A few weeks ago, I decided to embark on a challenge: Following an EatingWell meal plan for a week. I’m not much of a meal planner or prepper, but I aspire to be, and I liked the idea of following a curated menu. And I can honestly say I was surprised at some of the changes I experienced as far as my cravings and relationship with food in just that one week.

With spring allergies, various food sensitivities and affinity for added sugar, a 7-Day No-Sugar, Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan seemed like just the thing. Over the course of a week, my husband and I tried new recipes and filled our fridge and bodies with healthy foods. The recipes were delicious and the portions were generous. Here are the biggest things that happened when I followed an EatingWell meal plan.

I Experienced Sugar Withdrawal…Then Stopped Craving It Entirely

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a sweet tooth, and a pretty big one at that. I look forward to having a bite of something sweet after a meal, and not just after dinner. Decreasing my added sugar intake has been a personal goal for a long time, but as an emotional eater who keeps sugary foods stocked in their house, I hadn’t made any real progress until my week following the meal plan.

True to its name, the no-sugar, anti-inflammatory meal plan does not include foods containing added sugars. The only sugars I consumed that week were naturally occurring; found in fruits, vegetables and unsweetened dairy. Instead of chocolate bars and cookies, I ate blueberries and kefir, beets, pears and sliced oranges. It was definitely a huge shift for me.

I noticed the change to my diet almost immediately, with some pretty intense headaches and brain fog on the first two days. Despite these challenges, I didn’t deviate from the meal plan. I continued to prepare and enjoy all the meals and snacks, but definitely felt a bit out of it at first. It wasn’t a fun feeling, but by day three of following the plan, I felt much better. And even more surprisingly, I find myself wanting a sugary bite after every meal less often now. 

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy my sugar-sweetened desserts. But now I do it more mindfully, paying attention to the texture and flavor, and savoring every bite.

I Had More Energy, Despite Spending More Time Preparing Food

I won’t sugarcoat it (ha!) The recipes in this meal plan are pretty involved, with some having lengthy ingredient lists and several steps to prepare. But since I like cooking, work from home and had help from my husband with preparing the meals, it was manageable. In fact, some of the recipes that I initially balked at due to their long ingredient lists have made it into my regular rotation of meals, snacks and sides. 

Not only are these recipes delicious, but they’re also packed with anti-inflammatory foods like dark leafy greens, legumes and nuts. Foods like spinach, kale, chickpeas and nuts deliver nutrients that helped me feel my best during that week.

Despite spending more time shopping for ingredients, cooking and washing dishes, I found that I had more energy during the week I followed the meal plan. I felt more rested when it was time to get up in the morning, and didn’t fall asleep on the couch after dinner—a common ritual that I had normalized. This seems a little obvious, especially now that I reflect on it, but I’m still amazed at how much of a difference a week made and how much better I felt with some tweaks to my diet.

I Thought About Food Less

I’m the type of person who thinks about their next meal while they’re currently eating one. I love food, write about food and edit food articles for a living, so it’s on my mind a lot. But that wasn’t the case during the week I followed the meal plan. Not only was I more satisfied after meals, but I didn’t have any cravings or feel the need to mindlessly snack. And though it was a busy and moderately stressful week for me, I wasn’t inclined to unwind with a glass of wine or a sweet bite. My relationship with food is complicated, and I’m still working on it, but I definitely felt a lot less anxiety about food and eating while following the meal plan. And with a meal and snack plan in place and my fridge and pantry stocked with all the necessary ingredients, it was a lot easier to adhere to a specific eating pattern.

The Bottom Line

Not to be dramatic, but this meal plan changed my life. Though I didn’t make every single recipe, filling my fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables and taking a break from added sugar made a difference in so many aspects of my life in just one short week. I’m less interested in foods packed with added sugar, have more energy and overall less obsessive about food. It’s been a few weeks since I followed this meal plan, yet recipes like the Chickpea & Potato Hash, Feta, Kale & Pear Salad and Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls have made it into my weekly rotation.