize yourself with those extra
pounds and flagging energy, do not give up! You’ve found support. This fight
isn’t over, and you’re about to be the comeback kid!
Let’s start with a point of weakness: cravings. It’s possible you’re looking at
them all wrong. Cravings are just information. They’re your body’s way of
telling you that something may be off, that you’re not reacting to something well
or that you’re out of balance. The next time you get cravings, rather than rush to
self-soothe, try a few Sugar-Attack Survival Strategies in Chapter 8 (see here).
They’re designed to come to the rescue at just those moments.
Getting your cravings under control is a key piece of the puzzle in regaining
control of your appetite and finding a new you in the mirror. When you slide
down the ladder of high-to medium-to low-SI sweeteners (and sweet treats with
added sugar), you’ll make huge strides in breaking free of your sugar cravings
because sweeteners have just been stoking the fire of your sugar addiction all
along.
This new way forward, free of cravings for sweet, will be cleared for you
when you reclaim your sugar sensitivity and reset your taste buds to appreciate
the natural sweetness of things like vanilla and cinnamon. Believe it or not,
you’ll notice that some things are actually too sweet (yes, it’s possible!).
Even if you’re not a sugar adder, it will help you familiarize yourself with
natural and artificial sugars, to learn which are safe, and to know how they’re
identified on a label. But if you have a genetic sweet tooth, you need to work
with it, not against it. That’s what this chapter is designed to help you do. As
always, this transition involves swaps to hold your hand along the way. You’re
going to be trading natural and artificial sweeteners for sweet herbs and sugar
alcohols. Agave and Splenda are out; stevia and erythritol are in. And you’re
going to love them.
This is a lifestyle change for life, and it will give back in spades. Weight will
go. Energy and focus will come. Stick with me—you’ll see.

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS: THE WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

Research has shown that the artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium (very
common in many “diet” foods and drinks) can trigger an insulin release much
like sugar can, leading to cravings and stalling fat loss. In fact, your insulin
shoots up as soon as you taste the artificial sweetener saccharin… it thinks food
is coming.
In another study, 100 women ate a diet heavy in sugar, dairy products, and
artificial sweeteners. From urine samples, researchers determined that eating
those foods elevated their glucose, arabinose, and ribose—all of which feed
Candida Albicans. When the women eliminated sugar, dairy, and artificial
sweeteners, they reduced the frequency and severity of their Candida.
Surprising, right?
Artificial sweeteners also cause glycation, just as sugar does. The process is
like the browning that happens in high-heat cooking—only it goes on inside you.
During glycation, sugar binds to proteins, like those in your skin and arteries,
making them stiffer. They also spew free-radical inducing advanced glycation
end products, or AGEs, into your system. Yep, that sure will AGE you!
Now, you might be thinking, well, even though they do all the things sugar
does, at least I get the no calories win. Not so much—they might actually be
worse than real sugar in that regard. Even though they don’t have calories, they
generate responses in your body that set up the expectation of calories, so they
can trigger cravings and make you eat more (and not more wild fish and
asparagus, either!). This phenomenon is called calorie dysregulation; your body
loses its ability to calibrate the degree of sweetness in food with the amount of
calories you’re consuming, which sets you up to overeat. And, as you’re well
aware, when you eat sweet you want more sweet.
 Studies also show that eating sweet substances without calories sets you up to
fail, because your body misses all the cues it’s looking for to stop eating. When
that relationship between taste and calories falls apart, it may contribute to
overeating and weight gain. So artificial sweeteners are far from a free ride—
they can seriously stall fast fat loss, the very reason you were eating them in the
first place.
And study after study shows that diet sodas increase diabetes risk. In one
study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who
drank just one diet soda a day had a 33% increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The
diet soda drinkers also consumed twice as much soda as the sugar-soda drinkers.
Here’s something else, and it’s more than a little scary: did you know that
artificial sweeteners might be neurotoxic? If you didn’t, I hope you’ll never
forget it now. Aspartame gets called out of class for the most recognition on this
one. Even though most of the evidence is anecdotal (though more studies are
validating it), aspartame is also reported to create a laundry list of symptoms,
including headaches, dizziness, poor balance, vomiting or nausea, change in
vision, memory loss, fatigue, and other neurological issues like brain fog or lack
of concentration. Aspartame is considered an excitotoxin, which means what it
says: it’s an FDA-approved way to excite your brain to toxic levels. It causes
your brain cells to become overstimulated and fire uncontrollably, which leads to
cell death.
I think it’s fair to summarize it this way: artificial sweeteners can make you
fat, put you at risk for metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular
disease, and some may kill your brain cells in the process. Plus, they’re so much
sweeter than regular sugar, the more you eat them, the sweeter tastes you crave.
Not much more to discuss, is there? Just give them up, okay?

NATURAL SWEETENERS
If you’ve been convinced the world will stop spinning without sweets, you may
hold the view that natural sugar is the best way to go. The trend to move away
from artificial sweeteners is certainly a step in the right direction. But as for
feeling so much better about yourself for emptying that little brown packet of
“natural” sugar into your coffee, or using molasses in your cookies, well, nice
try.
I get more questions about sugar and sweeteners than anything else.
Everyone is desperate to know how they can lose weight fast, get their energy
back, and look great—and still hang onto a little sugar (just a little!). Is honey
okay? Fruit juice concentrate? Can I have agave—it’s natural, right?
So here’s the headline—sugar is sugar. It doesn’t matter if it comes from bees
or sugarcane—it still breaks down in your body as sugar. Sweeteners, natural or
not, are processed carbs. That’s not hard to figure out when we’re talking about
refined white sugar or powdered sugar, but molasses, honey, and brown sugar
can be heavily processed, too. Coconut sugar is a step up in the sugar echelon
from high-fructose corn syrup. But it’s all sugar, period.

IS IT HONEY DO? OR HONEY DON’T?

True, raw natural honey is packed with phytonutrients, and blackstrap molasses
is rich in some minerals like iron, potassium, and calcium, but a “natural” label
in the sweetener category doesn’t bestow an automatic gold star. To be sure, it’s
better than the alternative, but there are varying degrees of “good” among the
natural-branded sweeteners, and there are only a few that will pass my test, even
as you transition to Cycle 2. And sugar, whether you call it natural or not, spikes
your blood sugar and sends you on a mood ride you know all too well, while in
high doses it takes you down a path to weight gain, insulin resistance, and
disease.
That’s why processed honey and molasses, along with maple syrup, are given
a high-SI rating. They’re really high in calories and dense with sugar. Besides,
most honey is heavily processed, and processing strips the nutrients out of it.
Locally grown organic raw honey is full of vitamins and minerals and has some
homeopathic benefits for wounds and allergies. If you have immune responses to
bits of mold and dust, organic honey can strengthen your immune system and
help you handle those things better. But you only need about a half teaspoon a
day to do the job.

SWEET NOTHING
And, of course, there’s agave. Agave is often lumped in with honey and
molasses when people refer to natural sweeteners. It’s taken from the agave
plant, true enough, but the natural stops there. It’s not only an imposter, it’s a
major high-SI culprit. Don’t feel bad if you bought into the hype—there’s been a
lot of public duping about agave.
The truth is, many agave nectars contain 70–90% fructose—more than in
high-fructose corn syrup. Most of the nutrients in this fructose syrup are
destroyed during processing, so there’s not much left to get excited about. It has
a low glycemic index, which means it doesn’t spike blood sugar as much as
some other sugar, but you know by now that’s not always a good thing. The high
amount of fructose in agave goes right to fat metabolism central—your liver—
where it can raise your triglyceride levels, store them as fat (hello, belly!), and
trigger inflammation.

FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATE

Another common misconception is that fruit juice concentrate is a great natural
sweetener because it’s nothing more than fruit, concentrated. Now that you’re an
expert in all things fruit, you know fruit in any form is not the all-you-can-eat
food we all want it to be. Making fruit juice concentrate involves little more than
removing the liquid from natural fruit juice.
What the process really concentrates is the sugar and the sweetness of the
fruit. When you compare the same volumes of freshly squeezed fruit juice and
concentrated juice, the concentrate packs a lot more sugar and calories than juice
itself, pound for pound. In full-volume juice, nutrients and sugars are diluted to a
fraction of what they are in a sample from concentrate. And you know that when
food is “unwrapped” from its fiber, and fruit juice most certainly is, it’s left
without its protective phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and its SI is
exponentially increased. More processing just exacerbates the issue.
Don’t be fooled: this was never really about giving us a natural sweetener; it
helps manufacturers save money and space for shipping, and it extends shelf life.
To be made into a sweetener for mass production, fruit juice concentrate is
stripped of its vitamins and minerals until it’s reduced to a sugar syrup, so it can
be used just like corn syrup. It also has the same effect on your blood sugar. The
clincher is that manufacturers aren’t required to identify this as added sugar, so
you’ll find it in “healthy” products, listed as fruit juice concentrate along with
the “no added sugar” claim.

NATURAL BEAUTY
I promised that I wouldn’t leave you without any solutions, and that’s true: there
are plenty of low-SI sweeteners out there for you to choose from. I’ve done the
homework so that you don’t have to! Here’s the skinny on your best SI options:
monk fruit, stevia, the sugar alcohols erythritol and xylitol, chicory, and inulin.

MONK FRUIT
Monk fruit is a lemon-sized fruit with an extract 300 times sweeter than sugar.
It’s also known as Lo Han Guo and is commonly marketed as “Lo Han
sweetener.” It’s been used for centuries as a sweetener and in herbal medicine. In
China, monk fruit sweetener has been used for nearly a thousand years to treat
obesity and diabetes. Studies show monk fruit is rich in antioxidants and offers
anti-inflammatory benefits.
I’m seeing more manufacturers use monk fruit as a sweetener these days. So
Delicious Dairy Free coconut milk ice cream has no added sugar and comes
sweetened with monk fruit (and a whopping 10 grams of fiber per serving). A
delicious low-SI win!
The company that makes Splenda has marketed its version of monk fruit
sweetener as Nectresse. Although they claim it has “zero calories,” they’ve
added erythritol (which is good; more on this soon) but also sugar and molasses
(bad) to their monk fruit powder. Thankfully, there’s a minuscule amount of
sugar and molasses, so little they don’t even register as calories. But if you can
find pure monk fruit, or monk fruit blended only with stevia, xylitol, or
erythritol, they’re a far better choice.

STEVIA
Stevia is an herb that grows in North and South America that’s also 300 times
sweeter than sugar. Stevia is available in liquid and powder forms, but all of
them are extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant. Some people like it, but
others complain it has a licorice or bitter aftertaste. It has no calories and is a
low-SI natural choice, but beware of calorie dysregulation. Oh, and it’s not so
hot for baking.
Unlike the artificial stuff, it has no adverse effects on blood sugar, though.
One study on human volunteers even found it can increase glucose tolerance,
which makes stevia an ideal sweetener for people with insulin resistance and
diabetes, though most similar studies have been conducted in rats. One
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Chinese men and women
also showed stevia can reduce mild hypertension.
SUGAR ALCOHOLS
I’m a big fan of sugar alcohols as natural sweeteners. They got their name
because their biochemical structure resembles a hybrid of a sugar and an alcohol.
They’re naturally occurring in foods like fruits, and they’re used as sweeteners
in treats like chocolate, candies, chewing gum, and jams. They’re also used as
bulking agents, and they have some, but only a few, calories.
I like sugar alcohols precisely because they contain some calories, though
even those are incompletely absorbed by the body. Remember, the problem with
no-calorie sweeteners like stevia is that they throw off your body’s ability to
associate sweetness with calories.
Some common sugar alcohols are sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, erythritol, and
xylitol. Of these, my favorites are erythritol and xylitol, because they can
actually have some health benefits. Xylitol is thought to be antibacterial and has
an impressive history of reducing cavities and ear infections. Other studies show
xylitol can reduce risk for osteoporosis and control oral infections of Candida.
Erythritol doesn’t seem to create the gastric distress other sugar alcohols can,
although as with any sugar alcohol, a little bit goes a long way. Studies show that
erythritol is tooth-friendly and doesn’t contribute to dental problems. It also
makes an ideal sweetener for people with diabetes. One study showed it had no
adverse effects on blood glucose levels. I recommend that you look for 100%
erythritol or an erythritol-stevia blend.

CHICORY AND INULIN

Chicory is a woody perennial plant used to bring out flavor in everything from
salads (its leaves) to coffee (its roots). It adds sweetness and sourness, and can
intensify chocolate flavors, which is just one of the many reasons to love it.
Chicory root syrup is a natural sweetener made from the root of the chicory
plant. Chicory root is one of the highest natural sources of inulin, which is used
to replace sugar, fat, and flour in processed foods. Chicory syrup has a mildly
sweet taste, but it’s not absorbed by the intestines, so it doesn’t affect blood
sugar levels.
It’s been suggested that it has other health benefits, too, like supporting liver
function by pulling toxins out of the body and helping break down fat. Chicory
root is also considered a natural prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in your
gut. Both chicory syrup and inulin have a low SI and get the green light, even in
Cycle 2.

YOU’RE SWEET ENOUGH

Best of all, when you do reset your sugar sensitivity, you’ll be moving toward
full appreciation of the gentle sweetness in whole natural foods and natural
sweeteners like cinnamon and vanilla. They can give your tea or organic coffee a
kick and wonderful flavor without any downside.
The goal is to move slowly away from addiction to sweet, and to focus on
savory flavors such as sea salt, basil, rosemary, and other yummy spices. I want
you to reclaim your sensitivity to sweet—and your taste buds. They’re yours,
take them back!
You’ll also be eating good sources of clean, lean protein, and they’ll help
reduce your cravings and support your move away from sweet foods, too. So
don’t go crazy with legal sweeteners. I’ll be watching!

Sugar and Spice

Cinnamon can reduce blood glucose levels because it slows stomach
emptying, making you feel full faster. And the good news is it doesn’t take
much—1½ teaspoons a day seems to do the trick. Just make sure it’s fresh
cinnamon, as its polyphenols and active ingredients degrade over time.
As for vanilla, a study at St George’s Hospital in London found that
vanilla-scented patches on the backs of people’s hands helped reduce their
cravings. In a 2004 study in Alternative Medicine Review, vanilla bean
extract showed promise in blocking carbohydrate absorption, and it’s
always been a favorite when it comes to boosting endorphins. A 1994 study
of 57 patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering who underwent magnetic
resonance imaging testing found that a sweet vanilla scent significantly
reduced their anxiety during the procedure.

DARK CHOCOLATE IS NOT MILK CHOCOLATE WITH THE LIGHTS

OFF
You’re going to love me for this: I want you to eat chocolate every day. Even in
Cycle 2, as long as it’s 100% dark chocolate with no added sugar. Yes, feel free
to do the happy dance! Dark chocolate is another sweet way to satisfy your
cravings and support your blood sugar.
To save you the hunt and the trouble of trying lots of brands that don’t
measure up, I’m going to give a shout-out to two brands I’ve found that are
making 100% dark chocolate with no sugar. It’s been tough searching and taste
testing for you (cough), but at long last I can suggest these amazing options. If
you’re in the United States, check out ChocolaTree Organic Oasis, and if you’re
in Canada, you have Aracana Soba chocolate (see Resources at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources). Both of these have no sugar whatsoever, and
eating them is sort of like eating raw cacao, which I do every day. I really love
raw cacao nibs, and I throw them on top of my shakes. They’re packed with
fiber, and they’ve got just a little natural sweetness. It’s such a great way to
check that box when a craving just won’t give you any peace. You’re welcome!

Sweet Strategies
If you find that one sweet treat a day isn’t getting you by, refer to
Withdrawal Strategies and Sugar-Attack Survival Strategies in Chapter 8 as
you move through the cycles. It will get easier as you move off the high-SI
treats.

BECOME A SUGAR SHERLOCK: READING LABELS

Sugar is a master of disguise, and labels have been designed to win a high-stakes
war for your precious dollars, not look out for your health. Key into what these
labels really mean, and you’ll be less likely to be deceived into buying a sugar-or
sweetener-heavy food that will stall fat loss instead of kicking it into high gear.

LITE—RIGHT!
The FDA guidelines for using “Lite” (or “Light”) is that the product has one-
third fewer calories, 50% less fat, or 50% less sodium than the original version.
The hidden land mine to look for is what’s compensating for the light ingredient
—the food still has to taste good, and that means it could be heavy in another
unwelcome ingredient.

NO ADDED SUGAR AND SUGAR-FREE

When I see “no added sugar” and “sugar-free” labels, I look around to see if
somebody’s winking at me. Technically, this label means the food has fewer than
0.5 grams of sugar or fat per serving. But even if there’s no added sugar in a
packaged product, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have sugar or that it’s low in sugar.
First, that processed treat made of flour is really sugar—just give it a few bites
and see. Plus, it can still be sweetened with fruit juice concentrate or full of
artificial sweeteners. If that’s the case, you’ll probably eat more, since you’re at
twice the disadvantage—your body isn’t registering sweetness, and you don’t
want to stop pretending those cookies are calorie-free.
This will fire you up, too—manufacturers only have to list the calories of an
ingredient if it is a half-gram or more, so if it has 0.4 grams of sugar, they can
leave the sugar off the label! Sometimes portion sizes are scaled down in order
to make a product look better than it really is. So “no added sugar” foods are far
from being all-you-can-eat, worry-and guilt-free fests.

REDUCED SUGAR
The by-the-book definition of a reduced sugar label is that the food has at least
25% less sugar than the original item. It doesn’t mean it has to have fewer
calories. The low-sugar label, on the other hand, is completely unregulated and
can mean anything a manufacturer decides it means. My thoughts exactly.

ALL NATURAL
Danger ahead! This is another “anything goes” label. The FDA doesn’t have a
definition for “natural” (there’s a joke in there somewhere) but it does have a
decades-long policy that says it won’t object to a food being labeled “natural” as
long as the product “does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic
substances.” Good to know!

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SWAPS: SWEETENERS AND ADDED SUGAR

After reading a chapter about making better sweetener choices, you may have a
pretty good idea of where to go from here. But I always like to give you a cheat
sheet just to make sure you’re crystal clear on which swaps will help kick your
sugar addiction the fastest. I mean, there’s no point in dragging this out, is
there?!

Swap Your 55% dark chocolate for 85% dark chocolate

Swap Your Agave for Erythritol
Swap Your Maple syrup for Chicory syrup
Swap Your Milk chocolate for Dark chocolate
Swap Your NutraSweet for Monk fruit
Swap Your Processed brown sugar for Raw brown sugar
Swap Your Processed honey for Raw organic local honey
Swap Your Processed molasses for Blackstrap molasses
Swap Your Splenda for Stevia and xylitol
Swap Your Sugar for Stevia

YOUR SUGAR IMPACT SCALE: SWEETENERS AND ADDED SUGAR

Sweeteners and added sugars keep your body in sweet-seeking mode, so
lowering your SI in this category will be a huge leap forward in your ability to
kick your cravings and satisfy your sweet tooth with the real deal in whole,
natural foods.

LOW SUGAR IMPACT

100% dark chocolate

85% dark chocolate*
Chicory
Erythritol
Inulin
Monk fruit
Raw cacao (powder and nibs)
Stevia
Xylitol
 MEDIUM SUGAR IMPACT

70% or higher dark chocolate

Blackstrap molasses
Cane syrup (non-GMO)
Coconut palm sugar
Coconut sugar
Glucose (aka dextrose; non-GMO)
Local organic raw honey
Mannitol
Raw brown sugar (nonprocessed)
Rice syrup
Sorbitol

HIGH SUGAR IMPACT

<70% dark chocolate

Acesulfame-K
Agave
Aspartame
Candy
Caramel sauce
Chocolate syrup
Corn syrup
Crystalline fructose
Cyclamates
Fruit juice concentrate
High fructose corn syrup
Honey (processed)
Licorice
Maltodextrin
Maple syrup
Marshmallows
Milk chocolate
Molasses
Neotame
Processed brown sugar
Saccharin
Splenda
Sucralose

As the last of the seven high-SI foods, sweeteners and added sugar may have
been the most surprising. When you lower your SI here, you break the habit of
making your foods overly sweet, and really throw your addiction a knockout
punch. It’s a giant leap toward getting more satisfaction from what you eat and
ensuring spectacular, long-lasting results from the Sugar Impact Diet.
 PART III

2 WEEKS TO FAST AND LASTING

FAT LOSS
 8

CYCLE 1: TAPER

The Sugar Impact Diet will end your sugar cravings, help you regain control of
your appetite, create steady elevated energy, and sharpen your focus. But to
make the move, you have to become a sugar sleuth. This isn’t just about
exposing hidden sugar in processed junk food. It’s about where the sugar hides
in all your food, because all sugar will have an impact on you, and you want to
be in control of that impact. By the time you shift from high-SI foods to
mediums and then down to lows, you’ll have lost weight fast and reclaimed your
sugar sensitivity without feeling a thing. Except better.
So here we go! I am beyond excited to welcome you to Cycle 1—the taper
cycle. During this 1-week cycle, you’re going to begin to let go of your
dependence on sugar. It’s just the beginning, just a slow push back from the
table. And get ready, because you’ll feel so good, so fast!
Unlike other diets, you’re being set up to succeed—nothing is left to chance.
I’ve provided you with clear “eat this, not that” categories, but you’ll also learn
how to make choices that keep you on course, if you’re someone who prefers a
little freedom. Either way, you’ll have tons of support! The grip sugar has on you
is going to disappear fast. Your sensitivity to sugar could reset in as little as a
few days, your energy will come roaring back, your moods will stabilize, and
you’ll kiss the extra weight goodbye.

Cycle 1—Taper

Swap high-SI foods for medium-SI foods

Begin to shift from sugar-burning to fat-burning
Eat by the Sugar Impact Plate
Eat by the Sugar Impact Clock
Use Sugar-Attack Strategies if you need extra help
SET YOUR GOALS
The most important gift you can give yourself before your Sugar Impact (SI)
journey gets under way is to take a quiet moment, look inside, and ask yourself
what you really hope will come of it. What are your goals? Three weeks and 2
cycles from now, what do you hope to have achieved? How do you want to feel?
Do you want to lose weight? Have higher energy? Improve your focus? Get rid
of bloating? All of those things?
Identify the simple things that you want to see change quickly, because that’s
exactly the way it’s going to go for you. And fast change is the best change,
especially when it comes to pounds. Research shows that people who take
weight off fast lose more and keep it off. That could be you!
Your goals should be realistic, measurable, and trackable. Those are the keys
to lasting change. In the next couple of weeks, you’re going to prove to yourself
what’s really possible. I’ve created a simple goal-setting worksheet that you can
download at http://sugarimpact.com/resources.

SUGAR IMPACT TOOLS

I’ve reviewed all the other diets, and I know what works. I’m going to give you
every tool you need to succeed. I want that for you just as much as you do!
There’s some housekeeping to take care of before you get under way, which
we’ll explore below. You can only change what you can measure, and I want you
to really get how far you’re about to go. You won’t have any idea where you’ve
ended up if you don’t know where you started.

SNEAKY SUGAR INVENTORY

By now you should have done your Sneaky Sugar Inventory (see here or
download it online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources) to help you identify how
much sugar you’re actually eating. Don’t you just love surprises? Even I had a
Whoa! moment after I went through that list. It’s evidence of where sugar is
hiding in your diet, and it will serve as your baseline. You’ll get a much more
pleasant surprise when you take the inventory again after Cycle 3.
Once you take a hard look at all the sneaky sugar-laden food you’ve circled,
you’re going to have to face your kitchen and get the enemy out of the house.
Before day one of the Sugar Impact Diet, toss any food that tempts you or that
you find irresistible. You know your own triggers—just admit that you’re going
to rip it, cut it, or twist it open in a weak moment if you know it’s under your
roof. Personally, I can’t bring popcorn into my house… there’s no such thing as
a “little bit” of it for me—the bag becomes my serving, and when that’s gone I
have to fight myself not to drive back to the store for another. I know you can
relate!
You can’t rely on willpower. Do not keep something you’re addicted to
nearby while you’re trying to quit. No one is superhuman. Cold sweats and
clawing at the walls do not win any extra points, only getting yourself to the
finish line does. So set yourself up for the win.
Next, make a run to the grocery store to stock up on low-and medium-SI
rations (shopping lists are provided on my website at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources). That shopping trip is so much fun! I hope
you’ll feel puffed up with pride when you look into your cart at checkout. Health
is a process, it’s a journey, and you’ve begun.

SUGAR IMPACT QUIZ

You should have also taken the Sugar Impact Quiz (see here or download it
online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources)—it goes hand in hand with the
Sneaky Sugar Inventory. They’re connecting-the-dots companions. With them
side by side, you’ll see where sugar is hitching a ride into your diet and the
impact it’s having on you.
Your body had a slew of warning signs that you’re heading down a dangerous
path. It’s just like the little car light that goes on when you’ve got low fuel or you
need air in your tire. Your body is blinking and dinging and flashing like crazy,
trying to get your attention to tell you you’re about to crash. I designed the Sugar
Impact Quiz to expose these signs and their cause: sugar.
When you take a close look, you can see that sugar is really at the forefront
of almost every disease. It suppresses your immune system and sets off an
inflammatory response, and we know inflammation is the precursor to most
chronic diseases. Disease doesn’t happen overnight. It happens over time, often
because of poor lifestyle choices.
After you take the Sugar Impact Quiz, you’ll have a very clear picture of how
your body is trying to tell you that sugar is leading you down that path. There are
seven common symptoms of sugar sensitivity—low energy, cravings, gas and
bloating, unhealthy weight or weight gain, uncontrollable appetite, moodiness,
and an expanding waistline, and you’re going to track each of them during your
journey.
As you now know, the Sugar Impact Quiz is also a serious eye-opener. Don’t
be discouraged by what you see. What you measure, you can improve. Up until
now you might’ve been willing to brush off your bloat or power through your
fatigue, thinking this is just what happens when you get older or when you’re
stressed. Well, it isn’t, and when you take them all together, rate them and realize
what you’re dealing with every day just because of the foods you’re eating and
the beverages you’re drinking, you’re going to resolve to beat this thing.
The symptoms on the Sugar Impact Quiz will also be used as a benchmark as
you move from one cycle to the next. There’s room for improvement for
everyone, so if you start with a good score of 2 or less per symptom, and less
than 12 overall, you’ll still see a benefit, and the commitment to this new low-SI
lifestyle means you’re warding off weight gain and disease down the road.
If you score 20 or more, or a 4+ in any two categories, you may have to
extend Cycle 1 by a week or more to ease your transition (and consider using
one or more of the Speed-Healing Techniques in Chapter 13 here). Take that
time if you need it. It’s much more important that you don’t move on before
you’re ready, or you’ll set yourself up to fail. Do what you need to do to get
yourself to your goals—you’re not in competition with anyone. This is for you!

SAY CHEESE
Yes, the dreaded before picture. Don’t fret and don’t hide behind a planter, or
your cousin. You’ll be documenting a very big moment—you’re on your way!
Out with the old, in with the new. You’ll thank me later.

WEIGH AND MEASURE

Just as much fun as the picture! But denial and snubbing your scale aren’t tools
for change—measurement is. Take your weight and measure your waist and
hips. Write your results down and keep track of them each time you check in
with these numbers throughout the program. There is also a tracking sheet
available online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources if you want or need it. I
can’t wait for you to see them come down (and fast!). So exciting!
JOURNAL PAGES
Your daily journal will be the single most important tool in your arsenal. It’s
essential that you write down everything you eat! So keep your own pages or use
the journal I have online—you can download it at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources. Your commitment to this (or lack thereof) will
make or break your success. As simple as it sounds, writing down what you eat
is instrumental. A 2008 study of nearly 1,700 participants published in the
American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that it was the number one
factor in predicting weight-loss success. People in the study, who were also
asked to follow a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and exercise at least 30
minutes a day, lost twice as much weight if they kept daily food records
compared to people who kept none. So this is non-negotiable, and you’ll actually
find that that journaling becomes a welcome new habit.
You’ll see that your journal paints a fascinating picture pretty quickly. If you
tried to play a speed round of what you had for meals over the last week and a
half, how do you think you’d do? Not a chance of remembering, right? That’s
how we get ourselves in trouble—we don’t see the big picture, and how meal
after meal, day after day, the sneaky sugar adds up.
But glance at that little journal, and there’s no missing that you haven’t eaten
enough today (that’s why I don’t have any energy!), you went too long between
meals (that’s why I have a headache!), or you didn’t drink enough water and you
were hungrier than ever.
Food is information. Connect the dots between what you’re eating and how
you feel. Your fork is the most powerful way to impact your weight, your mood,
your energy, your joint pain, and the rate you age. Tune in! It’s really easy to do
when you have a journal.

SHOUT IT FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP

Publicly proclaim your intention and circle the wagons. Stay away from anyone
or anything that will sabotage your efforts. Steer clear of sugar pushers and
situations you know you can’t handle (holiday cookie parties and school bake
sales come to mind). There are just some situations where sugar is impossible to
avoid, and you don’t need to make this hard on yourself.
Find an accountability partner, recruit a friend or coach to help, or join a
support group. Surround yourself with love and lots of cheerleaders. You’ll want
to do some high-fiving in a couple of weeks!

Losing Weight and Feeling Great: The 4Ts

Once you Test, you’ll be ready to begin your three-cycle journey to a low-
SI life: you’ll Taper, Transition, and—once you reach Cycle 3—be
Transformed! It’s that easy!

WELCOME TO CYCLE 1
The Sugar Impact Diet is built around the Sugar Impact Scales, which were
introduced in Chapter 2 and covered individually in Chapters 4 through 7. The
scales are based on the impact a food has on your body. They consider a food’s
fructose content, glycemic load, nutrient density, and fiber, as well as serving
size. In Cycle 1, you’ll use the Sugar Impact Scales to swap high SIs for medium
SIs in each of the seven food categories: grains, roots, packaged fruit, low/no-fat
dairy and diet foods, drinks, dressings and sweeteners, and added sugar. You’ll
be slowly tapering from a high-SI diet to a medium-SI diet. The key here is to
transition over time, so you don’t experience sugar withdrawal in Cycle 2.
It’s critical that you don’t go cold turkey and try to eliminate sugar
completely and immediately. That’s a recipe for disaster, even for me. When I
took my Sneaky Sugar Inventory and realized that Trojan horses like balsamic
vinegar and sun-dried tomatoes were sneaking extra sugar into my diet, I
couldn’t believe it. It meant that I couldn’t dive right into Cycle 2, either.
So take this one step at a time, and don’t hop over medium-SI foods; Cycle 2
will take you low. When you taper and trade your way down, you’ll hardly
notice the huge shift your body is making into fat-burning mode.

THE SUGAR IMPACT PLATE

Let’s get into the Sugar Impact Plate in more detail. It’s a tool with giant training
wheels to keep you steady and strong. The beauty of the plate is that there’s no
guesswork, no trial and error, no deprivation or starvation. Just a straightforward,
healthy, happy way of eating—until suddenly, you’re 10 pounds lighter and
much healthier thanks to your low-SI lifestyle.
PORTIONS
The plate portions are not arbitrary. I want you to strive for them at each meal.
They’re the right balance you need to keep the SI of the food low and to prevent
as much sugar as possible from being stored as fat. You want to burn, baby burn.
So pay careful attention to portion sizes to ensure you’re eating the right amount
of food in each of the four categories in your meals and your one optional snack.

The Sugar Impact Plate

The Sugar Impact Plate is designed specifically to keep your blood sugar
balanced. It’s part of a master plan to crowd out sugar, reduce its impact on your
weight and health, and help you reclaim your appetite awareness (so be sure you
include notes in your daily journal about your level of hunger as you go through
each Cycle).
Here’s a breakdown of the plate and what each meal should include.
Clean, Lean Protein

1 serving of clean, lean protein:

Animal proteins: fish, beef and pork, seafood, turkey, chicken, game
Approved protein powders (see Resources online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources.)
Protein Serving Size

Women should eat 4–6 ounces at each meal; larger or more athletic women
may need 6-8 ounces
Men should eat 6–8 ounces; larger or very athletic men, up to 10 ounces
Remember—those ounces are not necessarily pure protein, depending on
your protein source. Most animal protein includes protein and fat. So the
leaner the cut of meat, the fewer ounces necessary.
Healthy Fats

2–4 servings of healthy fats per meal (1–2 for snacks)

Serving size: 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ small avocado, 4 ounces cold-water

fish or grass-fed beef, 5–10 nuts, 1 tablespoon nut butter, 5 olives
Be sure to count fat from protein. Grass-fed beef and fatty fish count as a
fat serving.
Non-Starchy Vegetables
2+ servings of non-starchy vegetables per meal

Serving size: ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw

More is better! Ideal is 10+ servings a day
You can always increase the portion size of your non-starchy vegetables
Slow, Low Carbs

1–2 servings of slow, low carbs per meal or snack

Serving size: ½ cup cooked beans, quinoa, wild rice, or legumes, or 1 cup
fruit or tomatoes
2–3 servings if larger male or more active female

Dishonorable Mentions
Don’t succumb to the temptation to stack that protein quarter panel with
processed lunch meats! I know they bat their eyes at you as a quick and
easy solution, but those ready-to-eat loaves are plumped up with more
surprises than a kid’s cereal. They can have fillers, extenders, and additives
 like soy and corn. And too often, they’re also souped up with high-fructose
corn syrup, gluten, and MSG, which is an excitotoxin.

THE MEAT-FREE PLATE

For you vegans and vegetarians out there, the challenge is getting enough protein
without overdosing on carbs or fat. Ideally you’ll get the protein you need by
combining nuts and seeds with grains and legumes. See how they’re
incorporated in the plate below. Vegan protein powder is also an easy way to get
optimal protein at one of your meals.

The Sugar Impact Plate for Vegans

When it comes to protein, you should strive for:

20–30 grams of protein per meal

10–20 grams per snack

This will vary depending on your size and gender, and whether you’re doing
heavy training or recovering from an injury, surgery, or under high stress.
HOW VEGAN PROTEINS MEASURE UP
Here are some average grams of protein, along with corresponding carb counts.*

Almonds—1 ounce
6 grams protein
6 grams carbs (5 grams fiber)
15 grams fat

Chia—1 ounce
9 grams fat
12 grams carbohydrates (11 grams of fiber)
4 grams protein

Quinoa—1 cup
4 grams fat
39 carbohydrates (5 grams fiber)
8 grams protein

Black Beans—1 cup

1 gram fat
41 grams carbohydrates (15 grams fiber)
15 grams protein

Lentils—1 cup
1 gram fat
40 grams carbs (16 grams fiber)
18 grams protein

Vegan All in One Protein Powder*

2 scoops
5 grams fat
14 carbohydrates (6 grams fiber)
22 grams of protein

PROTEIN BOOSTS
Here are a few simple things you can do to crank the protein:

Toss some pepitas into your quinoa

Make “power oatmeal” by adding in protein powder
Add lentils and almonds to your salad
Snack on hummus with crudités
Have lentil soup and celery sticks with almond butter

Remember: count nuts and seeds as fat and protein, and quinoa and legumes
as slow, low carbs and protein.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

You may need to tailor these general guidelines to fit your goals or lifestyle. Here are some
tips: If you’re very athletic, have significant weight to lose, or are
recovering from surgery or injury, you may need to increase your protein
intake by 10–20%.
If you’re very athletic or are trying to gain weight, you may need to increase servings in
each plate category by one or stay at the higher end of the recommendations.
If you’re focused on weight loss, stay on the lower end of the slow, low carb and fat
categories.

YOU SHOULDN’T BE HUNGRY

As you taper in Cycle 1 and transition in Cycle 2, you’ll be adding food. That’s
not a typo. I want you to eat more, so you’ll never be hungry. I like to add food
before I take any away because I want to support your success, not contribute to
your suffering. Snatching away your high-carb foods without giving you any
crutches would just be mean! So here’s how I aim to help, step by step. Paste this
to your fridge or your forehead, whichever will make it a constant presence to
guide good choices and help keep you on track, especially if you’ve been
overdoing the slow, low carbs:

1. Follow the recommended portion sizes—eat by the Sugar Impact Plate

2. Increase non-starchy veggies to at least 5 servings per day; ideal is 10+
 3. Trade your high-SI foods for medium-SI foods
4. Replace one meal a day with a Sugar Impact Shake
5. Limit fruit to 2 servings per day maximum
6. Eat by the Sugar Impact Clock (see here)—eat every 4–6 hours; eat 3 meals
and one optional snack per day
7. Drink up—water, that is; get your 8 glasses in between meals

Notice, too, that item 4 is to “replace one meal a day with a Sugar Impact
Shake.” This one simple little trick makes all the difference in jump-starting your
metabolism for fast fat loss, and for setting the stage for a successful transition to
a low-SI diet. And it’s so easy!
Most people have dessert for breakfast, usually without the pleasure of
knowing it. And it wreaks havoc on their metabolism the whole day. If you start
your day with sugar, you’ve set your body’s expectation for the day, and that’s
what you’ll crave—and eat—all day long. But with a shake, you give your body
a low-SI treat that delivers the protein you need to fuel a fat-burning metabolism
and fight cravings until it’s time for your next meal.
Cycle 1 gets your conversion from sugar burner to fat burner under way with
intentionally measured tapering and the introduction of swaps. These will not
necessarily be exact trades—you’ll swap from high-SI to medium-SI foods in
this cycle, but you may also trade high-SI foods for protein, fat, and fiber! Fat
and fiber help you feel full more quickly—and longer—because they slow
stomach emptying and engage your satiety hormones. They also keep your
addiction-inducing reward system from firing off the charts, as it does in
response to sugar.
As I mentioned here, if you suspect you have a food intolerance or sensitivity
to dairy or eggs (or any other food), avoid them and pick a different protein
option. That includes dairy products like cottage cheese and yogurt.

Cycle 1: Foods for the Plate

Protein
Choose free-range, cage-free, grass-fed, wild, and no-hormone-added sources whenever
possible.

Lean chicken and turkey

 Lean, grass-fed red meats Cold-water wild-caught fish and shellfish—wild salmon,
Alaskan halibut, sole, scallops, sardines Game
Lamb
De-fatted beef, pea, rice, chia, cranberry and/or chlorella protein powders Pastured pork
Bison
Pastured eggs
Organic dairy, including cottage cheese, goat or sheep cheese, ricotta cheese, and
Greek-style yogurt (grass-fed and raw whenever possible)

Healthy Fats
These include oils, butters, nuts, and seeds—and remember to count the fat from fish and
meats.

Dehydrated or low-roasted nuts (not peanuts) Grass-fed ghee and butter Avocado and
avocado oil
Fresh ground flaxseed meal Olive oil, olives
Coconut milk or oil
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Coconut wraps
Malaysian palm fruit oil
Tahini
Sunflower seed butter
Coconut flour
Almond flour

Non-Starchy Vegetables
Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Bamboo shoots
Bean sprouts
Beet greens
Bell peppers (red, yellow, green) Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
 Carrots
Cassava
Cauliflower
Celery
Chicory
Chives
Collard greens
Coriander
Cucumber
Dandelion greens
Eggplant
Endive
Fennel
Garlic
Green beans
Jalapeno peppers
Jicama
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Okra
Onions
Parsley
Radicchio
Radishes
Shallots
Spaghetti squash
Spinach
Summer squash
Swiss chard
Turnip greens
Watercress
Zucchini
Slow, Low Carbs
Grains, winter squashes, legumes, and fruit

Squash (acorn, butternut, winter, kabocha) Lima beans

Pumpkin
Turnip
Legumes
Black beans
Adzuki beans
Chickpeas (garbanzo)
Cowpeas
French beans
Great Northern beans
Kidney beans
Lentils
Mung beans
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Split peas
White beans
Wild Rice
Groats
Oatmeal (steel-cut or rolled) Quinoa
Persimmon
Star fruit
Peaches
Nectarines
Passion fruit
Guava
Berries (blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, elderberries, gooseberries,
loganberries, raspberries, strawberries, acai) Tomatoes
Grapefruit
Oranges
Lemons
Limes
Cranberries
85–100% dark chocolate (count as 1 carb and 1 fat serving)
 Good Gut Feelings
Cycle 1 will probably introduce more beans and legumes into your diet than you’re used to,
and Cycle 2 will introduce even more. Condition your gastrointestinal tract in the first cycle
by eating 1 tablespoon of beans every day so you don’t slam into a gastrointestinal
nightmare next week. You’re welcome! If you’re still struggling, try adding a little Beano as
well or one of these other tips to fight gas naturally from my pal Donna Gates, nutrition
expert at Body Ecology: Re-inoculate and restore your inner ecosystem. Gas is produced
by the microbes—the good, the bad, and the neutral bacteria—that live deep down in your
gut. When you balance the ecosystem of your intestines by re-inoculating it with good bugs,
you get rid of digestive issues like gas. To do that, eat probiotic-rich foods or consider taking
a probiotic supplement.

Ferment your veggies. Many plant foods, such as cruciferous vegetables, onions, garlic,
and legumes, contain simple sugars that easily ferment in your gut and feed the microbes
living there, causing gas. To safeguard against this, ferment them ahead of time.
Fermenting your foods pre-digests them and reduces your risk of gas.
Cook your food. Cooking helps kill dangerous microbes hanging out on food, and it
breaks down vegetable fiber, leaving less for intestinal microbes to munch on. Make the
switch from raw salads to lightly steamed or sautéed veggies. Also consider browning
onion and garlic in a little coconut oil before you eat them or add them as an ingredient to
other recipes.

THE SUGAR IMPACT CLOCK

If you’re a snacker and can’t go too long between meals, that’s a sure sign you’re
a sugar burner. Your habit means you’re probably used to eating every 2–3
hours. There are schools of thought that will tell you that’s a good thing for your
metabolism, but I don’t go to those schools for all the reasons I explained here!
On the Sugar Impact Diet, you’ll eat by the Sugar Impact Clock. You’ll begin
to slowly stretch your time between meals and snacks and shift your eating
routine to a solid three meals and one optional snack a day. Adding fiber, fat, and
protein to your meals will help keep you full longer, as will having more water
between meals. And getting off sugary, salty manufactured snacks and replacing
them with healthy, whole, low-SI snacks will have a dramatic effect on your
energy, blood sugar levels, and fat-burning. Bye-bye fatigue, headaches, and
mood swings!
You can also help yourself de-snack by brushing or flossing your teeth when
you’re done eating. You’ll first work on getting yourself to 3 hours between
stops for food, then 4. If you’ve trained yourself to eat every 2–3 hours, it may
take you 2 weeks to make this shift, especially if you scored higher than 20 on
the Sugar Impact Quiz. But honestly, I’ve seen this issue get fixed in a matter of
days. So don’t despair, it will happen for you.
If you get up at 7 a.m., here’s what your eating schedule might look like:

1. 8 a.m.: Breakfast
2. 12 p.m.: Lunch
3. 3 p.m.: Optional snack
4. 7 p.m.: Dinner

Don’t Chew It!

Whatever you do, quit the gum! Gum can actually make you hungrier, and that minty
taste it leaves in your mouth doesn’t make you want to reach for carrots. You’ll be diving for
the salty snacks. The sweeteners used in most gum can also create some digestive unrest,
so there’s more than enough reason to spit it out.

Crunch, Crunch, Crunch

At Home
Here are some easy snacks to enjoy at home:

Hummus and veggies

Tapenade on endive
The Sugar Impact Shake—try different flavors! Yum!
Turkey rollup with guacamole Black bean soup
Celery with almond butter Goat cheese and tomatoes (if no goat-dairy sensitivity)

On the Go
 Find new treats and carry them with you! Always have an emergency stash on hand
to prevent the crash and burn that comes with cravings and chaos on the run.

Turkey, beef, or wild salmon jerky (no added sugar) Aseptic-packed wild salmon
Slow-roasted nuts (put in a baggie with raw cacao and coconut) Virgin Diet Bar or
other approved bars (see Resources at http://sugarimpact.com/resources)
Pastured hard-boiled egg (ensure that shell isn’t cracked so it won’t spoil)

BREAKFAST
The clock starts with breakfast. I want you to eat within an hour of waking up.
I’m not a fan of skipping breakfast. Your body has to eat, and it needs fuel.
When you’re not eating, your body is eating you, and it’s not snacking on your
belly fat. It’s snacking on your muscle. The last thing you want to do is break
down muscle, because muscle is essential for maintaining insulin sensitivity.
Breakfast sets your metabolic tone for the day. A lot of mindless mistakes are
made first thing in the morning, and sugar comes rushing in through cereals and
muffins (with juice!). Once you’ve set your blood sugar in pinball motion, it’s a
roller coaster you never get off.
A big, protein-rich, high-fiber, low-SI breakfast is the best way to prepare
you to take on the world. A recent study published in Obesity followed two
groups of overweight and obese women with metabolic syndrome for 12 weeks:
one group ate high-calorie breakfasts and low-calorie dinners, while the other
did exactly the opposite. The researchers concluded that a higher-calorie
breakfast can be beneficial for fat loss and help you eat less overall.
My go-to breakfast at home and on the road is my Sugar Impact Shake. It
serves up everything that’s good—it’s packed full of flavor and nutrients, it’s
filling, and it tastes great! Check out the basic recipe (here) and then tweak to
your taste. I want you to look forward to breakfast!

What to Look for in a Shake Mix

Replace a meal a day with a healthy shake to support fat loss, optimal nutrition, and
ideal body composition. Check out my shake recipes beginning here. You can also buy
great shake mixes—see the Resources on my website at
 http://sugarimpact.com/resources for more information. Here are some guidelines:
Protein sources. I recommend a blend of vegan proteins: preferred sources are pea,
chia, cranberry, chlorella, or rice. The new kid on the block is beef protein (look for de-
fatted with no antibiotics or hormones added). Avoid soy, egg, or milk protein powders.
Go natural. Look for GMO-free and hormone-free (no recombinant bovine growth
hormone, or rGBH).
Go low SI. Look for 4–5 grams of sugar per serving, max. Stick with a very small
amount of natural sweetener or sugar alcohol (i.e., stevia, xylitol, erythritol, rice syrup,
evaporated cane juice syrup, dextrose). Avoid artificial colors or sweeteners and high-
SI sweeteners such as fructose, agave, aspartame, and sucralose.

The Sugar Impact Shake Recipe

1 serving shake mix (see note)

8–10 ounces coconut, almond, or cashew milk (I like So Delicious Dairy Free
Unsweetened) 1 serving fiber blend supplement (see Resources online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources) 1–2 tablespoons freshly ground flax, chia, hemp, or
nut (not peanut) butter
Ice to desired thickness

Note: Follow package instructions regarding serving size, but this should give you
approximately 20 grams of protein; this can be the Virgin Diet All-in-One-Shake or a shake
mix of your choosing (see Resources online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources).

Optional Add-Ins:
Espresso powder
Lemon, lime, or orange zest
Spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper
No-sugar-added extracts, including vanilla, almond, orange
Raw cacao nibs or powder
Kale, spinach
Avocado
Raw coconut cream
Low-or medium-SI fruit (in Cycles 1 and 3)
LUNCH AND DINNER
Eating by the Sugar Impact Plate ensures you’re always getting some clean, lean
protein and healthy fats at every meal. In Cycle 1, you’ll have medium-and low-
SI slow, low carbs.
When you eat with the balance the Plate gives, you should be able to go 4–6
hours before you need to eat again. If you can’t, stop and remember that food is
information. Go back to your journal and review your choices. Did you get
enough clean, lean protein and healthy fats? Did you choose the right slow, low
carbs from the medium-and low-SI columns only? Or did you cheat and now are
paying the price?
We talked about fructose’s impact on your appetite-control hormones. Clean,
lean protein and the fiber from slow, low carbs work together in precisely the
opposite way; they engage insulin to suppress ghrelin, the hormone produced by
the stomach to tell your body you’re hungry. You want to keep ghrelin low. Fat
supports the effort to control your appetite from the small intestine, where it
triggers the release of certain neuropeptides to tell your brain you’re full.
So, when you eat by the Sugar Impact Plate, clean protein, healthy fats, and
slow, low carbs send the message to your body to keep blood sugar stable and
insulin low. That in turn gives you steady, sustained energy so you’re not hungry
for hours, and you can think clearly and allow your body to heal. That’s a very
different message than the fat-storing message from fructose, huh?

Sugar Impact While You Get Your Zs

Food never stops giving your body information, and that includes when you
sleep. That doesn’t mean you can’t control that conversation during the
night—you can, by eating a couple of hours before you go to bed.
When you go to bed full, you’re not moving your diet or your healing in
the right direction. First, it’s not comfortable to try to sleep with a full
stomach. But going to bed on a full stomach can create some other
complications, which brings us back to ghrelin. Once you’ve eaten,
assuming you’ve eaten well, you’re suppressing ghrelin (remember?). Well,
the one time you want ghrelin to be high is during the night. Ghrelin
 triggers the release of growth hormone when we sleep. Growth hormone
helps your body heal and recover and make muscle and bone, so ghrelin is
the last thing you want to shut down during sleep.

STAY AHEAD OF SUGAR WITHDRAWAL

Sugar is a drug, and getting off a drug is never easy. But the fact is, you’re
putting yourself through withdrawal hell, little by little, every day. Each time
your blood sugar crashes, you’re taken over by cravings, you’re irritable, you
have headaches, and you’re shaky and hungry. There’s no way you can get over
that. Your body is set up to survive. The symptoms of withdrawal are
biologically designed to be diabolical, so you’ll go right back to the drug to
which you’re addicted to make them stop.
So resolve to be done with your addiction once and for all, and do this right.
Take the time to move through medium-SI foods. It’s only a week! At most, two.
You shouldn’t be feeling any of those symptoms of withdrawal if you’re
tapering. If you experience fatigue, headaches, irritability, or cravings and
hunger, slow down—this isn’t a race! And use every resource, strategy, and
support system at your disposal. Have them in place right from the start, and
don’t be shy about pulling out the stops with every one of them to get you
through moments of weakness.

HUNGER AND CRAVINGS

Attack any issues with your appetite head-on by increasing your protein and fat
and the amount of fiber in your meals and snacks. Set an end goal of 50 grams of
fiber every day, but don’t add more than 5–10 grams a day as you work your
way there. And remember to increase your water as you increase your fiber to
keep things moving along.
Cravings are the very first thing the Sugar Impact Diet targets. There’s no
way forward with cravings. If you don’t pull the nail out of the tire, you can
never patch it up and go, right? The good news is that cravings let up quickly as
you lower fructose, because doing so down-regulates the enzymes that help you
absorb fructose. If you’re better at absorbing fructose, you’ll be hungrier and
store fat easier—this is not something you want to be good at! Plus, eating less
sweet means you’ll crave less sweet.
 Sugar-Withdrawal Strategies

Here are common signs of sugar withdrawal and ways to sidestep them.

Fatigue
1. Ensure that you’re getting 7–9 hours of sleep every night 2. Take a 60-minute power
nap in the early afternoon 3. Plan to do less during the first week of Cycle 2
4. Take a high-quality B complex vitamin with breakfast and lunch

Headaches
1. Keep emergency food with you 2. Eat by the Sugar Impact Plate and Sugar Impact
Clock 3. Take magnesium (500 milligrams, 1–2 times a day). If a headache hits, open
the capsule and put it under your tongue.
4. Take Epsom salt baths

Irritability
1. Carry emergency food with you 2. Eat by the Sugar Impact Plate and Sugar Impact
Clock 3. Ensure that you’re getting 7–9 hours of sleep every night 4. Drink green tea for
a mild caffeine boost; it also has theanine, which helps mood and focus 5. Use
supplements for stress support (go to http://sugarimpact.com/resources)

Cravings
If the Sugar-Attack Survival Strategies (here) aren’t enough: 1. Try adding glutamine
powder (1–3 grams) to your Sugar Impact Shake.

2. Drink Lemon-Aid throughout the day 3. Try 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP (100

milligrams per day), to boost serotonin levels

Hunger
1. Eat by the Sugar Impact Plate and Sugar Impact Clock 2. Drink Lemon-Aid throughout
the day 3. Increase your fiber slowly until you’re having 50 grams per day 4. Ensure that
you’re getting 7–9 hours of sleep every night

BE A BOY SCOUT
If you’ve moved a little too quickly in swapping out high-SI foods and find
yourself getting a little irritable or having headaches again, it usually means your
blood sugar is low. So return to the basics: eat by the Sugar Impact Plate and
control your snacks.
Even though I would prefer you not snack at all, you’ll probably have a
stretch of time during which you’re relying on your optional snack in addition to
breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Don’t let that snack own you. You never know
when you’re going to get stuck, and if it’s in a meeting where the only food lying
around is biscotti, you’re in trouble. I always want you to have emergency food
with you—don’t go anywhere without it! See here for some smart options.

Sugar-Attack Survival Strategies

Burst train
Do yoga
Meditate
Pet the dog or cat
Walk the dog
Take a hot bath
Drink green tea
Watch a funny video
Listen to some uplifting music
Chat with a friend
Brush your teeth
Drink some Lemon-Aid
Join the Sugar Impact Diet Online Support Community (visit http://jjvirgincommunity.com
and Resources online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources) Read a juicy book

FATIGUE AND STRESS

Yep, it’s that obvious. Make sure you get enough deep, restful sleep at night. I
know it seems impossible, but it’s not, no matter how busy you are. Take a 30–
60 minute power nap in the early afternoon if you need one. And don’t
overschedule yourself, especially in Cycles 1 and 2.
You may also want to try a little green tea or coffee for a mild caffeine boost
in the morning or afternoon. (See here for more on caffeine.) Green tea has
theanine in it, which is calming, good for your adrenal glands, and helps support
a focused mood. If you prefer coffee for your jolt, make sure you’re having
clean, organic, mycotoxin-free coffee. Caffeine can be a double-edged sword,
though, so be careful that you’re not working against yourself. If you drink it,
find your happy place—let it help you burn fat for fuel, sharpen your focus, and
bump your energy—and stop there.
Stress lowers your dopamine and serotonin, amps up your hunger, and sends
your sugar cravings through the roof. A good quality B complex vitamin can
really help with low energy and stress. Check out the Supportive Supplements
online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources for more ideas.

WATER
Sometimes cravings are just dehydration, and you’re misreading thirst signals
for hunger. When you get your fluids up, your hunger will back off. That makes
water worth trying first almost every time you feel a craving coming on. Another
major reason to love water is that you need it to burn fat.
To get the most bang for your water-drinking buck, drink according to this
schedule. Yes, a schedule for water! No guesswork—it’s all figured out for you.
Just follow it and reap the rewards of fast and lasting fat loss.

Drinking Water by the Sugar Impact Clock

Within 30 minutes of waking up: 16 ounces

30 to 60 minutes before each meal: 16 ounces
During a meal: limit to 4 to 8 ounces
Start drinking water again 60 minutes after each meal
Before bed: 8 ounces (shuts down midnight hunger pangs)
Daily total: 64 ounces minimum; more if you are in a hot climate, exercise heavily, or are
heavier. You should be drinking approximately half your weight in ounces

And remember, what you measure, you can improve, so be sure to track how
much water you’re drinking every day until it becomes such a solid habit you
couldn’t imagine life without it.
If you’re bored and want to sass it up a bit, make it sparkling mineral water,
unsweetened coconut water, or Hint water. And don’t forget about Lemon-Aid
(see here). It’s hydrating and there for you if a craving hits.
HELP! I HAVE ISSUES
If hypoglycemia is an issue, or if you’re insulin-resistant or diabetic, there’s a
little more to talk about.
When you’re dealing with hypoglycemia, you really can’t go more than a few
hours before crashing. Believe it or not, this program should help you with that,
and one of the key ways is with the addition of more fiber to your diet. You also
get a special dispensation to have 2 snacks and 3 meals a day, but I still want you
to work on stretching out the time between each meal. And always carry
emergency food with you, as a preemptive strike.
The same is true for you if you’re a diabetic and on medication, but you’ll
need to be vigilant about monitoring your blood sugar levels, and you should be
working closely with your doctor. The hope is that this program will help you
reduce your medications, and I don’t want you taking the wrong amount of
medication. But working with your doctor is key to doing this safely and
healthfully! If you’re insulin-resistant or diabetic, I recommend staying in Cycle
1 for a second week.
If you have hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, or chronic
pain, and are on medication, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you can
lower your medications while on the Sugar Impact Diet. Be sure you’re working
closely with your health care professional during this time.
For those with high blood pressure, make sure you’re monitoring your blood
pressure daily; you don’t want it to get too low. If high cholesterol is your issue,
I’d advise you to get another evaluation and blood draw after you have followed
the Sugar Impact Diet for 4–6 weeks to re-check your levels.
If you’re on pain medications, I’m going to recommend a slightly different
path. If you haven’t done the Virgin Diet yet, try it after you finish this program.
You may see a substantial reduction in your pain and inflammation just by
getting off gluten and high-SI foods, which this program will do for you. But on
the Virgin Diet, you’ll also remove dairy as well as four other potentially
reactive and inflammatory foods. Pulling them out is a huge boost for gut
healing and eliminating leaky gut, the genesis of many chronic conditions.
The entire SI program is designed to help you with inflammation and chronic
disease. It’s been nothing short of amazing to see so many people get off their
medications, but I never want you to do that on your own. Make your doctor
your partner in this—a member of your support team—and keep in close touch.
If you’d like a referral to a doctor who recognizes the importance of food and
healthy lifestyle behaviors in overall health, check out the Resources online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources.

GETTING THE FAMILY ON BOARD

I know you may have concerns about the tidal wave of kicking and screaming
that will come from your family if you announce you’re going on a diet. There
are two ways to go at this. If you’ve got a family who’s game, awesome. Build
in rewards and involve them. If they’re not going to come on board willingly,
you may have to be a little sneaky. Hear me out.
If you’re worried your family would organize and launch a revolt, don’t make
it World War III. Why not just wait until they notice? Because what they’ll
notice is that they’re getting much better food (that’s not a commentary on your
cooking, I promise!). Kids don’t have cars or wallets, right? So, if it’s not there,
they can’t eat it. And the food in this program is delicious and is sure to satisfy
the pickiest of kids (and partners). Won’t you feel good knowing the whole
family is getting healthier with you?

MY IMPACT!

Margaret Otis
Starting weight: 205 lbs.
Current weight: 180 lbs.
Total lost: 25 lbs.

I had been following the Virgin Diet since the end of January 2013. I removed sugar at that time and
never added it back in. I noticed after being on a plateau for at least 2 months that maybe I was eating
 too much fruit and low-carb vegetables, even though they were allowed. I decided to cut back on these
to see if that would make a difference. Then I discovered the Sugar Impact Diet, and it seemed made
for me.
Thankfully, I started the program and never looked back. I don’t feel deprived, and for the first
time the holidays were not an issue. I stayed on plan and enjoyed the family time and made sure I
provided foods on my plan. The few times I ate something that I didn’t know had a trigger ingredient, I
was in pain and my symptoms returned, so it was an easy decision to keep those foods out of my
pantry.
I finally was able to break free of my plateau. I have a ways to go yet, but I had lost 95 pounds in 9
months on the Virgin Diet before I hit that plateau. I lost all my cravings, especially for sweets and
chocolate, and was off medications within three days. I was never tempted to “go off” the plan because
I felt so wonderful. I’m no longer pre-diabetic, am off my blood pressure as well as other medications,
and have cleared many issues that I never connected to high SI. My lab values have improved, and my
doctor was very proud of what I had accomplished in these short months.
I wish I had learned this years ago when I was living an unhealthy life with years of pain along
with many medical issues. I had never expected to last more than three days when I started this journey
because I was giving up all the foods I loved best. This is how I eat now, and I love the new foods I
never would have eaten in the past. I still have certain foods that evoke fond memories, but not enough
to undo all the work I’ve done.
My family and friends have been so impressed, and have even started changing some of their
eating behaviors. When we get together, they are always looking for new recipes I’m using. Some of
them have started following the Sugar Impact Diet, too. I have more energy, and my family and friends
notice that I’m more outgoing than before. I have been an inspiration to them. I hope to show the next
generation by my example that family is the main focus of our time together, not food.

RESOURCES AND TOOLS

You won’t be left wanting for strategies and support to get you through the Sugar
Impact Diet. Lean on me! I’ve put together a 1-week meal plan (see here) and a
shopping list (online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources) so you know exactly
what to stock up on. You can use them as a bible and follow them exactly, if
that’s easiest for you. But even better, this program will teach you how to make
great choices. Once you learn the principles, you don’t have to follow my meal
plans exactly—use them as a jumping-off point and be creative. That freedom
does come with some responsibility, though—you have to make sure you’re
staying within the Sugar Impact Scales for your cycle.
 To Make Shopping Easier…
The shopping lists and Sugar Impact Scales are online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources. I encourage you to take these tools to the
grocery store with you. You’re learning a new language, and turning the
way you look at—and eat—sugar on its head. Rely on these tools until
you’re fluent.

CYCLE 1 MEAL PLANS

Putting Your Meals Together

Refer to the Sugar Impact Plate and outline for amounts*

Then, feel free to move things around Substitute one protein for another Substitute one
slow, low carb for another Substitute one healthy fat for another Substitute one non-
starchy veggie for another In other words, be creative!
 See chapter 11 for recipes

DAY 1

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Pan-Seared Salmon Lettuce Wrap made with Rice Tortilla
Easy Roasted Asparagus with Red Palm Fruit Oil

DINNER:
Spice-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Raw Tomato Salsa
½ baked sweet potato
Classic Creamed Spinach

SNACK:
Yogurt and Nut Parfait—add ½ cup of berries

DAY 2

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Bean and Bacon Minestrone Soup—add ½ cup cooked quinoa pasta to your
serving Arugula and Watercress Salad with a Poached Egg and Lemon-
Dijon Vinaigrette

DINNER:
Mediterranean-Style Chicken Kabobs served on a bed of brown rice
Grilled Eggplant with Olive Relish
SNACK:
Pear and 2 ounces goat cheese

DAY 3

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Turkey Burger with Goat Cheese, Sautéed Onions, and Cucumber Salad
Served on gluten-free English muffin

DINNER:
Pesto-Topped Sea Scallops with Asparagus served on a bed of brown rice
Warm Napa Slaw with Shallot Dressing

SNACK:
Vanilla Spice Protein Popsicle

DAY 4

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Chicken Noodle Soup—Substitute cooked quinoa noodles for the shirataki
noodles Mixed green salad with Simple Vinaigrette

DINNER:
Italian Burgers with Tapenade
Serve with ½ baked sweet potato

SNACK:
Turkey, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Roll-Up, sub rice wrap for lettuce, add
lettuce in as more filler
DAY 5

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Shrimp and Shirataki Noodle Salad—replace the Shirataki noodles with
cooked al dente rice or quinoa angel hair or spaghetti noodles Serve on 2
cups of your choice of greens tossed with 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 1
tablespoon lime juice

DINNER:
Texas Bison Chili, serve with mixed green salad with Simple Vinaigrette

SNACK:
Honeydew with 4 ounces Greek-style coconut or dairy yogurt and 1 ounce
chopped almonds

DAY 6

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Vegetarian Lentil Soup
Serve with Pan-Fried Artichoke Hearts with Lemon and Garlic

DINNER:
Pork Stir Fry with Snow Peas, Asparagus, and Peppers
Serve on a bed of ½–1 cup brown rice

SNACK:
Roasted Garlic and Lemon Hummus with Bean Chips

DAY 7
BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Roast Beef and Vegetable Lettuce Wrap with Chipotle Vinaigrette—make
with rice tortilla and keep lettuce in as filler

DINNER:
Spaghetti Squash alla Checca—substitute quinoa pasta for the squash
Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Thighs
Mixed green salad with Simple Vinaigrette

SNACK:
Apple slices with 2 tablespoons of almond butter
For Vegan Meal plan for Cycle 1 go to http://sugarimpact.com/resources

YOU’RE JUST GETTING STARTED!

You can do this! You’re on your way to cracking the code on your sugar
cravings. Part of the reason Cycle 2 will work so well is because of the work
you’ve done in Cycle 1. Tapering has ingeniously and gradually prepared your
system for the next 2 weeks. Your body isn’t on high alert, ready to shellac you
with weapons of craving and withdrawal to get its sugar. So it should hardly see
the transition coming.
You’ll retrain your taste buds to restore your sensitivity to and appreciation
for sugar. You’ll fire up your metabolism, control your appetite, heal your
digestive tract, and lose weight fast. You’ll probably also notice a healthy,
younger glow to your skin, too! Reversing the effects of accelerated aging—and
the seeds of chronic disease—is one of the biggest benefits you’ll see. Fat
burner, here you come!
 9

CYCLE 2: TRANSITION

Congratulations! You’ve made it through Cycle 1. Don’t you feel awesome?

You’re breaking free of your cravings, regaining control of your appetite, and
hopefully you’re already feeling your energy come back and your brain fog lift. I
hope you’re excited for what’s to come, because in Cycle 2 you’re going to shift
from sugar burner to fat burner and drop weight—fast.

STOP!
If you haven’t gone through Cycle 1, do not try to cut in line here. You
won’t be gaining anything—certainly not the week you hoped to skip.
You’ll just set yourself up to wipe out, and you’ll eventually give over to
the idea that you have to start at the beginning. Go back and do it—it’s just
a week!

Cycle 2—Transition

Swap medium-SI foods for low-SI foods (see the Scales in part 2, starting on here, or
online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources.) Take the Sugar Impact Quiz at the
beginning and end of this cycle Eliminate fruit (except olives, avocados, tomatoes,
lemons, and limes) Total sugar consumption should be 25 grams or less per day;
fructose should be less than 10 grams Total carbs: 100–150 grams
Supplement as needed
Determine when you’re ready to move into Cycle 3
HOW CYCLE 2 WORKS
Plan on committing at least 2 weeks to Cycle 2, your transition phase. You may
notice changes quickly and feel like you can do it faster than 2 weeks, but I want
you to prepare yourself to spend the time you need in Cycle 2, because there are
some big payoffs. You’ll stop craving sweet altogether—it won’t even taste good
to you anymore, so it will be really hard to miss it. Your symptoms will start to
disappear: no more fatigue, achy joints, dull skin, gastric distress, and
inflammation. Best of all, you’ll finally break through that brick wall of weight-
loss resistance. You’ve unlocked your body’s fat-burning machinery, the gears
are starting to turn, and they’re about to accelerate.
Cycle 2 will dramatically lower the amount of sugar, and especially fructose,
that you eat for 2 weeks, which has the effect of “rebooting” your system. Think
of it as a 2-week detox eliminating your drug of choice, sugar. Sugar activates a
cravings and reward pathway, and the more sugar you eat, the more your body
adjusts to it. By cutting out sugar for a period of time, you can reduce the
hyperactive metabolic system that has developed and start over, transforming
you from sugar burner to fat burner.
The key in Cycle 2 is to really tune in to how your body is responding and to
pay attention to your own needs. If you find that you need more than 2 weeks to
get through this cycle, that’s completely fine. Everyone is different, and you’d
rob yourself of a life-changing gift if you try to measure your progress against
someone else’s. So this is not about being arbitrarily locked into numbers on a
chart—it’s about you losing weight and feeling good fast.
In these 2 (or more) weeks, you’re going to reclaim and reset your sugar
sensitivity and retrain your taste buds to appreciate natural flavors. At the risk of
having you call me crazy, you may even start to find some foods too sweet. Yes,
your taste buds can truly be retrained—they can be brought back to life. Think of
grass you run over with a car. If you keep retreading that same ground, the grass
doesn’t stand much of a chance. But when you stop running your tires over it
and give it the care it needs, it pops back up, right as rain. Same with your taste
buds—when you pave them over with unbearable sweetness meal after meal,
day after day, they have nothing to live for. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, but
you’ve pounded them with a single high intensity taste, and their calibration is
shot. They can no longer respond to any subtle flavors, including sweetness.
When you retrain your taste buds, you have a totally different response to what
you used to think of as sweet. Isn’t that exciting?!
LOWERING YOUR SUGAR IMPACT
The beauty of the Sugar Impact Diet is that it keeps things simple. During Cycle
2, you’ll drop your total sugar consumption to 25 grams or less. Fructose,
though, will drop to under 10 grams. Your total carbs will fall somewhere in the
100–150 gram range (up to 200 grams for larger men and athletes). You’re still
living by the Sugar Impact Plate, and all of these calculations are guided by the
portions on the Plate.
You know from Cycle 1 that this is not one of those sadistic, starvation, slow-
your-metabolism-down diets that sends you spinning into a downward spiral.
The same thing goes for Cycle 2: this is really about becoming aware of what
your body needs and feeding it the right foods to crank up your metabolism until
it’s burning fat and soothing your insides the way it’s meant to. The Sugar
Impact Plate will take care of you, so you should never be hungry!

CYCLE 2 TOOLS
By now you’re a pro with a lot of the Sugar Impact (SI) tools from Chapter 2.
Keep checking in with the Sugar Impact Inventory to make sure you’re not
letting any of the enemies sneak back into your house. Your Sugar Impact Quiz
will serve as a baseline for how well and quickly you’re healing—take it again
now, and again in 2 weeks. You’ll be impressed with how far you’ve come! But
if you score 20 or higher, consider using one or more of my Speed-Healing
Techniques (see here) to help you reclaim your sugar sensitivity faster.
Then there’s the scale. The one on your bathroom floor. You may have been
avoiding the scale, but it’s a really valuable tool, and a motivating one, too!
Weigh in at least once a week, but if you want to weigh in daily, there’s no
penalty for that. But only do so during these weeks—once you’re through the
program, ditch the daily numbers check. I don’t want you to become an
obsessive weigher. This diet doesn’t work any better if you eat standing on your
scale.
The rule of thumb for maintenance is to get on the scale once a week, in the
morning before you’ve eaten. If you get a funky result one day, just try it again
another day. Don’t freak out. Weekly waist and hip measurements will help you
keep yourself in check over the long haul, too, but for now, if you want to do
them daily to gauge your progress, feel free. Things tend to change very fast
during this time, and it’s fun to see those numbers drop.
 And don’t forget to journal! (Download a sample journal page online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources.) Journaling what you eat and how much water
you drink will help you track your progress as you become low SI—especially
during these 2 weeks as you start to hone in on the pattern of what foods are
creating symptoms for you. There’s really no better way to get at the heart of
sugar’s impact on your energy, mood, and achy joints, because sometimes that
impact is delayed. When it is, we all tend to just grind on and deal with it, never
thinking back to what we ate in the morning, or the day before.
But if some sugar happens to tiptoe back into your diet, you can easily ferret
it out by connecting the dots between your food and notes like, “I feel awful
today,” or, “I’m so bloated, what the heck?” That’s when it will jump out at you
—there’s a pattern! You can do a little light journal reading and see where the
sugar got away from you.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM CYCLE 2

Cycle 2 will function like an SI reset for you. After these two transition weeks,
you’ll be at a new baseline, and in the next cycle you’ll discover which SI foods
work for you and which don’t. You’ll be so much more sensitive to sugar that
when you eat it, you’ll feel lousy. That’s exactly how you want to feel. When
you’re miserable after eating sugar, your body’s trying to tell you something (can
you guess what it is?). The only reason you didn’t have that response before is
because your addiction trumped your body’s warning signals, and you kept
beating those signals down until they gave up on you. But when you reset your
system and get your sensitivity back, you’ll feel fabulous all the time, until you
do something that makes your body throw up a flag. Wouldn’t you rather feel
great and have a system that has your back than drag along with low-grade
symptoms and weight creep, and not really notice?
The first few days will set your expectation for the rest of the cycle. Above
all else, let go of the diet stigma that may have you believing you have to eat less
food. You should not be hungry on the Sugar Impact Diet, or you’ll become
preoccupied with (the wrong kinds of) food, cravings will take root, and it will
take some Herculean feats to keep you on course.
In fact, one of the most exciting things that’s going to happen to you is the
feeling of finally being not hungry—until your next mealtime, that is. If you’re
like most people, you’ve always had constant hunger hanging around because of
the huge amount of fructose in your diet. So not being hungry will be new.
Fructose creates high-wattage hunger that gnaws at you and demands immediate
attention—and sweet makes you crave more sweet. As you’re transitioning to a
low-fructose way of life, you won’t be hungry.
The increased protein and fiber from the Sugar Impact Plate have the biggest
roles in curbing your appetite. And you’re still eating by the Sugar Impact Clock
(see here for a refresher). But pay close attention to your body, and if you feel
hungry here and there, nip it in the bud with some Supportive Supplements
(online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources). I offer a lot of resources to make
sure you succeed, so take the help you need.

Fructose-Free Shakes
You’re transitioning to a low-fructose diet, so you’ll have a shake in place
of at least one meal every day. I have it listed as your breakfast, but it’s not
locked in—you can have it for lunch or dinner if that’s easier for you. I’ve
mixed the shake recipes up enough to keep them interesting, with lots of
different flavors. But if they don’t float your boat, you have the freedom to
whip something else up to taste and be creative—just play by the rules.
One thing you’ll notice right away is that the shake recipes in this cycle
don’t have any fruit. The only fruit allowed in shakes in Cycle 2 are lemons
and limes, and fruit we sometimes think of as veggies, like avocadoes,
tomatoes, and olives. The rule for the sweet ingredients in protein powder
still applies, but for these 2 weeks, since you’re transitioning to a very low
sugar diet, the fruit has been modified to lower fructose.
Rest assured that the recipes were created with great care to make sure
these shakes are still super yummy. You’re not going to be falling on your
sword to suffer through an undrinkable green concoction. I make mine with
chocolate protein shake mix, avocado, coconut milk, chia seeds, and then I
throw some raw cacao nibs on top. Does that sound like I’m giving up
anything to you? No way, never. I like delicious, too. I have one every day,
and I don’t miss the fruit at all.
Even if shakes aren’t your thing, I hope you’ll at least give my Sugar
Impact Shake a try before throwing in the towel. If you’re still not keen on
them, feel free to substitute any other meal for your shake—you’re not
locked into breakfast foods for breakfast! After all, most of them are high
SI! Go ahead and have some wild salmon on a bed of lentils and sautéed
 spinach. Or you can be more traditional and have oatmeal, but be sure to
add protein powder or a side of leftover protein from last night’s dinner.
Experimentation is the order of the day with both meals, too. Play with
your food! Test, have fun, swap in ingredients that get you jazzed about
your next meal. Use the Sugar Impact Scales to guide you, and just make
sure you’re staying in bounds.

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

Let’s have some fun with numbers. You’ve already come much further than you
know (look back!). You’ve reached Cycle 2, which means a life free of sugar’s
grip is just around the corner.
The way there is through this calculation: 1 teaspoon = 4 grams. Keep it at
your fingertips, because you’ll live by it for the next 2 weeks. The total amount
of sugar you have every day in your three meals and optional snack should not
exceed 25 grams, or 6 teaspoons, and you’ll limit your total carbs, which count
as sugar, to a maximum of 100–150 grams. The 25 grams of sugar is included in
that 100–150 gram total. Bigger men and athletes may go up to 200 grams, but
keep that sugar low.

SUGAR IMPACT SCALES

Keep your Cycle 2 SI Scales handy (find them here, here, here, here, here, here,
here or download it online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources); you’ll refer to it
often. You’re going to swap all the medium-SI foods you tapered to in Cycle 1
for low-SI foods in Cycle 2. This transition is true for each of the seven
categories, and, as I mentioned earlier, in a few circumstances there are some
low-SI foods like fruit that you’ll leave out so that you can retrain your taste
buds even faster.
In Cycle 1, you identified all the surprising sugar bombs slipping into your
diet with the Sneaky Sugar Inventory. You figured out your portions by referring
to the Virgin Sugar Impact Plate, which means you probably had to bring your
slow, low carbs down a little. In these next 2 weeks, we’re really going to get the
amount of sugar from them under control.

CYCLE 2 MEAL PLANS

Here’s the road map for Cycle 2 from start to finish. If you follow it exactly, it
will drop you at your destination as a sugar-sensitive, fat-burning rock star. But
don’t feel fenced in—you always have the freedom to take creative license and
change things up, if you play by the rules.
A note to athletes and big guys: take a close look at your portions. Wherever I
specify 1–2 low-SI servings, as I do with slow, low carbs, you can go up to 3.
Generally, you can increase your portions overall by 1.

Putting Your Meals Together

Refer to the Sugar Impact Plate and outline for amounts Then, feel free to move things
around Substitute one protein for another Substitute one slow, low carb for another
Substitute one healthy fat for another Substitute one non-starchy veggie for another In
other words, be creative!

Feel free to be creative here as long as you’re sticking to the low-SI, Cycle 2
choices on the Scales. You can trade out proteins; switch a lunch option for a
dinner; or eat a breakfast for lunch (who says you have to eat breakfast food for
breakfast? not me!).
If you want to replace a second meal with a shake, feel free. You can choose
between the recommended shakes or have the Sugar Impact Shake with
approved Cycle 2 fruit (see the recipe here). And, of course, you can always add
a mixed green salad and more non-starchy veggies to any meal.
For extra sweet tooth support, add a fermented food to your diet daily—
choose kimchee, cultured veggies, coconut kefir, or sauerkraut. You only need
¼–½ a cup at lunch and dinner, and the easiest way to get it is with 4 ounces of
coconut kefir. If you haven’t had cultured foods, be patient: they take some
getting used to. But when you’re dying for sweets, they’re worth a shot!
Vegetarians and vegans can find a customized meal plan at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources. Modify the meals below as needed for
intolerances.

DAY 1

BREAKFAST:
 Coco-Cashew Shake

LUNCH:
Roast Beef and Vegetable Lettuce Wrap with Chipotle Vinaigrett Simple
Tomato Salad with Chick Peas and Feta Cheese

DINNER:
Mediterranean-Style Chicken Kabobs
Lentils alla Rustica and Pan-Fried Artichoke Hearts with Lemon and Garlic

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Turkey, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Roll-Up

DAY 2

BREAKFAST:
Mushroom and Spinach Omelet with Feta Cheese
Add sliced tomatoes

LUNCH:
Sugar Impact Shake with approved Cycle 2 fruit

DINNER:
Pesto-Topped Sea Scallops with Asparagus
Mushroom and Onion Wild Rice Pilaf

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Yogurt and Nut Parfait

DAY 3

BREAKFAST:
Coco-Cashew Shake

LUNCH:
Shrimp and Shirataki Noodle Salad
 Serve on a bed of 2–4 cups of mixed greens tossed with 1 tablespoon sesame
oil and 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

DINNER:
Italian Burgers with Tapenade
Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Homemade Cashew Butter on Celery

DAY 4

BREAKFAST:
Creamy Cinnamon-Spiced Quinoa with Slow-Roasted Almonds Add 2–4
chicken breakfast sausages or 2–4 ounces of last night’s leftover protein

LUNCH:
Lean and Green Shake

DINNER:
Grilled Chicken Breasts with Puttanesca Sauce
Quinoa with Shallots, Tomato, and Asparagus

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Lemony Frozen Greek-Style Yogurt

DAY 5

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake with approved Cycle 2 fruit

LUNCH:
Chicken Noodle Soup
Arugula and Watercress Salad with a Poached Egg and Lemon-Dijon
Vinaigrette
DINNER:
Spice-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Raw Tomato Salsa
Classic Creamed Spinach

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Vanilla Spice Protein Popsicle

DAY 6

BREAKFAST:
Lean and Green Shake

LUNCH:
Bean and Bacon Minestrone Soup
2–4 cups mixed green salad with Simple Vinaigrette

DINNER:
Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Thighs
Zucchini, Snow Pea, Sugar Snap, and Celery Skillet

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Roasted Garlic and Lemon Hummus served with crudités

DAY 7

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake with approved Cycle 2 fruit

LUNCH:
Turkey Burger with Goat Cheese, Sautéed Onions, and Cucumber Salad
Simple Tomato Salad with Chick Peas and Feta Cheese

DINNER:
Spaghetti Squash alla Checca
Serve with a simple grilled chicken breast on the side (for directions, see
Grilled Chicken Breasts with Puttanesca Sauce)
OPTIONAL SNACK:
Cumin and Chili Roasted Cashews

DAY 8

BREAKFAST:
Mushroom and Spinach Omelet with Feta Cheese
Add sliced tomatoes

LUNCH:
Coco-Cashew Shake

DINNER:
Grilled Chicken Breasts with Puttanesca Sauce, Grilled Eggplant with Olive
Relish, mixed green salad with Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette with Macadamia
Nut Oil

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Turkey, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Roll-Up

DAY 9

BREAKFAST:
Creamy Cinnamon-Spiced Quinoa with Slow-Roasted Almonds Add 2–4
chicken breakfast sausages or 2–4 ounces of last night’s leftover protein

LUNCH:
Lean and Green Shake

DINNER:
Mediterranean-Style Chicken Kabobs
Lentils alla Rustica and Pan-Fried Artichoke Hearts with Lemon and Garlic

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Homemade Cashew Butter on Celery
DAY 10

BREAKFAST:
Coco-Cashew Shake

LUNCH:
Vegetarian Lentil Soup
Mixed green salad with Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette with Macadamia Nut Oil

DINNER:
Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Thighs
Zucchini, Snow Pea, Sugar Snap, and Celery Skillet

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Lemony Frozen Greek-style Yogurt

DAY 11

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake with approved Cycle 2 fruit

LUNCH:
Arugula and Watercress Salad with a Poached Egg and Lemon-Dijon
Vinaigrette Bean and Bacon Minestrone Soup

DINNER:
Pork Stir Fry with Snow Peas, Asparagus, and Peppers
Serve with a side of quinoa

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Yogurt and Nut Parfait

DAY 12

BREAKFAST:
Lean and Green Shake
LUNCH:
Pan-Seared Salmon Lettuce Wraps
Quinoa with Shallots, Tomato, and Asparagus

DINNER:
Italian Burgers with Tapenade
Easy Roasted Asparagus

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Vanilla Spice Protein Popsicle

DAY 13

BREAKFAST:
Coco-Cashew Shake

LUNCH:
Double-Chopped Chicken and Vegetable Salad with Creamy Pesto Dressing

DINNER:
Texas Bison Chili
Warm Napa Cabbage Slaw with Shallot Dressing

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Roasted Garlic and Lemon Hummus served with crudités

DAY 14

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake with approved Cycle 2 fruit

LUNCH:
Vegetarian Lentil Soup
2–4 cups mixed green salad with Simple Vinaigrette with 1 tablespoon
chopped walnuts
DINNER:
Spice-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Raw Tomato Salsa
Classic Creamed Spinach

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Cumin and Chili Roasted Cashews

CYCLE 2: THE INTENSIFY WEEK

If you’ve completed Cycle 1 and at least one week of Cycle 2, and your scores
for the Sugar Impact Quiz are 2 or less in any category or 12 or less overall,
you’re a Virgin Diet graduate or if you have already improved by 50% or more
and feel great, then I have an optional bonus week for you.
This intensify week is more of a challenge, but it’s a great tool for breaking
through a plateau and getting to the next level, if you choose. Even though it’s
tempting to skip ahead, you shouldn’t attempt this until you meet the criteria
above—doing this before you’re ready will lead to cravings, stress and,
ultimately, disaster. Don’t set yourself back! Only do this if you’re really ready.
How the Intensify Week works:

Eat from all of the low-SI foods approved for Cycle 2

Drink 1–2 shakes daily in place of meals
Limit your slow, low carbs to 1 per meal (strive for none if you can do it)
and increase your non-starchy veggies to 8-10 servings a day
Drink water between meals, and use Lemon-Aid as needed (with chia or
freshly ground flaxseed)
Your non-shake meal should consist of 5 or more veggie servings, 1 protein
serving, and 2 fat servings
Your snack should consist of 1 or more veggie servings, 1 fat serving, and a
small amount of protein (2–3 ounces)
Eat 50 grams of fiber a day

Intensify Tips
Keep a pot of Chicken “Noodle” Soup, Intensify Version (see recipe, here),
around for easy, filling meals and snacks, and keep Vanilla Spice Protein
 Popsicles (see recipe, here) in the freezer as a great snack and sweet-tooth
soother.

INTENSIFY MEAL PLANS

Here are a few sample days to help guide you. Design your Intensify days based
around what works best for your schedule.

SAMPLE DAY 1

UPON RISING:
Hot water with lemon, green tea, or coffee

BREAKFAST:
Lean and Green Shake

BETWEEN BREAKFAST AND LUNCH:

Water, Lemon-Aid, Green tea

LUNCH:
Sugar Impact Shake with approved Cycle 2 fruit

BETWEEN LUNCH AND DINNER:

Water, Lemon-Aid

DINNER:
1 serving of Chicken “Noodle” Soup, Intensify Version
4 cups of mixed green salad with your choice of 2 tablespoon Lemon-Dijon
Vinaigrette, Red Wine Vinaigrette, or extra virgin olive oil and fresh-
squeezed lemon juice 1 8-ounce glass of water before bed

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Celery sticks with 2 tablespoons cashew cheese

SAMPLE DAY 2
UPON RISING:
Hot water with lemon, green tea, or coffee

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake with approved Cycle 2 fruit

BETWEEN BREAKFAST AND LUNCH:

Water, Lemon-Aid, or green tea

LUNCH:
Shrimp and Shirataki Noodle Salad—make ahead and chill
Serve on 4 cups of your favorite greens tossed with 1 tablespoon sesame oil
and 1 tablespoon lime juice Or salad at a restaurant: 4 cups mixed greens,
any non-starchy low-SI veggies you can add, sliced chicken breast or
grilled salmon, a few slices of avocado, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil,
and lemon juice or red wine vinegar

BETWEEN LUNCH AND DINNER:

Water, Lemon-Aid

DINNER:
1 serving Chicken “Noodle” Soup, Intensify Version
4 cups of mixed green salad with your choice of 2 tablespoon Lemon-Dijon
Vinaigrette, Red Wine Vinaigrette, or extra virgin olive oil and fresh-
squeezed lemon juice 1 8-ounce glass of water before bed

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Cup of Chicken “Noodle” Soup, Intensify Version

SAMPLE DAY 3

UPON RISING:
Hot water with lemon, green tea, or coffee

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake with approved Cycle 2 fruit
BETWEEN BREAKFAST AND LUNCH:
Water, Lemon-Aid, Green tea

LUNCH:
Turkey Burger with Goat Cheese, Sautéed Onions, and Cucumber Salad
Warm Napa Cabbage Slaw with Shallot Dressing, 2 servings

BETWEEN LUNCH AND DINNER:

Water, Lemon-Aid

DINNER:
1 serving Chicken “Noodle” Soup, Intensify Version
4 cups of mixed green salad with your choice of 2 tablespoon Lemon-Dijon
Vinaigrette, Red Wine Vinaigrette, or extra virgin olive oil and fresh-
squeezed lemon juice 1 8-ounce glass of water before bed

OPTIONAL SNACK:
Vanilla Spice Protein Popsicle

RE-ENTRY AFTER INTENSIFY WEEK

Once you’ve come through the Intensify week, proceed to Cycle 3 and do the
assessments as instructed to make sure you’re ready. In Cycle 3, you’ll test
whether your long-term, low-SI life can include a sweet treat now and then. If it
can, great; if it can’t, you can always return to Cycle 2 and stay here for life.

IF YOU GET KNOCKED OFF COURSE IN CYCLE 2

Look, life happens. If something beyond your control knocks you off course,
engage one of my Sugar-Attack Survival Strategies in Chapter 8 and get yourself
back on track. Even if some sugar snuck past you or you collapsed under the
weight of a craving, look at it with a cold eye. Ask yourself what happened. You
know how bad it made you feel physically, emotionally, and mentally, so it’s
worth figuring out. Once you do, focus on how you can make sure it never
happens again. Put a strategy in place to protect yourself from it the next time,
and you’ll be stronger than ever. Look at those moments as opportunities to
become bulletproof, and you win.
GIVE IT YOUR ALL—YOU’LL GET EVEN MORE BACK
You get out of the Sugar Impact Diet exactly what you put into it. In that way,
it’s like a lot of other things in life. The moments that transform us are the ones
we’re most deeply connected to, the ones we invest in, the ones where we care
about the outcome. In these 2 weeks, I want you to go for it!
The payoff is coming. After these 2 weeks, you’ll move into Cycle 3 for your
final week. In Cycle 3, you’ll put everything to the test. You’ll retake your Sugar
Impact Quiz to compare where you are with where you’ve been. You’ll
reintroduce some sugar to see how much you can handle before you set off
cravings. It’s the big reveal, and it will set the stage for your relationship with
sugar for the rest of your life. It’s so empowering to have that information.
You’ll connect the dots between what you’re eating and how you feel, so
you’ll understand where on the Sugar Impact Scales feeling fabulous lives for
you: can you be low and medium with an occasional high? I can’t wait to find
out!
 10

CYCLE 3: TRANSFORMED!

You did it! You’re through the tapering and transitioning weeks—don’t you feel
great?! Not to mention all the weight you’ve already lost! Now that you’ve
transformed your relationship to sugar, there’s just one step left. Cycle 3 is all
about discovering whether you’re fully sugar-sensitive.
After the Sugar Impact Diet, you’ll understand how sugar works in your body
and the impact it has on how you feel every single day. When you’ve lost weight
and have amazing energy, I bet you’ll look at that afternoon biscotti in a
completely different way. Those things are just not worth it. So you can stay in
Cycle 2 forever if you want or need to; stick with all low-Sugar Impact (SI)
foods (go ahead and add 1–2 servings of fruit as well), and an occasional
medium-SI choice (1–2 servings a day max) is okay, too.
But for now, in Cycle 3, we’ll figure out whether you’re in a place to have an
occasional piece of cake without sliding backward, or if you have to spend a bit
more time in Cycle 2, possibly even a month, before you get there.

YOU CAN HANDLE THE TRUTH!

It’s time to know how far you’ve come and how much sugar you can handle
before you set off your system’s alarm and before cravings see a chink in your
armor, so you won’t dive face-first into a plate full of powdered donuts. Cycle 3
will walk you through the responsible reintroduction of medium-SI foods, and
maybe a few high-SI foods as well.
In Cycle 3, the lightbulb will really come on. You’ll connect the dots between
the amount of sugar in what you eat and how you feel. What combination of
low-, medium-, and high-SI foods is best for you? For your energy, your mood,
your skin, your weight? This is your chance to write your personal sugar
roadmap, unique to you. After this last piece of the puzzle, you’ll know exactly
what your sugar-sensitive life should look like, and you’ll really be able to make
the best choices for the long term. It’s so empowering!

Are You Ready?

Move into Cycle 3 when your Sugar Impact Quiz scores are 2 or less per symptom, 12 or
less total, or your overall score is reduced by 50% from your starting score.
Before you start:

1. Weigh and measure yourself

2. Take the Sugar Impact Quiz

Cycle 3 Blueprint

Swap 3–4 low-SI servings for medium-SI servings; 1–2 of these servings should be
from fruit for 7 days
Follow the recommended servings on the Sugar Impact Plate
Have one high-SI serving at the end of the week
Journal daily
Weigh, measure, and retest at the end of the week. Decide whether you can stay in
Cycle 3 or need to return to Cycle 2

Plan to do Cycles 1 and 2 once a year as a reset, or if you “fall off the wagon.”

ARE YOU READY?

This isn’t like that class in college. It’s not pass or fail. But there are two
possible paths, and one is that you’re ready for Cycle 3—you’ve passed, get to
move on, and can incorporate some medium-and high-SI foods in your life. The
other is that you’ll simply stay in Cycle 2 a little longer until you’re ready for
Cycle 3.
It can be tough to risk sliding backward when you’re looking and feeling
great. Still, if you’re ready, and you probably are, I want you to go for it.
Knowledge is power. Besides, you’ve worked really hard… wouldn’t it be nice
to know you can have a little treat now and then?
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW?
What really determines whether you move to Cycle 3 is how you feel. You’ll
identify this by retaking the Sugar Impact Quiz as you reintroduce medium-SI
foods. Here’s a hint: your score should have improved. Let me tell you where I’d
like you to be. Ideally, you’ll score 2 or lower for each of the seven symptoms—
low or unstable energy, sugar and carb cravings, appetite, poor mood and focus,
gas and bloating, difficulty losing weight, and belly fat. My hope is that you’ll be
12 or below overall. Or, if you’ve got a higher score than that, then you at least
have had a 50% improvement from your original score.
If you’ve seen a big change, fantastic! You’re ready to move to Cycle 3, and
you can skip to the nuts and bolts of how Cycle 3 works: go to Start Me Up,
here. If you aren’t quite there yet, let me help.

TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN

First of all, don’t be discouraged. You’ve done a lot of worthwhile work getting
to a low-SI diet, and since most of you have lost weight, no doubt you feel great
about that alone. If you haven’t hit the benchmarks to move into Cycle 3, it will
just take a bit more time. For now, let’s look into what else could be going on.
Let’s go over some of the biggest metabolic challenges that can keep you
from truly getting out from under the grip of sugar. If you find out you’re dealing
with any of them, my advice would be to visit a functional medicine doctor to
dig deeper on how best to address them. You can also hook up with a health and
nutrition coach. I’ve got recommendations for both in the Resources online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources.
If you’re still feeling some fatigue or moodiness, cravings haven’t completely
left you, or, worse, you’re flat-out frustrated that the weight hasn’t come off as
much or as fast as you hoped, you may find out why very soon. There are six
common issues I’ve found that can really shut down weight loss. Thankfully, all
of them can be fixed.

1. Insulin Resistance or Diabetes

If you have:

High blood pressure

Elevated triglycerides or an elevated TG/HDL ratio
 High fasting glucose, insulin, or hemoglobin A1c, and/or
A high waist circumference

… you may be struggling with insulin resistance or diabetes. If so, your

fasting insulin is higher than it should be, which signals your body to create
inflammation and store fat rather than burn it off. This makes weight loss
difficult, and sometimes downright impossible. If you suspect you have insulin
resistance or diabetes, refer to the recommended Lab Tests online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources and ask your doctor to run them. Consider
supportive supplements, too, which can also be found online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources. Some that can help are fish oil, Vitamin D,
lipoic acid, chromium, magnesium, vanadium, zinc, berberine, and fiber.
Resistance training and sleep also help restore insulin sensitivity.

2. Low Thyroid

Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is a biggie, and often goes un-or

underdiagnosed. The thyroid gland has a huge responsibility—it manufactures
the hormones that regulate the speed of your metabolism. When it’s dragging, it
can rob you of energy, lead to depression, make your skin dry and your hair fall
out, cause your LDL cholesterol to rise, make you constipated and cold, and
cause weight gain. There are a lot of reasons you might have hypothyroidism,
including stress, genetics, toxicity and diet, but most are not your fault. It tends
to run in families, and is more common in women. If you rely on soy as a
“healthy” protein source, you could be contributing to a thyroid problem, as soy
can impair thyroid function. Ask your doctor for a complete thyroid panel and be
sure to include free T3 and thyroid antibodies. Combine your symptoms with
ideal thyroid lab markers, because you can still have low function and be in the
“normal” test range.

3. Adrenal Exhaustion

You also might have adrenal exhaustion. Adrenal problems can be masked as
thyroid problems, but the two often go hand in hand. If you’re constantly going
nonstop, besieged by stress and pounding coffee to get through the day, you’re
crushing your adrenal glands (you were beating them up even worse when you
were hoovering sugar all day). Your adrenals regulate the stress hormones
cortisol and adrenaline. When you’re stressed, your adrenals release more stress
hormones, which causes your blood sugar to increase, so insulin increases.
That’s how you gain belly fat. In fact, increased cortisol alone can cause you to
eat more. Stress also depletes serotonin, which will also make you crave sugar. If
you’re chronically stressed, your adrenals will eventually get fatigued. Then
you’re tired all of the time, which of course makes you go for more… sugar.
When you’re exhausted, it’s even harder to lose weight. You should be
getting at least 7–9 hours of quality sleep a night—yes, that means you!
According to a 2010 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
Metabolism, just one night without enough sleep can trigger insulin resistance,
which is linked to type 2 diabetes. It can also make you hungrier, especially for
sugar. The fastest way to heal your adrenals is to make time for sleep. Burst
training–style exercise also helps your body handle stress faster. Don’t
overschedule yourself, and make sure you have some downtime. Vitamin C, the
B vitamins, fish oil, and healing herbs, including rhodiola, can also help you de-
stress (for more tips, go online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources).

4. Toxicity

We’re all walking vessels of toxicity, to one degree or another. There’s no

avoiding some toxins in the air or in our homes. But clean eating and exercising
go a long way toward flushing most toxins out of your system, and if you’re still
hanging on to yours, they can get in the way of you being able to lose weight and
set you up for chronic disease. Toxicity creates brain fog and fatigue, makes you
hold on to fat, and slows down your metabolism. A National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey study found that obesity by itself wasn’t the cause
of diabetes. It was the toxicity—in this case, phthalates—stored in the fat of the
women studied. If you’re toxic and it’s the cause of your weight-loss resistance,
you may have to go through detoxification with a functional medical doctor
before you’ll start to see improvements.

5. Gastrointestinal Conditions

You may also be dealing with a gastrointestinal issue like leaky gut. Leaky gut
can lead to food intolerances, Candida, and small intestinal bacteria overgrowth
(SIBO). It’s unbelievably common, and just as commonly goes undiagnosed.
Leaky gut is the condition of having a permeable small intestine, and it can be
caused by issues like stress, gluten, fructose, toxicity, certain medications, and
altered gut flora. When your gut is leaky, food particles slip into places they
don’t belong. They then trigger an immune response, which can make you
inflamed, gain weight, and crave the very food that is hurting you. Addressing
and fixing these food intolerances is the foundation of my book, The Virgin Diet.
If you haven’t done the Virgin Diet yet, I highly recommend moving onto that
next.
SIBO is a condition marked by large numbers of bad bacteria in your small
intestine. Our bodies are actually made up of more bacteria than cells, and it’s
critical to have the right balance of bacteria in your gut—about 80% good
bacteria to 20% or less of the bad guys. Poor diet, especially sugar and processed
foods, stress (again!), and antibiotic use can contribute to SIBO. It gives you
presents like gas, bloating, diarrhea, and weight gain. Depending on the severity
of your SIBO, you might need a doctor to prescribe a special antibiotic. I also
like berberine, a good probiotic, and a daily dose of a fermented food like
kimchee, cultured veggies, or coconut kefir. They’ll all help restore the balance
of bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.
Candida overgrowth creates a variety of symptoms, including brain fog,
sugar cravings, and bloating. Candida yeast in your gut needs sugar to survive,
but if you’ve got a severe case, you may not be able to starve it out without some
supplements or other support. My favorite nutrients are antifungal herbs and
probiotics (go online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources for Supportive
Supplements).

6. Hormonal Issues

If you’re 40 or older, you might be struggling with sex hormone imbalances.

This happens to both men and women and can make it nearly impossible to lose
weight. For men, it means low testosterone and possibly elevated estrogen, and
for women, low testosterone and an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. An
imbalance in your sex hormones can lead to depression, low energy, joint pain,
low sex drive, and an inability to put on muscle or lose weight. If you’re
struggling with any of these symptoms, I recommend you see a functional
medicine doctor (go to http://sugarimpact.com/resources).

Speed-Healing Techniques
If you score at 20 or above on your Sugar Impact Quiz, consider using one or more of these
techniques to help you reclaim your sugar sensitivity faster.

Burst train to blast fat and improve stress tolerance (see here)
 Resistance train to improve insulin sensitivity
Sleep 7–9 hours a night to reduce appetite and improve insulin sensitivity
Meditate to lower stress hormones
Eat by the Sugar Impact Plate: protein, healthy fat, and slow, low carbs help balance
blood sugar
Drink green tea to improve insulin sensitivity
Take Supportive Supplements for specific concerns (online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources)

START ME UP: CYCLE 3

Welcome to Cycle 3! I’m going to walk you through the nuts and bolts of how
the cycle works and what to expect.
First things first. You’re here because you’ve redone your Sugar Impact Quiz
and scored each symptom a 2 or lower, or you’ve improved overall by 50% or
more. Next, do a weigh-in and measure. Measure your hips and your waist.
From here on out, you’ll measure both every week. It’s extremely important to
journal through this cycle, or you’ll miss out on the heart of what the Sugar
Impact Diet can do for you—help you connect the dots between the amount of
sugar you’re eating and how you feel. You don’t want to miss that—it’s such a
gift to your weight and health!
You’ll still be eating by the Sugar Impact Plate in Cycle 3, and really paying
attention to portions, so keep that diagram close and commit it to memory. The
same rules apply for meal timing, too—be sure to eat by the Sugar Impact Clock.

THE SWAPS
Cycle 3 is a test week to see whether you’re fully sugar-sensitive. The Scales
pendulum is swinging back from the direction it went in Cycle 2. You’re going
to take 3–4 low-SI foods and swap them for 3–4 medium-SI foods every day.
That’s it. Simple, right?
The exception is fruit, since you weren’t having any fruit in Cycle 2. In this
cycle, you’ll get back to 1–2 fruits a day, and real fruit, not just avocados, olives,
lemons, and limes! Just add whichever low-or medium-SI ones you choose. Toss
berries in your shake, have some grapefruit in your salad, or have a couple small
tangerines with your almonds as a snack.
 Let’s take a closer look at how these swaps work. For dinner, an example of
an acceptable trade would be to have quinoa pasta in place of quinoa, if that was
your low-SI choice in the grains category. It doesn’t mean portions go out the
window, though. A cup of pasta should count as 2 slow, low carb servings.
For the roots category, try adding a starchy carb rather than swapping it
outright for a vegetable, because I still want you to have those veggies. Add
beets to your salad. Or you might choose sweet potatoes in place of legumes. Be
sure to keep up with your 5 or more servings of non-starchy vegetables, but live
a little and bring in a couple of foods from the medium-SI list.
The news for low and no-fat foods in Cycle 3, especially dairy, is short and
sweet (a pun!). Stay out of the high SI. That keeps it easy, right? (PS—that
doesn’t mean you can’t have no-sugar-added coconut milk ice cream! or
unsweetened coconut or almond milk yogurts—all of which are in most grocery
stores these days… okay, I’ll stop.)
As for beverages, bring back the libations! Yes, you can now start having a
little bit of dry red or white wine, if you’d like. Or tequila, or a little gluten-free
beer. Keep it to 1 drink a day for women, 2 drinks for men. And what’s my rule?
Don’t save all your allotted drinks for the week for just one day! I always have
to say that, right? Enjoy.
In the sauces category, you can bring back no-sugar-added marinara sauce,
which is on the medium-SI list. You’ll notice that sugar-added marinara sauce is
on the high-SI list, so stay away from that still. Different dressings straddle those
columns, too, because some have more sugar than others.
Finally, the sweeteners. This is where I want you to be really careful.
Sweeteners are a slippery slope—a sugar gateway. I’m betting sweeteners will
all taste too sweet to you now, but even so, I’d prefer you not dip into the high-
SI sweeteners at all and that you limit the mediums to no more than one a day.
Maybe your walk on the wild side is 72% dark chocolate (if this is a weakness,
keep yourself together—break off a small piece and walk away!). For those of
you who want to use honey for homeopathic reasons, local, organic raw is back
in play. And if there’s a little added coconut sugar or honey in something, you
don’t have to avoid it; just make sure you count it.
Or better yet, go with a natural flavoring to sweeten up your food. There are
more than a few. Sweeten with spices like cinnamon, vanilla, or nutmeg, or add
cumin, cardamom, allspice, mace, star anise, or clove. Try extracts like vanilla,
almond, hazelnut, orange, or coconut. You can also add in zests of orange,
lemon, or lime.
 And just a snack quickie—if you were noshing on guacamole and veggies,
you can move to guacamole and bean chips. There’s just something liberating
about that. If you like a dry crunch, you can swap from dehydrated, low-roasted
nuts to rice chips as a Cycle 3 indulgence, in small amounts.

Detailed Cycle 3 Blueprint

In Cycle 3:
Be sure to journal daily (download a sample journal page online at
http://sugarimpact.com/resources)
Swap 3–4 low-SI servings for medium-SI servings
1–2 of these servings should be from fruit

EXAMPLE 1:
Add 1 cup of berries to your shake
Swap your quinoa for quinoa pasta
Have a glass of dry red wine with dinner

EXAMPLE 2:
Have guacamole with bean chips for a snack
Toss an orange in your shake (vanilla + orange—think 50/50 bar!)
Trade your legumes for a sweet potato

Add one high-SI serving at the end of the week and deploy the three-bite rule (take three
polite bites—bites you’d be comfortable having if you were being watched on national live
TV—and put the fork down!)
At the end of the week, reevaluate:

Weigh and measure

Retake the Sugar Impact Quiz

If you feel the same or have continued to improve, then follow the Sugar Impact Cycle 3
guidelines.
If your Sugar Impact Quiz score increased by 3 or more points overall or 2 points in any
category; you stopped losing weight; or you gained back 1–2 pounds or an inch around
 your waist: choose from low-SI foods most of the time. Limit yourself to 1 medium-SI choice
daily, and limit high SI to 1 per week until your Quiz scores improve or you start losing
weight again.
This will keep you at:
10 grams of fructose
25 grams of sugar overall
150–200 grams of carbs overall

Depending on your biochemistry—if you don’t tolerate sugar well because of your
genetics or a very damaged metabolism—this may be where you have to stay. But most of
you will move to the next level, below.

You’re Sugar-Sensitive
If you are in good health, have reached or are close to your ideal body composition, and are
physically active, stay at:
25 grams fructose total per day
50 grams of sugar total per day
150-200 grams of carb total per day
3–4 medium-SI choices (or less) per day
1–2 fruit servings per day
1–3 high-SI servings (or less) per week

Plan to do Cycles 1 and 2 once a year as a reset or if you “fall off the wagon.”

MEAL PLAN: CYCLE 3

In Cycle 3, make the Sugar Impact Shake with one fruit serving, and modify
meals for intolerances.

DAY 1

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Pan-Seared Salmon Wrap made with Rice Tortilla
 Easy Roasted Asparagus with Red Palm Fruit Oil

DINNER:
Spice-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Raw Tomato Salsa
½ baked sweet potato
Classic Creamed Spinach

SNACK/DESSERT:
Strawberry Avocado Mousse

DAY 2

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Bean and Bacon Minestrone Soup
Arugula and Watercress Salad with a Poached Egg and Lemon-Dijon
Vinaigrette

DINNER:
Mediterranean-Style Chicken Kabobs served on a bed of brown rice
Grilled Eggplant with Olive Relish
Snack/Dessert: Cherry-Berry Fruit Salad with Shaved Dark Chocolate

DAY 3

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Turkey Burger with Goat Cheese, Sautéed Onions, and Cucumber Salad
Serve on Gluten-free English Muffin

DINNER:
Pesto-Topped Sea Scallops with Asparagus served on a bed of brown rice
 Warm Napa Cabbage Slaw with Shallot Dressing

SNACK:
Homemade Cashew Butter on Celery

DAY 4

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Chicken Noodle Soup
Substitute brown rice or quinoa noodles for the shirataki noodles (2 cups
brown rice for 4 servings)
Mixed green salad with Simple Vinaigrette

DINNER:
Italian Burgers with Tapenade
Serve with ½ baked sweet potato

SNACK:
Apple slices with 2 tablespoon almond butter

DAY 5

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Shrimp and Shirataki Noodle Salad
Serve on 2–4 cups of your choice of greens tossed with 1 tablespoon sesame
oil and 1 tablespoon lime juice

DINNER:
Pork Stir Fry with Snow Peas, Asparagus, and Peppers served with 1 cup of
brown rice
SNACK:
Sliced honeydew (approximately 1 cup) topped with Lemony Frozen Greek-
Style Yogurt

DAY 6

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Roast Beef and Vegetable Lettuce Wrap with Chipotle Vinaigrette—make
with rice tortilla and keep lettuce in as filler

DINNER:
Texas Bison Chili, serve with mixed green salad with Simple Vinaigrette

SNACK:
Roasted Garlic and Lemon Hummus with Bean Chips

DAY 7

BREAKFAST:
Sugar Impact Shake

LUNCH:
Vegetarian Lentil Soup
Serve with Pan-Fried Artichoke Hearts with Lemon and Garlic

DINNER:
Spaghetti Squash alla Checca—substitute quinoa pasta
Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Thighs
Mixed green salad with Simple Vinaigrette

SNACK/DESSERT:
Test one serving of a high-SI food of your choice
TRACK HOW YOU FEEL
For this week, as you dabble in medium-SI foods, choose wisely—you only get
3–4 servings each day. You could also decide to have a double serving of a
medium-SI food, which would count as 2 servings.
Tune in to how you feel as you swap those 3–4 low-SI foods for 3–4
medium-SI foods. Pay attention and journal your results. What happens? Does
your weight stay the same, or do you start to gain weight? How’s your energy
level? Do you get bloated? Is your waist measurement going up? How’s your
focus? What about your mood? Are you getting hungry or struggling with
cravings again?
Check the way you’re feeling against your scores on the Sugar Impact Quiz
at the beginning of the week. I know it can be frightening to feel yourself
slipping, but you’ll course-correct in no time, and then you’ll know how to avoid
ever going back.
And the only way that happens is if you pay attention to how you feel when
you eat. It’s the key to unlocking you from the prison of overweight and nagging
symptoms. When you discover a trigger food—say, when you eat a sweet potato
and suddenly start scrounging for what’s left in the casserole dish—it’s just
easier to stay off them entirely, right? The risk is too big. I know this; I’ve been
there. I don’t ever want to visit again.
At the end of the week, take another look at your Sugar Impact Quiz, your
weight, and your waist—see what happens.

WHERE TO GO WITH WHAT YOU KNOW

There are two possible outcomes: You either stayed the same (or continued to
improve), or you took a few steps backward. It’s the difference between
discovering you’ll be fine having a high-SI treat once in a while, or that you
have to stay low SI—at least for a while longer—to keep the weight off and feel
your best. Let your outcome direct you to the right path, below.

IF YOU’RE STAYING THE SAME (OR CONTINUING TO IMPROVE)

Congratulations—you’ve graduated! You’ve become sugar-sensitive, and you’re
exactly where you should be. See if this describes you: you’re in overall good
health, you’ve got your weight close to or where you want it to be, you’re active,
and you don’t have a lot of stress.
Here are the specific guidelines for managing your daily sugar consumption
going forward (don’t worry, if things didn’t go as well for you, I’ll help you
chart your course in just a bit).

25 grams fructose overall

50 grams of sugar overall
150–200 grams carbohydrates overall

The total daily sugar tallied above translates to 3–4 medium-SI foods
maximum a day. Stay mostly with low-SI foods, and monitor your medium-SI
choices based on your weight and what your body tells you in response to those
foods, with symptoms. You can also sneak in a high-SI food once or twice a
week.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that only 10% of total
daily calories (based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet) come from added sugar. In
2002, the World Health Organization suggested the same, but it has since
proposed that you reduce your total daily calories from added sugars to below
5%, or about 6 teaspoons daily, for more benefit. The AHA refines its guidelines
further, suggesting only 5 teaspoons maximum of added sugar a day for women
and 9 for men. Of course, most people are getting way more than that, but don’t
feel like you need to hit the AHA recommended amount, either. If you must use
one, be sure to use a product with low-or medium-SI sugar.
As for high-SI foods, when you have to have one, go with my three-bite rule.
You can have three bites of something normally off limits when it’s really, really
worth it. A diet cookie or a gluten-free muffin do not pass the “really, really”
test. But something delicious, amazing, to-die-for worth it gets the three-bite
blessing. (Only if it won’t set off your food intolerances, though. No matter how
sensational a treat, if it’s made with a food you’re intolerant to, like gluten or
dairy, that trumps the three-bite go-ahead.)
But as a newly crowned Sugar Impact Diet graduate, you can implement the
three-bite rule one to three times a week. Whether your food crack is a muffin or
red velvet cake, you can have three polite bites—not three how much can I
shove in my mouth bites, okay? Then get rid of it.

DE-FRIEND YOUR TRIGGERS

If you have those three bites of that awesome high-SI treat and it triggers a
reaction for you, or a craving, it’s out. For good. You’re breaking up with that
food. You don’t want to have any food in your life that sends you back into the
downward spiral of cravings and crashes and weight gain, right? Moderation is a
slippery slope, because so often people really believe they can have just one
cookie. This is the beauty of connecting the dots, and a giant dot is when you
figure out that a food triggers your cravings. That means it counts as a high-SI
food for you—and it’s gone, baby, gone.

HELP! I GOT WORSE!

If your symptoms get worse by swapping 3–4 low-SI foods for 3–4 medium-SI
foods this week, don’t stress. You’re just not fully sugar-sensitive, at least not
yet. Go back to Cycle 2 and re-challenge again in 4 weeks to see if you can
move into Cycle 3. By the way, you can live in Cycle 2 forever. I live in a
modified Cycle 2—it’s just where I feel best. This means that I might have a
piece of fruit or a medium-SI food several times a week, but the majority of my
food comes from the low-SI categories. So know that’s an option for you, too.
And guess what? The longer you live in it, the less you want any of those
medium-and high-SI foods anyway!
Cycle 2 is also your place to live a little longer if you’re dealing with any
more serious health problems, such as hypertension, insulin resistance, heart
disease, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune diseases, or cancer.
Remember, you can live in Cycle 2 forever. There’s no reason to leave a
place that helps you feel good and lose weight. It’s easier than you think, and
you won’t have any cravings! The dots that connect there seem to point to not
messing with a good thing, and I don’t want you to end up in a situation where
all of a sudden you’re eating your trigger foods, you feel crappy, and you go
down a deep dark rabbit hole and never come out again.
Plan to do Cycles 1 and 2 once a year as an annual reset—it’s an awesome
plateau buster, and we all need that on occasion. You should also go back and do
Cycles 1 and 2 again if you really “fall off the wagon.”

MY IMPACT!

Kelly Doerr
Starting weight: 158.6 lbs.
Current weight: 148.4 lbs.
Total lost: 10.2 lbs.

I have struggled and struggled my whole life with my weight. Putting it on, taking it off, and putting it
right back on as soon as I alter one little step. I would exercise 2 hours a day, cut my calories back to
700, and would literally get nowhere except more frustrated. I even had a doctor tell me to start
smoking! But something told me to not give up. I think it was fate that I stumbled across JJ Virgin.
I am 45 years old and dealing with the usual hot flashes, joint pain, skin problems, high blood
pressure, gas, bloating, constipation, fatigue, and weakness. At least, I used to think these were usual—
I don’t deal with them anymore!
Before I started the Sugar Impact Diet I had been following the Virgin Diet. I had been on it for 7
months. I had lost a good deal of weight—43 pounds, to be exact. Easily, too, I might add. I was
feeling pretty good, I thought, but I still struggled with certain things.
Then I found the Sugar Impact Diet. In all honesty, I wasn’t that excited. What I was doing was
working for me. I hadn’t been losing any more weight, but I wasn’t gaining. However, after spending
4½ weeks following the Sugar Impact Diet, I was astonished. I was down 10 pounds and almost 3" on
my waist and 4" on my hips.
Now I’m healthy! I feel great! And it was easy! The Sugar Impact Diet gets you to where you need
to be without you even knowing it! JJ’s plan steps you down, bit by bit, and before you know it, you’re
doing it, and loving it! It’s like the Sugar Impact Diet targets major problem areas like your waist and
belly, because that’s where I see the most difference! I’ve lost more inches on my waist on the Sugar
Impact Diet in one month than in the previous 6–7 months!
My energy is at an all-time high. I’m a part of this world again, not just someone who watches it as
it goes by. I find myself dancing as I’m washing dishes. I’m getting more done in a day than I ever
have. When I do laundry, I pull out something that looks small and think, whose is this? Then I realize,
it’s mine! My confidence is high, my skin glows, my hair shines, my attitude is brighter, my blood
pressure is down, my joints don’t hurt. But most important I think what I love the most is that I can
 now trust my body. I don’t think about doing things now. I just do them.
Taking the sugar out of my diet has allowed me to realize the effects (and limitations) it had on my
life. If sugar slips in my diet now, I immediately get a headache. The next day, my knees are killing me.
I’m grumpy and miserable. It’s not worth it.
I’ve been inspired to try to help others as well. I want to shout it from the top of a mountain that
this plan works! It’s easier than you think. If I did this with ease, then anybody can do it. So make a
lifelong change and do the Sugar Impact Diet. You won’t regret it.

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW LIFE

You’ve had an enlightening, empowering journey. You’ve come a long way,

baby! Now what?
When you look at food from here on out, think about its SI. Where does it fall
on the Scales? Will it have a low, medium, or high impact on your blood sugar,
your energy, your weight? Remember, if broccoli isn’t available, it’s not
necessary to default immediately to the mashed potatoes!
Cycle 3 has clearly outlined the amount of sugar you can handle so you know
how to make sure you feel fantastic for the rest of the great life ahead of you.
I’m willing to bet you couldn’t have even imagined being here before you
started. And it gets even better. With your new appreciation of food’s subtle,
natural sweetness and the rich contribution of savory and spicy flavors, your
food will explode with flavor. Your cravings and extra pounds will never find
their way back. But the new you is here to stay.
You’ve used the recipes for each of the cycles, but don’t toss them out now—
enjoy them regularly to keep burning fat, looking great, and living a low-SI life,
symptom-free. Keep eating by the Sugar Impact Plate and the Sugar Impact
Clock and relying on the Sugar Impact Shake as your go-to breakfast. Create
your own yummy path forward. Mix it up and share what you discover—you’re
carrying the torch now!
 11

LOW-SUGAR IMPACT RECIPES

Fire up the kitchen, strap on your apron… you can even go for the big hat, if you
like to make a statement. You’re in charge! It’s so empowering to take your
health back, and you’re about to know just how great that really feels.
These sumptuous meals taste more like treats, and that’s a good thing.
They’re going to be your friend in the foxhole over the next few weeks (and
more likely, for life). They’ll help you extend the time you can go between meals
and get you through your transition from high-Sugar Impact (SI) foods to low-SI
foods. They’re the key to breaking your sugar addiction, kissing cravings
goodbye, and reclaiming your sensitivity to sugar. Prepare to wonder what
you’re going to do with all your new energy. I know—you can cook!
Note: these are Cycle 2 recipes unless otherwise designated, but wherever
possible I’ve included modifications to make them fair game for Cycles 1 and 3,
too.

BREAKFAST
I would crow this if I could: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. No
skipping on this one! I want you losing weight, not short-circuiting your
metabolism. These delicious, protein-rich breakfasts will support your shift from
sugar burner to fat burner and fuel you all the way to lunch. My rule is to eat
within an hour of waking up, and it’s hard to argue that could be any easier than
with a shake. If you prefer to have something warm in the morning, I’ve got you
covered there, too!

The Sugar Impact Shake

I recommend you start your day with a shake, whether you’re on the run or reading the
paper. It’s rich and flavorful, revs your metabolism, and keeps you full and happy right till
lunch. Hard to beat that.

Makes 1 serving

1–2 scoops protein blend (per package instructions)

1 serving fiber blend (see Resources online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources)
1–2 -tablespoons chia, hemp or freshly ground flaxseeds, ½ small avocado or 1 tablespoon
nut butter 8–10 ounces unsweetened coconut, cashew, or almond milk (such as So
Delicious)
4–5 ice cubes

Combine the protein blend, extra fiber, chia seeds, coconut milk, and ice cubes in a blender. Mix
on high until smooth. Thin with additional cold water if desired.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—add 1 serving low-or medium-SI fruit.

Nutrition facts per serving: 424 calories, 21.3 g fiber, 31.9 g carbs, 2.6 g sugar, 27 g fat, 7 g
saturated fat, 26 g protein, 55 mg sodium

Coco-Cashew Shake

This nutrient powerhouse is packed with protein and fiber to perk you up and get fat-
burning off to an early start. Quick and easy, it’s a great breakfast on the run.

Makes 1 serving

1–2 scoops chocolate protein blend (per package instructions)

1 serving fiber blend
1 tablespoon freshly ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon cashew butter
8–10 ounces unsweetened coconut milk (such as So Delicious)
5–6 ice cubes

Combine the shake mix, fiber blend, ground flax, cashew butter, coconut milk, and ice cubes. Mix
on high until smooth. Thin with additional cold water if desired.
Nutrition facts per serving: 437 calories, 13.5 g fiber, 31.7 g carbs, 3.6 g sugar, 28 g fat, 8 g
saturated fat, 29 g protein, 180 mg sodium

Creamy Cinnamon-Spiced Quinoa with Slow-Roasted

Almonds

This dish is so decadent, you’ll have to remind yourself you’re not having dessert for
breakfast. It’s a truly mouthwatering way to start your morning. If you’re dairy-sensitive,
substitute ¾ cup plain, no-sugar, cultured coconut milk for the yogurt.

Makes 2 servings

½ cup quinoa, rinsed

1 cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup organic full-fat Greek-style yogurt
1 teaspoon monk fruit extract
20 Slow-Roasted Nuts (use almonds; see here), coarsely chopped

Combine the quinoa, water, extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to
a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until tender,
about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the
yogurt and monk fruit extract. Divide between 2 bowls and top each with the almonds.

Nutrition facts per serving: 330 calories, 4 g fiber, 32 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 16 g fat, 7 g saturated fat,
14 g protein, 220 mg sodium

Lean and Green Shake

Looking to go green? Here’s your chance. Introduce the ingredients to one another at high
speed for an omega-3 and potassium-rich jump-start.
Makes 1 serving

2 scoops vanilla-flavored protein blend (per package instructions)

1 serving fiber blend
¼ small avocado
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon raw almond butter
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
8–10 ounces unsweetened cashew milk (such as So Delicious)
5–6 ice cubes

Combine the protein blend, fiber blend, avocado, spinach, almond butter, cinnamon, cashew milk,
and ice cubes. Mix on high until smooth. Thin with additional cold water if desired.

Nutrition facts per serving: 384 calories, 16 g fiber, 30 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 22 g fat, 2.5 g saturated
fat, 27 g protein, 385 mg sodium

Mushroom and Spinach Omelet with Feta Cheese

The egg just got a lot more exciting! This healthy, hearty omelet delivers the immune-
boosting benefits of phytonutrients and antioxidants in every bite and is perfect for
breakfast or brunch. Hunger, you have no place here.

If you’re dairy-sensitive, substitute 1 ounce of cashew or other nut cheese for the feta. (The
recipe follows if you’d like to make your own, or you can buy it in your local specialty or
health food store.)

Makes 1 serving

1 cup baby spinach

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled, or 1 ounce of cashew cheese (see below)
Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the spinach and cook, turning
often, until wilted; transfer to a bowl. Return the skillet to the heat and add 2 teaspoons of the oil.
Stir in the mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4–5 minutes.
Remove from the skillet.
Combine the eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Return the skillet to the stove over medium
heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, then pour in the egg mixture and cook until the eggs
begin to set in the center, about 3 minutes, using a silicone spatula to lift up the set edges and
allow the uncooked mixture to run underneath. Flip the eggs over; top one-half with the feta
cheese, mushrooms, and spinach. Carefully loosen the omelet with the spatula and fold the empty
half over the filling. Transfer to a plate and let stand 1 minute before serving.

Nutrition facts per serving: 360 calories, 2 g fiber, 9 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 29 g fat, 9 g saturated fat,
18 g protein, 1070 mg sodium

Cashew Cheese

Stores well in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Makes 1 cup (8 servings)

1½ cups raw cashews

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine cashews in a bowl with enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Let cashews soak at
least 5 hours or overnight.
Drain cashews and place in the bowl of a food processor with the lemon juice, oil, salt, and
cayenne pepper. Process the ingredients, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl
occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and begins to hold together. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

Nutrition facts per serving: 160 calories, 1 g fiber, 9 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 14 g fat, 2.5 g saturated
fat, 4 g protein, 140 mg sodium
LUNCHES
Your patience—and good breakfast—have paid off. Food is information, and
these lunches are going to make you one smart cookie (okay, maybe not a
cookie). They’re fresh, satisfying, soothing, and popping with flavor. They’ll
help you power up and on, so you don’t slam into a brick wall mid-afternoon and
find yourself staring down a sugar craving.

Arugula and Watercress Salad with a Poached Egg and

Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette

This simple and elegant salad is transformed with a protein-rich egg and the sophisticated
complement of vinaigrette. If you’re sensitive to eggs, substitute four 4-ounce, cooked,
boneless and skinless chicken breast halves for the poached eggs.

Makes 4 servings

4 cups baby arugula

4 cups watercress
4 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette (see here)
4 large organic cage-free eggs

Combine the arugula, watercress, radishes, onion, and vinaigrette in a large bowl; toss well.
Divide the salad among four plates.
Meanwhile, bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium skillet over high heat. Reduce the
heat to medium-low and let simmer. Carefully break the eggs into the skillet just above the water
so the yolks don’t break. Cook until the egg whites are firm and the yolks barely start to set, about
3½–4 minutes. One at a time, lift the eggs out of the water with a slotted spoon and set each on
top of a salad.

Nutrition facts per serving: 150 calories, 1 g fiber, 4 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 12 g fat, 2.5 g saturated
fat, 7 g protein, 180 mg sodium
 Bean and Bacon Minestrone Soup

Minestrone isn’t just for vegetables anymore. Liven up this cornerstone of Italian cooking
with creamy cannellini beans and rich, flavorful bacon. The bacon adds depth and
character, but the beauty of this ancient dish is that you can really make it your own. For a
vegan option, leave out the bacon and sauté the vegetables in 1½ tablespoons olive oil,
then substitute 3 cups organic, low-sodium vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Makes 4 servings (about 2 cups per serving)

5 slices uncured nitrate-free bacon

1 medium red onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 medium zucchini, about 12 ounces, cut into ½-inch dice
1 (14.5-ounce) can organic no-salt-added diced tomatoes
3 cups organic low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups chopped kale
1 (15-ounce) can organic no-salt-added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, turning once, 6–7
minutes. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towel and drain; crumble.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from the Dutch oven. Return to the stove over
medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, thyme, and oregano; cook, stirring occasionally,
until slightly softened, 4–5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until slightly softened, about 5
minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a boil, then stir in
the kale. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes. Add the beans, salt, and
pepper and cook until heated through, 2–3 minutes. Divide among four bowls and top with the
reserved bacon.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—add 2 cups cooked quinoa noodles and 1 additional cup chicken
broth.
Nutrition facts per serving: 300 calories, 7 g fiber, 33 g carbs, 9 g sugar, 13 g fat, 4.5 g saturated
fat, 15 g protein, 990 mg sodium

Chicken Noodle Soup

An American classic, dating back to Colonial times. It makes you warm all over just
thinking about it, doesn’t it? But you don’t need to be under the weather to enjoy this pure
homemade goodness—shirataki noodles give it heft without the high SI of pasta noodles,
and organic free-range chicken checks the clean, lean protein box. I even slipped in some
spinach for good measure.

Makes 4 servings

6 cups organic low-sodium chicken broth

2 (12-ounce) organic free-range bone-in chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 parsley sprigs
3 dill sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 (8-ounce) package shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained
2 cups baby spinach
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine the broth and chicken breast halves in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Bring to a
boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20
minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl and let cool 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, discard
the skin and bones, then shred the chicken; reserve.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic;
cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 5–6 minutes. Transfer mixture to the Dutch oven
with the broth, then stir in the parsley, dill, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat;
cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove the parsley, dill, and bay
leaf and stir in the noodles; return to a simmer and cook 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook
until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook 2 minutes. Remove from the
heat and season with the salt and pepper.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—substitute 2 cups cooked quinoa noodles for the shirataki
noodles.

Nutrition facts per serving: 364 calories, 2.8 g fiber, 10 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 6 g fat, 1.4 g saturated
fat, 40 g protein, 640 mg sodium

Chicken “Noodle” Soup—Intensify Version

Keep everything the same as in Chicken Noodle Soup (recipe above), but add the
following:

1 head shredded green cabbage (about 1" strips; feel free to add more if you are a cabbage
fan) 4 cups chicken broth
5 additional celery ribs, chopped (or rest of the celery stalks)

Add the extra chicken broth to step 1, and add the cabbage and extra celery to step 2 when you
add the onion, celery, and garlic.
Make enough for at least half the week, and then make a second batch midweek.

Nutrition facts per serving: 414 calories, 6.6 g fiber, 19.5 g carbs, 10 g sugar, 6 g fat, 1.4 g
saturated fat, 24 g protein, 740 mg sodium

Double-Chopped Chicken and Vegetable Salad with

Creamy Pesto Dressing

There’s a huge payoff in this uber-satisfying salad; you’ll love the way the pesto and mayo
work together, slathered over all those veggies.

Makes 4 servings (about 1½ cups per serving)

¼ cup Sugar Impact Pesto (see here)

2 tablespoons Sugar Impact Mayonnaise (see here)
 ¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 pound cooked organic free-range boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 radishes, chopped
4 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
½ medium red onion, finely chopped

Combine the pesto sauce, mayo, and salt in a small bowl. Combine the chicken, bell pepper,
cucumber, celery, tomatoes, radishes, lettuce, and onion in a bowl. Add the pesto mixture and
toss well to coat.

Nutrition facts per serving: 260 calories, 4 g fiber, 13 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 13 g fat, 2.5 g saturated
fat, 22 g protein, 867 mg sodium

Pan-Seared Salmon Lettuce Wraps

The beauty of this salmon dish is in its simplicity. It’s light and easy to prepare, and it’s
loaded with essential omega-3 oils. Some of them come from the avocado, which also
adds great texture and loads of heart-healthy potassium. Wrap the lettuce leaf around the
salmon to pick it up, sandwich-style.

Makes 2 servings

1 teaspoon red palm fruit oil, sustainably farmed

2 (6-ounce) wild-caught king or sockeye salmon filet
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ ripe avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped basil
2 large romaine lettuce leaves
3 tablespoons Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette (see here)

Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and
pepper and add to the skillet and cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, combine the avocado and basil in a small bowl. Place a lettuce leaf on each of
two plates. Top each leaf with 1 salmon filet and the avocado mixture. Drizzle the vinaigrette over
the top of each and serve warm or room temperature.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—substitute rice wrap for lettuce wrap.

Nutrition facts per serving: 480 calories, 4 g fiber, 6 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 39 g fat, 6 g saturated fat,
27 g protein, 550 mg sodium

Roast Beef and Vegetable Lettuce Wraps with Chipotle

Vinaigrette

Bring the deli to you! If you’re a fan of a classic roast beef sandwich, make this trade for a
lower-SI lunch without sacrificing any of the taste. The Mexican-inspired chipotle
vinaigrette gives it just the right kick. Make it ahead of time and have it ready when friends
come over for lunch.

Makes 2 servings

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 romaine lettuce leaves
8 ounces nitrate-free sliced roast beef
¼ medium cucumber, thinly sliced
¼ medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced white onion

Combine the lime juice, cilantro, salt, and chipotle pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil.
Place a lettuce leaf on each of two plates. Top each with half the roast beef, cucumber, bell
pepper, and onion. Drizzle with lime mixture and serve.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—substitute rice wrap for lettuce wrap.

Nutrition facts per serving: 330 calories, 2 g fiber, 4 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 20 g fat, 6 g saturated fat,
33 g protein, 330 mg sodium

Shrimp and Shirataki Noodle Salad

You say shrimp, I say prawn. Either way works; once those tasty crustaceans make their
way into this salad, pad thai may become a distant memory. Give this salad a whirl to
scratch that occasional craving for takeout.

Makes 4 servings (about 1½ cups per serving)

1 pound peeled and deveined wild-caught spot prawns or shrimp

2 (8-ounce) packages shirataki noodles, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon red palm fruit oil, sustainably farmed
1 tablespoon minced ginger
8 ounces sugar snap peas
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 mini or Persian cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced on a diagonal
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari (or coconut aminos if soy-sensitive)
2 tablespoons lime juice

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the prawns and cook until
opaque, about 1½–2 minutes. Transfer prawns to a bowl with a slotted spoon; rinse with cold
water and drain well.
Return the water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook noodles according to package
directions; drain, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Add to the bowl with the prawns.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and cook,
stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the sugar snap peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until
bright green, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook until just starting to wilt, 2 minutes.
Transfer to the bowl with the prawns and stir in the cucumber, green onions, cilantro, tamari, and
juice. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—substitute 2 cups cooked quinoa noodles for the shirataki
noodles.
Nutrition facts per serving: 170 calories, 3 g fiber, 13 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated
fat, 19 g protein, 616 mg sodium

Simple Tomato Salad with Chick Peas and Feta Cheese

The Mediterranean vibe of this salad just screams with flavor, but it’s the underappreciated
chick pea that steals the show. Cultivated for over 7,000 years, chick peas are a nutrient
rock star, loaded with protein, iron, and fiber. It’s ideal to make this dish when tomatoes are
at their peak in the summer.

Makes 4 servings

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 pint yellow pear tomatoes, halved
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (or 4 ounces cashew cheese if dairy-sensitive)
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 (15-ounce) can organic no-salt-added chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 8 slices each

Combine the grape tomatoes, pear tomatoes, feta cheese, green onions, parsley, mint, chick
peas, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Arrange 4 tomato slices on each of four plates,
then top with the salad.

Nutrition facts per serving: 290 calories, 5 g fiber, 24 g carbs, 8 g sugar, 17 g fat, 7 g saturated fat,
12 g protein, 790 mg sodium

Turkey Burgers with Goat Cheese, Sautéed Onions, and

Cucumber Salad
In the mood for a burger? Is there more than one answer to that question? Still, sometimes
it’s just fun to mix it up, and white turkey meat is not only tasty, it has less saturated fat
than beef. Combined with the creamy texture of goat cheese and succulent sautéed
onions, these lean protein burgers will knock you out. If you’re dairy-sensitive, leave out
the goat cheese or substitute 1–2 ounces of crumbled nut cheese.

Makes 4 servings

CUCUMBER SALAD:

3 mini or Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
⅛ teaspoon sea salt

ONIONS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
⅛ teaspoon sea salt

BURGERS:

1½ pounds lean ground turkey

¾ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 large romaine lettuce leaves
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

For the cucumber salad, combine the cucumbers, vinegar, oil, and salt in a small bowl.
For the onions, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions
and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt.
For the burgers, combine the turkey, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Form into
four ¾-inch-thick patties. Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat and add the burgers.
Cook, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F, about 5–6 minutes per
side.
Place a lettuce leaf on each of four plates and top with a burger. Top each with ¼ of the
onions and ¼ of the goat cheese.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—serve on a gluten-free English muffin.

Nutrition facts per serving: 350 calories, 4 g fiber, 12 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 21 g fat, 6 g saturated fat,
31 g protein, 610 mg sodium

Vegetarian Lentil Soup

For Cycles 1 and 3

I’m hearing some big cheers from the vegetarians, but you guys are going to have to
share! This is some seriously good soup, and it’s loaded with protein, fiber, and iron (thank
you, lentils). The seasoning strikes the perfect balance with the lentils’ nutty favor.

Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 bay leaf
1½ cups organic sprouted green lentils, such as TruRoots
5 cups organic low-sodium vegetable broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, thyme, and bay leaf;
cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10–12 minutes. Add the lentils, broth, and tomato
paste. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to
medium-low; simmer until the lentils are tender, 28–30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cycle 2 variation—leave out the tomato paste and substitute 1 cup organic unsalted diced
tomatoes.
Nutrition facts per serving: 380 calories, 16 g fiber, 56 g carbs, 13 g sugar, 12 g fat, 1.5 g
saturated fat, 16 g protein, 570 mg sodium

DINNERS
Say goodbye to the nutritiously suspect fire drills you used to call dinner. Even
with the chaos of a busy family life swirling around you, these mouthwatering
dishes will help you find your zen. They’re fast (I’ll never tell), nutrient-rich,
and do a lot of the heavy lifting toward covering the protein and non-starchy
veggie portions of the Sugar Impact Plate. Now we’re both smiling!

Italian Burgers with Tapenade

Ahhh, Italia! Can you think of anything better than a good ol’ fashioned burger souped up
with the spices of the old country? The seasoning in the meat gives these big, juicy
burgers even more savory flavor. This recipe will have you saying “delizioso” in no time.

Makes 4 servings

1½ pounds grass-fed lean ground beef

2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 large romaine lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices, each about ¼-inch thick
4 tablespoons tapenade spread

For the burgers, combine the beef, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a
bowl. Form into four ¾-inch-thick patties. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and add the
burgers. Cook, turning once, 4–5 minutes per side for medium rare or until desired doneness.
Place a lettuce leaf on each of four plates and top with a burger. Top each with a tomato slice
and 1 tablespoon tapenade.
Cycles 1 and 3 variation—serve on a gluten-free English muffin.

Nutrition facts per serving: 300 calories, 1 g fiber, 4 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 15 g fat, 6 g saturated fat,
35 g protein, 590 mg sodium

Mediterranean-Style Chicken Kabobs

Feeling a little exotic? With advanced prep, you can get these sumptuous grilled chicken
kabobs in front of a hungry family in no time. Make more than you need—leftovers for
lunch are easy to reheat.

Makes 4 servings

1½ pounds organic free-range boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 40
pieces 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 16 pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Lemon wedges for serving

Combine the chicken, bell peppers, oil, garlic, oregano, and basil in a bowl. Refrigerate 30
minutes. Then preheat the broiler and lightly oil a broiler pan.
Remove from the refrigerator and alternately skewer 5 chicken pieces and 4 bell pepper
pieces on to each of 8 skewers. Season with salt and pepper and place skewers on the prepared
pan. Broil chicken 5 inches from the heat source until cooked through, about 8–10 minutes,
turning every 2 minutes. Serve skewers with lemon wedges.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—serve on a bed of brown rice.

Nutrition facts per serving: 310 calories, 2 g fiber, 5 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 18 g fat, 4 g saturated fat,
31 g protein, 550 mg sodium
 Pesto-Topped Sea Scallops with Asparagus

So decadent! This elegant and beautiful dinner is as fit for a busy weeknight as it is for
impressing dinner guests. It’s abundant in protein, B-12, and omega-3s. But it’s the soft
texture and mild sweetness of the succulent scallops that will elicit “Mmms” all around.

Makes 4 servings

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons olive oil
1½ pounds wild-caught sea scallops
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons Sugar Impact Pesto (see here)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus, return to a boil, and cook until
tender, 1–2 minutes. Drain and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Season scallops with salt and pepper and add half to the skillet. Cook until scallops are nicely
browned and opaque in the center, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to a plate and keep
warm. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel and repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and scallops.
Divide asparagus and scallops among four plates. Top each scallop with some of the pesto
sauce.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—serve on a bed of brown rice.

Nutrition facts per serving: 321 calories, 3 g fiber, 11.7 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 17.6 g fat, 2.9 g
saturated fat, 30.3 g protein, 927 mg sodium

Pork Stir Fry with Snow Peas, Asparagus, and Peppers

If you’re ever tempted to call for takeout in a weak moment, think about the fact that you
can probably have this sassy dish on your table in less time. And it’s not just faster than
delivery—the nutrient content is higher, too. Pork is a great source of clean, lean protein,
and it’s high in B vitamins. Preparation is easy, and you’ll be able to enjoy the wonderful
aromas in your kitchen along the way. If you’re sensitive to soy, swap the tamari for
coconut aminos.

Makes 4 servings

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into ¾-inch pieces

2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari, divided
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups broccoli florets
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
4 ounces snow peas
4 green onions, chopped

Toss the pork with 1 tablespoon of the tamari in a medium bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Heat 1
tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high until very hot. Add the pork and
cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and almost cooked through, 3–3½ minutes.
Transfer pork to a plate and reserve.
Return skillet to the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Stir in the ginger and garlic
and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the broccoli and ¼ cup water and cook 1
minute. Add the asparagus and bell pepper and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the snow peas and cook
until bright green, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved pork and any juices on the plate and cook,
stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon tamari and green onions and cook,
stirring, 30 seconds longer.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—serve on a bed of brown rice.

Nutrition facts per serving: 250 calories, 4 g fiber, 11 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat,
29 g protein, 430 mg sodium

Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Thighs

This may be just the meal you need to help you push through tired to inspired. You can
always count on chicken—it’s mouthwatering with nothing more than a little roasting.
Double or triple the versatile spice rub and keep the extra in a bottle or plastic bag with
your spices.

Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 organic free-range bone-in skinless chicken thighs, about 2–2¼ pounds, trimmed
1 tablespoon red palm fruit oil, sustainably farmed

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan. Combine the coriander,
paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Toss the chicken and oil in a
separate bowl. Pour the coriander mixture over the chicken and mix well to coat. Place chicken on
the prepared roasting pan.
Roast chicken in the center of the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the
thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F. It should take approximately 23–25 minutes. Let rest 5
minutes before serving.

Nutrition facts per serving: 313 calories, 1 g fiber, 1 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 15 g fat, 5 g saturated fat,
41 g protein, 580 mg sodium

Spaghetti Squash alla Checca

A tasty twist on a Tuscan classic. Spaghetti squash makes an ideal low-SI swap for pasta,
and after one twirl of your fork in the pure, fresh flavor burst of checca, you’ll never go
back to sugary marinaras. This dish is great year-round, but it’s an especially wonderful
option for a warm summer night. Grazie, Italia! If you’re dairy-sensitive, substitute 4
ounces of cashew or other nut cheese for the mozzarella.

Makes 4 servings

1-3 pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 ½ small garlic clove, minced
5 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
5 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
⅓ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan. Place the squash, cut sides
down, on the prepared pan. Prick all over with the tip of a knife. Bake until very tender, 28–30
minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. Turn the squash over and, with the tines
of a fork, scrape out the flesh—it will come out in long, thin spaghetti-like strands. You should
have about 3 cups. Transfer to a bowl and add the oil, garlic, tomatoes, cheese, basil, salt, and
pepper; toss well.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—replace spaghetti squash with rice or quinoa pasta. One serving
is 1 cup cooked pasta.

Nutrition facts per serving: 310 calories, 5 g fiber, 20 g carbs, 9 g sugar, 23 g fat, 7 g saturated fat,
8 g protein, 500 mg sodium

Spice-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Raw Tomato Salsa

Spice up your night! The flavors dance in this salsa-drenched beef tenderloin. Ketchup
doesn’t even come close to matching fresh salsa’s nutrition or taste, not to mention the
gulf between their SIs. Bonus—you’ll spend more time enjoying it than preparing it. Feel
free to spread the love around and also use this salsa as a salad dressing, on grilled
chicken, or as a dip for your crudités.

Makes 4 servings

SALSA:

4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

½ ripe avocado, chopped
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
 1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt

BEEF:

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 (6-ounce) grass-fed beef tenderloin steaks, about 1-inch thick

For the salsa, combine the tomatoes, avocado, onion, serrano pepper, cilantro, lime juice, oil, and
salt in a small bowl.
For the beef, combine the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl. Rub
the mixture over both sides of each steak.
Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the steaks and cook, 6–8
minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare, or until desired doneness. Place a steak on
each of four serving plates. Top with the salsa.

Nutrition facts per serving: 360 calories, 3 g fiber, 7 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 27 g fat, 9 g saturated fat,
26.8 g protein, 500 mg sodium

Texas Bison Chili

Straight from the heart of Texas, so you know it’s BIG—big flavor, big benefits. Good stuff
will be sticking to your ribs, too—lean, omega-3–rich, grass-fed bison, antioxidant-rich
veggies, and anti-inflammatory spices. While you’re at it, why not make an extra batch and
squirrel it away in the freezer for a cold winter night?

Makes 4 servings (about 1¼ cups per serving)

1 tablespoon red palm fruit oil, sustainably farmed

1 pound grass-fed ground bison
2 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans organic no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can organic no-salt-added red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bison and cook, breaking into
smaller clumps with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in the onions, garlic, bell
pepper, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and ground chipotle; cook, stirring occasionally, until the
vegetables are slightly softened, 3–4 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes; bring to a boil, reduce
heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
Stir in the beans, return to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the
salt and pepper.

Nutrition facts per serving: 440 calories, 18 g fiber, 47 g carbs, 13 g sugar, 12 g fat, 5 g saturated
fat, 36.8 g protein, 566 mg sodium

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Puttanesca Sauce

When you serve chicken in puttanesca sauce, it’s going to be a sassy night. Slightly pound
the chicken breasts with the heel of your hand to get them to a uniform thickness, which
will allow them to cook evenly.

Serves 4

4 (6-ounce) organic free-range boneless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups Puttanesca Sauce (see here)
Heat a grill pan over medium. Brush chicken breasts with the remaining oil, then season with
oregano, basil, salt, and pepper; place on the grill pan. Cook chicken, turning once, until well-
marked and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the breast registers
165°F, about 5–6 minutes per side. Serve topped with puttanesca sauce.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—serve on a bed of quinoa or rice pasta.

Nutrition facts per serving: 400 calories, 2 g fiber, 10 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat,
23 g protein, 1820 mg sodium

VEGETABLE SIDES
Love your vegetables, and they’ll love you back—and the good news is, they
tend to give more than they receive. When you eat this close to nature, your food
is at its most nutrient-dense and flavorful. These sides pair some of nature’s
greatest fast foods with low-maintenance dressing, oils, pesto, and relish that
will send your taste buds to the moon. Your main dish may not even make it to
the plate.

Classic Creamed Spinach

Everything tastes better creamed, right? Well, that’s especially true of Popeye’s favorite.
By making your own, you’ll dodge the heavy calories and saturated fat of most restaurant
versions. If you’re dairy-intolerant, see below for a dairy-free version.

Makes 4 servings (½ cup per serving)

4 (5-ounce) bags baby spinach

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons organic grass-fed whole milk, divided
½ small onion, thinly sliced
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon arrowroot

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach in batches and cook, turning
often, until wilted. Transfer to a strainer and let cool. With your hands, squeeze as much liquid out
of the spinach as possible. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
Combine ¾ cup of the milk, onion, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan over
medium-high heat. Bring just to a simmer, remove from the heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Strain
the milk into a bowl and discard the solids. Return the milk to the saucepan and bring just to a
simmer over medium heat. Dissolve the arrowroot in the remaining 3 tablespoons milk and whisk
it into the warm milk. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 1–2 minutes. Stir in the
spinach and cook until hot, 1–2 minutes.

Nutrition facts per serving: 120 calories, 7 g fiber, 23 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat,
6 g protein, 540 mg sodium

For a dairy-free version, use ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk and
make the following modifications.

Combine ¾ cup of the coconut milk, onion, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan over
medium heat. Heat the coconut milk until it is hot and bubbles just begin to form at the edges of
the pan; remove from the heat and let stand 10 minutes. Strain the mixture into a bowl and
discard the solids. Return the coconut milk to the saucepan. Dissolve the arrowroot in the
remaining 3 tablespoons milk, whisking it in. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring
occasionally. Once the coconut milk begins to bubble, cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens,
about 1 minute. Stir in the spinach and cook until hot, 1–2 minutes.

Nutrition facts per serving: 170 calories, 7 g fiber, 19 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 11 g fat, 10 g saturated
fat, 5 g protein, 510 mg sodium

Easy Roasted Asparagus with Red Palm Fruit Oil

Asparagus is a nutrient rock star and one of those veggies that needs little doctoring. The
red palm fruit oil only serves to support it, but handle the oil with care. It’s packed with
color-altering carotenes, so try to avoid dying your cuticles or doing any other inadvertent
redecorating.

Makes 4 servings

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 tablespoon red palm fruit oil, sustainably farmed
 ¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a shallow roasting pan. Combine the asparagus, oil, salt,
and pepper in a medium bowl. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared pan. Roast asparagus,
shaking pan occasionally, until lightly browned in spots and tender, about 9–10 minutes.

Nutrition facts per serving: 50 calories, 2 g fiber, 4 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 3.5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat,
7 g protein, 150 mg sodium

Grilled Eggplant with Olive Relish

As if you needed an excuse to fire up the grill. This simple side dish perfectly pairs the
meaty canvas of eggplant with the rich oils of olives. Make a double batch of the relish to
serve with grilled fish and meat, too!

Makes 4 servings

RELISH

10 pimento stuffed olives, chopped

10 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1 plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
½ small red bell pepper, finely chopped, about ⅓ cup
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

EGGPLANT

1 large eggplant, about 1½ pounds, trimmed and cut into ½-inch thick slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the grill to medium heat. For the relish, combine the olives, tomato, bell pepper, shallots,
parsley, oil, zest and pepper in a bowl; set aside.
Brush the eggplant slices lightly with the oil, then season with salt. Place the eggplant on the
grill rack directly over the heat. Grill until nicely marked and tender, about 4–5 minutes per side.
Transfer eggplant to a platter and spoon the relish over the top. Serve hot or room temperature.

Nutrition facts per serving: 160 calories, 5 g fiber, 13 g carbs, 6 g sugar, 12 g fat, 1.5 g saturated
fat, 2 g protein, 430 mg sodium

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds

Brussels sprouts fall in the love ’em or hate ’em camp. They’re so dense with nutrients and
flavor, my hope (fingers crossed!) is that if you’re not a fan, this dish will change all that.
But, if not, substitute bite-size pieces of cauliflower, and you won’t miss out.

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
½ cup water
3 tablespoons Slow-Roasted Nuts (use almonds; see here), coarsely chopped ¼ teaspoon
sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add the garlic, onion, and basil; cook, stirring
occasionally, until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the
Brussels sprouts; cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add ½ cup water and continue to cook
until the liquid evaporates and the Brussels sprouts are lightly browned and tender, 5–6 minutes.
Stir in the almonds and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition facts per serving: 190 calories, 6 g fiber, 18 g carbs, 6 g sugar, 11 g fat, 1 g saturated fat,
5 g protein, 220 mg sodium
 PanFried Artichoke Hearts with Lemon and Garlic

I have to say it—your heart will run wild for this scrumptious dish. It’s a straightforward
side, but don’t let its simplicity fool you. Artichoke hearts have subtle, succulent flavor and
are dense with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. Be sure
to buy frozen artichokes with no added ingredients.

Makes 4 servings (about ½ cup per serving)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until starting
to brown, 1–1½ minutes. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and reserve. Return skillet to the
heat and let the oil get very hot. Add the artichokes; cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely
browned, about 5–6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved garlic, lemon zest,
parsley, and salt.

Nutrition facts per serving: 100 calories, 5 g fiber, 8 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2
g protein, 200 mg sodium

Warm Napa Cabbage Slaw with Shallot Dressing

Bathed in a warm shallot dressing, this salad works year-round. But for a summer version,
make it with raw cabbage and allow it to sit for 20 minutes so the cabbage softens. You’ll
get a full spectrum of flavors in every bite.

Makes 4 servings (about 1 cup per serving)

1 small shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
 ½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin 1½-inch-long strips
6 cups shredded Napa cabbage

Combine the shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in 1
tablespoon of the oil until well combined. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick
skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the cabbage and
cook, stirring, until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the shallot mixture, then remove from the
heat and serve warm.

Nutrition facts per serving: 100 calories, 2 g fiber, 9 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2
g protein, 340 mg sodium

Zucchini, Snow Pea, Sugar Snap, and Celery Skillet

If you don’t share, your friends will be green with envy. This lovely green medley of
vegetables looks and tastes like a celebration of spring.

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons red palm fruit oil, sustainably farmed

4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium zucchini, about 8 ounces, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
4 ounces snow peas, trimmed
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring,
until just starting to brown slightly, 45 seconds. Stir in the zucchini and celery and cook until
starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar snaps and cook until bright green, 1 minute. Stir
in the snow peas and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and season with the salt and
pepper.
Nutrition facts per serving: 120 calories, 3 g fiber, 9 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 4
g protein, 150 mg sodium

STARCHY SIDES
There’s no need to feel uninspired when it comes to filling the slow, low carb
section of the Sugar Impact Plate. These starchy sides will round out your plate
and are sure to be crowd pleasers, too.

Lentils alla Rustica

These lentils are a protein-rich, hearty and satisfying side dish. Serve them over lettuce or
as the perfect pairing with virtually any meat or fish dish as a great slow, low carb. Vegans
can substitute veggie broth for the chicken broth.

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried basil
2 cups organic low-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup sprouted green lentils, such as TruRoots

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and
basil; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 4–5 minutes. Pour in the broth, salt, and
pepper and bring to a boil. Stir in the lentils, reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes. Remove
from the heat, cover, and let stand 8 minutes to allow lentils to become tender. Lentils will be
slightly wet; drain if desired.

Nutrition facts per serving: 220 calories, 9 g fiber, 34 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 4.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated
fat, 12 g protein, 350 mg sodium
 Mushroom and Onion Wild Rice Pilaf

Time to live on the wild side. The umami, or savory, properties of the mushrooms give this
simple dish deep flavor, and the wild rice is packed with protein and fiber. It’s a taste bud
party that’s easy on your blood sugar and keeps you satisfied for hours.

Makes 4 servings

¾ cup wild rice

2 tablespoons red palm fruit oil, sustainably farmed
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook rice according to package directions. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-
high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic, and thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion
and mushrooms are lightly browned, about 8–9 minutes. Stir in the wild rice and cook 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and add the parsley, salt, and pepper.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—substitute brown rice for wild rice.

Nutrition facts per serving: 230 calories, 4 g fiber, 36 g carbs, 3.6 g sugar, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated
fat, 7 g protein, 300 mg sodium

Quinoa with Shallots, Tomato, and Asparagus

Don’t worry, you only have to eat it, not spell it. Quinoa is a gluten-free source of protein
and fiber that makes the perfect canvas for the shallots, tomato, and asparagus in this
dish. You can’t judge asparagus flavor by how thick or thin the spears are, but to judge
freshness, choose asparagus with tightly closed tips.

Makes 4 servings (about 1 cup per serving)

 ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
¼ cup chopped basil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over
medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 1–
2 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until bright green, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes
and cook until starting to wilt, 1–2 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Remove
from the heat and stir in the basil, salt, and pepper.

Nutrition facts per serving: 210 calories, 4 g fiber, 27 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat,
7 g protein, 290 mg sodium

Shirataki Sesame Scallion Noodles

Did you forget the side dish? This tasty complement to just about any meal can be on your
table faster than anyone will notice. While this is listed in starchy sides, shirataki noodles
are nearly a free food since they are so low in calories, and a great alternative to higher-SI
noodles.

Makes 4 servings

2 (8-ounce) packages shirataki noodles, drained and rinsed

3 tablespoons wheat-free lower-sodium tamari (or coconut aminos if soy-sensitive)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
½ teaspoon monk fruit extract
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
 3 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles, return to a boil, and cook 3
minutes. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water; drain again. Pat noodles dry with paper
towels. In a small bowl, combine the tamari, vinegar, and monk fruit extract.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and red
pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until just starting to brown slightly, about 1 minute. Add the noodles
and cook, tossing, until heated through, 1 minute. Pour in the tamari mixture and cook 30 seconds
longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—substitute 2 cups cooked quinoa or rice noodles for the shirataki
noodles.

Nutrition facts per serving: 80 calories, 0 g fiber, 6 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2 g
protein, 530 mg sodium

Warm Black Bean and Avocado Salad

BACON! This nutrient-dense salad is a tasty low-SI touch on your plate, especially as a
swap for baked beans or other starchy, high-SI sides. Plus, bacon! For a vegan alternative,
simply take out the bacon, increase the oil to 1 tablespoon, and add a pinch of smoked
paprika.

Makes 4 servings (½ cup per serving)

4 slices uncured nitrate-free bacon

1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can organic no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
½ ripe avocado, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium. Add the bacon and cook, turning once, until crisp,
6–7 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate covered with paper towels and drain.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from skillet and return to the stove over medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 2–3
minutes. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and
add the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, oil, and salt.

Nutrition facts per serving: 190 calories, 6 g fiber, 16 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 11 g fat, 3 g saturated fat,
8 g protein, 440 mg sodium

DRESSINGS AND SAUCES

Dressings and sauces are two of the sneakiest, slipperiest slopes for sugar in your
diet. They can put you in a spin all by themselves. Do you really think they’re
worth the meltdown in aisle 7? Lose the side of stress with your salad and make
one of these guilt-free, nourishing toppings instead.

Simple Vinaigrette with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Make this your go-to. It’s like the little black dress of the dressing world, so keep it on hand
for salads or as a marinade.

Makes about ¾ cup

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until well
combined. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition facts per 2 tablespoon serving: 160 calories, 0 g fiber, 0 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 19 g fat, 2.5
g saturated fat, 0 g protein, 210 mg sodium
 Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette with Macadamia Nut Oil

Is it a dressing or a marinade? Why not both? Combine the zest of lemons with the sweet
and buttery essence of the macadamia nut for a delicious and healthy alternative to your
usual dressing, or to what you might normally drizzle over fish or a chicken breast.

Makes ¾ cup

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup macadamia nut oil

Combine the juice, zest, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until
well combined. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition facts per 2 tablespoon serving: 170 calories, 0 g fiber, 1 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 19 g fat, 2 g
saturated fat, 0 g protein, 250 mg sodium

Sugar Impact Mayonnaise

Shelve the mayo without sacrificing flavor with this healthy, creamy variation of its artery-
clogging (distant) cousin. You can also use it as a starter for sauces or dressings, so it’s a
must in your fridge. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

Makes 1 cup

¼ cup unsweetened cashew or coconut milk (such as So Delicious)

½ cup raw cashews
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup olive or macadamia nut oil
Combine the cashew milk, cashews, lemon juice, mustard, and salt in a blender. Puree. With the
blender running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Nutrition facts per 1 tablespoon serving: 80 calories, 0 g fiber, 1 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 8 g fat, 1 g
saturated fat, 1 g protein, 95 mg sodium

Sugar Impact Pesto

You don’t have to live without pesto! The basil and garlic offer actual health benefits, but
I’m guessing you’ll be more focused on flavor than health benefits when you enjoy this.
Refrigerate up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months. If you’re dairy-sensitive, leave out the
cheese and increase the salt by ¼ teaspoon.

Makes about 1 cup

4 cups loosely packed basil leaves

1 garlic clove
¼ cup Slow-Roasted Nuts (use almonds; see here)
⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup olive oil

Combine the basil, garlic, almonds, cheese, zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
Process until the basil mixture is finely chopped. With the machine running, add the oil in a steady
stream until a thick puree forms. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Nutrition facts per 2 tablespoon serving: 170 calories, 1 g fiber, 2 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 17 g fat, 3 g
saturated fat, 3 g protein, 170 mg sodium

Puttanesca Sauce

Straight to you from the shores of Napoli. It’s well known that this Italian staple is easy to
prepare and this version will make it fun, too—it’s very fragrant, with just the right amount
of spice. A perfect complement to chicken, fish, pork, shirataki noodles, or, of course,
spaghetti squash!

Makes 3 cups (six ½ cup servings)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, and
pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the olives and
cook 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until barely starting to wilt, about 2½–3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and salt.

Nutrition facts per serving: 100 calories, 2 g fiber, 10 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat,
2 g protein, 210 mg sodium

SNACKS
Are snacks where you crack? Don’t twitch. I’m about to give you snacks that
redefine the role of snacking as you know it. They’re guardrails on the road
between your meals to keep you moving toward your goals. They support blood
sugar balance and cool cravings, while pumping you up with steady, sustained
energy. In short—snacking as you always hoped it could be!

Slow-Roasted Nuts

Time to go nuts! This great snack takes a bit of time, but it will be worth the wait. Nuts are
an excellent source of protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. Best of all, they’re a great-
tasting, nutritious option when you’re on the move. Choose your favorite, or mix it up.
Note: If your oven doesn’t go to 140°F, you can use a dehydrator instead.
 1½ cups raw nuts (cashews, walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia)
Water
½ teaspoon sea salt

Combine the nuts and enough water to cover by 3 inches, then stir in the salt. Let the nuts soak
overnight.
Preheat the oven to 140°F. Drain nuts and spread onto a baking sheet or place in a
dehydrator. Bake nuts for 8 hours. Remove from the oven or dehydrator and let cool completely
(nuts will crisp up as they cool). Store nuts in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for best
results.

Nutrition facts per ¼ cup serving: 140 calories, 2 g fiber, 4 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 13 g fat, 1.5 g
saturated fat, 4 g protein, 150 mg sodium

Cumin and Chili Roasted Cashews

There’s a lot more to this snack than meets the eye in the interplay of flavors between the
sweet cashews and spices. So tasty! Plus, the slight sweetness of the cashews can really
help blunt a sugar craving and quiet hunger pangs. Keep them close!

Makes 8 servings (3 tablespoons per serving)

1½ cups Slow-Roasted Nuts (use cashews; see here)

½ teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°F. In a medium bowl, combine the cashews and oil. Add the cumin, chili
powder, salt, and pepper; toss well. Place the nuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Bake
15 minutes, remove from the oven, and cool 10 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight
container.

Nutrition facts per ¼ cup serving: 120 calories, 1 g fiber, 6 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 9 g fat, 1.5 g
saturated fat, 4 g protein, 290 mg sodium
 Homemade Cashew Butter on Celery

Cashew butter, especially homemade, is a better choice than peanut butter because of
cashews’ superior fatty acid profile and the fact that they’re less likely to cause an allergic
reaction. Try this versatile, high-protein spread in the trench of some crunchy celery.

This recipes makes ⅔ cup cashew butter, but you’ll only have 4 tablespoons as a snack.
Keep the extra refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 4 servings

1 cup Slow-Roasted Nuts (use cashews; see here)

5 teaspoons coconut butter
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 ribs celery

Combine the cashews, coconut butter, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process mixture
to a paste, stopping occasionally to scrape down the bowl. Fill each of the celery ribs with 1
tablespoon cashew butter. Store the remaining in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—serve with sliced apple or rice chips.

Nutrition facts per serving: 170 calories, 2 g fiber, 9 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 13 g fat, 5 g saturated fat,
4 g protein, 280 mg sodium

Roasted Garlic and Lemon Hummus

If I had to pick one snack to win the blue ribbon, hummus would be the one. Hummus is
the sum of all the goodness that’s in it—the protein in chick peas, the omega-3s in olive oil,
the calcium in tahini. Add garlic and lemon, and need I say more? For a twist, serve it with
vegetables you might not usually think to eat with dip: fennel, radishes, and jicama.

Makes 8 servings (3 tablespoons per serving)

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

1 (15-ounce) can organic no-salt-added chick peas, drained
 4 teaspoons tahini paste
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wrap the garlic in a small sheet of aluminum foil. Place garlic packet
directly on an oven rack and roast until fragrant and tender, 30 minutes. Remove from the oven
and cool 10 minutes.
Unwrap the garlic cloves and squeeze each clove to remove the garlic. Transfer the garlic to
the bowl of a food processor. Add the chick peas, tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, and Tabasco
sauce; puree. Stir in the oil and salt, then transfer to a bowl to serve. Can be made up to 4 days in
advance, then refrigerated in an airtight container.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—serve with bean or rice chips.

Nutrition facts per serving: 90 calories, 2 g fiber, 9 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 3
g protein, 85 mg sodium

Turkey, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Roll-Up

How happy are you? This is simply a deconstructed diner BLT, with all the same great
flavors… and it’s a snack! Throw in a slice of avocado, because everything’s better with
avocado.

Makes 2 servings if you’re having it as a snack to share; otherwise, 1 serving counts as a

meal

2 slices uncured nitrate-free bacon

2 medium romaine lettuce leaves
4 teaspoons Sugar Impact Mayonnaise (see here)
4 ounces nitrate-free sliced turkey breast
1 plum tomato, cut into 8 slices
¼ ripe avocado, sliced

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium. Add the bacon and cook, turning once, until crisp,
about 6-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towel and drain.
Place a lettuce leaf on each of 2 plates. Spread each down the center lengthwise with the
mayonnaise. Top with the bacon, turkey, tomato slices, and avocado.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—substitute lettuce leaf with half of a rice wrap.

Nutrition facts per serving (meal size): 400 calories, 6 g fiber, 15 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 25 g fat, 5 g
saturated fat, 31 g protein, 670 mg sodium

Yogurt and Nut Parfait

In French, parfait means perfect. That sounds about right. You’ll find it hard to believe
something this tasty could be part of your plan to lose weight fast. Don’t ask, just enjoy! If
you’re dairy-sensitive, substitute 1 cup plain, no-sugar cultured coconut milk for the
yogurt.

Makes 1 serving

1 cup organic full-fat plain Greek-style yogurt

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1–1½ teaspoons monk fruit extract
1 tablespoon cacao nibs
5 Slow-Roasted Nuts (use almonds or cashews; see here), coarsely chopped

Combine the yogurt, vanilla extract, zest, cinnamon, and monk fruit extract in a small bowl. Spoon
half the yogurt mixture into a parfait glass. Sprinkle with half the cacao nibs and half the nuts.
Repeat layering. Serve, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Cycles 1 and 3 variation—add ½ cup of berries as you layer.

Nutrition facts per serving: 385 calories, 3 g fiber, 11 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 29.9 g fat, 22 g saturated
fat, 17 g protein, 80 mg sodium

DESSERTS
Gimme some sugar! If you’ve got a sweet tooth, dessert can be kryptonite. So I
don’t think it’s too much to ask that you get dessert that doesn’t give you
cravings, cause blood sugar crashes, create headaches, increase brain fog, or
drain you with fatigue. Oh, and it should also taste great and satisfy your sweet
tooth, right? You got it. Enjoy!

Blueberry Ice Cream

For Cycles 1 and 3

They’ll all scream for ice cream when you put this creamy indulgence on the table. Reward
your crew with the all-natural goodness of blueberries and coconut for the perfect end to
dinner, or as an afternoon treat.

Makes 9 servings (about ⅓ cup per serving)

If dairy-sensitive, leave out the heavy cream and use 2 cups full-fat coconut milk.

1½ cups unsweetened organic non-GMO full-fat coconut milk

½ cup heavy cream
12 -ounce bag frozen organic blueberries
3 tablespoons monk fruit extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the coconut milk, cream, and blueberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries are tender, 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree. Pour into a bowl
and stir in the monk fruit extract and vanilla extract. Cover and chill 2 hours.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s
directions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and allow to harden in your freezer at least 1 hour.
If frozen longer, let stand at room temperature 10–15 minutes to soften slightly before serving.

Nutrition facts per serving: 139 calories, 1.1 g fiber, 6 g carbs, 3.3 g sugar, 13.2 g fat, 10.2 g
saturated fat, 1.3 g protein, 10 mg sodium
 Cherry-Berry Fruit Salad with Shaved Dark Chocolate

For Cycles 1 and 3

Even kids will enjoy this fruit salad for dessert. It’s as beautiful to look at as it is delicious
to eat. The rich cherry syrup will satisfy the most incorrigible sweet tooth, but there’s
shaved chocolate, just to be sure. And it’s rich in antioxidants! It’s almost too good to be
true.

Makes 4 servings

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 cup frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed
1 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon monk fruit extract
1 ounce 85% dark chocolate, shaved

Combine the blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries in a bowl. Combine the cherries, water,
almond extract, and monk fruit extract in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle
boil, stirring occasionally, and cook until the cherries have softened and the liquid has thickened
slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool 1 minute, then pour over the berries;
mix well. Divide the berry mixture among 4 bowls and sprinkle each with some of the chocolate.

Nutrition facts per serving: 130 calories, 4 g fiber, 28 g carbs, 18 g sugar, 3.5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated
fat, 2 g protein, 0 mg sodium

Lemony Frozen Greek-Style Yogurt

The neighborhood yogurt shop is in trouble. Homemade doesn’t get any easier, and this
one is everything you’d want from frozen yogurt and more. It’s tangy with sweet
undertones, which makes it satisfying but not cloying. Waiting for the freezer to do its job
is the hardest part. If you’re dairy-sensitive, substitute an equal amount of plain, no-sugar
cultured coconut milk for the yogurt.
Makes 8 servings (about 4 cups)

32 ounce container full-fat organic plain Greek-style yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
¼ cup monk fruit extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Combine the yogurt, juice, zest, monk fruit extract, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk until well blended. Transfer to the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to
manufacturer’s directions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and allow to harden in your freezer
at least 1 hour. If frozen longer, let yogurt stand 10–15 minutes to soften before serving.

Nutrition facts per serving: 160 calories, 0 g fiber, 4 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 12 g fat, 9 g saturated fat,
8 g protein, 105 mg sodium

Strawberry Avocado Mousse

For Cycles 1 and 3

We just can’t get enough avocado. And we certainly can’t pass up a dessert that will
satisfy our sweet tooth, support stable blood sugar, and keep us on track with fast fat-loss
goals. I think you may be starting dinner with dessert! If you’re dairy-sensitive, substitute 1
cup plain, no-sugar cultured coconut milk for the yogurt.

Makes 4 servings

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed

1 cup organic plain full-fat Greek-style yogurt
1½ teaspoons monk fruit extract
1 cup strawberries, hulled and cut into ¼-inch dice

Combine the avocado, yogurt, and monk fruit extract in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric
mixer on the highest setting until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the strawberries. Divide among four
bowls and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Nutrition facts per serving: 170 calories, 4 g fiber, 10 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 13 g fat, 6 g saturated fat,
5 g protein, 20 mg sodium

Vanilla Spice Protein Popsicle

Random fact—the Popsicle was invented in 1905 by an 11-year-old. So right there you have
some evidence that this might be a good dessert swap for kids. But you can have one, too!
Enjoy this sophisticated version of the summertime favorite, which has a delicious
combination of spices. Perfect on a hot summer day—or anytime you need to tame your
sweet tooth.

Makes 6 servings

2 scoops vanilla-flavored protein powder

10 ounces unsweetened coconut milk (such as So Delicious)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together the shake powder, coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract in a bowl
until well blended. Pour into 6 Popsicle molds and freeze overnight. Dip mold into warm water to
remove. Store in a resealable plastic container in the freezer.

Nutrition facts per serving: 36 calories, 1 g fiber, 2.9 g carbs, 0.5 g sugar, 1.5 g fat, 1 g saturated
fat, 4 g protein, 0 mg sodium
 12

THE FINAL FRONTIERS: EATING OUT AND WORKING

OUT

Eating out is not as scary as it seems! By now you’ve gotten the hang of being
low Sugar Impact (SI), or if you’re just starting out, you’ll catch on quickly—
and you’re stronger than you think. Besides, when you misstep and let in a little
too much sugar, your body is going to let you know it, so you’ll fall right back in
line. Isn’t that awesome? You’re a Sugar Impact player now—a self-regulating
machine.
Still, menus can make your eyes spin, so a little guidance couldn’t hurt. I
want you to be able to zero in on the best low-SI options and be done with it so
you can focus on having fun—no matter what cycle you’re in. Consider this
section a little security blanket, chock full of tips, to make sure you’re dining,
not whining.

I FACE IT, TOO

If there’s one thing years of trial and error have taught me, it’s that restaurants
don’t have to be a food-hazard obstacle course or a head-banging exchange with
waitstaff. But they’re also not a free-pass zone where good sense and all your
hard work goes out the window. Sorry, you don’t get to dive into deep-fried
appetizers or sugary desserts just because someone brought them to the table.
Despite the famous line in When Harry Met Sally, you do not have to have what
she’s having.
You can follow the Sugar Impact Diet anywhere, even at fast-food
restaurants. But since you can’t bring your own food or easily pop out of your
seat and go to another restaurant, I want you to be fully prepared. You shouldn’t
break into a cold sweat about what to order, and you won’t. You’ll be able to
relax and enjoy what’s great about eating out—someone else is doing the
cooking, and the dishes!
 With this dining out guide, I’ve removed the guesswork by giving you
specific directions about what to choose and avoid. You’re not going to lose 15
minutes of your life reading a menu like you’re a detective going over a crime
scene, trying to figure out whether “healthy” options are actually sugar bombs.
(Why do restaurant menus always get that wrong?)
Having this guide is the next best thing to having me sit across the table and
point out your best options for low-SI foods. Once you get the hang of it,
navigating any menu will be a breeze.

TRAVEL IS INCLUDED
If you’re stranded in an airport with a 3-hour layover, you may be eating out
whether you want to or not. If you have time, choose a restaurant and meal
according to these guidelines. If not, visit the kiosk with the veggies (86 the
ranch dressing) over the cinnamon bun (don’t even smell it, just walk on by…).
When you’re on the go, you’re not stuck. You don’t have to sacrifice healthy for
convenient. Believing you do is only going to cost you more later, in more ways
than one. A little planning can save you time, money, and your waistline. Take
these with you!

Portable Meals

Turkey and avocado slices on a coconut wrap

A Tupperware of chopped kale and romaine salad topped with chicken,
avocado, tomato, olive oil, and vinegar
A shaker cup of protein powder (just add water)

Portable Snacks

Dehydrated nuts and seeds

Trail mix: dehydrated nuts and seeds, unsweetened coconut slivers, and raw
cacao nibs
Celery slices with almond butter
Jicama with hummus
Crudités with guacamole
No-sugar-added jerky
Virgin Diet Bar (see Resources online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources)
Goat cheese slices
 Hard-boiled egg
Turkey roll-up with avocado and tomato
Cultured coconut milk with cucumbers and chopped walnuts

FAST-FOOD OPTIONS
If you’re on the run, grab a portable snack like a bag of almonds or jerky on your
way out the door, and when a craving hits or you’ve stretched the time between
meals, choose the nuts over the burger joint to get you by. If you end up at a fast-
food restaurant, though, you do have options:

Burger without the bun with side salad

Grilled chicken breast without the bun with side salad
Salad topped with grilled chicken (check dressing for added sugar)

LOW-SUGAR IMPACT STRATEGIES WHEN YOU’RE OUT AND

ABOUT
Mix and match. Look over the entire menu when you sit down. Let’s say
you want wild salmon, but it comes with garlic-cheddar risotto, while the filet
comes with sautéed spinach and garlic. Just ask your server to switch sides—
simple, done. If you’re away from home, experience local culture when you
make a swap and try the homegrown favorites.
Start your meal with a salad. One study showed people who started with a
salad ate less food during their meal. Keep it simple and top it with olive oil and
vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon.
Bypass the gargantuan dinner salads. Candied walnuts, bacon, taco
strips, dried fruit, rice noodles, and wontons dumped on top of entrée salads are
sugar bombs. Skip the sugary vinaigrettes and creamy dressings, too. Customize
your salad with avocado or guacamole, salsa, chicken, and black beans (Chipotle
does a fab job of this). Ask for a low-sugar vinaigrette or oil and vinegar or
lemon on the side.
Beware of red flags. Any entrée described as breaded, fried, crunchy,
crispy, glazed, or creamy slams you into a fast fat-loss brick wall. Order your
lean protein and non-starchy veggies grilled, baked, or broiled.
 Speak up! You know what assuming does… Remember you’re in charge;
ask your server questions before you order so you know your meal is Sugar
Impact Diet–compliant. There’s no reason to be afraid to ask to have something
modified. If you don’t ask and your chicken dish shows up drowning in a syrupy
soy glaze (why didn’t the menu say that!?), you’re the only one who gets hurt—
and the only one responsible if you eat it.
Don’t invite the enemy to the table. Say no thanks to the breadbasket
before your server even puts it down. If your dining companions insist, lay into
them about the dangers of gluten and stare judgmentally as they eat the bread.
Kidding. Kidding! If you need something to munch on before your salad, ask for
a small bowl of olives or crudités. Or try having one of the veggie sides as an
appetizer. It’s a great way to up your veggies, and roasted asparagus makes an
awesome starter.
Double up. Having two appetizers as your main course gives you better
portion control than a single gigantic entrée does. Think about the difference
between eating hummus with veggies and grilled chicken kabobs with salsa,
instead of chicken cordon bleu and all its sides.
Share or cut it in half. Split that super-sized, broccoli and garlic–stuffed
chicken breast in half and share it with your dining partner, or get it to go before
you even dive in. You’ll save money and calories.
Three bites and fork down. If you’re getting pressure from the sugar
pusher at the table to try the chocolate upside-down cake, and you have reason to
give in (trying to score his six-figure account?), have three polite bites. When
you’re in Cycle 3 of the Sugar Impact Diet, three polite bites is legal. But we’re
talking bites you would eat on The Rachael Ray Show, not during an 11 p.m.
fridge raid. Once you’re done, ask your server to remove your plate. Trust me:
your dining partner will have no problem finishing that cake.
Do some reconnaissance—check out menus online. Most restaurants
have menus posted on their websites. It’s a great way to think through your
options and head off panicky decisions when it’s your turn to order. Call ahead
with questions if you have any doubts.

I’M IN THE MOOD FOR…

Since you’ve eaten out once or twice, you know that it often starts with someone
asking what everyone’s in the mood for. Don’t panic. Whatever you want, I’ve
got you covered. One of the treats of eating out is to get ethnic food you don’t
make at home, so go for it. And don’t sweat the menus—I’ve already made the
best low-SI choices for you. Here they are, in black and white. You don’t have to
commit them to memory (there will not be a quiz), but check in with this list
when you’re on your way out so you can feel good about wherever you end up.

MEXICAN

BEST CHOICE:
Guacamole with raw veggies, chicken fajitas (see criteria below)

WORST CHOICE:
Chips and salsa with a margarita to start and then a giant burrito

SUGGESTIONS:
Carne or Chicken Asada, Shrimp Diablo, Snapper Veracruz
Ask for salsa to top dishes rather than sauces. If you’re not dairy-sensitive
and can handle cheese and/or sour cream, opt for full-fat varieties, and go
easy!
Be wary of any sauces—many are loaded with sugar
Avocado and guacamole (ask for veggies to dip)
Green vegetables if they serve them (some Mexican restaurants even serve
sautéed spinach)
If you’re craving authentic Mexican, order fajitas:
Stick with lean meats, salsa, guacamole, onions, and peppers
Put this all on top of a big salad
Skip the rice and tortillas
If you aren’t dairy-sensitive, you can include small amounts of full-fat
cheese and/or sour cream

WATCH OUT FOR:

Anything breaded or deep-fried, including burritos, deep-fried beans, and
quesadillas
Sugary, creamy sauces, including mango salsa, mole, and creamy green
chile sauce
Refried beans, rice, and other side dishes
 Any kind of syrup
Agave in any form
Alcohol in any form (in Cycle 2)
Other sugars and artificial sweeteners
Chips (don’t even let your server put them down!)
Any kind of tortillas (gluten-free, non-corn-based are acceptable in Cycles
1 and 3)
Any kind of dessert, including flan, custards, and fried ice cream

CHINESE

BEST CHOICE:
Steamed chicken with broccoli

WORST CHOICE:
Orange Chicken (I call this “chicken candy”!)

SUGGESTIONS:
Beef, chicken, or veggie skewers (skip the sauce)
Steamed chicken, beef, pork, or fish
Broccoli, bok choy, eggplant, and other non-starchy veggies
Ask to substitute double veggies instead of rice

WATCH OUT FOR:

Asian salad dressings—almost all are full of sugar
Anything breaded or deep-fried, including egg rolls, “crispy” chicken, and
General Tso’s chicken
Rice (including brown rice in Cycle 2)
MSG
Corn starch thickener
Hoisin, brown sauce, hot and sour sauce, and any other sugary or sticky
sauces—assume they are full of sugar, MSG, or both
Fortune cookies and any other dessert
Other sugars and artificial sweeteners

FAST FOOD
BEST CHOICE:
Grilled chicken breast on a salad

WORST CHOICE:
Double bacon cheeseburger with fries

SUGGESTIONS:
Many fast-food places now offer customized salads. Don’t be afraid to
specify exactly what you do and don’t want on your salad. Ask for yours
topped with grilled chicken or steak, avocado, salsa, veggies, tomatoes,
onions, and cucumbers. Specify romaine, spinach, or other green-leaf
lettuce. Many fast-food chains are notorious for using iceberg lettuce.
Grilled chicken breast without the bun
Burger without the bun—make sure it is 100% beef with no fillers. If
you’re not dairy-sensitive, you can add full-fat mozzarella or other cheese,
but not American processed cheese
Green veggies (if they have them!)

WATCH OUT FOR:

Anything breaded or deep fried
Sweet pickles
Sugary or creamy sauces like BBQ sauce, honey mustard, spicy buffalo,
sweet ’n sour, and creamy ranch—assume any sauce other than mustard is
sugary and off-limits
Most salad dressings like honey mustard and raspberry vinaigrette, which
are full of sugar; opt for olive oil and vinegar or lemon instead
Salad toppings—anything crunchy, creamy, or crispy is usually a red alert.
Always ask and tell your server exactly what you want
“Healthy” foods like sweet potato fries, fruit-added oatmeal, and granola or
berry yogurt
Any kind of bread, including “healthy” whole wheat wraps and buns
Sugar—it lurks in nearly everything in fast food restaurants as a
preservative and flavor enhancer
Artificial sweeteners

THAI
BEST CHOICE:
Chicken coconut soup; chicken, scallops, or shrimp and veggies with red or
green curry sauce. Careful, though—curry sauces vary
You can find commercial brands with low or no sugar added to make your
own curry at home. In restaurants, they often contain more sugar than you
should have, so unless you know the chef, save them for Cycle 1 or 3

WORST CHOICE:
Tofu pad thai

SUGGESTIONS:
Chicken satays (no peanut sauce); get red or green curry sauce instead
Brown rice (Cycles 1 and 3)
Coconut soup with chicken
Red or green curry (Cycles 1 and 3)

WATCH OUT FOR:

Anything breaded or deep fried
Sugary or creamy sauces
Anything that comes with noodles (sometimes the menu does not alert you)
Peanut sauces

FRENCH

BEST CHOICE:
Nicoise salad (skip the potatoes), Chicken Provençale

WORST CHOICE:
French Onion Soup, quiche (unless you can tolerate eggs and dairy, in which
case opt for crustless veggie and full-fat cheese quiche; if ordering
crustless isn’t available, eat everything except the crust)

SUGGESTIONS:
Grilled meat and/or veggies appetizer
Bouillabaisse
Swap the French bread for olives
 Lentil soup
Salad, with oil and vinegar dressing on the side
Avocado (great to top a salad)
Mussels or other steamed or grilled shellfish
Grilled steak, chicken, or fish as entrée
Load up on as many green veggies as possible, including spinach and
broccoli
Quinoa, legumes, or wild rice
Full-fat dairy (including ricotta, cream cheese, and goat cheese) is fine in
small amounts (say, goat cheese to top a salad) if you can tolerate dairy
For sauces, opt for hot sauce, Tabasco or vinegar (not balsamic)

WATCH OUT FOR:

Anything breaded or deep fried
Tomato soup
Any kind of soufflé or other dish that includes bread
Croissants (basically dessert)
Sweet, creamy, or syrupy sauces, including Béchamel and brown sauce,
which are often thickened with cornstarch
Be aware many French sauces are cream-based if you are dairy-sensitive
Honey mustard and other salad dressings—safest bet is olive oil and
vinegar
If you’re dairy-sensitive, be aware many French dishes are cooked with
butter
Pastries and other desserts
Other forms of sugar

STEAKHOUSE

BEST CHOICE:
Salad and filet with steamed broccoli

WORST CHOICE:
Wedge salad and a steak drowned in sugary sauce with creamed spinach and
battered onion rings

SUGGESTIONS:
 Swap the bread for olives
Salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing (not balsamic)
Shrimp cocktail (without the sauce)
Grilled meat and/or veggie appetizer
Filet or other lean steak
Broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, or other veggie—many steakhouses offer
these à la carte, so use this as an opportunity to get more delicious veggies!
Quinoa, legumes, or wild rice
For sauces, opt for hot sauce, Tabasco, vinegar, and hot sauce

WATCH OUT FOR:

Caesar and other salads with creamy dressings
Steak sauce and other sugary dressings—if they give you the bottle, read
labels for added sugar!
Crunchy, crispy, and other “illegal” salad toppings, including fried onions,
candied walnuts, and dried cranberries
Anything breaded or deep fried
Dinner rolls (don’t even let your server put them down!)
Breaded veggies and other “legal” foods (steakhouses love to fry anything
for added appeal)
Baked potatoes (these things are gargantuan at steakhouses and easily equal
3–4 servings)
Baked sweet potatoes—always ask; these often are swimming in butter and
added sugar (like they really need it!)
Mashed potatoes, French fries, and other typical steakhouse sides
Giant iceberg wedge—basically a pesticide bomb drenched with creamy
dressing
Any form of dessert

AMERICAN

BEST CHOICE:
Salad; grilled chicken breast topped with peppers, onions, and mushrooms;
steamed green veggies; gluten-free healthy starches
WORST CHOICE:
Bacon cheeseburger with fries and soda

SUGGESTIONS:
Salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing
Steamed veggies—load up on as many varieties as possible. Good choices
include green beans, asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, and spinach
Omelet with veggies (if you can tolerate eggs) with a side salad
Grilled, broiled, or baked steak, chicken, pork, or seafood
Large, customized entrée salad
Legumes, wild rice, or quinoa
Opt for olive oil and red wine vinegar for salads
For sauces, opt for hot sauce, Tabasco, red wine vinegar, and salsa

WATCH OUT FOR:

Anything crunchy or deep fried
Any form of potato
Corn on the cob
Balsamic vinegar
Salads with words like creamy and crunchy
Anything breaded—always ask, because I’ve seen breaded green beans,
asparagus, and otherwise healthy foods on menus
Meats drowning in sugary, syrupy sauces
Ketchup, BBQ sauce, and other sugary sauces to dip in
Any kind of dessert
Hidden sugars, including vegetable casseroles and steak sauces (just
because it doesn’t taste sweet doesn’t mean it doesn’t have sugar)

JAPANESE

BEST CHOICE:
Sashimi and cucumber salad

WORST CHOICE:
Edamame, rolls with special sauce (usually they are full of sugar), vegetable
or meat tempura
SUGGESTIONS:
Sashimi
Bring your own coconut aminos instead of soy sauce
Hibachi grill: scallops, shrimp, or chicken with double veggies
Side salad with ginger dressing
Shirataki noodles
Choose traditional rice wine vinegar with no added sugar
Unsweetened hot green tea
Marinated cucumbers

WATCH OUT FOR:

Almost all Asian salad dressings except ginger are full of sugar, so avoid
Any kind of rice, including brown rice during Cycle 2
Tempura and anything else crunchy, breaded, or deep-fried
Soy (tofu, etc., but also from hidden sources) unless you can tolerate it
Sugary, creamy sauces
Teriyaki sauce

ITALIAN

BEST CHOICE:
Cioppino (fish stew); mussels in garlic and olive oil

WORST CHOICE:
Fettuccine Alfredo with garlic bread

SUGGESTIONS:
Mussels
Salad drizzled with tomatoes and olive oil
Grilled or baked chicken, pork chop, or other dish
Steamed veggies
Checca sauce

WATCH OUT FOR:

Anything breaded or deep-fried
Marinara sauce (generally this is high in sugar)
 Tomato soup
Fish sauce
Pasta (even with meat, some restaurants slide it in)
Rice or gluten-free pasta (during Cycle 2)
Sugary or creamy sauces
Sorbet, gelato, and other sugary desserts
Garlic bread (don’t even let them set it down!)

SEAFOOD

BEST CHOICE:
Grilled or poached wild salmon or halibut; mixed veggies; jumbo shrimp
appetizer

WORST CHOICE:
Fried shrimp with French fries

SUGGESTIONS:
Salad with olive oil and vinegar
Mussels or other shellfish appetizer
Grilled or poached wild seafood—salmon, shrimp, etc. Always look for
lower-mercury fish and avoid shark, swordfish, and other larger fish
Steamed veggies
Wild rice, quinoa, or legumes

WATCH OUT FOR:

Anything breaded or deep-fried—always ask if your fish is breaded or
battered in any way
Creamy or sugary salad dressings
Fish sauce
Any form of potato—mashed, sweet, etc.
All forms of rice, including brown rice in Cycle 2
Sugary sauces (e.g., cocktail sauce)
Cocktail, tartar sauce, and other dipping sauces

MEDITERRANEAN
BEST CHOICE:
Roasted fish with peppers, onions, and artichokes

WORST CHOICE:
Couscous (it’s gluten)

SUGGESTIONS:
Ask for olives instead of bread
Salad with cucumber, onions, and peppers topped with olive oil and vinegar
Hummus with crudités
Lentils and other legumes
Lentil soup
Grilled fish (choose lower-mercury options)
Grilled chicken or red meat if you’re not a fish fan
Roasted peppers and artichokes

WATCH OUT FOR:

Anything crunchy, breaded, or deep-fried—not really Mediterranean foods,
but more common as Mediterranean becomes more Americanized
Salad dressings—many have added sugar, so stick with olive oil and
vinegar
Couscous (gluten)
Pita
Pasta
Fish sauce
Sugary, syrupy sauces

GET A MOVE ON!

If you want to lose weight, don’t focus on exercise. Did you just drop the book?
Okay, pick it up and I’ll explain. First of all, I’m not telling you not to exercise…
far from it. But I don’t emphasize exercise until you’ve gotten your diet totally
under control. Otherwise, you’re hit with information overload, and when you’re
overwhelmed you can’t do anything at all.
Research shows that diet is most critical for initial weight loss, while exercise
is key for long-term weight management and overall health. So don’t worry,
eventually I’m going to insist you exercise, because I don’t want you to become
“TOFI,” or thin outside, fat inside. You’ll be TOFI if you try to maintain your
weight by diet alone. No exercise means you won’t be building lean muscle, so
you’ll have a higher body fat percentage relative to your weight. Even if you
think you look good, without exercise you put yourself at a higher risk for
disease. TOFI fat is the fat that’s packed around vital organs and in underused
muscles, and it’s different than the fat lying below your skin. It sends out
chemical signals that can ultimately lead to insulin resistance and diabetes,
among other conditions.
Exercise is one of my strategies for sugar withdrawal. It can provide the
endorphin boost you were looking for in the cookie jar, and it’s also great for
speed healing because it helps quickly restore insulin sensitivity in the muscles.
It’s critical for long-term weight management because it helps burn up your fat-
storing enzymes, and it boosts your metabolism so you burn more calories from
fat throughout the day. And, of course, it’ll help you look better naked. Had to
say it.
Just as I talk you through the right types of sugars, I’ll do the same with the
right types of exercise. It isn’t enough just to exercise, you want to make sure
that what you’re doing is sending the messages to your body to build muscle,
burn off fat, and maintain strong bones—all without taking your adrenals down
in the process. Yes, it can be done! And the good news is that doing exercise
correctly is actually a major time-saver, since it takes just minutes a day.
Did I just get your attention?

MOVE MORE AND BURST TRAIN

First, we need to move more. You know you’re always being told to park farther
away, take the stairs, walk to work. Yes, you really need to do that. We should be
moving at least an hour a day. If that sounds daunting, it shouldn’t be—
everything counts! That jaunt to grab your green tea from Starbucks, the hike up
the escalators to get to the sale rack before anyone else, the long trek from one
gate to another at the airport (no moving sidewalks for you!)… they all count as
part of your daily movement. But what these don’t count as is exercise. So I
want you to move more, but movement only counts as exercise when you get hot
and sweaty and it hurts a little bit. For me, this means burst-style training and
resistance training (yes, they can be done together). Of course, these also count
toward your daily movement total.
So start slowly—just move more, and measure it. What you measure, you can
improve. The easiest way to do that is to throw on some kind of tracking device,
which can be as low-tech as a simple $20 pedometer or as high-tech as a Fitbit.
All you need to know is how many steps you actually take each day. Count them
every day for a week, add them up, divide by 7, and you have your average steps
per day. Add 10% to your total, and that will be your new goal each week. If you
were averaging 4,000 steps a day, add 400 to it for a target of 4,400 for the week.
The following week, the goal will be 4,840. This way you don’t even notice the
extra effort, but your body will! Do that until you’re hitting at least 6,000 steps a
day. The more the merrier, so don’t hold back.
Once you’re moving more, up the intensity. I like to say burst to blast fat!
Four minutes of bursting, or high-intensity interval training, is worth 20 minutes
of regular aerobic training. You can get a beach body in just 15 minutes, three
times a week. Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) asked
women to exercise either three times a week for 20 minutes, alternating 8
seconds of sprinting on a bike with 12 seconds of exercising lightly, or at a
regular pace for 40 minutes.
Fifteen weeks later, the women who did high-intensity interval training lost
three times as much fat as the women doing 40 minutes at a regular pace. Steve
Boutcher, head of the Health and Exercise Science program in the School of
Medical Sciences at UNSW, said, “Intermittent sprinting produces high levels of
chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned
from under the skin and within the exercising muscles.”
Burst training is also de-stressing and anti-aging, and it’s the most efficient,
effective exercise for balancing blood sugar levels. One study in the Journal of
Applied Physiology showed that bursting could improve blood sugar levels and
reduce complications for people who already have diabetes.
Here’s a snapshot of the benefits you’ll get with burst training:

Improved stress tolerance

Increased testosterone and HGH, the fountain of youth hormone
Less oxidative stress than in endurance training
Endorphin release
Muscle-building support
Post-workout fat-burning

CHEAP AND FAST

One of the best things about burst training is that you don’t have to buy any
fancy equipment or join any expensive clubs. You can do it anywhere. And in
just 15–20 minutes. With all the benefits it delivers, it’s hard to imagine
choosing any other way to go. Does anyone really wish they could spend more
time getting fewer results? Plus, that 15–20 minutes includes the warm up and
cool down!
Here’s how it goes: choose any type of exercise that uses as much of your
body as possible. Begin by doing a fast-paced warm-up for several minutes.
Then burst! Go all out for 30 to 60 seconds. Leave it all out there—when you’re
done, you should be ready to drop, as if you can’t go another second. Feel the
burn! Allow yourself to actively recover by doing the “light” version of your
burst for twice as long, then do it again. Work your way up to 4 to 8 minutes of
total bursting time in 30–60 second increments, 3 days a week.
If you’re currently a runner, here’s an easy example of how to shift your
routine to bursting: warm-up with a walk and easy jog; sprint all out for 30–60
seconds; walk it off for twice as long; and then repeat, until you’ve done 4–8
total minutes of bursting. Follow with a cool-down. Every time I have someone
do this, they’re blown away by how much better a workout they get in so much
less time.
Some of my favorite ways to burst are:

Step-ups
X-iser
Stair climbing
Sprinting
Cycling
Turkish get-ups
Burpees
Squat thrusts
Plyometrics
Swimming
Jump rope
Jumping jacks

If you don’t own an X-iser (my favorite burst-training machine; see

Resources online at http://sugarimpact.com/resources), your nearest park, hill, or
stairwell can provide all the “equipment” you need to get your burst on.
RESIST!
I also recommend resistance training. When you build more muscle, you do a
few really amazing things for your body—you raise your metabolic rate all day
long, you improve insulin sensitivity in your muscles immediately so you’re
better at burning off fat, and you protect your bones, both because exercise
improves bone density and because stronger muscles safeguard the bones. Your
body also uses sugar as its primary fuel source during both resistance training
and burst training, which means you burn off glycogen reserves, so your body
has a place to shuttle glucose when you eat sugar and carbs.
You can resistance train with weight machines, free weights, kettle bells, your
own body weight, and suspension cables. I definitely prefer cables, body weight,
and free weights to machines, because we’re not exactly bolted to the floor in
real life, are we? The more unstable you are—sitting on a ball instead of sitting
in a chair, standing instead of sitting, standing on one leg, and so on—the more
you’ll activate your core muscles, and the more muscles you’ll use overall. I also
prefer to do more multi-joint exercises like push-ups, squats, and pull-ups as
opposed to single-joint exercises like bicep curls, triceps extensions, and leg
extensions because you use so many more muscles. Plus, full-body exercises are
much more applicable to everyday life, so they’ll help you do more throughout
the day with less effort.
The ideal repetition range for hypertrophy, or muscle growth, is 8–12
repetitions. A repetition is one full movement of the exercise. When you do
multiple repetitions, it’s known as a set. Once you complete a set, you take a
break for about a minute and repeat the set. You should do 2–4 sets of any single
exercise. If you’re just starting out, keep it to one set of each exercise for the first
week or two. Lift the heaviest weight you can safely handle with good form. If
you can easily get to 12 repetitions, increase the weight by 10%; if you can’t get
to 8 reps, decrease it by 10%.
I’ve divided the body into 4 parts—upper-body pushing, upper-body pulling,
hips and thighs, and power core. Work each part 2–3 times a week, and give
yourself 48–72 hours of rest in between. Listen to your body here; if you’re still
sore, take an extra day of rest. You should never be sore to the touch, at a joint
site, or for multiple days. If you are, dial it back a bit—your body is trying to tell
you that you’re overdoing it. Focus on multi-joint exercises like push-ups rather
than single-joint exercises like triceps extensions—you’ll get far more metabolic
bang (build more muscles, burn off more calories) for your exercise buck.
 Examples for each of the body parts:

Upper body pushing: push-ups, chest press, overhead press, dips
Upper body pulling: pull-ups, lat pull-downs, 1 arm rows, upright rows,
bent-over rows
Hips and thighs: squats, lunges, step-ups, leg press
Power core: sit-ups, back extension, Swiss ball exercises

Here are some resistance-training guidelines:

Warm up before starting

Do 2–4 sets of each exercise
Do 8–12 repetitions
Take a 60-second rest break between sets
Rest for 48–72 hours before you work that body part again
Work each body part 2–3 times per week

FAST, FUN, AND DONE IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS

If you want the one-two punch of bursting and resistance training all in one
workout, try my free 4x4 (find it here: http://jjvirgin.com/4x4workout). The 4x4
is fast, fun, and done in 15 minutes. It’s a full-body workout that incorporates the
two absolute best ways to develop lean muscle, burn more fat, and boost your
metabolism, all day long. Each workout combines four bursts for each of four
body parts (upper body pulling, upper body pushing, hips and thighs, and power
core) done in a circuit. Do 4x4 just 3 times a week; you’ll be astonished at the
difference you see and feel fast!

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

The bottom line is that I’d like you to move more every day. You’ll supercharge
your Sugar Impact Diet results and your health overall. And when you add the
exercises we’ve talked about here, you’ll transform your body through fast fat
loss, stable blood sugar, hormone balance, low stress, and more. Set your burst
training to 4 to 8 total minutes, 3 times a week, and resistance train each body
part 2 to 3 times a week. Don’t forget to reward yourself after a workout with a
Sugar Impact Shake—it’s great for recovery!
 Conclusion

SWEET FREEDOM

If you ever had a moment’s doubt that Sneaky Sugar is public enemy No. 1,
you’re past that now, aren’t you? You’re a believer. There’s no way to have been
on the journey you were on and come out the other side skeptical in any way
about the lethal powers of that drug. And getting off it has transformed your life
—it’s tamed your sugar cravings, helped you regain control of your appetite,
filled you with strong, steady energy, and sharpened your focus and brainpower.
You’ve transcended the limits of what you believed was possible. Tell me the
truth: you never really thought you could kick sugar, did you? You can cop to
that now! Because you’ve done it—you’ve forever changed the relationship you
have with food. You’ll know now to always look at its Sugar Impact (SI), so
sugar will never get its hooks in you again.
One of the things that amazed me the most after The Virgin Diet came out
was how generous everyone was in sharing the secret to their success. People
couldn’t wait to pay it forward, and a movement began. Well, you’re part of that
movement now, and I hope you won’t keep it to yourself. Go out and help
transform the health of your family, friends, and future generations.
You may have already started by pulling some high-SI foods from your
family’s table or sharing some swaps with your BFF. Well, don’t stop there!
Everyone can benefit from what you know; this information has the power to
change the world. And if you don’t share, we might all be headed for some
serious trouble. Think I’m overselling it a bit? Not so much.
The health care industry is on life support. Costs are skyrocketing, mostly
because of the exploding rates of diabetes and obesity. We’re all feeling that
pain. Obesity in the United States took off from the starting line with high-
fructose corn syrup in the 1970s, and it never looked back. Remember—sugar
cravings start in the womb!
We need change. And no one will ever say it better than Mahatma Gandhi
did: Be the change that you wish to see in the world. You can’t sit on the
sidelines for this one, not as one of the enlightened. So get engaged, jump in! We
have to aim high and set our sights on changing industry—because we can, and
nothing else will do. Sugar is going to take our country down and us with it; we
can’t stand by and watch.
But at the same time, there’s good news—we can control it! Diet is the
biggest controllable threat to our health. You can do this! You just have to be
always sleuthing out where it hides. And for that, you have to be tough as nails.

MENTAL TOUGHNESS
The Sugar Impact Diet was never intended to help you break the vicious circle
created by sugar and then just dump you at the curb. You’d be holding a “Will
Work For Candy” sign in minutes! It’s really about your success for life, and that
means giving you the support you need.
But when I’m not feeling very motivated, I’m reminded that I’m in charge of
that. I’m in charge of my own physiology. My mentor, Brendon Burchard, author
of the New York Times bestselling book The Charge, likes to say, “A power plant
doesn’t have energy; it generates energy.” You’ve got to produce your own
energy. You’ve got to create your own enthusiasm.

YOU’VE GOT TO SET NEW GOALS THAT KEEP YOU FIRED UP!
Your goals—the ones that really matter to your life in the end—should be stretch
goals, aspirational goals. Remove the limitations in your own mind. You can
chase down your simple goals by keeping your low-SI life fun and interesting
forever. But what would you really go for if you knew you couldn’t fail? What
would really change everything for you?
Think about the things that inspire you and keep you jazzed up for the long
haul. The things that always bubble up to the top of your wish list in a quiet
moment. The Sugar Impact Diet will help you get there.

YOUR PRESENT TO YOU

Let’s put a bow around this so you can go off and enjoy your new low-SI life.
Before you go, though, take one last look at your Sugar Impact Quiz, your
weight chart and measurements, and your journal pages. Look how far you’ve
come! Don’t you love the view from here? Every bit you put into the Sugar
Impact Diet has come back to you and more, and it was so worth it.
First, you made the commitment to break your addiction to sugar. That meant
an unflinching look at how much sugar you were really eating and what it did to
you. Now you’ve reclaimed your sugar sensitivity, and you’ve retrained your
taste buds. You can sense when things taste too sweet! It’s a miracle. Stay in this
place of being able to appreciate natural sweetness and emphasize savory and
spicy flavors in your food.
You can really design this program for your life. Ask yourself what you want
that life to be. What do you want to do with all this information? Maybe it’s
enough to have gotten a handle on sugar. Maybe you want to intensify your
fitness.
It’s time to build on your success, to go further. Kick up your heels with that
extra energy and think about where you’ll go from here. Believe anything is
possible, and will it into your life. Stop negative feedback loops about how little
weight you think you can lose, that your knees will always hurt, or that you’ll
never have the energy you had in high school. Now you know it doesn’t have to
be that way.
You’re here, with the dots connected. Make your next move a big one.
Decide what your life will look like and make it so. You’ve earned it!
Congratulations!
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book started as a good idea and turned into my full-blown mission. As the
idea grew, I realized I was going to need a lot of help—both to create the book
and bring it out to the world. This idea would never have gotten off the ground
without the help of an amazing group of people.
First of all, none of this would have happened without the insight of my
incredible agent Celeste Fine, who saw the enormous need for this book and
helped me find the perfect publisher—one who really got the vision. Jamie Raab,
your enthusiasm inspires me! I am so fortunate to be able to work with you and
the amazing team at Grand Central. And how lucky was I that they brought in
my Virgin Diet editor, Sarah Pelz, so she could work her magic again on this
book? Karen Murgolo, Matthew Ballast, Sonya Safra, Brian McLendon, Emi
Battaglia, Andrew Duncan, Stephanie Sirabian, and Jane Lee—thanks for getting
behind this project in such a big way and making sure that it gets major
attention!
When I decided to write this book, the first thing I did was review all of the
brilliant work that has been published on the topic. I am so fortunate to have had
such amazing pioneers to be able to reference, including Dr. John Yukdin (in
memoriam), Dr. Robert Lustig, Gary Taubes, Michael Moss, Dr. Mark Hyman,
Nancy Appleton, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Timothy Johnson, Dr. Pamela Peeke,
and David Gillespie. I also want to send a shout-out to Michael Fishman for his
wisdom on how best to research and frame the book.
Speaking of framework, I have to extend special thanks to Camper Bull, the
president of my company, the “king of framework,” who helped me create the
framework and test the model with nearly 1,000 people. And, of course, big
thanks to Ellyne Lonergan, who helps me nail the messaging in my books and
PBS shows, and to Jason Boehm, who hunts down the research to back up my
ideas and helps me put out incredible blogs. Dr. Sara Gottfried, my sister (yes,
I’ve adopted you), thank you for painstakingly reviewing this manuscript to
ensure we were spot on with the science. Donna Gates, thanks for the insider
info on using fermented foods to blow through those sugar cravings!
I know you can eat deliciously on this program, because I have a secret
weapon—the talent of chefs Marge Perry and David Bonom, who translate my
messy recipe ideas into simple delicious delights. Also, thanks to Suzanne
Griffin, who helps us build our community cookbooks. Big thanks to my pals at
So Delicious Dairy Free (Hilary Martin, I adore you), Randy Hartnell of Vital
Choice, and Betsy Foster of Whole Foods Markets for supplying awesome
ingredients for us to work with. Jonathan Lizotte, it’s good to be home again—so
happy to be working with you on all of my product formulations.
Of course, none of this matters if you don’t know about it! Thanks to my
primo “pubbie” Barbara Teszler of Tezsler PR and Mike Danielson of Media
Relations for connecting me up with great product lines to support the program.
Mary Agnes Antonopolous—you are the Queen of Social Media. I pinch myself
daily that you are supporting the mission. Liana Chaouli, best stylist ever, thanks
for making sure I show up on brand and looking fabulous! Victoria LaBalme,
thanks for making sure that when I am speaking I am creating an incredible
experience and communicating a bigger vision. Kathy White and Patsy Wallace,
thanks for taking such good care of the Virgin Lifestyle community. Lacy
Kirkland, cutest human being on the planet, thank you for being such amazing
support for all of our partners, and all of you in the Mindshare Collaborative—
thank you for supporting my programs and mission and being such courageous
pioneers in health. My favorite thing to do is spend time with all of you,
especially if it involves dancing and great wine. Alan Foster, thanks for all of the
great coaching and for convincing so many PBS stations to air my show.
I can’t mention coaching without thanking my mentors and coaches. Brendon
Burchard, you continue to push me and inspire me to go to the next level. Joe
Polish, you are the best connector on the planet, I feel so fortunate to be the
“minnow” in 25K. Babs Smith and Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach, thanks for
helping me get my life back and learn how to impact more people while still
being able to be a mom and have a life! And Jon Walker, thanks for all of your
incredible wisdom on launches and being so generous with your time.
Of course, when you get that message out there, you get a lot of questions,
and my amazing customer service team is incredible at taking care of everyone
—big thanks to Rose, Nadiya, Sigourney, and Brandy for your amazing grace
and positivity! And a shout-out to our advisory circle as well for giving us such
valuable feedback so we know how best to serve the community.
One of the key ways we get our message out there is through the online
world, and we have a true master heading that up—Travis Houston. And thanks
to his adorable wife Joy, who jumps in to help on projects as well. And thank
you Traci Knoppe, who runs our tech. Ben Clark, our incredible designer, makes
us look so good, as does my fabulous photographer Lesley Boehm. Susan
Tafralis puts together most of the cool handouts and e-books, but that’s just one
of the hats she wears—she’s been with me for over 14 years now and has run
every part of my business. She is truly my right hand; I would be lost without
her! Thankfully, we also have Kim Ward now as that job got way too big for one
person. Kim, you are the first person I’ve ever relinquished my calendar to;
thanks for being so uber-organized so that I can show up where I need to relaxed
and prepared.
Aahh legal and finance.… thank you all for your protection and advice so
that I can make sure that I can continue to serve at the highest level. Darryl
Sheetz and Peter Hoppenfeld—I feel like you two are my legal white knights.
Michael Ross, thanks for the massive attention to detail, and Mary Ann Guillory,
thank you for making sure those orders go out every day, no matter what.
And I saved the best for last—my amazing family. Mom, thanks for always
believing in me, and I forgive you for raising me on Pop Tarts and Captain
Crunch. John Virgin, you are an incredible dad, you allow me to be able to go
out and do what I have to without worrying (too much) about my kids. Bryce
Virgin, I wonder how I scored such an incredible son—you are brilliant, talented,
and so kind. In 17 years you have not given me one reason to punish you nor
have you said one mean thing to me. You blow my mind. Grant Virgin, you are
the epitome of a victor—to have survived the unsurvivable with the most
amazing positive attitude—you make me so proud. You show people what is
possible with the right mind-set. Thank you all for supporting me so that I can
truly have it all—be the mom of two beautiful young men while fulfilling my
mission to empower people worldwide to take control of their health so they can
go out and do the big things they were put here to do.
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JJ VIRGIN, CNS, CHFS is a highly regarded fitness and nutrition expert, public
speaker, and media personality. Her book The Virgin Diet: Drop 7 Foods, Lose 7
Pounds, Just 7 Days has appeared on numerous bestselling nonfiction lists,
including the New York Times, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, and the Wall
Street Journal. Her second book The Virgin Diet Cookbook: 150 Easy and
Delicious Recipes to Lose Weight and Feel Better Fast is also a New York Times
bestseller.
Internationally recognized as an expert in helping people overcome “weight-
loss resistance” (a term she uses to describe the condition of people who do
everything right according to current dieting strategies but still can’t lose
weight), JJ has helped hundreds of thousands of people achieve fast fat loss by
addressing food allergies, food sensitivities, and other food intolerances. Clients
feel better in days and achieve fast, lasting fat loss when they drop the seven
highly reactive foods she has identified.
JJ’s recent media appearances include PBS, Access Hollywood, Rachael Ray,
The Doctors, and The Today Show. She is a frequent blogger for Livestrong.com,
the Huffington Post, and Prevention magazine. JJ has been interviewed in
numerous publications, including Fox News Magazine, Women’s World, Health,
LA Weekly, Cosmopolitan, and the Los Angeles Times.
High-performance athletes, CEOs, and A-list celebrities seek out JJ to deliver
the results they need and expect. She has worked with Nicole Eggert, Tracie
Thoms, and Tamara Johnston-George, and she helped Brandon Routh get in top
physical form for Superman Returns.
For two years, JJ was the nutrition expert on the top-rated Dr. Phil show, and
she spent two seasons as co-host of TC’s Freaky Eaters. She has one of the top
pledge shows on PBS, Drop 7 Foods, Feel Better Fast! based on the Virgin Diet
principles. She is also the bestselling author of Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy
and creator of the 4x4 workout series.
 JJ is a lifelong learner and has completed 40 graduate and doctoral courses in
the areas of exercise science, nutrition, functional medicine, and psychology. She
is a board-certified nutrition specialist through the American College of
Nutrition, board certified in holistic nutrition, and a certified health and fitness
specialist through the American College of Sports Medicine.
Most importantly, JJ is the mom of two amazing teenage boys. One of them
survived a near fatal auto accident, and JJ used her knowledge, expertise, and
peer network to take him from comatose to thriving. Every day JJ wakes up with
gratitude to be able to spend another day with her children and to help more
people live fuller lives by achieving better health.
For more information, please visit JJ at jjvirgin.com.
 Also by JJ Virgin

The Virgin Diet Cookbook

The Virgin Diet
Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy
 Praise for
JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet

“JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet can help save your brain and your life. Numerous
studies show that sugar can be addictive and pro-inflammatory and lead to a
number of devastating illnesses. If you want a better brain, I highly recommend
this book.”
—Daniel G. Amen, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Change Your
Brain, Change Your Life

“Opens your eyes to how much sugar you’re really eating, and provides an
actionable plan to cut down on the sweet stuff and feel better fast.”
—Mark Hyman, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Blood Sugar
Solution 10 Day Detox Diet

“In line with leading-edge science, JJ Virgin presents a radical and empowering
new way to look at sugar.”
—David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grain
Brain

“Sugar is one of the most harmful elements of the American diet and one of our
biggest contributors to obesity and disease. JJ Virgin has her finger on the pulse
of the latest developments in diet and nutrition and I know JJ Virgin’s Sugar
Impact Diet will help a lot of people.”
—Haylie Pomroy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fast Metabolism
Diet

“Breaks through the myths and provides a clear and realistic path to health. This
book is life changing!”
—Cynthia Pasquella, CCN, author of P.I.N.K Method and The Hungry Hottie
Cookbook, and founder of the Institute of Transformational Nutrition “Follow JJ
Virgin’s advice if you want to live longer, feel better, and be more vibrant. You
will never look at sugar the same way again.”
 —Tana Amen, BSN, RN, New York Times bestselling author of The Omni Diet

“In her newest book, JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet, author JJ Virgin takes no
prisoners. She delivers a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred, crystal clear message on
how to identify and eliminate the astounding and myriad forms sugars have
taken in our diets. Follow her advice and you will discover answers to why
weight and health can prove so elusive despite the best intentions.”
—William Davis, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wheat Belly,
The Wheat Belly Cookbook, and Wheat Belly 30-Minute (or Less!) Cookbook

“JJ Virgin understands how to get you thin and healthy. She is one of the leading
voices in cutting edge science and her Sugar Impact theories will, once and for
all, demystify the damaging effects of sugar and will, in turn, change your life!”
—Suzanne Somers, author, actress, entertainer

“In her groundbreaking new book, JJ Virgin definitively settles the debate on
sugar and shows us how it wreaks havoc on our health and waistline. She
provides simple yet novel strategies to remove the enemy and become the lean
and energetic person you were meant to be. Highest recommendation.”
—Sara Gottfried, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Hormone Cure

“Avoiding sugar is all the rage right now, and for good reason: sugar is wreaking
havoc on our health! We’re overweight, tired, and just plain sick—and that could
all change once your Sugar Impact is lowered. Thanks to JJ Virgin’s Sugar
Impact Diet, you can banish the many hidden sources of sugar from your life,
regain your vitality and finally lose the weight.”
—Diane Sanfilippo, BS, NC, New York Times bestselling author of Practical
Paleo and The 21-Day Sugar Detox

“JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet offers a sensible, creative, doable program, which
will rejuvenate desperate sugar addicts who are struggling with their weight. JJ
shines the light on hidden sugars, misunderstood fruit juice concentrates, and
misleading low-fat (but high-sugar), unreal foods. JJ will positively impact many
lives with this book.”
—Connie Bennett, bestselling author of Sugar Shock and Beyond Sugar Shock
 APPENDIX 1
Staples Shopping List

These are the things I like to keep on hand to be able to make Sugar Impact Diet
meals in minutes. You may have some others you’d like to add as well. Print
these out to use as your grocery shopping guide so you stay on the straight and
narrow. Note that I’ve included dairy and egg options in this list. If you’re
sensitive or intolerant to those foods, simply don’t buy them. Do what works
best for you!

Shakes
_____ Vanilla protein powder _____ Chocolate protein powder _____ Chai
protein powder _____ Fiber blend

Oils and Vinegars

_____ Extra-virgin olive oil _____ Coconut oil
_____ Red palm fruit oil _____ Macadamia nut oil
_____ Asian sesame oil
_____ Red wine vinegar
_____ Rice wine vinegar (no sugar added)

Spices
_____ Sea salt
_____ Freshly ground black pepper _____ Cumin
_____ Chili powder
_____ Cinnamon
_____ Nutmeg
_____ Curry powder
_____ Oregano
_____ Basil
_____ Cayenne pepper
_____ Crushed red pepper flakes _____ Chipotle pepper
_____ Onion powder
_____ Garlic powder
_____ Turmeric
_____ Paprika
_____ Rosemary
_____ Mexican seasoning blend

Grains, Nuts, and Seeds

_____ Wild rice
_____ Chia seeds
_____ Flaxseeds
_____ Dry quinoa
_____ Almond flour
_____ Coconut flour
_____ Shirataki noodles
_____ Dry sprouted lentils _____ Almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.
_____ Long-cooking or steel-cut oats _____ Groats
_____ Coconut wraps
_____ Kale chips
Cycles 1 and 3
_____ Quinoa flakes
_____ Quinoa pasta (corn-free) _____ Brown rice
_____ Brown rice wraps
_____ Rice pasta
_____ Amaranth, buckwheat, millet _____ Rice crackers or chips (not cakes)
_____ Bean chips
_____ Arrowroot (small amounts allowable in Cycle 2)

Jarred and Canned

_____ Organic tahini paste (optional for snack) _____ Jarred roasted red peppers
(optional for snack) _____ Cashew or almond butter _____ Dijon mustard
_____ Coconut aminos
_____ 15-ounce cans organic no-salt cannellini beans (or dried) _____ 15-ounce
cans organic no-salt black beans (or dried) _____ 15-ounce cans organic no-salt
pinto beans (or dried) _____ 15-ounce cans organic no-salt-added garbanzo
beans (or dried) _____ Lentils (I like TruRoots sprouted) _____ 14.5-ounce cans
organic diced tomatoes _____ Organic low-sodium chicken broth _____ Organic
low-sodium vegetable broth _____ Tabasco or hot sauce _____ Kalamata olives
_____ 7-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts _____ Bragg Liquid Aminos (if
not soy-sensitive) _____ Wheat-free tamari (if not soy-sensitive) _____ Salsa

Cycles 1 and 3
_____ Tomato sauce, marinara (no sugar added) _____ Tomato juice
Miscellaneous
_____ Espresso powder
_____ Organic coffee
_____ Green tea
_____ Sparkling water
_____ Erythritol
_____ Xylitol
_____ Pure stevia
_____ Monk fruit
_____ Chicory
_____ Inulin
_____ 85% or higher dark chocolate _____ Raw cacao nibs
_____ Vanilla extract

Cycles 1 and 3
_____ 85% dark chocolate

Fruits and Veggies

_____ Avocado
_____ Lemons
_____ Limes
_____ Lettuces (spinach, arugula, romaine, baby, kale) _____ Cabbages
_____ Onions
_____ Garlic
_____ Peppers
_____ Broccoli
_____ Asparagus
_____ Spaghetti squash
_____ Cauliflower
_____ Zucchini
_____ Winter squashes
_____ Brussels sprouts
_____ Mushrooms
_____ Celery
_____ Tomatoes
_____ Ginger
_____ Fresh cilantro

Cycles 1 and 3
_____ Berries (organic frozen, for shakes) _____ Grapefruit
_____ Yams, sweet potatoes _____ Beets

Milks and Dairy

_____ Unsweetened coconut milk _____ Unsweetened cashew milk _____
Unsweetened almond milk _____ Goat cheese
_____ Coconut kefir
_____ Plain whole-fat Greek-style yogurt _____ Raw cheeses
_____ Kerrygold butter
_____ Grass-fed ghee

Proteins
_____ Grass-fed beef
_____ Pastured pork
_____ Pastured eggs
_____ Wild seafood—salmon, halibut, shrimp, scallops, sole, sardines _____
Free-range chicken (I like Pitman Farms and Rosie’s) _____ Bison
_____ Wild game
_____ Uncured nitrate-free bacon _____ Turkey breast slices
 APPENDIX 2
Supportive Supplements

The Sugar Impact Diet helps you navigate the wild world of sugar, but
sometimes we all need a little extra help. I’ve given you Sugar-Attack Survival
Strategies (see here) to employ when a craving strikes, Sugar-Withdrawal
Strategies (see here) to ease your transition off sugar, and Speed-Healing
Techniques (see here) if you scored high on the one test in your life you didn’t
want to—the Sugar Impact Quiz (see here).
Supporting yourself with supplements can help each of those things, too.
They can also be the key to unlocking your fat-burning metabolism if you’re in
the “Help! I can’t lose weight!” category. Give them a try to see which ones
work for you.

THE BASICS
Multivitamin and mineral complex (3–6 capsules daily). Taking a good, high-
quality multivitamin and mineral formula with additional antioxidants and
essential fatty acids is a no-brainer. Here’s why. You need the basics in order for
all your pathways to be firing the way they should and make neurotransmitters
like dopamine and serotonin so you’re not starving and clawing for sugar. You
have to give your body what it needs to deliver on your goals—it’s the heart of
setting yourself up for success. And, unfortunately, even if you’re living on a
farm eating all freshly picked, organic produce and clean, lean protein, you
probably won’t be getting all that you need. I’ve had the opportunity to review
hundreds of nutrient lab profiles over the years, most from “healthy” people, and
I have never seen one, ever, that wasn’t deficient in the basics.
So consider a professional-quality multivitamin and mineral your real health
insurance, and make it the foundation of your supplement plan. Look for a multi
with optimal ratios of nutrients in their proper form and dose. Inferior multis will
use the synthetic form of vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) or poorly absorbed
minerals. Getting those nutrients will require more than just one a day. Make
sure your multi contains good amounts of calcium and magnesium, or
supplement these two important minerals separately.
Omega-3 essential fatty acids (1 gram or more combined EPA/DHA).
Getting more anti-inflammatory omega-3s is critical for normal brain cell
function, insulin control, and heart health. Essential fatty acids help your insulin
receptors tune in to insulin when it comes knocking, so sugar is pulled from your
blood more efficiently. They also support a high-functioning, clear-thinking
brain, so bye-bye brain fog. They facilitate the absorption of your fat-soluble
vitamins, and they’re great for your bones. Best of all, they’re instrumental in
stabilizing your moods and boosting your insulin sensitivity.
Quality matters here. Fish oil goes rancid quickly and fish can contain heavy
metals. Inferior brands formulated incorrectly can do more harm than good.
The Virgin Diet All-in-One Shakes (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). The
Virgin Diet All-in-One Shake lives up to its name. Blended with either plant-
based or grass-fed beef protein (yes, de-fatted beef protein from Swedish grass-
fed cows; it has a high biological value similar to egg protein, but without egg’s
potential reactivity), these premium powders contain optimal amounts of
vitamins, minerals, enzymes, probiotics, whole food complexes (antioxidants),
and fiber with only 1 gram of sugar. Start every morning with The Virgin Diet
All-in-One Shake and you’ll stay full, focused, and burning fat for hours.
Available in chocolate, vanilla, or my favorite, chai.
Virgin Diet Daily Essentials (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). (1 packet
daily). Who has time for sorting or counting? Virgin Diet Daily Essentials
combines a full-spectrum multivitamin and mineral with essential fatty acids in
an easy-to-take, carry-anywhere packet. Highlights of this multi include Albion-
chelated minerals, high levels of B vitamins, high gamma tocopherol vitamin E,
and nutrients not normally found in regular multis, such as alpha-lipoic acid,
trimethylglycine, fruit bioflavonoids, choline, and inositol.
Virgin Diet Daily Essentials also contains a high potency EPA/DHA formula
with added lipase to support absorption.
Virgin Diet Green Balance (http://www.jjvirginstore.com).This unique
fiber–green powder blend provides serious nutrition in a delicious, lightly stevia-
sweetened orange-cranberry flavor. Every serving of Virgin Diet Green Balance
combines 5 grams of high-quality fiber with alkalizing grass juices, the prebiotic
inulin, vegetables, fruits, and berries. The blend of natural soluble and insoluble
fiber comes from fruits, vegetables, roots, seeds, and tree extracts, with added
friendly bacteria and prebiotics. Antioxidant-rich Virgin Diet Green Balance
mimics whole, nutrient-rich, high-fiber plant foods and makes an ideal way to
meet your fruit and veggies quota.
Virgin Diet Extra Fiber (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). (2–4 teaspoons).
My favorite way to meet your 50-gram daily fiber quota, Virgin Diet Extra Fiber
contains 12 different types of soluble and insoluble fiber naturally derived from
fruits, vegetables, roots, seeds, and tree extracts, with added friendly bacteria and
prebiotics. Antioxidant-rich and free of phytates, lectins, gluten, and other harsh
ingredients found in some fiber products, Virgin Diet Extra Fiber is unsweetened
and mixes easily into shakes and other liquids.
Virgin Diet Sprinkles. (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). Finally, a good-for-
you sugar substitute that also tastes good. Virgin Diet Sprinkles contain a blend
of glycine, erythritol, and stevia—all natural, beneficial sweeteners—that you
can use just like sugar and mix easily into your favorite food or beverage. Best
of all, Virgin Diet Sprinkles create no weird aftertaste, stomach upset, or other
side effects like other natural sugar alternatives. Available in plain or enhanced
with cinnamon and vanilla.

EXTRA HELP WITH BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL

Alpha-lipoic acid (300 mg once or twice daily if using lipoic acid; 100 mg twice
daily if using the R-lipoic acid form). Alpha-lipoic acid, also called thioctic acid,
is a workhorse nutrient that performs equally well in water-and fat-soluble
tissues. Found in every cell in your body, lipoic acid helps turn glucose into
energy, which improves your insulin sensitivity. It’s also a potent force in
supporting liver function. Besides performing as an antioxidant itself, lipoic acid
recycles other critical antioxidants like vitamins C and E as well as your master
antioxidant, glutathione. Studies show lipoic acid can increase insulin sensitivity,
reduce blood pressure, and decrease free radical–created oxidative stress. Look
for R-lipoic acid, the most active form of lipoic acid.
Berberine (500 mg twice daily). Berberine is a major immune-boosting
alkaloid in plants. It’s amazing for helping balance blood sugar and for killing
off bad gut bugs that cause dysbiosis, which wreaks all kinds of systemic havoc,
including inflammation.
Chromium (500 mcg). Chromium can enhance insulin’s ability to get
glucose into your cells and plays a direct role in carbohydrate, fat, and protein
metabolism. It’s an essential trace mineral that appears to benefit people with
blood sugar imbalances. One study published in Diabetes found that
supplemental chromium could improve glucose and insulin in type 2 diabetes.
One hundred and eighty men and women with type 2 diabetes were divided
randomly into three groups and given either a placebo or a low or high dose of
chromium picolinate twice a day. The supplemental chromium had significant
beneficial effects on HbA1c, glucose, insulin, and cholesterol in people with
type 2 diabetes, especially at levels that exceeded the upper limit of the
recommended daily dose.
EGCG (500 mg). Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, is the primary catechin
in green tea and a powerful antioxidant that provides most of green tea’s
therapeutic benefits. Green tea also provides thermogenic (fat-burning) benefits.
To get therapeutic amounts of EGCC, you’ll probably want to use a supplement
if you’re not frequently drinking green tea.
If you do drink a lot of green tea, it may be helping cool your cravings and
kick-start your weight loss. A study in Alternative Medicine Review showed that
a highly bioavailable green tea extract led to significant weight loss and
decreased body mass index (a measure of weight). It also improved LDL, HDL,
and total cholesterol, as well as triglycerides, growth hormone, insulin, and
cortisol—all without any side effects.
EPA, DHA (2 grams or more combined EPA/DHA). Eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) might not directly lower blood glucose
or insulin levels, but these essential fatty acids can reduce many problems
associated with blood sugar imbalances, including triglycerides and
inflammation. Your daily dose depends on how much fish you consume.
5-HTP (100 mg twice daily). If you have any issues with insulin resistance,
diabetes, or hypoglycemia, look into 5-HTP, which stands for 5-
hydroxytryptophan. It’s a precursor of tryptophan and a natural aid that can
really help when you’re jonesing for some sugar. 5-HTP crosses the blood-brain
barrier and is converted to serotonin. Serotonin is the feel-good brain chemical
that makes us hap, hap, happy and shuts down sugar cravings. And—bonus!—it
can also help you sleep, because it converts to melatonin. Be sure to consult with
your physician if you are currently taking an SSRI.
Magnesium (500 mg). More than 300 enzymatic reactions require
magnesium, a vital mineral researchers believe about three-quarters of
Americans are deficient in. Among magnesium’s many roles are energy
production, protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control,
and blood pressure regulation. Magnesium can even get things moving “down
there” and relieve constipation. Good sources of magnesium include nuts, seeds,
and leafy greens, but to get therapeutic doses you’ll need to supplement.
Resveratrol (200 mg). Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant in red grapes and a
few other foods that helps reduce inflammation and provides anti-aging benefits.
To get beneficial amounts of resveratrol, you’ll want to supplement.
Vanadium (200 mcg). Vanadium is a newer player in the blood sugar
management arsenal. This trace mineral seems to benefit type 2 diabetes and
other glucose imbalances. Many studies involve animals but appear promising
for humans. One study found therapeutic amounts of vanadium could improve
insulin sensitivity and decrease appetite in rats.
Vitamin D (2,000 IUs or more daily). More a hormone than a vitamin,
vitamin D provides a wide range of benefits, from boosting immunity to bone
health. Vitamin D (along with the B vitamins) lends extra support to blood sugar
control and the signals uneven blood sugar is sending to your hormones and your
cravings. I’m in favor of everyone getting a 25-hydroxy test, which measures
vitamin D levels. Deficiency is really common, and most people need anywhere
from 2,000 to 10,000 IUs a day depending on their starting level, because the
goal is to get your blood levels to 50–80 nanograms per milliliter long term. Few
foods provide vitamin D (wild-caught fish and mushrooms are among them), and
you’re probably not getting enough sunlight to make vitamin D, so
supplementing is the way to go here.
Zinc (30 mg). Every cell in your body demands zinc to optimally function,
and this workhorse mineral plays a part in immunity, vibrant skin, metabolism,
brain health, growth and reproduction, and blood sugar balance. Chronic stress
can deplete zinc stores. A good multivitamin-mineral should contain adequate
amounts of zinc, though people with deficiencies or those with conditions that
benefit from higher doses should supplement with additional zinc.

EXTRA HELP WITH STRESS

B complex (1 or more capsules). Stress burns up B vitamins, making
supplementation crucial. One study found supplementing for 90 days with a
high-dose B-vitamin complex helped improve mood and significantly decreased
workplace-related stress. Look for a B-complex formula that provides B
vitamins in their bioavailable coenzymated forms and includes trimethylglycine
(TMG) and choline.
CatecholaCalm (3 capsules). CatecholaCalm from Designs for Health
contains adaptogenic herbs and nutrients—including B vitamins, vitamin C,
magnesium, theanine, and valerian—to help optimize adrenal health, improve
mood, and promote calmness and relaxation.
5 HTP. See here.
Relora Plus (2 capsules twice daily). Relora Plus from Thorne Research is a
proprietary blend of plant extracts from Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron
amurense, with a mix of B vitamins. It helps reduce stress-related eating habits,
helps balance cortisol and DHEA levels, supports weight management, and
supports a positive mood by helping reduce occasional anxious feelings.
Rhodiola (100 mg three times daily). A centuries-old adaptogenic herb that
helps increase resistance to stressors. Rhodiola helps normalize
neurotransmitters like serotonin to enhance mental focus, sleep, and mood
without fatigue or drowsiness. This do-it-all herb can even enhance exercise
performance.
Theanine (200 mg once or twice daily). The amino acid theanine gives green
tea its calming, relaxing qualities. You’ll need to drink loads of green tea to get
theanine’s benefits, so supplementing to get therapeutic doses is probably the
way to go.
Vitamin C (1 gram twice daily). Your adrenals house more vitamin C than
any other organ. Chronic stress keeps your adrenals on overdrive, draining
vitamin C and zapping your immune defenses. For efficacious doses, I
recommend powdered vitamin C buffered with minerals or bioflavonoids.

EXTRA HELP WITH APPETITE AND CRAVINGS

Virgin Diet Digestive Enzymes (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). (1–3 capsules
before meals). Great for anyone with blood sugar imbalance who occasionally
wants to indulge in something sweet or starchy without the ensuing metabolic
havoc. Virgin Diet Digestive Enzymes combines a carb-blocker (made from non-
GMO white bean) with green coffee extract and other elements to help reduce
glucose absorption and improve protein digestion.

EXTRA HELP WITH DIGESTIVE ISSUES, INCLUDING GAS AND

BLOATING, LEAKY GUT, AND DIGESTION
Glutamine (1–3 grams). Glutamine is the fuel in your small intestine and most
prevalent amino acid in your blood. It can boost gastrointestinal and immune
health. Stress, a high-sugar diet, and lack of sleep are among the things that can
deplete glutamine, leading to gut permeability (leaky gut) and the cascade of
issues it can create. I prefer to use the powdered form and add it to my Lemon-
Aid or Sugar Impact Shake.
Virgin Diet Extra Fiber. See here.
Virgin Diet Microbiome Balance (http://www.jjvirginstore.com) (1 capsule
daily).
Microbiome Balance is a cutting-edge, vegetarian-based, proprietary formula
that combines a high-quality probiotic with bacteriophages to help rebalance gut
flora. Unlike typical probiotics that simply repopulate healthy gut flora, the
bacteriophage in Microbiome Balance boosts immunity while attacking “bad”
microbes and supporting healthy gut flora. With its two-in-one probiotics-plus-
bacteriophage benefits, Microbiome Balance is the most innovative, powerful
product on the market to support optimal gut health.
Virgin Diet Digestive Enzymes. See here.
Virgin Diet Leaky Gut Support (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). (2
teaspoons). My go-to all-in-one product for leaky gut and other gastrointestinal
issues. Leaky Gut Support contains therapeutic levels of anti-inflammatory, gut-
healing nutrients like L-glutamine, N-acetyl-glucosamine, chamomile, and
quercetin. Prune powder and citrus pectin help keep you regular. Altogether, this
synergistic formula provides comprehensive support for optimal gut health and
function.
Virgin Diet Lemon-Aid. (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). Virgin Diet Lemon-
Aid is a unique lemon-flavored powder blend that contains the craving-busting
amino acid glutamine, fiber, and the beneficial sweeteners glycine, erythritol,
and stevia. With no GMOs, nothing artificial, and no aftertaste or gastrointestinal
issues, Virgin Diet Lemon-Aid blends easily in water and helps tame your sweet
tooth and quench your thirst!
 APPENDIX 3
Resources

ONLINE
(http://sugarimpact.com/resources)

Sneaky Sugar Inventory
Full Virgin Sugar Impact Scales—by category
Virgin Sugar Impact Scale—for Cycle 2 only
Virgin Sugar Impact Plate and Categories—Cycle 2 and low/medium Sugar
Impact (SI)
Sugar Impact Quiz
Food journal
Water schedule
Cycle blueprints
Sugar-Attack Survival Strategies
Sugar-Withdrawal Strategies
Speed-Healing Techniques
More low-SI recipes. If you’re looking for more recipes to use in the Sugar
Impact Diet, be sure to check out the Virgin Diet Cookbook. I’ve created
Virgin Sugar Impact Scales, meal plans, and cycle ratings for all 150
mouthwatering dishes. You’ll have no shortage of delicious low-SI
options to help you use the cookbook with the Sugar Impact Diet with
ease.

MEDITATION AND MIND-SET TRAINING

Sculptations is a brain-entrainment technology designed to shift your thought
patterns around sugar cravings. Using our proprietary process of MindSculpting,
you immediately begin to reset your negative thought patterns, rewire your
habits and behaviors, and recode a new level of thinking that supports you and
your success. In as little as 5 minutes, you’ll be able to release the hold your
sugar cravings have on you and accelerate the sculpting of new mind-sets that
support a healthier and more vibrant lifestyle. The scientifically engineered
audio tracks are designed to synchronize your conscious desires and your
subconscious beliefs (called creating “neural harmony”) to empower you to
achieve greater health with lightning speed and accuracy. For more information
and to download two free Sculptations to help you with your sugar cravings and
reach your ideal weight, go to www.sculptations.com/jjvirgin.

JJ’S FAVORITE FOODS AND DRINKS

Andean Dream Quinoa Pasta
(http://www.andeandream.com/OtherProducts.html). Pasta without the high-
glycemic load. Andean Dream Quinoa Pasta is the only quinoa pasta I know that
doesn’t contain corn. Glutenfree and organic, Andean Dream Quinoa Pasta
comes in traditional spaghetti as well as noodles, macaroni, and fusilli for all
your glutenfree pasta needs.
Bob’s Red Mill (http://www.bobsredmill.com). You’ve likely seen Bob’s
Red Mill in your health food store. This company has been around nearly forever
(well, since 1978) and provides a wide variety of glutenfree oats and flour as
well as golden flaxseeds, chia seeds, and coconut flour. Bob’s Red Mill remains
the trusted leader in glutenfree flours, seeds, and other foods because they
provide consistently superior products.

Dark and Raw Chocolate

ChocolaTree (http://chocolatree.com). Your one-stop shop for all things
chocolate, including a 78% cacao Raw Love Bar and Velvet Chocolate Coconut
Oil/Butter. Lower sugar and higher fiber means you can enjoy many of
ChocolaTree’s foods guilt-free. ChocolaTree also has a wide selection of Sugar
Impact Diet–friendly non-chocolate foods, including nut butters and kale chips.
Soma Chocolatemaker (http://www.somachocolate.com). Made in small
batches from premium-grade cacao, this Canadian chocolatier creates some of
the richest, healthiest chocolate on the planet. It’s absolutely worth seeking out.
Soma Arcana 100% is a premium, delicious 100% cacao dark chocolate created
with four types of flavor-grade cacao beans and without any sugar, emulsifiers,
or flavorings. Just pure, healthy dark chocolate that kicks up flavor in shakes or
blended with almond butter.

Coconut
Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos
(http://www.coconutsecret.com/aminos2.html). Skip the soy sauce in your next
stir fry for Coconut Secret Aminos, a 100% organic, raw, gluten-and soy-free
sauce that kicks up your sushi, dressings, marinades, and sautés with a burst of
flavor and healthy amino acids. When coconut trees are tapped, the blossoms
exude a nutrient-rich sap that creates these aminos. In addition to an impressive
amino acid profile, Coconut Secret Aminos provide rich amounts of B vitamins,
vitamin C, and minerals.
Coconut Kefir Starter Mix
Yogurt fans, check out coconut kefir. Its many benefits include probiotics for
a healthy gut and better digestion. Kefir also boosts your immune system and is
anti-aging. If you’re curious, give So Delicious coconut kefir a try. I think you’ll
love it. If you want to make your own kefir (it’s fun and super easy, I promise!),
get the kefir starter from my brilliant pal Donna Gates at Body Ecology
(bodyecology.com).
So Delicious Coconut Milk (www.turtlemountain.com/products). You can
replace cow’s milk with So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk beverage,
either as an ingredient in your protein smoothies or as a beverage in its own
right. One cup contains just 50 calories and only 1 gram of sugar. It also offers
medium-chain fatty acids, a healthy fat that your body easily burns for energy
rather than stores. They also have a line of culinary milks that are perfect to add
creaminess to sauces and soups.
If coconut milk isn’t your thing, try So Delicious unsweetened Almond Plus
5X Protein and my new favorite, Cashew Milk. So Delicious also provides a
delicious selection of no-sugar-added coconut milk ice cream and cultured
coconut milk. One bite of these delicious treats and you’ll wonder why you ever
fell for cow’s milk.

Fiber Blends
Virgin Diet Extra Fiber (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). My favorite way to
meet your 50-gram daily fiber quota, Virgin Diet Extra Fiber contains 12
different types of soluble and insoluble fiber naturally derived from fruits,
vegetables, roots, seeds, and tree extracts, with added friendly bacteria and
prebiotics. Antioxidant-rich and free of phytates, lectins, gluten, and other harsh
ingredients found in some fiber products, Virgin Diet Extra Fiber is unsweetened
and mixes easily into shakes and other liquids.
SunFiber (http://www.sunfiber.com). SunFiber promotes intestinal and colon
health, aids in the transit of food through the intestines, and assists weight
control by providing a satiety effect. Sunfiber promotes the absorption of
essential minerals and helps the body combat increased blood glucose levels by
controlling the glycemic index of foods.
Hydrolyzyme by Designs for Health (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). Nearly
everyone struggling with gas, bloating, and other gastrointestinal issues after
drinking a Virgin Diet All-in-One Shake can benefit from taking Hydrolyzyme
from Designs for Health. That’s because Hydrolyzyme is a proprietary blend of
protease enzymes that helps support efficient digestion and absorption of protein
supplements consumed as a shake or liquid meal, since liquid protein
supplements pass through the stomach more quickly than solid meals.
Benefits of Hydrolyzyme include efficiently breaking down 99% of protein,
significantly reducing gastrointestinal discomfort, and helping your body absorb
and utilize that protein quickly and efficiently.
Kite Hill Non-Dairy Cheeses (www.kite-hill.com). Finally, a non-dairy
cheese that tastes decadently delicious. Crafted by artisanal cheesemakers, Kite
Hill non-dairy cheeses fit into your eating plan whether you’re vegan,
vegetarian, Paleo, or dairy-sensitive. They currently offer three diverse cheeses,
with more sure to come: Casuccio, with a soft, fresh, supple, and silky texture;
Costanoa, semi-soft and dusted with a piquant blend of paprika and fennel
pollen; and White Alder, a soft ripened cheese with a delicate white rind,
pungent aroma, and velvety texture. Kite Hill non-dairy cheeses are sold
exclusively at Whole Foods Markets.
KeVita Probiotic Drink (http://kevita.com). We could all use more healthy
gut bacteria, but eating fermented foods can sometimes be a challenge,
especially when you’re busy or on the road. That’s why I love KeVita Probiotic
Drink. Every sip of this fabulous-tasting beverage provides four strains of live
probiotic. KeVita Probiotic Drink comes in delicious flavors like Coconut,
Mango Coconut, and Pomegranate. Certified organic, very low in sugar, non-
dairy, non-GMO, glutenfree, and vegan: what’s not to love?
Grass-Fed Beef
U.S. Wellness Meats (www.grasslandbeef.com/StoreFront.bok). One of my
favorite companies for buying healthy, sustainable grass-fed beef, wild game,
poultry, and wild seafood, delivered right to my door. I love that their website is
a one-stop shop for pet foods, raw organic ice cream and healthy snacks like beef
pemmican, a grass-fed jerky.
Carolina Beef and Bison (http://carolinabison.com). Another of my top
suppliers for grass-fed beef and bison, and they deliver, too! Founded by author,
lecturer, and whole-health practitioner Dr. Frank J. King Jr. in 1985, Carolina
Bison is located in the lush Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina.
They raise their cows and bison on top-quality grasses and pure mountain spring
water to yield the same pristine meats our Paleolithic ancestors once ate. When I
order from Carolina Beef and Bison, I know I’m getting the highest-quality,
nutrient-rich, grass-fed, free-range meats with no steroids, antibiotics, or any
other nasty stuff found in conventionally raised meats.
Grassfed Organic Ghee from Pure Indian Foods
(http://www.amazon.com/Grassfed-Organic-Ghee-7-8-Oz/dp/B0032RPLSY).
Ghee is clarified butter, meaning butter with milk solids removed, so it’s ideal
for anyone sensitive to dairy. The Agarwal Family has been in the ghee business
for five generations (since 1889), so they’re clearly doing something right! This
amazing, grass-fed, USDA-certified, 100% organic ghee comes from
nonhomogenized cow’s milk. Unlike the waxy texture you sometimes find in
other ghee brands, this one has a nice grainy texture. Available at Amazon.com.
Heintzman Farms Golden Flax (www.heintzmanfarms.com). Flaxseeds are
one of my favorite foods because these tiny seeds are loaded with protein, fiber,
lignans, and omega-3 fatty acids. If you follow my recipe, you know I like to
throw flaxseed into my protein smoothie.
I’ve been using Heintzman Farms Gold Flax for years—I love when my
order of fresh, whole, GMO-free Dakota Flax Gold flaxseeds arrives. Their kit
includes three one-pound bags of seeds and a mini-electric grinder so that you
can grind the flaxseeds yourself. Toss them into your smoothie or anytime you
need a fiber and nutrient boost.
Hampton Creek Foods Just Mayo
(https://hamptoncreekfoods.com/justmayo). Finally, a healthy, egg-free mayo!
Made from non-GMO, expeller-pressed canola oil, lemon juice, and white
vinegar, this is the perfect condiment to smear on Paleo Wraps or anywhere else
you want the creamy, delicious taste of mayo without the junk most commercial
brands contain. Just Mayo is available at Whole Foods Markets.
Hint Water (http://www.drinkhint.com). Hint Water evolved when San
Francisco native Kara Goldin couldn’t find a delicious, refreshing drink for
herself or her kids. What she wanted was simple: no sweeteners, sugars, fancy
but useless additives, or ingredients you can’t pronounce. Just plain, delicious
pure spring water with a splash of natural flavor. Sounds easy, right? It wasn’t,
which is why she created Hint Water. When people tell me they don’t like water
or are trying to break their soda habit, I always recommend Hint Water in
amazing flavors like raspberry-lime and strawberry-kiwi. Who says water has to
be boring?
Julian Bakery Paleo Wraps (http://www.julianbakery.com/bread-
product/paleo-wraps-1-pack-7-wraps-glutenfree-raw-vegan-low-carb ). When
you want the portability and ease of bread without gluten or carbs, Paleo Wraps
are your answer: glutenfree, soy-free, GMO-free, raw, vegan, and low-carb.
Made from coconut meat and unrefined virgin coconut oil, these are my go-to
wraps for everything from hummus to sliced turkey with avocado.
Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter (http://kerrygoldusa.com/products/butter).
Sometimes you want the creaminess of pure butter. Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter
is miles above regular butter because it comes from grass-fed cows whose milk
is higher in nutrients like fat-burning conjugated linolenic acid, yielding the
sweetest, richest butter in the world.

Protein Powders
The Virgin Diet All-in-One Shakes (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). The
Virgin Diet All-in-One Shake lives up to its name. Blended with either plant-
based or grass-fed beef protein (yes, defatted beef protein from Swedish grass-
fed cows; it has a high biological value similar to egg protein, but without egg’s
potential reactivity), this premium powder contains optimal amounts of vitamins,
minerals, enzymes, probiotics, whole food complexes (antioxidants), and fiber
with no added sugar. Start every morning with The Virgin Diet All-in-One Shake
and you’ll stay full, focused, and burning fat for hours. Available in chocolate,
vanilla, or my favorite, chai.

Designs for Health (www.designsforhealth.com)

PaleoMeal DF
A great-tasting, nutrient-rich, very low-sugar pea-based protein powder. Every
serving of PaleoMeal DF combines 17 grams of pea protein isolate with 5 grams
of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and conditionally essential nutrients that help
support weight control, GI health, detoxification, immune issues, heavy metals,
and muscle gain. Casein-free, lactose-free, and glutenfree and available in
vanilla or berry flavor.

PaleoCleanse
PaleoCleanse™ is a comprehensive functional food powder ideal for
detoxification. Very low in sugar, it combines pea protein isolate with vitamins,
minerals, antioxidants, and conditionally essential nutrients to provide
comprehensive nutrient support to aid phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification. Blends
easily, in a delicious berry-vanilla flavor, with a great mouth feel.

Thorne Research (www.thorne.com)

Vegalite
VegaLite provides 24 grams of high-quality pea/rice protein in every serving to
provide the perfect alternative to more allergenic casein-, soy-, or egg-based
protein sources. In great-tasting, easy-to-blend chocolate or vanilla flavors.

MediClear SGS
A delicious chocolate-flavored plant-based protein powder. Each serving of
MediClear SGS combines 23 grams of pea/rice protein powder with vitamins,
minerals, and other nutrients as well as advanced antioxidant and phase II liver
support from sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS).

Natural Sugar Substitutes

Virgin Diet Sprinkles. Finally, a sugar substitute good for you that also tastes
good. Virgin Diet Sprinkles contain a blend of glycine, erythritol, and stevia—all
natural, beneficial sweeteners—that you can use just like sugar and mix easily
into your favorite food or beverage. Best of all, Virgin Diet Sprinkles create no
weird aftertaste, stomach upset, or other side effects like other natural sugar
alternatives. Available in plain or enhanced with cinnamon and vanilla.
 Natvia (http://www.natvia.com). A unique blend of 100% natural stevia and
erythritol, Natvia is a great-tasting sweetener that bakes and cooks just like
sugar. Natvia blends perfectly in your favorite food or beverage and makes the
perfect sweetener for people with diabetes and sugar sensitivities. Available in
canisters or perfect on-the-go stick packets.
Norbu Sweetener (http://norbusweetener.com). A 100% natural sweetener
with zero calories that’s sugar-free and non-GMO, Norbu combines the clean
sweet taste of monk fruit with erythritol. Safe for people with diabetes and sugar
sensitivities, Norbu is formulated for baking and blends well into your favorite
food or beverage. Norbu comes in a powder or convenient on-the-go tablets.
Stevia (www.stevia.com). Known as the “sweet leaf,” this no-calorie herbal
sweetener comes in packets, liquid form, and shaker bottles. Look for pure
stevia, not one of those commercial brands loaded with sugar alcohols and other
ingredients. Whole Foods 365 brand makes an organic pure stevia that I highly
recommend.
The Ultimate Sweetener Xylitol (http://theultimatelife.net/CatSweet.htm).
Xylitol still has some calories, sweetens like sugar, doesn’t raise blood sugar
levels like sugar does, and provides benefits from cavity prevention and reducing
Candida to improving bone health. Unfortunately, most xylitol these days comes
from corn, a highly reactive food that creates food intolerances. The Ultimate
Sweetener from The Ultimate Life uses 100% birch trees for their xylitol. Unlike
some other brands, The Ultimate Sweetener contains no artificial sweeteners,
sugars, potential food intolerances, or other additives. Just pure birch tree–
derived xylitol. Available from Amazon.com or at your local health food store.
Monk Fruit BioVittoria (http://www.biovittoria.com/biovittoria).
BioVittoria calls themselves “The Monk Fruit Company” for good reason. Their
Fruit-Sweetness is a 100% natural powdered concentrate made from monk fruit
(Chinese luo han guo) that’s about 150 times sweeter than sugar. Unlike sugar, it
doesn’t raise your blood sugar levels, nor does it have the nasty characteristics of
artificial sweeteners. Plus it’s all natural with zero calories, non-GMO, and fully
water-soluble.
Navitas Naturals (www.navitasnaturals.com). They aren’t kidding when
they call themselves “The Super Food Company”: Navitas Natural is a family-
owned company that provides a wide array of organic, non-GMO, nutrient-rich
raw cacao, flax, cashew, coconut, and other delicious foods. Among their “must-
trys” include raw cacao nibs and powder as well as chia seed powder.
Pete’s Paleo Bacon (http://buy.petespaleo.com/petespaleo-bacon). Bacon
lovers, rejoice! Pete’s Paleo Bacon is my absolute favorite bacon, because unlike
most commercial brands, it contains no sugar, nitrates, or nitrites. Dry cured with
salt, herbs, and spices, Pete’s cold-smokes their bacon for two days for perfect
flavor and texture. Sold in a slab by the pound so you can slice it as thick or thin
as you’d like.
Real Good Salt (http://get.realgoodsalt.com/thevirgindiet). Real Good Salt is
nutrient-rich Aztec sea salt from La Laguna de Cuyutlá (the same place where
the Aztecs got their salt over 500 years ago). Traditional salineros (salt farmers)
continue to harvest this salt using an organic, 100% renewable process
(evaporated naturally by the sun) to protect the environment and wildlife. With
your purchase, you are supporting this “small salt economy” of salineros, their
families, and their way of salt harvesting. I wouldn’t use any other salt with my
food.
Organic Divina All-Natural Kalamata Olive Spread
(www.foodmatch.com). This amazing gluten-and dairy-free spread is made with
fruity olives from the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. Every ingredient here
(there are only six) is organic. Organic Divina All-Natural Kalamata Olive
Spread is perfect for poultry dishes, as a dip, or any time you want a delicious
no-sugar-added spread. You can find it at Whole Foods Market.
Thai Kitchen (www.thaikitchen.com). Besides providing high-quality red
curry paste, organic coconut milk for cooking, and other ingredients for curries
and Thai dishes, Thai Kitchen provides clear information on their product
labeling regarding allergies and food intolerances. Unlike some brands, there’s
no guessing whether you’re getting gluten, dairy, or any other highly reactive
ingredients: it says so right on the label.

Virgin Diet Bars and Drinks

The Virgin Diet Bars (http://www.jjvirginstore.com). When you want a
healthy, delicious snack or mini-meal, reach for The Virgin Diet Bars. GMO-free
and made with fresh ingredients like organic cashew butter and chia seeds with
no fractionated oils or other preservatives, The Virgin Diet Bars provide a sweet,
satisfying, chewy, low-sugar treat. Each bar packs healthy fat, 8 grams of
protein, and 6 grams of fiber to curb hunger and cravings. Available in
Cinnamon Cashew Crunch, Dark Chocolate Cherry, and my new favorite,
Toasted Coconut Cacao.
Virgin Diet Green Balance. This unique fiber and green powder blend
provides serious nutrition in a delicious lightly stevia-sweetened orange-
cranberry flavor. Every serving of Virgin Diet Green Balance combines 5 grams
of high-quality fiber with alkalizing grass juices, the prebiotic inulin, vegetables,
fruits, and berries. The blend of natural soluble and insoluble fiber comes from
fruits, vegetables, roots, seeds, and tree extracts with added friendly bacteria and
prebiotics. Antioxidant-rich Virgin Diet Green Balance mimics whole, nutrient-
rich, high-fiber plant foods and makes an ideal way to meet your fruit and
veggies quota.
Virgin Diet Lemon-Aid . Virgin Diet Lemon-Aid is a unique lemon-flavored
powder blend that contains the craving-busting amino acid glutamine, fiber, and
the beneficial sweeteners glycine, erythritol, and stevia. No GMOs, nothing
artificial, with no aftertaste or gastrointestinal issues, Virgin Diet Lemon-Aid
blends easily in water and helps tame your sweet tooth and quench your thirst!
You can also make your own Virgin Diet Lemon-Aid:

8–12 ounces water

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 gram glutamine powder
5 grams of fiber (from either Fiber Blend or chia seeds)
Approved sweetener (xylitol, monk fruit, erythritol, pure stevia)—sweeten to taste

Whole Foods 365 brand. Far from being a generic brand, Whole Foods 365
provides high-quality, GMO-free, organic frozen fruit, teas, nonirradiated spices,
and much more, all priced to compete against grocery store brands. When I’m
not making my own, I choose 365 Organic Smooth Almond Butter, which
doesn’t have added sugar, trans fat, or other junk found in many commercial nut
butters. Also worth mentioning is Whole Foods 365 Natural Stevia Extract
Powder. You get pure stevia without the maltodextrin, dextrose, nebulous natural
flavors, and other additives in some commercial brands.

Wild Seafood
Vital Choice (www.vitalchoice.com). Buying fish can be confusing. Vital
Choice makes it easy because I know they sell only the highest-quality wild and
organic seafood. I especially love their Alaskan salmon, which—like all their
fish—is cleaned and flash-frozen within hours of harvest (the fish is delivered on
dry ice). I also encourage you to venture beyond their fabulous seafood
selection. Vital Choice sells other organic and wild foods, including nuts, berries,
teas and my favorite, dark chocolate.

BOOKS
Mira and Jayson Calton, Rich Food Poor Food: The Ultimate Grocery Purchasing System
William Davis, MD, Wheat Belly
Mark Hyman, MD, The Blood Sugar Solution
David Gillespie, Sweet Poison
Richard Johnson, MD, The Sugar Fix, The Fat Switch
Robert Lustig, MD, Fat Chance; Sugar: The Bitter Truth (Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=dBnniua6-oM)
Dr. Joseph Mercola, The No Grain Diet, Sweet Deception
Michael Moss, Sugar, Salt, Fat
Pamela Peeke, MD, The Hunger Fix: The Three-Stage Detox and Recovery Plan for Overeating and
Food Addiction
David Perlmutter, MD, Grain Brain
Gary Taubes, Why We Get Fat
JJ Virgin, The Virgin Diet; The Virgin Diet Cookbook
John Yudkin, Pure, White and Deadly

COACHING AND COMMUNITY

Virgin Diet and Sugar Impact Diet Coaches

The Virgin Diet One-on-One Coaching (www.jjvirgin.com/coaches).

Nearly everyone who excelled at something had a coach somewhere along the
way. Customize your food and nutrient plan with one of my rock star wellness
coaches, who I’ve personally trained based on my philosophy. Whatever your
needs, preferences, budget, or other restrictions, they can develop a plan that
works specifically for you to achieve and maintain your goals. They can also
provide support and troubleshoot potential issues that arise along your journey.
We offer several one-on-one packages.

Virgin Diet and Sugar Impact Diet

Online Support Community
 The Virgin Diet Community (http://jjvirgincommunity.com). Take your
commitment to a whole new level with The Virgin Diet Community, where you
can engage in community forums and get the support and accountability so
critical for your success.

Exercise Resources
4x4 Burst Training Videos JJ’s Fit Club (http://www.jjsfitclub.com). A full-
body workout in just 15 minutes, three times a week, in your own home. My 4x4
Workout combines high-intensity burst training with resistance exercise to blast
fat, jump-start metabolism, and keep you lean and sexy. Dump the expensive
gym memberships and lame excuses and get moving with my free 4x4 Workout!
X-iser (www.thevirgindiet.com/x-iser). With the X-iser, you can get a full
cardio workout in just minutes. The secret is science-based, high-intensity burst
training, which cranks up your metabolism and boosts fast fat loss. The X-iser is
affordable, portable, incredibly durable, and perfect for all fitness levels. Stop
wasting time and money and step up with the X-iser. Visit my link above to see
my demo.

Finding a Qualified Practitioner

Over the years, I’ve had the good fortune to work with many wonderful
practitioners. I’ve included the top organizations to query to find a practitioner
near you.
Age Management Medicine Group (AMMG)
(www.agemed.org/Home.aspx). I like this organization because it provides
proactive, preventive protocols to help you optimize your health, restore
endocrine balance, delay the symptoms of aging, and prevent premature
disability and death. The result is a higher quality of life, enhanced sense of
well-being, and a longer life. To find an AMMG-certified practitioner, visit
http://www.agemed.org/Supporters/ProductandServicesDirectory.aspx.
American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) (www.a4m.com).
A4M represents 24,000 of the smartest cutting-edge physicians and scientists
from 110 countries. They use advanced technology that detects, prevents, and
treats aging-related disease. And they’re always looking for ways to slow and
optimize aging. To keep up with their breakthroughs and anti-aging issues in
general, as well as find an A4M-certified practitioner, click on Directory on the
home page.
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
(www.naturopathic.org). I respect naturopathic medicine because it’s based on
the belief that the human body has an innate healing ability. Naturopathic doctors
(NDs) teach you to use diet, exercise, lifestyle changes, and cutting-edge natural
therapies to enhance your body’s ability to ward off and combat disease. NDs
craft comprehensive treatment plans that blend the best of modern medical
science and traditional natural medical approaches to both treat disease and
restore health. You can find an ND near you from the home page of this site.
American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM)
(www.acamnet.org). This nonprofit organization educates doctors and other
health care professionals on the safe and effective application of integrative
medicine. ACAM’s health care model focuses on total wellness and preventing
illness. As an ACAM member, you can connect with over 1,500 physicians in 30
countries who take an integrative approach to patient care. ACAM also
empowers you with information about integrative medicine treatment options.
You can find an ACAM practitioner directly from the home page of this site.
The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)
(www.functionalmedicine.org). IFM focuses on functional medicine as the
standard of care. Functional medicine is a patient-centered, optimal-health
approach that views each person as biochemically unique. To find a functional
medicine practitioner, visit
www.functionalmedicine.org/practitioner_search.aspx.
National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP) (www.nanp.org).
This nonprofit organization advocates on behalf of holistically trained food and
nutrition professionals. NANP members are nutrition professionals working in a
variety of settings who are recognized for their knowledge and expertise in
whole-foods nutrition and the safe, effective use of dietary supplements. NANP
members include MDs, RNs, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and natural-foods
chefs. To find a NANP practitioner, visit www.nanp.org/find-a-professional.

GlutenFree Resources
GF Harvest: www.glutenfreeoats.com
Amazon: www.amazon.com
GlutenFree.com: www.glutenfree.com
The GlutenFree Mall: www.glutenfreemall.com
GMO Information
Institute for Responsible Technology (www.responsibletechnology.org/buy-
non-gmo). Expert Jeffrey Smith’s site is loaded with great information, including
your complete guide to avoid genetically modified foods.

Kitchen Equipment
Blendtec Blenders (http://www.blendtec.com). Blendtec designs dependable,
affordable, professional-grade blenders that can tackle your toughest jobs from
shakes to soups with ease. Their Signature Series offers simple, intuitive
touchpad icons, completely sealed surface for easy cleanup, five preprogrammed
blending cycles, and a manual five-speed control with a sleek, modern design.
Available at Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond, and other fine retailers.
Food Dehydrator. A food dehydrator is your ultimate kitchen workhorse
appliance. I use mine to make jerky without the nitrates and other junk found in
commercial jerky. Natto, pemmican, and yogurt are other ideal foods to create in
a dehydrator. More than any other food, I use my dehydrator for nuts. Soaking
and drying nuts makes nutrients more available and reduces phytic acid and
other nutrient inhibitors. Plus, it makes the nuts taste way better. You can find a
good-quality hydrator, such as the Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster Express 4-Tray
Food Dehydrator, on Amazon.com for under $50.
Magic Bullet and Nutribullet (www.buythebullet.com,
www.nutribullet.com). The Magic Bullet is a portable, space-saving device that
makes a great alternative to blenders and food processors. It also travels well and
is your perfect device to whip up The Virgin Diet Shake. Honestly, I never travel
without it!
The NutriBullet is a revved-up version of the Magic Bullet. The NutriBullet
has a higher loading capacity (24 ounces versus the Magic Bullet’s 18 ounces)
and a higher-watt motor (600 watts versus the Magic Bullet’s 250 watts), making
it ideal for your toughest grinding jobs—including nut butters.
 APPENDIX 4
Lab Tests

If there’s one thing I don’t want for you on your Sugar Impact Diet journey, it’s a
struggle. Giving up sugar is hard enough—you don’t need to also battle invisible
demons that keep you hanging onto belly fat for dear life. If you have a
condition creating metabolic upheaval that contributes to weight-loss resistance,
you have to fix it to lose weight. Period. You could diet for years (you probably
have been!) and never lose a pound… at least not for very long.
So if you feel like you’ve been swimming upstream and you can’t figure out
why, here’s one of the places you may figure out why! Having your labs done,
especially for the first time, is one of the most enlightening, empowering
weapons in the fight to drop extra weight and knock back naggy symptoms.
You’ll have some serious jaw dropping moments of Wow! Now I get it!
Let these lab tests shine the light on what’s going on inside you. Once they
tell you where you are, you can use them to chart the way forward. You can
change what you can measure! Let’s make your weeks on the Sugar Impact Diet
as pain-free—and successful—as possible!

Fasting Blood Glucose

Normal range: 70–92
Ideal: around 80
Your fasting blood glucose shows how well your body utilizes sugar. High
levels can indicate insulin resistance and other factors of metabolic syndrome.

Fasting Insulin
Normal range: 3–5
Ideal: <3
Fasting insulin indicates how much insulin you have in your blood when
you’re fasting. High levels can signal that your pancreas is oversecreting insulin
to clear excess blood sugar. Like high fasting blood glucose, elevated fasting
insulin levels can help your doctor determine insulin resistance and other
hallmarks of metabolic syndrome.

Hemoglobin A1C
Normal range: 4.8–5.4%
Ideal: 5.0 or less
High: 5.5% and up
Sugar is sticky. Among other things, it clings to your red blood cells, which
have a 3-month life span. A hemoglobin A1C test measures how much sugar has
been sticking to those red blood cells in the prior 3 months, so this test becomes
a “bigger-picture” scenario of how well your body metabolizes and utilizes
sugar.

25-Hydroxy Vitamin D
Low 40 ng/ml or less
Ideal: 50-80 ng/ml
This is the most accurate test to determine how much vitamin D is in your
body. You can ask your doctor for this inexpensive blood test or get an at-home
test (https://vitamindcouncil.zrtlab.com). You can also earn more from Lab Tests
Online (labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/vitamind/tab/test).
If you fall below this range (most people do), supplement 5,000–10,000 IUs
per day (a holistic practitioner can best determine your levels) and retest a few
months later. Among its many roles in your body, vitamin D is essential for good
blood sugar metabolism and insulin regulation.

Triglycerides
Ideal: <100
Borderline high: 150–199
High: 200 and up
Triglycerides (TG) are the main type of fat in your body. A standard blood
test would typically include a TG test, since high levels signify increased risk for
heart disease. High TG levels are also a key indicator of metabolic syndrome.
Triglyceride-HDL Ratio
5 or above: problematic
3–4: good
2 or lower: optimal
High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are made up of fats and proteins. HDL
transports cholesterol in your body. Once classified as “good cholesterol,”
researchers have learned there’s actually a subtype of HDL that signifies your
risk for heart disease and other problems. In other words, it’s more complicated
than just “good” or “bad” cholesterol. According to Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a board-
certified cardiologist with an integrative approach, your triglyceride-to-HDL
ratio is a far better predictor of heart disease than cholesterol. The math is easy:
let’s say your triglycerides are 150 and your HDL is 50. You’ll have a ratio of 3
(150:50). The lower your number, the better protection you have.

Glucose and Insulin Tolerance

Normal: 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL)
Impaired glucose tolerance: 7.8–11.1 mmol/L (140–200 mg/dL)
Diabetic: above 11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL)
Demand this test! Doctors administer a glucose load and determine how well
your body utilizes that glucose. They begin with a baseline (initial) blood
measure, give you 75 grams of glucose to consume, then measure glucose and
insulin levels at 1-and 2-hour intervals. Even when fasting glucose and insulin
markers are in the normal range, you can still have early signs for insulin
resistance. The glucose and insulin tolerance test can provide an early indication
of insulin resistance and other health problems. Fasting insulin should be <5 and
then <30 IU/dL at the 1-and 2-hour mark. Fasting blood glucose should be less
than 90 to start and <120 mg/dL at the 1-and 2-hour mark.

High-Sensitivity C Reactive Protein

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, or hs-CRP, a marker for overall
inflammation, can determine your risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack,
and stroke. The American Heart Association and US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention categorize risk as follows:

Low risk: less than 1.0 mg/L

 Average risk: 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L
High risk: above 3.0 mg/L

Uric Acid
Ideal: 3.4–7.2 mg/dL (200–430 mmol/L) for men,
2.4–6.1 mg/dL (140–360 mmol/L) for women
Your body creates uric acid when it breaks down purines, found in certain
foods like peas and beer. While meat sometimes gets the blame for excessive
uric acid, fructose is a primary culprit.
Once it dissolves in your blood, most uric acid goes to your kidneys, which
excretes it in urine. If you produce excessive uric acid or your body can’t
effectively excrete it, it builds up in your blood as a condition called
hyperuricemia.
Uric acid can act as an antioxidant, but in excessive amounts it can become a
precursor for gout and other problems like cardiovascular disease, metabolic
syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Your doctor can determine if you have excess
uric acid with a blood test or a 24-hour urine sample.

Metametrix Adrenal Salivary Testing

Stress can stall metabolism, make you sick, and create weight-loss resistance.
The Adrenal Stress Plus Profile from Metametrix (www.metametrix.com/test-
menu/profiles/hormones/adrenal-stress-plus) uses a noninvasive salivary
procedure to monitor the activity of your adrenal cortex and its ability to react to
stress. An increased cortisol level, a decreased DHEA-S level, or a decrease in
the DHEA-S–cortisol ratio can indicate a chronically stressful physical or mental
condition.

Metametrix Celiac Panel

Celiac is the most extreme form of gluten intolerance. It is estimated that 30% of
the population is mildly to moderately gluten-sensitive and that gluten has some
negative antinutrients that aren’t healthy for anyone. The Celiac Test
(www.metametrix.com/test-menu/profiles/immune-function/celiac) measures
IgA-tTG, serum IgA, and IgA-AGA. When IgA-tTG and IgA-AGA are positive,
there is a high degree of certainty a person has celiac disease. When IgA-tTG is
positive with normal IgA-AGA, the person could have celiac disease but may
have been following a gluten-free diet, reducing their IgA-AGA. Individuals
with moderate to strong positives should follow up with a biopsy.

Metametrix GI Effects Profile

Poor digestion and malabsorption can lead to immune dysfunction, nutritional
insufficiencies, mental and emotional disorders, and autoimmune diseases. The
GI Effects Profile (www.metametrix.com/test-menu/profiles/gastrointestinal-
function/dna-stool-analysis-gi-effects) uses a single stool sample culture to
identify gastrointestinal disorders. It also uses microbial DNA analysis to
identify both aerobes and anaerobes. You simply place the specimen in a special
fixative tube that stops microbial growth. Your test will reveal a highly accurate
snapshot of the microbial balance in your gut. This is one of my favorite tests,
because you get so much amazing information you can act on.

Metametrix IgG Antibody Test

Do you experience delayed reactions to certain foods, like wheat and dairy? Test,
don’t guess, with Metametrix’s IgG Antibody Test (www.metametrix.com/test-
menu/profiles/immune-function/allergix-igg4-food-antibodies-90), which
measures 30 common foods for potential mild, moderate, or severe reactions. I
have clients who overcame weight-loss resistance, fatigue, bad skin, and all
kinds of other health problems using this test.

Pathway FIT
Are you unsure about the best diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices for you? A
simple saliva collection kit—just spit and mail—can provide all of your answers.
The Pathway FIT test (https://www.pathway.com/dna-reports/pathway-fit)
analyzes over 100 genetic markers based on your unique DNA so you can
understand your metabolism, your eating behaviors, your response to exercise,
and the best ways to reach and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.

Candida Albicans
Candida Albicans, or Candida, is a systemic fungal infection that feeds on sugar.
Candida makes you crave sugar and zaps energy, which only makes you want
more sugar! Many people suffering with symptoms of Candida have no idea
they’ve got it. According to some estimates, as many as 60% of women will deal
with Candida at some point in their lives (Candida mostly affects females
between 15 and 50 years old). It can develop into chronic Candidiasis, which is a
serious systemic condition, so it’s really important for you to treat it if you have
it.

CONVERTING TO METRICS

VOLUME MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS

US Metric
¼ 1.25
teaspoon milliliters
(ml)
½ 2.5 ml
teaspoon
¾ 3.75 ml
teaspoon
1 5 ml
teaspoon
1 15 ml
tablespoon
¼ 62.5 ml
cup
½ 125 ml
cup
¾ 187.5 ml
cup
1 250 ml
cup

WEIGHT CONVERSION MEASUREMENTS

US Metric
1 ounce 28.4
 grams
(g)
8 ounces 227.5
g
16 ounces 455 g
(1 pound)

COOKING TEMPERATURE CONVERSIONS

Celsius/Centigrade F = (C x
1.8) + 32
Fahrenheit C = (F–
32) x
0.5555

Zero degrees Celsius and 100°C are arbitrarily placed at the melting and
boiling points of water, while Fahrenheit establishes 0°F as the stabilized
temperature when equal amounts of ice, water, and salt are mixed. So, for
example, if you are baking at 350°F and want to know that temperature in
Celsius, the following calculation will provide it: C = (350–32) x
0.5555=176.66°C.
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Chapter 8: Cycle 1: Taper
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Chapter 10: Cycle 3: Transformed!
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Chapter 11: Low-Sugar Impact Recipes
G. Finlayson et al., “Low Fat Loss Response After Medium-Term Supervised
Exercise in Obese is Associated with Exercise-Induced Increase in Food
Reward,” Journal of Obesity (epub 2010): 615624.
Chapter 12: The Final Frontiers
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Hyperglycemia and Increases Muscle Mitochondrial Capacity in Patients with
Type 2 Diabetes,” Journal of Applied Physiology (1985) 111, no. 6 (2011):
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B.J. Rolls et al., “Salad and Satiety: Energy Density and Portion Size of a
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Appendix 2: Supportive Supplements

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C. Stough et al., “The Effect of 90 Day Administration of a High Dose
Vitamin B-Complex on Work Stress,” Human Psychopharmacology 26, no. 7
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* Ideally, choose tree nuts rather than peanuts for their superior fatty acid profile and lower allergenicity
potential)
* This is low sugar, but high in lectins that can cause leptin resistance; choose only organic fermented soy.
* If you’re not dairy-sensitive.
* 0–1 grams fructose—safe for Cycle 2.
* If you’re not intolerant.
* Low in sugar, but high in lectins that can cause leptin resistance—choose only organic fermented soy.
* Do not drink on their own—add fiber.
* If not intolerant to soy.
* Stay off in Cycle 2 unless made with low-SI sweetener.
* (Counts vary by manufacturer; look for a powder with these average proportions.) * Modify meals as
needed for intolerances.
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 CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Welcome

Dedication

Introduction: How Lowering Your Sugar Impact Can Change Your Life

PART I
SUGAR IMPACT: THE HIDDEN CAUSE OF WEIGHT GAIN
1. Break Free from the Sugar Trap

2. Track Your Impact

3. The Sugar Impact Plate

PART II
SEVEN FOODS TO SWAP
4. Be Gone, Grains, Roots, and Fruit

5. Ditch the Low-Fat and No-Fat Dairy and Diet Foods

6. So Long, Sweet Drinks and Dressings

7. See Ya, Sweeteners and Added Sugar

PART III
2 WEEKS TO FAST AND LASTING FAT LOSS
8. Cycle 1: Taper

9. Cycle 2: Transition

10. Cycle 3: Transformed!

11. Low-Sugar Impact Recipes

12. The Final Frontiers: Eating Out and Working Out

Conclusion: Sweet Freedom

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Also by JJ Virgin

Praise for JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Appendix 3

Appendix 4

References

Newsletters

Copyright
 Copyright

Neither this diet nor any other diet program should be followed without first consulting a health care
professional. If you have any special conditions requiring attention, you should consult with your health
care professional regularly regarding possible modification of the program contained in this book.

Copyright © 2014 by JJ Virgin Cover design by Elizabeth Connor

Jacket photography © Lesley Bohm
Cover copyright © 2014 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and
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than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at
permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

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ISBN 978-1-4555-7782-8

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