The Foolproof Guide on How to Start — And Successfully Complete — a 3-Week Sugar Detox

Before You Begin

In three weeks, you will have a new relationship with sugar. A relationship that is calm, free and easy. You’ll be able to make food choices based on intuition and real hunger instead of letting sugar control your options. You don’t need to avoid sugar forever, only for 21 days. That’s enough time to break the habit and reset your body. First, there’s the week of preparation, when you’ll reduce your intake of sugar and clear out all sugar from your kitchen. The following weeks are Detox Week, Nutrition Week and Final Week. There’s a menu for each week, adapted for the stage you’re currently in and covering all the items you’ll need. This is not a restrictive diet; it is, however, a time devoted to respect. Are you ready to fortify your body? To give up your sugar habit? To find the motivation and to quiet the negative inner chatter that doesn’t believe you can do this? Of course, you can create a healthy relationship with sugar! Don’t listen to the silliness in your head. After all, you’re reading this guide, aren’t you? You are ready. You’ll make it. Ditch that can of soda sitting on your desk right now and pour yourself a mug of warm lemon water. It’s sugar detox time!

Getting Into Planning

How many times have you come home exhausted after a long day at work, only to throw together a boring, quick-fix dinner? Perhaps you poured yourself a bowl of cereal and milk or picked at your kids’ sausage and pasta dinner? Well, we’re changing all that. Planning is the key to a successful sugar detox: You must prepare ahead for each week. The menu is already set, but you’ll need to shop for groceries so everything is in place when you stumble through the door after work. Most of this guide’s dinners can be made in less than 30 minutes, some even less! Breakfast recipes require five to 10 minutes; lunch is a snap since it’s made up of leftovers from dinner the night before. You only need to cook one meal per day. If you still have leftovers, you can store them in the freezer. The program’s recipes are suitable for everybody; the ingredients were selected to agree with most people. This is not a diet — you don’t have to prepare separate meals for the rest of your family.

Week 1: Detox Week

Here is where you begin the program proper. How do you feel? Do you feel strong, charged up and excited? Just let go of any anxiety — you’re going to do a great job! Believe it: It’s easier than you think. Remind yourself that in the next three weeks, you will be ending your dependency on sugar and doing all sorts of good stuff for your health! This is called detox week because it’s now out with the old. You are concentrating on letting go of old habits regarding sugar as well as negative feelings. You’re going to clean out your body to make room for optimal health, balance and a natural way of living. The food is vegetarian, gluten-free and packed with nutrient-rich vegetables, satisfying protein and good fats.

Meal Plan
Monday
Breakfast: Protein muesli with creamy yogurt
Lunch: Vegetarian nori rolls with tamari sauce
Dinner: Gluten-free cauliflower pizza

Tuesday
Breakfast: Green herbed omelet
Lunch: Gluten-free cauliflower pizza
Snack: Roasted rosemary almonds
Dinner: Butternut squash soup with roasted squash seeds

Wednesday
Breakfast: Lovely green smoothie
Lunch: Butternut squash soup with roasted squash seeds
Snack: Edamame dip with vegetable sticks
Dinner: Quinoa pancakes with green bean “fries”

Thursday
Breakfast: Power loaf with avocado
Lunch: Quinoa pancakes with green bean “fries”
Snack: Juicy green booster
Dinner: Mediterranean plate

Friday
Breakfast: Protein muesli with creamy yogurt
Lunch: Mediterranean plate
Snack: Coconut chia seed pudding
Dinner: Lettuce tacos and cauliflower rice with chili & guacamole

Saturday
Breakfast: Coconut pancakes with ricotta topping
Lunch: Lettuce tacos and cauliflower rice with chili & guacamole
Snack: Roasted rosemary almonds
Dinner: Baked sweet potato with ginger stuffing

Sunday
Breakfast: Protein muesli with creamy yogurt
Lunch: Baked sweet potato with ginger stuffing
Snack: Coconut chia seed pudding
Dinner: Colorful quinoa bowl

Week 2: Nutrition Week

Your body is now in full detox mode. How do you feel? Now you can start focusing on everything that you are allowed to eat. This part of the program is called nutrition week because you’re loading up on nutrient-packed meals that give a boost to your body. Don’t get tempted by soda at work; instead, quell your bad-for-you sugar cravings with wholesome and nutritious alternatives. Keep going! You’ve already gone through a whole week without sugar. Congratulations — you should be proud of yourself! Imagine telling someone that you’ve made it through the entire sugar detox program. Keep at it, Sugar Detox Guru!

Meal Plan
Monday
Breakfast: Lovely green smoothie
Lunch: Colorful quinoa bowl
Snack: Coconut chia seed pudding
Dinner: Root vegetable hash with spinach

Tuesday
Breakfast: Power loaf with avocado
Lunch: Root vegetable hash with spinach
Snack: Avocado with poppy seeds and lemon
Dinner: Brussels sprout salad with Parmesan cheese and garlicky mushrooms

Wednesday: Breakfast Green herb omelet
Lunch: Brussels sprout salad with Parmesan cheese and garlicky mushrooms
Snack: Edamame dip with vegetable sticks
Dinner: Spicy oven roasted eggplant

Thursday
Breakfast: Lovely green smoothie
Lunch: Spicy oven roasted eggplant
Snack: Roasted rosemary almonds
Dinner: Chickpea salad with basil pesto

Friday: Breakfast Protein muesli with creamy yogurt
Lunch: Chickpea salad with basil pesto
Snack: Juicy green booster
Dinner: Warm lentil salad with roasted vegetables and feta cheese

Saturday:
Breakfast Green herb omelet
Lunch: Warm lentil salad with roasted vegetables and feta cheese
Snack: Avocado with poppy seeds and lemon
Dinner: Spicy red Thai curry

Sunday:
Breakfast Coconut pancakes with ricotta topping
Lunch: Spicy red Thai curry
Snack: Coconut chia seed pudding
Dinner: Artichoke with herbed ghee

Week 3: Final Week

You’re entering the last week — the homestretch! Do you feel any different? You have detoxed from sugar for two weeks now, and your body should be thanking you. This week you can add in a whole new breakfast recipe. You can also begin to think about how you want to eat once the program is over. Once you’ve detoxed from sugar, you may not feel the need to reintroduce it to your diet, for example. Or you may want to relax your diet slightly. Meanwhile, this is the final week. Imagine the feeling of not having had any sugar for three weeks: You want to reach that goal. This is it! Make way for healthier, more nutritious and energy-packed food!

Monday
Breakfast: Lovely green smoothie
Lunch: Artichoke with herbed ghee
Snack: Avocado with poppy seeds and lemon
Dinner: Spicy ovenroasted eggplant

Tuesday
Breakfast: Protein muesli with creamy yogurt
Lunch: Spicy ovenroasted eggplant
Snack: Coconut chia seed pudding
Dinner: Vegetarian nori rolls with tamari sauce

Wednesday
Breakfast: Green herb omelet
Lunch: Vegetarian nori rolls with tamari sauce
Snack: Roasted rosemary almonds
Dinner: Butternut squash soup with roasted squash seeds

Thursday
Breakfast: Power loaf with avocado
Lunch: Butternut squash soup with roasted squash seeds
Snack: Edamame dip with vegetable sticks
Dinner: Savory corn frittata

Friday
Breakfast: Lovely green smoothie
Lunch: Savory corn frittata
Snack: Juicy green booster
Dinner: Mediterranean plate

Saturday
Breakfast: Healthy scrambled eggs
Lunch: Mediterranean plate
Snack: Roasted rosemary almonds
Dinner: Gluten-free cauliflower pizza

Sunday
Breakfast: Coconut pancakes with ricotta topping
Lunch: Gluten-free cauliflower pizza
Snack: Juicy green booster
Dinner: Warm lentil salad with roasted vegetables and feta cheese