The "No Sugar" Rule

    I've received several emails and calls about the "no sugar" rule and what's legal and what's not.  So hopefully this helps a little if you have questions.  When it comes to no sugar it can be a little confusing.  Most things that we eat have sugar and it is so frustrating sometimes trying to find things that don't .  So lets talk about reading the nutrition label to decide if it is something you should eat.  When looking at the label, the first thing I look at are the ingredients.  If it has sugar listed as an ingredients my first answer would be not to eat this.  But there are many healthy options out there for snacking that do in fact contain some sugar.  This is where the 2 grams of sugar or less comes in.  So look at the actual nutrition label.  Does it have 2 grams or less?  Then it's legal.  I put an example of this in the picture below.  (not even sure what this food is, but it contains sugar as an ingredient, but has only 1 gram of sugar)    
      So the general rule of thumb is - if 1 serving of something you are considering eating contains 2 grams of sugar or less PER SERVING, then it is legal.  I'm referring to items that have SUGAR listed in the ingredients.  If the ingredients say honey or agave or an artificial sweetener such as Stevia, then it doesn't matter how many sugar grams are in it.  The 2 grams of sugar or less rule applies to foods that have SUGAR listed as an ingredient.  Think along the lines of items that are not sweet items, like pretzels, wheat crackers, whole wheat bread, salad dressings, pasta sauces, etc.   Again, this does not include sweet items.  YOU MAY NOT have a piece of chocolate as long as you are consuming 2 grams of sugar or less. Only on your free day.

    I've also had some questions about artificial sweeteners such as Stevia and items that are sugar free.  These foods are legal in the challenge.  I wouldn't recommend going crazy and eating loads of treats that are sugar free, they are still loaded with calories.   But if you're really in need of something it is legal.  My favorite thing are the Sugar Free Jell-O pudding cups and Jell-O's.  They are low in calories and a perfect treat if you're really having a craving.  

I hope that this helped to clarify some of your questions.  If in doubt there are two things- send me an email and ask or use your best judgement.  I trust that most of you have good judgement and can decide if something is healthy or not.  But again, I don't mind the questions either.  Just shoot me an email!