Over a year ago, I decided to cut out sugar. Just for a week, I thought back then. I made that decision because I was bored and the experiment seemed like a good idea. It was! Here I am, happier and healthier than I’ve ever been before. That first week, though, was a bit different. If you want to go sugar-free yourself, here are a few things you might want to know first.
Not a big deal… right?
I had heard that people experienced side effects when they stopped eating sugar but I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal. Before I made my decision, I had been eating a piece of cake, a muffin or biscuits every single day. So, yes, I expected some resistance. But nothing close to what happened next.
The first day was fine-ish. I got a bit grumpy because I missed my afternoon slice of cake. Nothing to worry about though. It was just a week. 7 days. I could do anything for seven days! Right?
Withdrawal symptoms
On the second day, the withdrawal symptoms started. My hands shook and I had intense headaches. Grumpiness turned into anger.
I was self-employed at the time and did not have much contact with other people, which was lucky. I had also been practising self-awareness, so I noticed my anger and dealt with it without taking it out on anyone.
On the third day, I felt even worse. To be honest, I was very surprised about how bad I felt. I’d had shakes in the past when my blood sugar was low. The headaches weren’t exactly new either. I used to get them if I didn’t eat for too long. And by “too long” I mean four hours.
But on that third day the shakes and the headaches were so much worse. I craved sweets like crazy. I felt like a drug addict who had gone cold turkey without realizing it.
Sugar is an addictive substance
Ever since I watched The Basketball Diaries when I was eleven I’ve hated drugs and what they do to people. I have never been even tempted to try illegal ones. Of the legal drugs, I’ve only tried alcohol and disliked it intensely.
I’d always felt smug about staying clean all my life. No brain-altering substances for me, thank you very much.
So there I was having to come to terms with the fact that I felt and acted like a junky. I got very angry. Yes, the anger was probably worse because I felt bad physically. But it also gave me the energy and determination to see the week through.
To keep myself motivated, I read Metabolical by Dr Robert Lustig, which was a complete eye-opener. I learned about the glucose metabolism and that sugar really is an addictive substance. I also learned that my liver was sick. Most importantly, I realized that I could reverse the damage I had been doing to my body for decades.
Day five – Magic
The book kept me going until the magic happened on day five. I woke up in the morning feeling great. My headache was gone and hasn’t come back since. I had zero sugar cravings and I stopped shaking. Just like that. That’s when I knew I am never eating sugar again.
This was the beginning of my story. Yes, the first few days were shocking, scary and rage-inducing. In the end though, that first week turned into one of the best weeks of my life. I had read so much bad stuff about sugar for years. Turns out, I never really believed any of it. Now I know it’s all true. Nothing beats personal experience.
If my story inspires you to try your own sugar-free week, please check out these 5 Tips to Go Sugar-Free first. Make it as easy as possible for yourself. I love my life now and one of the best parts is that I no longer eat any sugar, so if you feel ready, I hope you give it a try. Just for a week. Seven days. Just to see what happens.
The Dodo Munches cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please read the full disclaimer here.