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So, 36 days back I had this crazy idea of making my 30th birthday a memorable one. And what better way to do that than to give up something really challenging for 30 days? So, I made a list of all the things that I could sacrifice and guess what topped the list? You guessed it – Sugar.
I cut out sugar for 30 days straight.
I took the plunge and said goodbye to sugar for a whole month – and let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. As someone who has had a sweet tooth for as long as I can remember, I knew this would be a challenge. But after years of putting it off, I finally decided to take control and commit to a 30-day sugar detox.
It’s been a week since I started and I can already tell you that it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions. From eye-opening realizations to surprising challenges, I’ve experienced a range of emotions during this journey. But I have to say, the satisfaction of knowing I’m taking care of my body feels amazing.
I’ll admit, giving up sugar was a challenge I avoided for far too long. But now that I’m on this journey, I’m determined to conquer it. And with each passing day, I’m one step closer to a healthier, happier me.
It wasn’t easy
It was definitely a tough journey to give up sugar, but I am thrilled that I took the plunge and faced my addiction head-on. Going cold turkey on sugar for the past 30 days was no cakewalk and I went through a pretty dramatic sugar detox phase.
I can’t say for sure if all the changes I’ve been experiencing are solely because of quitting sugar, but boy, have I noticed some pretty amazing transformations in my body and mind. Want to know what went down in the past 30 days? Keep reading!
Enter the Detox Period
READ: Breaking Free from Sugar: A Comprehensive Guide to Sugar Detox for Women
The sugar detox challenge has officially begun! Before embarking on this journey, I considered myself to be leading a healthy lifestyle. I made sure to drink 80 ounces of water every day, consumed whole foods, exercised six times a week, and rarely indulged in alcohol. My mind and body were functioning efficiently, but I was eager to take on the challenge of eliminating sugar completely.
With much enthusiasm, I penned down a blog detailing my strategies to help me succeed in my 30-day sugar-free journey. I had put in a lot of thought into these strategies and was confident they would work. Let’s see how this exciting journey unfolds!
Bit I was not prepared for what was about to happen…
I made a plan
READ: 6 Powerful Ways to Overcome Your Sugar Addiction
So, let me tell you about my sugar quitting journey. I had a solid plan in place and was raring to go. The first day was a breeze, didn’t even notice that I had given up sugar until mid-afternoon. Usually, around that time, I would indulge in some candy and an apple to make me feel better about it. But not this time, all I had was the apple. It was a bit of a letdown, but I powered through.
The real struggle began on day two and lasted through the first week. It wasn’t the toughest part of my 30-day challenge, but it was still pretty challenging. It was on day two that the reality of the commitment hit me hard. Forty days seemed like an eternity.
To make things worse, I found out that McDonald’s had brought back their famous Shamrock Shakes. I promised myself that I would treat myself to one once my sugar detox was over, but then I realized that they would be gone by then. Talk about bad timing!
1 Week Down
By the end of week one, I was fully looking forward to Sunday. My husband’s birthday cake had been staring at me in the refrigerator for the entire week, and I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
I quickly ate my lunch and gulped down the cake in less bites than I should have. It was gone before I knew it and just a few minutes later my stomach felt really nauseous.
Giving up sugar only got harder.
Week two was by far the most challenging of the entire process. Week two was the week where everything hit in full force: cravings, moodiness, laziness… you name it, and I probably experienced it. Saying no to sugar was the most challenging this week.
The effects of my sugar detox were in full swing.
I never fully realized how much sugar I consumed on a daily basis until I added up the calories. I realized that on an average night, I was eating over 500 calories of ice cream, plus 100 calories of chocolate syrup.
And that’s just at night, not even including the calories I consumed from sugar throughout the day. Yikes.
When I first started my journey to quit sugar, I quickly realized that my plan needed a few updates. It wasn’t easy to replace the over 600 calories that I was used to consuming, and it felt like an uphill battle. My workouts suffered, my energy levels plummeted, and I never felt satisfied after meals. I didn’t expect the withdrawal symptoms to hit me as hard as they did, but they did, and it wasn’t pretty.
Addiction stronger than illegal drugs
I felt moody, cranky, and lethargic during my second week without sugar. My face even broke out in strange bumps, which was something I had never experienced before. I won’t lie, it was a struggle, but I was determined to succeed.
READ: How to Stop Sugar Cravings (and Carb Cravings) on a Low Carb Diet Quickly and Naturally
2 Weeks Down
As the weeks passed, I started to notice some positive changes. I found some healthy snacks to replace my sugary cravings, and I began to feel more energized and focused. By week two, I had turned a corner and felt like I had control over my sugar addiction.
The turning point came when I sat down to indulge in some ice cream and found that it tasted sickly sweet. I couldn’t even finish it! This was a huge milestone for me, and I knew I could continue to give up sugar for the remaining 30 .days. It wasn’t.
Grocery Shopping became fun, an activity, not a mindless chore.
One thing to sneak up on me, was that grocery shopping transformed into a rewarding experience as I started picking up most of my food items from the store’s perimeter, steering clear of the prepackaged central aisles. This newfound habit filled me with immense pride and satisfaction.
It started to seem like an achievable goal to quit sugar for 30 days
Eliminating sugar from my diet began to feel like a realistic goal. By Sunday, there was a debate in my mind whether I should indulge in a sweet treat or continue on my healthy streak. Eventually, I opted for a small bowl of ice cream, only to find it much sweeter than before and leaving me sluggish.
It got easier
As days went by, giving up sugar became simpler. Each day seemed a bit more manageable, and by the fourth week, going sugar-free felt natural. I could now resist the temptation of birthday cake around my family and munch on popcorn while my husband enjoyed cookies each night. Sundays presented an added challenge, yet it only fueled my motivation further.
Choosing to quit sugar now appeared to be an outstanding decision, filling me with the confidence to see it through.
And finally, here we are at day 30 – an enlightening and educational journey indeed.
The Effects I’ve Noticed Since Eliminating Sugar from My Diet
READ: 10 Science-Backed Reasons You Should Avoid Eating Sugar
My skin no longer breaks out!
I used to experience sporadic breakouts throughout the month, along with more severe ones once a month, as far back as I can remember. Last year, I realized that the tap water I was using was a major contributor to the blemishes on my face, and switching to a water filter made a substantial difference.
However, it didn’t completely solve the problem. I can honestly say that since I stopped consuming sugar (albeit with some initial sugar detox breakouts), I haven’t experienced a single breakout. This is a complete game-changer for me!
Running has become more effortless.
I’ve noticed significant improvements in my running speed. While I can’t say for certain if it’s directly linked to quitting sugar, I’ve definitely seen a positive change.
For the past month, all my runs have felt significantly easier. I effortlessly breeze through the miles, achieving paces during tempo and interval runs that I never thought possible before.
Sweet treats now have an intensified sweetness.
It appears that I had developed a tolerance to the taste of sugar. I can recall numerous instances when I shared a dessert with friends or family, only to hear them say they couldn’t finish it due to its overwhelming sweetness. I never quite understood how they could resist such indulgence until now.
Even naturally sweet foods like honey and fruit now taste considerably sweeter. Since cutting out sugar, I find that my cravings for sweet flavors are satisfied much more quickly, and I can easily resist consuming large portions of sugary foods.
I have a significantly improved sense of self.
It’s difficult to pinpoint whether it’s simply the pride of successfully abstaining from sugar for 30 days or the stabilizing effect it has had on my emotions, but I undeniably feel more confident, happier, and less stressed throughout this past month.
Will I quit sugar indefinitely?
At present, the answer is no, not entirely. However, I am thrilled with the positive changes I’ve experienced since giving up sugar, and I am committed to continuing this journey.
My plan is to enjoy sweets exclusively on weekends while abstaining from sugar entirely during the weekdays. The only exceptions I will make are for special occasions or when I find myself in a different environment during the week, such as while on vacation.
If just a month without sugar has brought about such remarkable improvements, I am excited to see what lies ahead. Taking on the challenge of avoiding sugar for 30 days has proven to be one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever undertaken, and I am immensely proud of my accomplishment.
Life without sugar has turned out to be truly fantastic, and giving it up only amplifies the sweetness when it eventually returns.
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