I was addicted to the white stuff… I couldn’t get enough… towards the end, just one hit and I was down for the count… I knew I had to quit but I didn’t know how…
Obesity, tooth decay, emotional instability were all the result of my addiction.
And then, by God’s amazing grace, and the help of many others, I gave it up and life has never been better.
What I’m talking about is the most socially acceptable drug we have around… SUGAR.
If you can take or leave it, then this post isn’t for you.
But if you know what I’m talking about, and want to give it up or cut back, here are the top 6 tips to help you do so.
- Decide on your boundary. This takes honesty. If you can have a cookie or two and control yourself not to have more, then set a limit of 2 or 3 desserts a week.
For those who have a hard time stopping once they start, I recommend complete abstinence. I know this sounds harsh, but in my experience it has the best long-term results because you’re not ingesting what causes the crave. - Find some sweet replacements. Fresh fruit is the best way to satisfy a sweet tooth, so allow yourself 2-3 servings a day. Dried fruit is another option, particularly rolled dates, which are literally like fudge. Raw honey, real maple syrup, coconut nectar are also wonderful sugar substitutes.
You may need to moderate these foods at first, but as time goes by you can enjoy them more liberally. - Eliminate other white stuff. I find that white flour acts very similar to white sugar in the body, so it’s best to commit to eating whole grains whenever and wherever possible. This will keep your cravings down and help you stay true to your boundaries.
- Get some support and accountability. Whether this is a food buddy or joining forces with your loved one, be sure you have support along the way. Of course, God can help us get through any kind of craving as Scripture says in First Corinthians 10:13. Love this verse and it’s so true!
- Find other ways to treat and help yourself. A hot bath. Foot massage. Manicure. Journaling upsetting feelings. There are many ways to deal with life without excess food.
- Keep the big picture in mind. Instead of thinking what you’ll give up, make a list of all the things you’ll gain: Peace of mind, improved health, better focus, and a flatter tummy. At the end of the day, food is fuel for the body.
I hope these tips help you on your journey. Remember, even if you fail or fall off the bandwagon, you can always start again. Right now. And don’t forget that there’s professional help out there… counselors or 12 step programs. Do what you need to do to take care of you.
How about YOU?
Do you need to cut or reduce your sugar consumption? What are some tips you’ve learned along the way?
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
How very timely, since I’ve decided that this is my week to go off sugar. Thanks for this!
Nice! Life is still sweet without it
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Been off processed sugar for a little while… But I do splurge sometimes for weddings/ birthdays — the very special occasions!
I’ve been on the Dysbiosys Diet to get rid of Candida which means ALL sugars are forbidden…all things white and all things fermented. 3 weeks in and I’ve lost 5 lbs. And now the sugar cravings are entirely gone…and I wasn’t a sweets person to begin with (I actually dislike cookies and baked goods) however, my weakness was fruit b/c in the end sugar is sugar right?
These tips are great! I love the scripture you mentioned
Have you ever kicked dairy? That is my thing. I can take or leave sugar (I mean I love it, who doesn’t) but dairy is what I obsess about. I know I probably eat it in outrageous amounts (tons of cheese…) What are you thoughts on that one? Would you suggest cutting it all out? I don’t want to stop good intake of calcium.
What’s a lady to do?
Creole wisdom, I stopped eating dairy when my daughter was 4 weeks old and had pretty severe case of newborn acne. Dr Sear’s “The Baby Book” mentioned that baby acne that starts prior to 2 weeks (as my daughter’s did) can be the result of dairy passing into breastmilk. Sure enough, within 2 days of cutting it out, her acne cleared up. I also realized that I had been living with a dairy/lactose intolerance for years that I had been ignoring. I knew I had some intolerance, but thought that it was only if I had, say, a cream-based soup. But actually I had daily symptoms that I didn’t recognize. My stomach and digestion feel much better without dairy. However, it is a rough transition. I was a HUGE cheese eater (especially during pregnancy). And ice cream. Because I hate being really restrictive about food (I have a history of an eating disorder), I am not too picky about going to someone’s house and eating something cooked with butter, or baked goods now and then, and I don’t really bother looking for “whey” on packaging. It would be interesting to fully cut out all sources, but honestly I haven’t had the energy to go that deep – honestly because my daughter is now 6 months and it’s a challenge to have a meal on the table. We eat a lot of spaghetti dishes these days (without cheese, of course
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(This is a really long post!!). HOWEVER: maybe it has something to do with sleep deprivation, but I have noticed that since cutting out dairy I have more of a sweet tooth than I did before… and I’m getting closer to wanting to work on that. I’m still working on finding non-dairy substitutes – by this, I don’t mean fake cheese, I just mean different “whole” foods that I can easily reach for. Try cutting out some dairy and see what happens. I wish you luck!
I kicked sugar after the weaning of my second child and lost 40 LBS in 8 weeks. Now I’m two more babies later and haven’t been able to wean/diet between babies. We eat really healthy but we do have the occasional treat. I know to loose weight I have to cold turkey it and go no white stuff but I’m hooked on comfort food.
While I was watching this video just the sound of sugar maid me open the caboard and get a piece of gum out . I think it will be hard for me to kick sugar but at least I eat fruit every day.
These are great! It’s nice to hear someone calling sugar what it is: a drug. I used to be such a slave to it but have slowly cut back the past couple years and now it has no hold over me. If I do have a treat it tastes sickly sweet! For me it helped to pick one or two things that were fairly safe I can have from time to time if I need a little something. I second the dried dates–my other cheat is very dark chocolate
If I can do it anyone can!
Oh man, you should have posted this *before* I bought all that Easter candy
But seriously, this is an area I really need to work on so thank you very much for the tips!
Thank you for this. Lately I’m always craving a treat: cookies, chocolate, ice cream cupcakes…but a treat isn’t a treat when it’s all the time. My mood has been terrible, and I blame the ups and downs of sugar.
Wonderful post! I had sugary processed chocolate today for the first time in weeks and felt *SICK* afterwards… definitely a sign that my body didn’t need/want it! Thanks for the tips.
Yes! I miss the second trimester of my pregnancy when I had an aversion to sweets. When I would eat chocolate, cookies, etc, I would feel sick. Once you don’t have that stuff for awhile, the sweetness tastes too strong!
Amazing–I am actually getting myself ready to go off of sugar and white flour completely (my official day to start is this Sunday), and it was like you read my mind! Thanks for the video and inspiration!
I also kicked sugar when I found I was craving chocolate ice cream for breakfast. After 30 days of no sugar I no longer had any desire to eat anything sweet. Peanut butter cup? No Thanks! Chocolate cake? Pass:)
not because I was on a sugar diet but because my desire was gone. To tame my sweet tooth for the first days I did end up eating a lot of bread and butter. . .but that stopped after some time.
Oh, and the HARDEST part was giving up sugar in my coffee. But now I love unsweetened coffee:)
Thanks so much for this video. I’ve been trying to kick the sugar habit after watching the 48hrs report on it, that a friend of mine sent me a clip to.
Thanks for giving some great tips on how to kick the habit!
Sharon recently posted Happy Easter Sunday!
I have a serious love of sweet-goodness. So I make all my own goodies so I know exactly what I’m eating. I never used refined sugar, I only use honey or agave. I only use whole grain gluten free flour as well- like quinoa. My favorites are raw peanut/almond butter and oat cookies, homemade granola bars with puffed brown rice and raw truffles which are basically made from dried apricots and dates.
This sounds delicious!
I recently started the 21 day sugar detox (whoa…I’m almost through with it!) and figured out that my sugar limit is 2 servings of fruit or of “treats” like a baked good. I am Primal and have foudn that unsweetened bakers chocolate is sweet now that my taste buds have been reset! I’ve been able to have more energy, less pain from endometriosis, and even have mroe even moods excepting during PMS. It’s amazing the changes you will love when you give up the white crud and those things your body turns into white crud (grains and legumes anyone? Oh, and how about dairy?). Great tips!
Great info, Genevieve! Sugar is definitely an evil substance said to be more addictive than some illegal drugs. I’m glad you mentioned staying away from white bread, pasta, potatoes, etc. In fact, white potatoes & white flour spike your blood sugar more than table sugar! Eating a Low-Glycemic diet is essential for killing those cravings and stabilizing blood sugar.
Kasey recently posted Healthy Prenatal Diet Prevents Birth Defects
Wow! Thanks for the tips 6 tips, and all the feedback too.
Since having my baby and returning to work in January, I’d conned myself into thinking I needed way too much coffee and sugar; I didn’t realize what a high price I was paying for that. Reading this last week inspired me to kick both sugar {refined and any added} and caffeine. I’m on day 5 now {not gonna lie, the first 2 days were major headaches & fatigue}, but now, I feel like a new person: clear headed, NO CRAVINGS- wow! What a difference.
Thank you for sharing!
I can’t remember the last time I bought refined white sugar, but I’ve been thinking of getting some for a recipe – Chocolate Body Scrub. I will admit that I still partake of sugary treats occasionally away from home, but at home we use xylitol, coconut palm sugar, stevia, agave, molasses, honey. Xylitol and stevia are great substitutes (low carb/low cal/low glycemic index) and you really don’t have to detox – just substitute something healthier.
For a coffee substitute, check out http://www.teechino.com. Their sampler is $12.99 with free shipping.
So funny as I remember using a sugar scrub for awhile on my face and I noticed that I started craving sugar! Scary! But our skin is our biggest organ and does absorb ingredients.
Ok, I’ve watched this a couple times now. I seriously think it’s what I need to do but argh!! Could you post a Part 2? How have you done this for TWELVE YEARS?!!!! I mean, what do you do at a birthday party? I’d also be interested in more on how you use stevia, maple syrup (how is this better than a white potato?), agave (don’t even know what that really is but I know it’s an option), etc. etc. What do you do when a sugar craving hits? And can you expound more on your exact reasons and what it’s done for you personally to give it up? I guess I just mean for me, I feel like my blood sugar has gone crazy and is up/down, up/down all the time. How can I never eat another biscuit again?
Hi, Kate! I know how you feel when you’re trying to avoid the white stuff and don’t know where to start. What do I do in social situations? How do I avoid the cravings? That’s why I created the Hot Mama Nutrition School a 28-day step-by-step program to help women get healthy, happy & fit. You should check it out and let me know what you think! http://www.hotmamanutritionschool.com
Have a great day!
Kasey recently posted Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry
Hi Katie,
I hear you! It can be overwhelming, scary and seem really insane at first. LOL! Sugar can seem like it’s EVERYWHERE.
Prayer helps for sure but it DOES become a way of life after awhile. At birthday parties, I don’t honestly think of the cake. I usually have fresh or dried fruit on me which makes a great substitute. I made cupcakes for Griffin’s first birthday party that had brown rice syrup and so I could enjoy. The frosting was made of dates, cashews and cream. YUMMY! You can also make biscuits using honey or date sugar.
Like I said in video, at first, I needed to give up “lookalike” dessert foods, even if they were sugar free. As I got used to it, I then added in. I enjoy waffles with syrup now without a problem
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Hope this helps. Feel free to email me at mama at mama natural dot com if you have any more questions. XO
I just wanted to share some personal information that might be useful. My husband is diabetic so I have done a lot of research on the subject. Whole wheat pastry flour is lighter than whole wheat, so you can make biscuits without the additional white flour. I found a recipe for the lightest, fluffiest biscuits. Coconut flour and quinoa flour are the best low-carb flours for diabetics. I made biscuits and muffins for strawberry shortcake out of coconut flour. The muffins went over better than the biscuits, but it was fun to make something healthy that my husband could eat. I made a carrot cake with whole wheat pastry flour and quinoa flour. For the sweetners, I used coconut palm sugar in place of brown sugar and xylitol in place of white. For the icing, I used powdered xylitol in place of powdered sugar.
I use agave (from the agave plant) in hot or cold beverages and to sweeten oatmeal (most Walmart Supercenters carry agave).
There is a way to satisfy your sweet tooth and enjoy some of your favorites. The key is to research and learn how to use all of these alternative flours and sweeteners. Granulated stevia can not be baked with unless you add something that increases the bulk, so it’s really difficult. But cutting your sugar in half by using stevia as the other half is a start. (Xylitol can be baked with.) If you can grow the stevia herb itself, just drop one or two fresh leaves into your hot or cold beverage and increase per your taste. Too much stevia will give you a bitter aftertaste.
One place to research flours is go to http://www.bobsredmill.com and look in the flours section. Just pull up each one and it will tell you if it is gluten-free (gluten affects many diabetics by raising blood sugar), low-carb, etc. I’ve started using garbanzo bean flour to coat foods in and to mix in with my salmon patties. It and brown rice flour are good for gravies and sauces.
(On a side note, cow’s milk has been known to raise blood sugar, so folks might want to test that out.)
Having a supply of various sweeteners and flours on hand and learning how to use them will help avoid the problem of excess with any one product. I think that’s one key. Using sugar in everything has overloaded our bodies, but if we use a little here and something else there, it doesn’t seem to be so bad and we are less likely to get addicted to it.
Oh, and I cook cauliflower and mash it up like potatoes. My husband loves it. A family favorite is topping mashed cauliflower with taco flavored meat and shredded cheese. My husband has been able to lower his blood sugar from the 300-400 range to 110 at his last stick. He did this with diet, herbs, and supplements (and not drinking milk, which is a sacrifice for him).
Hi Mrs. Diamond,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
I’m a fan of sprouted flours. I like To Your Health brand and feel that they are fresher and easier to digest than store bought.
I love coconut nectar! Not a huge fan of agave because it’s a highly processed sweetener.
XO
I have a few questions about when you went cold turkey off the white stuff…
What do you do when you go out to eat? There’s always sugar in bacon, pepperoni, marinara sauce, etc. that are actually savory foods. Do you cut those out?
How do you feel about rapadura/sucanat/evaporated can juice, and other forms of cane sugar?
I would imagine you would have to cut out almost all chocolate in order to cut out all can sugar. Have you done that?
I’m asking all these questions because I’m 14 weeks pregnant and considering going cold turkey FOR GOOD, but I need your help to get an idea of the boundaries I should draw.
Thanks for your help!
Caitlin
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