Think you can go 30 Days without Sugar?
Most people don’t think that they can, but a sugar-free diet is a great way to give your health a boost and extend your life. If you were thinking about joining an expensive weight loss program – where you get stuck buying their food – I have a better (and healthier) option for you.
Sugar is harmful: Despite what the sugar industry and medical associations are saying, sugar is harmful. It is harmful in three ways:
- Adds Weight: As discussed above, sugar adds pounds to our bodies. This causes harm to our bodies because being obese or overweight increases a number of diseases: diabetes , stroke, heart disease, certain cancers and many more diseases. Obesity cuts life expectancy by as much as five years.
- Insulin Insensitivity: Consistently high blood sugar lead to the cells throughout the body becoming insensitive to insulin. This insulin insensitivity is at the heart of diseases such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Having diabetes, by the way, can clip as many as 10 years off your life and, maybe as many as 18 quality years off your life.
- Toxic: Sugar is toxic to our blood vessels, much the same way that cigarette smoke is toxic to our lungs. As sugar flows through our blood stream, it destroys the very blood vessels that carry the sugar throughout our bodies. This destruction is easily seen in people who have poor blood sugar control (like diabetics) who have high rates of eye disease (retinopathy), kidney disease, heart disease, nerve disease (neuropathy), and strokes, all caused by the destruction of blood vessels. The destruction also occurs in people who don’t have diabetes, only at a slower rate.
There are many reasons why you will want to join us on our sugar-free adventure:
- Sugar is addictive: For many of you who read this blog regularly, you know just how powerful sugar addiction is. Sugar often feels like it has the power to control us instead of the other way around. Sugar addiction shares common traits with all addictions, including: hoarding, binging, using the addiction to change moods, and many other addictive-like behaviors. Seeing sugar as an addiction explains a lot of how we act around sugar and is likely the reason why so many of us yo-yo diet. If you really don’t think sugar is addictive, try staying away from it for a few days and see; most people become acutely aware of just how addicting sugar is when they remove it from their lives.
- You Want to Feel Better: Kicking sugar and eating a sugar-free diet will be hard at first. But most people who are on the diet report that they feel better, have more energy, and even sleep better. Many people also report the almost magical disappearance of stomach problems, fatigue, depression, sinus infection, skin problems and more.
- Weight loss: Sugar has more to do with weight gain than you (and medical/nutritional professionals) might believe. Sugar contains empty calories, but sugar is also special in its ability to add to your waistline. Your body has certain energy needs and once those needs are met by what you are eating, any excess sugar in your blood stream will be stored as fat. Excess sugar is very common when you are eating sugar and foods that act like sugar on a consistent basis. Keeping sugar out of your diet keeps your blood sugar low and, consequently, keeps your body from storing fat.
- You are curious: The last reason you may want to join us on our 30 Sugar Free Days is that you are curious to find out if sugar is addictive and can change your weight. Believe me when I say that those answers will become very clear for you if you join the 30 Day challenge.
Break the Habit, Break the Cycle
Breaking the sugar habit is hard, but I am here to provide you with the support that you need, including meal plans, recipes, a newsletter and the ability to contact me with your questions; all at no cost.
Taking the 30 Sugar Free Days challenge is a step towards your better health. So many weight loss programs help you shed pounds, but do nothing to address your health. Why not have both good health and weight loss?
If you think you can go 30 days without sugar, please join us. Sign up here: 30 Days Sugar Free.
Dr Scott, I really have a promble..I can’t stop with just one cookie, I have to eat 15 or 18 cookie..please help!! I don’t NO how to stop. I have really tried and I have went 8 days and that was it. I can’t help myself. It’s like I have a battle with a little man inside my head, and that little man always wins… Any advice will be great!!
Thanks, Kristi
Kristi,
Have you signed up for the 30 Sugar Free Days Program?
All I can tell you is that you are not alone. What you describe is addictive behavior and we have all been through that at one time or other. The only way to make that little man inside your head go away is to stay away from both sugar and foods that act like sugar; it is just like stopping cigarettes or alcohol. I’d like to say that the cravings go away and they do get easier, but it is a constant battle.
It also helps to have friends, there is a group on Facebook for the 30 Sugar Free Days Program.
hi Dr.Scott was just wondering if i am my symptoms seem normal to you, anyway for the past 4 months all i have eaten is burgers ( literally like 2 a day ) and a lot of energy drinks and i would also have 2/3 sugar in my tea which i would have 2 cups of a day .Plus chocolate and sweets on occasions.However i decided to go cold turkey 6 days a go and i have been feeling awful since. the first 2 days were okay but bad but the last 3 days have been so bad. symptoms include fast heart rate mind dizziness and not been able to concentrate my legs are always moving when sat or lying down ( only the last 2 days though)and it got so bad i have been going to bed at 8 to 10 when i usually go to bed at 11:30.also waking up the last 3 nights with dry mouth . However i still feel all the symptoms today my mind is a little more fresh and they died down a little just wondering if this is normal and my GP said it usually take 2 week to be fully treated.
Kieran,
Your symptoms sound like “normal” withdrawal symptoms; people go through all sorts of crazy things when they stop sugar and the foods that act like sugar. I’m happy to hear that you are feeling better. You say you are working with a GP and that is good, you should check with them and see if you need a blood sugar test. If you have anyone in your family with diabetes, then it is a good idea to check your blood sugar.
Most people get through the withdrawals in a week or so and then they start feeling much better.
I wish you the best of luck,
Dr. Scott
I had a serious addiction to sugary treats as well. However, I managed to not eat anything with added sweeteners (no honey, agave, cereal or bread with sweeteners, ketchup, etc.) for a year because I slowly tapered off of the sweets. It took about six months of gradually cutting back and eliminating all of my most yearned for candies and baked goods. Also, replacing the craving for sweets with fresh or dried fruit helped too. It’s definitely difficult but I know you can do it (it might just take a while to get there). Try to think of every attempt as one step closer to reaching your goal… Good luck!
Drink lots of water beforehand
that might help.
Is fresh fruit and veg juice ok? If so how much?
Thanks
Hi Megan,
No, stay away from fruit and juice for the whole 30 days. Have you downloaded the e-book and signed up for the program? 30 Sugar Free Days Program
Thanks for the reply! That day, I wound up having some green tea (caffeine), a piece of whole grain toast, and small glass of juice. The next day was the first day I woke up without a fever. I’m not sure if it was because of what I ate or not, but I’m just glad to be feeling better.
Either way, I feel that my physical dependency on refined sugar is gone, as I’m now on Day 9. The first few days, 30 days seemed like a long time, but now it seems easy. I’m also enjoying fruit more than I ever have before, and in general, I find less of a desire to overeat at meals. Those 4 days of being sick were pretty terrible, but I’m happy I stuck with it. I feel much better already.
People are very intrigued/confused by my decision to cut out sugar, so I point them here when I can. Hopefully more people will open up to the idea.
Thanks again!
Great to hear that things have turned around for you Chris! Good luck on the rest of your challenge!
Dr. Scott,
I signed up for your site last week, and have since bought and read your book Sugarettes. All great information. I have a question about how long the withdrawal symptoms might last and how severe they are. I am now a full week into the 30 days program, and since Day 3, I’ve had really awful withdrawal symptoms. POUNDING headaches and a pretty high fever. I knew there would be withdrawal symptoms, but I’ll be honest, I was not prepared for this level of uncomfortableness. I thought I might drag a little and have mild headaches, but I’m full on sick. In the past 2 days I’ve felt A LITTLE better, but I’ve had to stay home from work most of last week, and my fever only breaks when I pump myself full of cold medicine. I don’t want to quit, but at the same time I can’t afford to take any more days off.
If my symptoms don’t improve, I was wondering if I should maybe incorporate a SMALL amount of the “no” foods back into my diet. Like maybe some whole grains, or small amounts of juice? Also, maybe eliminating sugar AND caffeine is making things worse (I was a heavy soda drinker)? I can’t say I’ve had any really strong cravings for sweets, but that may be because I haven’t really had a desire to eat anything. Maybe Im just sick and it’s a coincidence? I really don’t know and it’s tough not having an idea of how much longer I will feel like this.
Thanks in advance,
Chris
Hi Chris,
Occasionally when people start eating healthier, the go through what is called a healing reaction and this may be what is going on with you.
When you eat a lot of junk, your body has to do double-time getting rid of the junk. When you start eating better, your body takes this opportunity to get rid of everything. I’m not sure adding back in a small amount of “no” foods will help, but it is certainly worth a try. I would choose more fresh fruits and, yes, maybe a little bit of caffeine.
Good luck!