Evict Added Sugar From Your Diet

If you want to optimize the results that our programming is designed to give you, you have to fuel your engine with high quality food. And one of the biggest culprits holding back your PRs, your recovery, and your body composition is Added Sugar.

It’s not just the white stuff in the bowl. It’s the "Stealth Sugar" hidden in your "healthy" yogurt, your pasta sauce, and your post-workout protein bars. Here is everything you need to know about identifying, eliminating, and winning the war against sugar.

What Actually Counts as "Added" Sugar?

There is a massive biological difference between the sugar in an apple and the sugar in a Gatorade.

• Natural Sugars: Found in fruit (fructose) and dairy (lactose). These come packaged with fiber, water, and micronutrients that slow down digestion and prevent insulin spikes.

  
  

• Added Sugars: These are sugars and syrups added to foods during processing. They provide "empty" calories and an immediate, aggressive insulin response.

  
  

The "Alias" List: 60+ Names for the Same Enemy

Food scientists know that consumers are getting smarter, so they hide sugar under names that sound "natural" or "scientific." If you see these in the first three ingredients of a label at the Oakland ShopRite or Wayne Whole Foods, put it back:

• The "Ose" Family: Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Lactose, Maltose, Sucrose.

• The "Syrups": High Fructose Corn Syrup, Rice Syrup, Malt Syrup, Sorghum Syrup.

• The "Healthy" Sounding Traps: Agave Nectar, Evaporated Cane Juice, Fruit Juice Concentrate, Coconut Sugar, Barley Malt.

  
  

The Benefits: What Happens When You Cut the Anchor?

Think of added sugar as a physical anchor tied to your performance. When you cut that line, your body undergoes a radical shift.

1. The End of the "Mid-WOD Bonk"

When you eat added sugar, your blood glucose spikes and then crashes. If that crash happens 10 minutes into a 20-minute AMRAP, you’re done. You’ll feel "heavy," lightheaded, and weak.

• The Benefit: By eliminating added sugar, your body becomes better at burning fat for fuel and maintaining steady blood sugar. You’ll find a "second wind" you didn't know you had.

  
  

2. Joint Health and Inflammation

Sugar is highly inflammatory. If your knees ache or your shoulders feel "crusty" during overhead squats, your diet might be to blame.

• The Benefit: Many people report that their systemic soreness drops significantly within a few weeks of cutting back on sugar. Will it cure every one of your aches and pains? Probably not, but it should help. You will also likely experience less water retention and bloating, another added benefit.

  
  

3. Metabolic Power and Body Composition

Sugar triggers insulin, the body’s primary fat-storage hormone. As long as insulin is high, your body physically cannot access its own fat stores for energy.

• The Benefit: Added sugar is an easy place to look if you want to cut calories. When we overeat, it tends to be processed food items with added sugar. Cutting those out will naturally lower the calories that you consume. On top of that, keeping sugar consumption relatively low will keep your insulin levels stable and keep you out of fat storage mode.

  
  

Strategies for the Clean Sweep

We don't expect you to change your life overnight. Use these "High-Truth" strategies to reclaim your metabolism:

The "Top Three" Rule

Forget doing math at the grocery store. Simply look at the ingredient list. If any form of sugar (refer to the alias list above) appears in the first three ingredients, put the item back. Ingredients are listed by weight, so if sugar is in the top three, that product is primarily fueled by sugar. It’s a dessert, not a meal.

The "Whole Food" Swap

When the cravings hit (usually around 3:00 PM), don't reach for a "protein" bar. Reach for:

• Berries and Greek Yogurt: The fiber in the berries and the protein in the yogurt blunt the insulin response.

  
  

• Fuji Apples and Almond Butter: You get the crunch and the sweetness with healthy fats to keep you full.

  
  

Clean Your Environment

If it’s in your pantry, you will eventually eat it. Do a "pantry purge." If you wouldn't feed it to an elite athlete, why are you feeding it to yourself? Replace the processed snacks with single-ingredient foods from the perimeter of the grocery store. Does one bowl of cereal lead to three more bowls of cereal? Yes? Then don't bring it in the house.

Use the "Abwhisperer" Cheat Code

One of the easiest ways to fail is to be hungry with no plan. This is why we have Abwhisperer meals delivered to the box in Oakland. Every meal is prepared without added sugars or inflammatory oils. It’s the easiest way to ensure your dinner supports your workout rather than sabotaging it.

The 201 Challenge

Long term is it realistic to expect that you'll fully abstain from all added sugar? Maybe for some people. But for most of us, we can learn to indulge in a small amount of added sugar for special occasions (birthdays, a weekly dessert, etc.) once we break the addiction.

How can we break that addiction? Commit to 7 days of zero added sugar. No flavored coffee creamers, no "healthy" cereal, no soda. Just high-quality protein, vegetables, and complex carbs. In the beginning this will be VERY difficult. But as the days go on you will feel the cravings diminish to almost nothing.

You’ll start noticing the difference very quickly. Your energy will be stable, your joints will feel smoother, and the results of your hard work in the gym will really start to pop in the mirror.

Stop fueling your engine the right way. Let’s get to work.