Addictions come in many forms.
People are addicted to all kinds of things.
Anything that gives you that feel good dopamine hit can potentially be addictive.
And sugar checks that box. What do we know about Sugar Addiction and how can you free yourself from it?
Sugar is a drug
And although you don’t have to have a prescription to get it, or meet someone in a dark alley to buy it, sugar is still a drug.
But let’s face it, sugar hits those same reward centers in our brain as drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol.
And what makes sugar so dangerous is that it is readily available.
Sugar is literally everywhere! Anyone can get it. No ID required.
Even a child can walk into a convenience store and buy a bag of sweets.
But they don’t have to because Mum and Dad have already supplied them!
Not just sweets
Sugar comes in many forms.
Yes, sweets, cakes, and snacks are obvious. But also foods you might not think of as sugar.
Pasta, bread, starchy vegetables like potatoes … these all contain sugar and have an effect on the body.
Of course, eating a potato is better than eating a biscuit, but if you’re struggling with sugar addiction, it’s important to know this.
What’s so bad about sugar?
Sugar is inflammatory, it keeps blood glucose raised sky high, and is linked to metabolic diseases and all sorts of conditions such as:
- Obesity
- Insulin resistance
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Autoimmune diseases
- Gastrointestinal conditions
- Depression
If you think you’re addicted to sugar … how can you free yourself from sugar addiction?
You have two options:
You can wean yourself off sugar using baby steps.
Or you can go “cold turkey.” Rip the bandaid off and cut the sugar out completely.
Baby steps
If you decide to wean yourself off sugar, start by cutting out the obvious things like sweets or biscuits.
Then gradually work on getting rid of the starchy foods that convert to glucose when you eat them.
A low carb diet is a good way to start because you’ll naturally be eliminating most of those starchy foods.
Weaning yourself off sugar might be easier because you will have less issues with withdrawal symptoms.
But for some people, baby steps don’t work because any sugar at all just keeps the cravings in high gear.
Cold turkey
Just go for it! Eliminate sugar once and for all and be done with it.
A ketogenic diet will cut out most sugars.
Or you can go carnivore and you’ll be consuming nearly zero sugar.
But here’s the thing: to be truly free of sugar addiction, you need to cut out not only the sugar, but the sweet taste, as well.
This means don’t do all those keto desserts with sugar alcohols, or flavoured coffees, or flavoured electrolyte mixes.
Because even just the taste of sweetness can be enough to have you reaching for sugar again.
Going cold turkey might be more challenging because you’re likely to have some initial withdrawal symptoms.
But if you can push through that first week or so, you’ll start to feel a lot better.
It’s so hard!
Nobody said it would be easy. But just because something’s hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Here’s a few more tips to help you through the hardest days.
Stay hydrated
Drink your water! You’re detoxing, you need that water.
Aim for around 64 ounces/1.8 Litres a day and after that drink to thirst.
Reach for water, unsweetened tea, or coffee when a craving hits.
Take your electrolytes
When you cut out all of that sugar, you will start losing a lot of inflammation and water weight, and with it electrolytes.
Also, sometimes a craving is really an electrolyte issue.
Make sure you stay on top of your electrolytes. Keto Electrolytes by Nutri-Align.
Change your mindset
I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard someone say, “I need something sweet after my meal.”
I’ve even said it myself.
But that’s just a story you are telling yourself.
The truth is, you don’t need it. You want it. But you don’t need it.
Also, remind yourself that you are not being deprived of anything.
You can always have the sugar if you decide to.
You are making the decision to not have it. This puts you in control.
Avoid triggers
If you know that when you watch television at night you reach for sweets, stop watching television at night.
At least till you feel a little stronger.
If you know that boredom is a trigger, find ways to keep yourself busy.
Watch out for your triggers and find ways to work around them.
Find other ways to reward yourself
So many of us grew up being given sugar as a “reward” or a comfort.
Sugar is anything but a reward.
Find other, healthier ways to reward or comfort yourself.
One note: If you have diabetes, please check in with your doctor before you make changes to your diet. Especially if you are on medications that might need to be adjusted.
You can do it!
Cutting out sugar is hard, but metabolic disease and inflammation is harder.
You are worth the effort!
Author: Roo Black
Roo is a fasting coach with over 5 years of experience. She leads the admin team of the Official Fasting for Weight Loss Facebook group – one of the largest fasting communities on social media with over 125,000 members. We highly recommend this group for anyone who is looking for fasting advice or coaching.
