For years, I gave up candy and soda for Lent- and it was tough but doable. But then I gave up other things and kept the sugary treats on my list of can-haves. I grew older. I became an adult. I decided when I could have the sugar. And then came a time where I didn’t chose to have the sugar– the sugar chose me. I wanted it. I needed it. Sugar became my siren, luring me to rock bottom. I tried to say no. I would go out food shopping and refuse to buy it… But then I’d get home and feel like I was going to crawl out of my skin. I’d ask my husband to pick up something sugary on his way home and then I’d devour it, my body sinking into the feeling that can only be described as, “OH…. MY…. GOOOOOOD.”
Feeling out of control and wanting to regain my life I decided to cut it out cold turkey. I stumbled upon a challenge called “Fed Up” and realized it would probably make sense to cut out all sugar- whether it was #20 on the ingredient list or #2. And boy did it suck. Not the smartest or most descriptive word but there it is: suck. It sucked. EVERYTHING has sugar in it. EVERYTHING. Even my tea had sugar in it. I could eat only the basics: fruits, veggies, meats, and cheese. I was sad. I was hungry. I was mean.
Withdrawal made me mean.
And it got me thinking. I don’t do drugs or smoke. Never have, never will. I only drink on occasion- I’ve never even been drunk. But I’ve suffered withdrawal. What does that say about sugar? It seems like an innocent enough treat. Even children are allowed to have it. And yet you can get addicted to it and taking it out of your system can give you withdrawal.
As I write this and remember my experience, and think about what currently sits in my cabinet, I wonder why and how I let myself hop back on the sugar wagon. And I’m curious about what would happen if I do a less intense version of Fed Up. Maybe allow myself some ranch dip with some veggies? Have crackers with my hummus? Just no candy, junk food, or adding sugar in my tea.
I think it’s an experiment worth trying.
Anyone else have any unhealthy relationship with sugar? Or have an unhealthy habit they’re struggling to kick? Has anyone had success overcoming their addiction(s) and found a happy ending?
simplywithin 
Good luck if you go ahead with a less intense version of your previous cold turkey quit of sugar. Sugar was never huge with me, but I remember when I did Weight Watchers and cutting it and STILL noticing. It really is everywhere. I also smiled at your childhood Lent memory. I use to give up cookies. I think the adult equivalent would be wine (which is chock full of sugar). Not sure I’d be able…
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Thank you! Yeah I really never thought about how many things contain sugar until I tried the Fed Up challenge… It’s mind blowing. And while I love wine, I think the equivalent for me would be peach margaritas 🙂
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Hi – I could go on and on and on about this – and have some baggage cos when I posted last year about sugar Being a minus food – well a blogger Pal wrote a sugar please post – so I realized it is a touchy topic – and the funny thing g is her readers chimed in about the Candida and other stuff they were feeding and how sugar is addictive – and I was able to explain that I felt sugar suppresses Immunity and pulls nutrients from the body to process.
We were not meant to eat sugars the way we do now –
And adrenal function and metabolism is impaired
Check out books about the silent killer of candidiasis – as it is expected that 70% of the population has this overgrowth I. Their GI and they feed it with sugar-
For me – I never ate candy overtly – maybe dark chocolate – but my daily toast was processed like sugar and my flora was all messed up from antibiotics –
Anyhow – I got sick and in order to heal I had to get off sugar – what helped was herbs (Kroeger herbs) and then enzymes and amino acids – I had s lot of eggs and dense foods for the good oils and did it! Again – I was highly motivated by illness – but I learned that when I craved sugar I was feeding the pathogens and could use dense oils and protein foods to satisfy – and vitamin and mineral supplements – absorbable ones cos u are not what u eat – u are what u absorb – – and guess what else? Many folks have malabsorption and do. Not know it – another topic for another time – but now I have some occasional sugar – but keep to what I world so hard to achieve – also I found the habit is a lifestyle and like u said – it is everywhere – but there are lots of things to enjoy so I never feel deprived – and stevia is ok at times – but some folks say that people today forget they have other tastebuds besides sweet- and need more fermented foods – more acids – and way more oils!
Best wishes and thx for this post 💕
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Thank you for your comment. You brought up a great point about using other nutrients to combat sugar cravings!
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