Like most of us, I have consumed much more sugar than is healthy for most of my life. When I was a child I reveled in drinking a mug full of maple syrup as though it was coffee. In January, however, I began to sharply decrease my sugar intake.
There is increasing evidence that sugar has a huge negative impact on our lives. Studies suggest that sugar abuse is more harmful to society than many controlled substances. This is leading to provocative headlines such as “Is Sugar Worse For You Than Alcohol?” and a growing movement to quit sugar. Some are calling for sugar to be regulated as a toxin.
The scale of sugar’s damage can be debated, but it’s clear that it’s harmful.
I’ve been working to reduce my sugar consumption using the guidance provided by Sarah Wilson‘s I Quit Sugar ebook. It has been a helpful resource for creating new eating habits that have made cutting out sugar mostly painless. It’s a short book, but it is effective in encouraging the change and teaching techniques to avoid cravings.
I was addicted to sugar. I needed it every day. I convinced myself it was “good sugar”. But sugar is sugar. And it was making me sick, tired and bloated. I set about researching all the different ways to quit the stuff. It took a while. But in the process I found what works — for good. They’re simple techniques and they’re kind, sensible and totally make sense. In the I Quit Sugar ebook you’ll receive:
- A sharp 8-week program that walks you through each crucial stage, week by week
- A tidy, easy-to-relay-to-mates-at-the-pub explanation of how + why sugar is making us fat + sick
- A sugar replacement plan: tested + nutritionally sound
- “Sweet” sugar-free recipes
- New treat ideas
- A detox + a suggested supplements list
- A downloadable shopping list of new ingredients to replace sugar in your life
Sarah also started a weekly I Quit Sugar Reboot program through her blog that has helped a lot. I have appreciated her emphasis on treating the change as an experiment, a technique that has worked very well for me in other lifestyle changes.
Another helpful resource for me has been Scandi Foodie‘s 21-Day Sugar-free Vegan Challenge. As a vegan myself, I’m used to adapting diet and health advice to fit my choice to not consume animal products, but it is nice to have great food ideas I can use without alterations. Sarah Wilson shared 5 recipes from the challenge in “Sugar Free Eating for Vegans” and posts for the challenge’s weeks 1, 2 and 3 contain some delicious recipes.
Six weeks into quitting sugar, I have noticed some personal improvements. I find my energy level is both higher and less variable. I go through most days without a desire for caffeine or sugar and have actually cultivated an aversion to most high-sugar foods. I’m confident the lifestyle changes will stick and so far I’m very pleased with the impact this endeavor has had on my health.
