Since January 2020, superstar Jennifer Lopez’s 10-day no sugar, no carb challenge has been turning heads.
Many people have looked to this diet as a way to reset their bodies and jump start their fitness.
If you’ve thought about doing JLo’s 10-day challenge and want to learn more, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve broken down everything you need to know about this diet and provided expert tips to help you succeed and stay healthy in this informational article.
What is JLo’s 10-Day Challenge?
Jennifer Lopez’s 10-day challenge, or the no carb, no sugar diet, gained media attention in late January 2020 with a post on the superstar’s Instagram.
In her post, JLo invited her 85 million followers and other celebrities like her boyfriend Alex Rodriguez to take part in the challenge with her.
The challenge itself consists of eating limited (if any) carbs and no sugar.
JLo reportedly took it one step further and cut out some fruits, and condiments with added sugar, alcohol, and dairy.
When the challenge ended 10 days later, the superstar celebrated her completion in an Instagram story and said she would do it all over again after a five-day break, inviting more people to join her.
What are the Benefits of a No Carb, No Sugar Diet?
In this section, we examine the health benefits of cutting back on carbs and sugar and how you can go about doing it.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average American eats up to 170 pounds of sugar a year.
Research links excess sugar consumption to all kinds of health issues, including obesity and heart disease.
Starchy carbs like white bread and pasta are really sugar in disguise: your body breaks them down quickly into glucose.
Doing a challenge to cut back on carbs and sugar can reset the palate and help establish a healthy, low-sugar lifestyle in the long term.
Positive effects can include weight loss, improved levels of triglycerides in the blood, reduced cravings, and increased energy.
JLo’s 10-day challenge is similar to the hekagoodfoods 30-Day Sugar Reset but more restrictive on carbohydrates and alcohol.
You can take part in her no carb, no sugar diet by eating mostly leafy green vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
What Should You Eat During the JLo 10-Day Challenge?
Are you ready to try the no carb, no sugar diet? In this section, the hekagoodfoods experts have listed what to eat and what to avoid during your 10-day challenge.
Knowing what you can eat will help set you up for success as you take on JLo’s 10-day challenge. Below is a list of items to stock in your kitchen and have on hand:
Foods to Eat On a No Carbs, No Sugar Diet
- Non-starchy vegetables (including kale, spinach, celery, broccoli, lettuce, cucumbers, cauliflower, bell peppers, and zucchini)
- Unsweetened teas and seltzers
- Spices and seasonings
- Nuts and sugar-free nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, and soy butter) and seeds
- Meat and poultry (beef, pork, chicken, and turkey)
- Eggs
- Seafood
- Avocado
- Olive oil
- Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries
Not sure how to incorporate this diet into your lifestyle? Our hekagoodfoods experts have put together some examples in the table below.
Foods to Avoid On a No Carbs, No Sugar Diet
- Starchy vegetables—this includes potatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and winter squash
- Candy
- Baked goods—bread, crackers, cakes, cookies, etc.
- Most fruits
- Grains (such as wheat, corn, and rice), beans (such as black, kidney, and pinto), and legumes (such as chickpeas and lentils)
- Condiments with sugar, such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, and teriyaki sauce
- Sweeteners (even artificial sweeteners)
- Dairy
- Soda
- Alcohol
Sample Meal Plan
If you’re looking for a no sugar no carb meal plan, this is a free one :
Breakfast
- Sliced avocado and tomato
- Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, and spinach
- Turkey bacon
Lunch
- Grilled chicken or grilled salmon with a salad that includes lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds and walnuts or sliced almonds with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
- A bowl of chicken-vegetable soup
- Turkey or chicken wrapped in lettuce with a side of grilled or raw vegetables such as snap peas, bell peppers, and mushrooms
Dinner
- Grilled salmon with roasted cauliflower and broccoli
- Baked fish or chicken with green beans and kale chips
- Roasted turkey with a salad topped with walnuts
- Grilled shrimp or steak with a grilled vegetable medley
Snacks
- Sunflower seeds
- Raw or roasted walnuts, cashews, or almonds
- Celery sticks with peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower butter (without added sugar)
- Sliced avocado with seasonings of your choice
- Carrots and celery with salsa or guacamole
Now you know what you can eat during the challenge, let’s take a look at items to leave off of your grocery list.
Tips to Help You Crush JLo’s 10-Day Challenge
As with any diet, JLo’s 10-day challenge can be just that — challenging. We’ve provided expert tips in this section to help you stay focused and meet your 10-day goal successfully.
1. Curb Sugar Cravings
When you first cut sugar out of your diet, you can experience strong cravings from withdrawal.
A great way to combat those cravings is with Sweet Defeat mint lozenges.
Our plant-based lozenges contain mint, zinc and a special ingredient called Gymnema Sylvestre.
This herb blocks the sugar taste receptors on your tongue to suppress sweet taste.
Whenever you have a sugar craving, simply let one of the lozenges dissolve on your tongue.
When you take a bite of whatever sugary substance you wish to eat, you’ll no longer taste the sweetness you’re craving.
Sweet Defeat helps sugary foods lose their appeal so you stay on track during JLo’s 10-day challenge.
2. Read Nutrition Labels
Nutrition labels are definitely your friend when you’re on the no carb, no sugar diet.
Think you know what foods do and don’t have sugar?
You might be surprised. The following ingredients listed on nutrition labels are alternative names for sugar:
- Corn syrup
- Cane sugar
- Fruit juice
- Juice concentrates
3. “Natural” Doesn’t Mean “Sugar-Free”
Just because a food item is natural, doesn’t mean that it’s sugar-free.
For instance, although honey is natural, one tablespoon of honey contains 17 grams of sugar.
Fruit is another natural type of food to look out for during the challenge.
Many fruits like pineapples, bananas and mangoes are very high in sugar and should be avoided during your cleanse.
On the other hand, berries like strawberries and blackberries are low in sugar and are allowed during JLo’s 10-day challenge.
It’s important to be aware of natural food that contains high amounts of sugar.
This can help you limit your sugar consumption not only during the challenge but also after you finish it.
4. Be Cautious and Responsible
As with any diet, it’s important to check with your doctor before starting this challenge – especially if you have any current medical conditions.
Also, keep in mind the 10-day no carb, no sugar diet is meant to be done only in the short term.
While this challenge isn’t sustainable, it can be a good way to “reset” your diet, help you to lose weight and encourage other healthy habits like exercise.
