7-Day Plan to Quit Sugar Cold Turkey
To feel healthier, happier, and more energized
You know sugar is bad for you. So, why haven’t you quit yet?
I’ll tell you what took me so long:
I was terrified. The thought of never (EVER) tasting my favorite desserts again paralyzed me. Life is short, I figured, why deny myself the donut?
It’s all fine, as long as I exercise and don’t overdo the sweets. But, I could never have just one donut. Was I over-indulgent? Lazy? I didn’t care enough about my health?
No, no, and nope. Here’s why I couldn’t control myself around sweets:
Sugar is biologically addictive.
Every taste of sugar pumps up your dopamine and sets you up for future cravings. It’s the same mechanism behind other addictions — including drugs and alcohol.
Sugar addiction is rampant. The average American consumes 17 teaspoons of sugar every day. That’s almost triple the recommended six teaspoons per day. And it costs us our health:
Excessive sugar consumption can lead to heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory disease, and even cancer.
The good news is you can stop — and kick your sugar habit in just one week. Here’s the exact battle plan to achieve it:
Day 0: Do a Merciless Purge
Is your pantry stuffed with cookies, candy, and chocolate? Get rid of them now. Remove the temptation before the cravings kick in.
Do you hate throwing food away? Donate it. With COVID-19 in full swing, food banks can use the help. As for the opened packages, off to the container they go.
Think of it this way:
You’re wasting food by excessive eating, just as much as you’re wasting food by buying and throwing it away. At least purging your pantry will help reduce your food wasting in the long run (because you wouldn’t be overeating on sweets.)
Day 1: Set the Right Mindset
Do you hate the thought of saying a permanent goodbye to cupcakes? It’s time to change perspectives.
Spend your first sugar-free day by listing all the reasons why you want to quit sugar. Heart disease doesn’t sound convincing enough?
How about “I want to be healthier so I can be around longer for my kids”?
And, realize sugar doesn’t equal happiness. We struggle to quit because we’re afraid of depriving ourselves. Not a single donut for the rest of your life? It sounds horrific!
But you’re not losing anything. Much like with smoking, sugar does nothing for you. If anything, it can make you more depressed. On the other hand, a whole foods diet can decrease your risk of depression (as well as a bunch of other conditions).
You associate sugar with happiness because sugar is addicting.
A study in rats found it was more addictive than cocaine. Do you think cocaine makes people happy? Of course, it doesn’t. Sugar is just another unhealthy way to supercharge your brain’s reward center. Quitting sweets doesn’t mean depriving yourself — it means you’re giving yourself the gift of health and well-being.
Day 2: Get Educated
By day two, cravings will start kicking in. Boost your motivation by learning more about sugar. Medium is an excellent source of information, check out some of these articles:
- 7 Changes I Experienced After Going 1 Week Without Added Sugar by Soleil Vivero
- The Body Slowed by Sugar by Brian Oliu
- Sugar, Heart Disease and Cancer: An unsavory story of wealth versus health by Paul Spector
- Not All Sugar Is Created Equal by Ashley Abramson
I also highly recommend the What I’ve Learned YouTube channel. This is one of the videos that first motivated me to quit sugar:
Day 3: Zap the Cravings
At this point, your brain is doing puppy eyes at you. But, keeping up with the cocaine analogy:
Would you tell a recovering addict to have “just one sniff”?
The longer you go without sugar, the easier it will get. But you want sugar now, ASAP! How do you stop yourself from caving in?
- Be mindful of the habit — psychiatrist Dr. Judson Brewer helped people quit smoking by being mindful of the habit. Use the same tactic. When the craving comes, take a pause and observe what is happening in your body. Do you feel any tension? Discomfort? Stress? What are some sugar-free ways to deal with these feelings?
- Sip water — we often confuse thirst for hunger. Have some water and see if that curbs your craving.
- Go for a walk — research shows that a simple 15-minute walk can reduce sugary food cravings.
- Have something bitter — bitter foods and drinks block the sugar response in the brain, helping you keep cravings at bay.
- Drink your greens — one study found that a spinach-based drink reduced sugar cravings from day one. Add some fruit and yogurt in your smoothie to improve the taste. And, if you’re wondering, the sugar in fruit doesn’t count. It’s healthy for you because you’re getting along with a whole bunch of fiber.
Ultimately, slip-ups can happen. You want to avoid them because they make getting back on track harder. But if they do, don’t beat yourself up. Guilt-tripping yourself will only lead to “I might as well eat the whole box of cookies.” Instead, accept the slip-up but keep going on your sugar-free journey.
Day 4: Replace the Habit
Eating tons of sugar is in our culture.
After dinner, we reach for the dessert. When we’re bored at work, we munch on M&M’s. At the movies, we always get a soda.
Take today to consider your sugar-eating triggers. Then, replace the habit with new ones. It should be something you love, too. For instance, an episode of your favorite show instead of dessert or a cute animal video break at work!
Day 5: Beat the Withdrawal Symptoms
Just like any addictive substance, sugar gives you withdrawal. Here is how you beat each of the common symptoms:
- Headaches — make sure you’re having enough water, sleeping enough, and stretching your neck (to provide enough blood flow to the brain). If that doesn’t help, there’s nothing wrong with having a Tylenol.
- Fatigue — go for a run or a walk, have some fresh air. Bonus points if you spend extra time in the sun. The UV light helps keep your brain awake and alert.
- Mood changes — double up on self-care. Whether it’s a warm bath, a massage, or a cool new T-shirt, treat yourself to celebrate your sugar quitting efforts.
- Anxiety — try mindfulness exercises and meditation. Avoid triggers like negative news content.
Day 6: Cut the Bad Influence
Your friends and family probably eat sugar. If they’re anything like mine, they tease you about this new “health obsession.”
How do you resist the 100th donut offer?
First, ask them to respect your decision. Most people are kind enough to do that.
Second, remember everything you learned about the dangers of sugar. This will help you answer comments like “Sugar can’t be that bad; it’s in fruit.” You’ll know fruit sugar is okay because of all the dietary fiber.
By the way, I am not saying you should cut your friends and family. I’m saying come up with ways to reduce the unsupportive influence. After a period of teasing, they’ll stop commenting on your eating patterns. Meanwhile, have a comeback to prevent their comments from affecting you.
Day 7: Celebrate Well
You made it!
Congratulate yourself with a special treat (not a sugary one, though). And, try to reflect on the positive changes you noticed. One week is enough to realize that sugar-free life is much better.
What was the most surprising benefit?
Journal about it or share it here on Medium — not only will it help you keep going, but it will also inspire others!