Woman shows off insane facial transformation after quitting sugar and drinking for year and a half

A year and a half ago, Ash Meredith decided to completely overhaul her diet by cutting out alcohol and refined sugar – and the results are visible in her face.

After boozing throughout her teens and twenties, the health and fitness creator noticed that drinking alcohol often collided with eating more processed foods.

"I was always very disciplined with my diet during the week, but I found [that] when I drank I would end up binge eating," Meredith explained to LADbible.

"I would be craving processed foods and sugars that really fuelled a bit of a cycle for me."

After noticing the pattern, the content creator decided it was time to cut out both alcohol and refined sugars - which includes items like sodas, cakes and sweets - a change which she is now able to notice in her face.

She documented the change in a recent Instagram post, which you can check out below:

In the comparison images, the content creator's face appears noticeably less puffy and more defined, a change which isn't due to angles and good lighting.

According to Healthline, alcohol can cause puffiness in the face, which is the result of your body being dehydrated and blood vessels becoming swollen – a reaction which happens all over the body, not just in the face.

Meanwhile, chomping on sweets and biscuits leads to a rapid spike in blood sugar, triggering similar symptoms to those exhibited by drinking alcohol.

However, cutting out refined sugar doesn't mean eating a bland diet, with Meredith noting that she still enjoys fruit, uses maple syrup in her cooking and will occasionally eat processed sugar on certain occasions, such as her birthday.

"I just feel like processed sugar was very, very addictive for me," she added. "I just feel so much better for cutting it out."

While Meredith is still able to enjoy an occasional sugary treat, she took a much more stringent approach to cutting out alcohol, deciding it would be easier to give up the drink for good rather than taking an extended break.

"I had tried to quit a few times, when I'd quit [alcohol] for six months or 30 days," she explained. "I think holding onto that thought pattern kept me feeling like I really wanted it. Whereas when you rewire your brain and realise that you're not actually gaining anything from it, it's much easier to give up."

"Figure out what it is you're actually wanting."

Thinking about cutting out alcohol and processed sugars but not sure where to start?

Meredith recommends working out what you're 'actually wanting' in that moment.

"It's often just masking an underlying need that we have," she said, suggesting that a sugar craving can often be down to feeling tired or lacking sleep.

"Once you realise that, it becomes a lot easier to actually figure out what it is you need and replace it with something that's actually going to meet that need rather than putting a band-aid over it."