Sugar Elimination Diet

Whole-grain bread and brown rice are digested slowly and can be eaten in moderation, even if you're going hard-core on the sugar. You might consider eliminating ALL sweets, though, including honey and other sources for awhile.

I've found that only about 5 days off all sugar DOES leave me feeling good, and amazingly, my sweet tooth disappears! Some people say this takes them two weeks, but the transformation is remarkable. Sadly, I usually do start eating just a little sweet here or there after a month or three (my weakness is maple syrup), and there's that sweet tooth again. But I stayed totally off sugar for about 2.5 years once. It is doable.

(BTW, evaporated cane juice is basically just sugar water that hasn't been totally refined yet.)

Well, you are definitely brave. I could not do what you are doing. I would say bread is out...at least, anything that tastes good. Honey is probably okay (it's not exactly refined sugar)...but I wouldn't use nectar or cane juice. If you're going to do this, I think you should just go for it...why do it halfway?

And you can always tell yourself, it's just for lent. It's not permanent.

I haven't had caffeine in ten months for nursing my daughter, and it hasn't been hard at all because I know that someday, I will have real coffee and a real soda again. :)

instead of white bread use wheat or flour torillas. brown rice instead of white and wheat pasta. splenda has a descent taste i can tolerate it i cant he others. honey is sugar so is juices. you have to have some sugar or you will do what i did and drop to low in your blood sugar. corn and potatoes are considered sugar too.

A girl in my neighborhood in Gilbert is doing a healthy challenge if you want to join in or just look for ideas and print out the sheet tracker. http://happyhealthfulhabbits.blogspot.com/

I personally try to replace refined sugars with raw local honey, stevia, pure maple syrup, fruit or fruit juice, and sucanat (sugar cane natural, which I believe is the least refined cane sugar. It isn't stripped of the minerals). I've heard mixed reviews on agave nectar. It honestly makes me roll my eyes because last year it was considered such a healthy alternative to sugar and promoted by health experts. I eat homemade whole grain bread (I make my own, but before that I went to the Whole Grain Company just north of Sonic on the west side of Val Vista near Southern). If you're wanting this to be a long-term thing, then I wouldn't eliminate it completely because you want this to be sustainable. Any carbs you do it, try to make sure they are complex and have fiber and protein to balance. Good luck! Check out Vega protein powder (complete meal replacement found at Sprouts, SUPER good for you). The Vanilla Chai flavor is tasty!

Look up the belly fat cure

Yes, you need the carbs. But you don't need the sugars, none of them. To replace the carbs you're eliminating so you keep your energy up, try:

Baked sweet potatoes
Soaked and cooked barley
Brown/wild rice
no more than 1 slice of whole grain bread per day
A protein powder shake - they don't usually have sugar in them and completely calm a sweets craving.
Fruit

Though, I'm curious (since I am not Catholic) isn't lent about going without something because it is something that is a pleasure to you? So if you are eliminating sugar, it's really your addiction or succombing to sweets cravings that you are supposed to be battling? So if you just replace that weakness with a more healthy option, that's not really the point is it? The point is to suffer a little.

So, if you're going to do this, why not do it for the long haul...you'll be better off.

And good luck!

As an althete look into the Paleo diet. That should help you out with sugar issue and endurance.