You know what? Anyone who says they quit sugar in five easy steps is either delusional, a liar, or a delusional liar. If I had a dollar for every time I tried to ditch the sugar and relapsed, well, let’s say I’d be on my private island right now getting served a sugar-free Pina Colada by some guy named Raul.
In other words, it took me a long time to win the war against sugar, but if I can do you, you can too.
Before I get all up in the facts about why you seriously need to break up with sugar, I’d like to tell you a little story. Once upon a time, there was a woman named Heather.
One morning, she woke up to discover she was a stay-at-home mom with three kids who was enduring a bad marriage and felt epically depressed and unrecognizable in the mirror. To compensate, she ate her feelings – and based on the 170 pounds she had gained – she had a lot of feelings.
Because Heather had no energy and zero self-esteem, she almost continued to eat herself into oblivion. Still, because she prayed for the strength to change and believed in herself (because no one else did), she began taking small steps toward rebuilding her body and life.
Now Heather is healthier than ever, has more energy than all three of her kids combined, and her skin has never looked better. Oh, and she lost the weight, too—all 148 pounds.
And yes, in case you’re wondering, I am writing about myself in the third person, like Bob Doyle.
Hello, I’m Heather, and that is a true story. I wrote a book about it.
I did quit sugar, but I did not do it in one day or even one month, but I did do it.
Now, whether you call it a sugar detox or kicking sugar to the curb, quitting can be challenging but not impossible. You can do anything in life with a little motivation and a plan – including telling sugar buy-bye.
Small steps towards any goal equal a significant impact over time.
We are going to quit sugar slowly. I’m not a big fan of quitting cold turkey. I like my turkey warm, thankyouverymuch.
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Some days are going to be easier than others.
On the hard days, on the days you want to say, “Screw it! Give me that cookie or piece of pie,” you have to remember your why – the reason you want to quit sugar, whether its to lose weight, gain confidence, live longer, or clear up your complexion.
Know your why so you can be strong in moments of weakness.
Remind yourself that you aren’t depriving yourself for the fun of it or because that Rebel Keto chick said this is what it takes.
Otherwise, you risk forfeiting all of your hard work for one moment.
Chronic Illness Associated with Sugar Consumption
In case you’re looking for a bit of motivation to quit sugar, take a look at all of the chronic illnesses associated with sugar consumption.
- Heart Disease
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Insulin Resistance
- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Tooth Decay
More Sugar Side Effects
But wait, there’s more! In addition to disease and tooth decay, sugar impacts your skin, mood, immune system, and energy levels.
- Premature Aging & Rapid Aging
- Weakened Immune System
- Sexual Health
- Hyperactivity
- Anxiety
- Trouble Focusing
I live in Mississippi, otherwise known as the Type 2 diabetes capital of the world. We have the second-highest adult obesity rate in the nation. When people say I have “a little sugar problem,” they mean Type 2 diabetes.
It’s more than a little problem. It’s an epidemic.
Quitting Sugar
Everybody has their moments. Quitting sugar is not easy, but it is worth it. Here are a few tips that I used to help me beat a lifelong sugar addiction that included not one, not two, but four candy bars a night. If I did it, you can too.
Eat regularly to prevent extreme cravings later in the day.
If you don’t eat regularly, your body’s blood sugar levels will drop. You’ll feel exhausted and hangry—yes, hangry—it’s when extreme hunger meets anger and frustration and almost always ends with bad choices.
Do not starve yourself.
Cut out processed and packaged foods.
Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store. That’s where all of the healthy foods are.
The canned, boxed, and bagged foods are all in the center of the store, and they are all loaded with sugars and preservatives to increase both their shelf life and flavor—especially if they’re low fat.
Add healthy fats and protein to every meal and snack to keep you full. Think nut butter, avocados, smoothies, and chia pudding.
Eat eggs for breakfast, snack on almonds, and eat lots of green veggies and protein for dinner.
Get moving. Exercising will boost your endorphins and mood, making it less likely that you will need to rely on the sugar boost (exercise will also help you make healthier choices.)
Get rid of temptation. Stop sleeping with the enemy, Julia Roberts.
Flex your new food detective skills and eliminate all the sugar-laden foods and snacks in your house.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Are you eating because of hunger or emotion? Are you eating because you’re bored, or has midnight chocolate been part of your routine for so long that you operate on autopilot every night and grab a Reeses?
Ok, you need to stop that, but now we know to be prepared. Self-awareness here is everything.
For Cravings
If you struggle with cravings, never fear. I’ve got strategies to help you blast those, too.
Find distractions. Cravings typically last 10-20 minutes, and you can use the art of distraction to help you beat them.
Go for a walk, go outside, and appreciate nature if you don’t live in Seattle. Do yoga, write in your journal, or practice positive affirmations. The more you get into this habit, the easier it will be to get over the cravings.
Take L-Glutamine, 1000-2000mg, every couple of hours as necessary. It often relieves sugar cravings (the brain uses it for fuel.)
Hydrate! It’s easy to mistake dehydration for hunger, so when you feel a craving, reach for a bottle of water and drink it. Sometimes, this is all it takes.
If you HAVE to have something sweet, go for dark chocolate or a bowl of blueberries and strawberries.
Slowly but surely, I promise your body will prefer this over that pecan pie.
When You Take A Sugar Detour
Let’s be honest; at some point, you will cave and take a deep dive into a bowl of ice cream. It happens to the best of us.
So when that fateful day comes, instead of beating yourself up about failing or feeling guilty about eating “forbidden” foods and saying, “You know what? Since I ate a cupcake, I may as well go big or go home and chase it with a dozen more,” here’s what I want you to do.
First, do not beat yourself up.
If I find out you have smack-talked yourself even once, I will hunt you down and recite at least 100 positive affirmations Stuart Smiley style.
This will embarrass us both, so please don’t test me.
Write a note to yourself about how much sugar you ate and what prompted you to eat it:
Was it emotional?
Stress?
A craving?
Were you at a family Christmas party, and Aunt Linda made you do it?
Be honest with yourself here.
Then, pay attention to how your body feels mentally and physically for the next few days.
How’s your mood?
Are you more anxious and irritable?
Can you focus?
What about your skin?
Did you break out?
Are you bloated?
Do you have explosive diarrhea?
Noticing and recording your physical symptoms related to your sugar detour will prevent you from making future poor decisions.
In other words, once you figure out that every time you eat sugar, your face breaks out and your stomach blows up like a balloon, you’ll be more likely to say no the next time a sugar temptation or Aunt Linda comes calling.
And you’ll be one more step closer to breaking the sugar habit and getting control of your body.
Alright, so it’s check in time. How are you feeling about quitting sugar? Do you think you’re ready, or do you need more information?
Either way, I’ll be here if you need help. In the meantime, check out these articles while you’re here, and thanks so much for reading. And don’t forget to check out my book, Rebel Keto!
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