Taking a break from sugar? Don't panic

I have options for you.  But first, let's state the obvious: where the F have I been?  It's been two months and no posts.  Well the holidays hit and then a death in my family and then work and traveling and honestly, I struggled to get back on the horse.  Getting back to the real world can totally suck.  It's tough!  But eventually we all have to do it.  

So, getting back on the horse.  I have been planning this post since Christmas and intended to write it in January but I think post-Valentine's Day works too.  If you're anything like me everyone you feel like a stuffed pig after the holidays and eating sugar/carbs/fat is the last thing you want to do.  So what do we do?  We give up those indulgences for awhile in order to get back to normalcy and de-puff.  And actually it's needed, because one of the best things about eating candy is the buildup to enjoying it.  The planning, the selecting, the looking forward to, the excitement.  Kind of like vacation.  And you can't be excited about anything when you feel like a puffy pig.

So giving up sugar.  Don't panic, it can be done.  You just need to find adequate substitutions for yourself.  That's where this post comes in, I'm sharing with you one of my absolute favorite non-candy, no-sugar, sweet treats.  The "That's it." fruit bar. 

the cherry "That's it." bar

Why do I love this fruit bar?  Well first, there is no sugar in it.  There is literally 1 apple and 10 cherries in this bar.  Second it's DELICIOUS.  Each bar has 1 apple in it so the flavor is determined by the other fruit.  The cherry flavor is my favorite as it uses really sweet, red cherries and even tastes better than some cherry flavored candies (seriously).  Finally, this bar has a nice, chewy, almost meaty texture which makes you feel like you're really biting into something rather than tolerating a substitute.

My second favorite flavor is strawberry (or mango!) but it's hard to pick since these bars come in a range of flavors including pear, blueberry, apricot, coconut, banana, and pineapple.  They sell the mango and blueberry bars at Starbucks and several flavors at Whole Foods however, both retailers charge full price.  You might find a local grocery store that sells them cheaper (my Fairway runs a 2 for $3 sale sometimes) or you can buy them online.  Here's what you're looking for in the store:

And there's my favorite candy substitute.  I hope this post helps you during your next no-sugar phase or even during the week if you're pausing your sugar intake to build excitement for a candy-filled weekend.  Make things easier on yourself, check out That's it. fruit bars and let me know your favorite flavor.

Happy Questing!

Keenan