This is What Happened When I Stopped Eating Sugar for One Year

More focus, more productivity, more energy

I’ve always been someone who’s leaned heavily on sugar. When tired or stressed, I’d reach for a bag of chocolate chip cookies or a box of chocolates.

So when I decided to become the next fitness girl on Instagram, quitting sugar was the obvious choice.

But it wasn’t easy, and the first three months were miserable! As time passed and my body adjusted to this new way of eating, things got easier until finally, I didn’t crave sugar anymore!

If you’re trying to quit sugar or are just curious about how that is even possible, read on.

I’m sure you will gain many insights into the reality and benefits of quitting sugar, thanks to my experience.

The challenge: No sugar for one year

I stopped eating sugar for a year because I admired fitness girls like Kayla Itsines or Anllela Sagra on Instagram. I wanted to be the next fitness girl and even created an Instagram page called “The Fitness Travel Girl.”

To reach my goal as a woman, I needed to get from 22% body fat to something like 15 to 17%. So I set myself a challenge: reaching my goal within one year.

Since sugar is highly caloric, it became clear that I needed to quit sugar.

Results

I’m proud to tell you I won my challenge (I’m a competitive person and love challenges), but the results didn’t last long as soon as I ate sugar again.

Yet, I do not regret entering this challenge, and it was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

What is sugar?

According to Wikipedia, sugar is a soluble carbohydrate that makes our food taste sweet. It includes glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Based on this definition, I quit everything that makes our food sweet.

I started paying attention and realized that sugar is almost in every food we consume. For example, did you know that wine or beer also contains sugar?

What can be your motivation to quit sugar?

There are many reasons someone would want to quit sugar.

• Quitting sugar is a must if you want to improve your mental health. Studies have shown that refined carbohydrates are highly linked to anxiety and depression, and as we have seen, sugar is a refined carbohydrate. Quitting sugar helps you be more focused, productive and more energized too.
• Diabetes is a lifetime condition that causes someone’s blood sugar level to become high. When you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. You have to lower your sugar intake.
• Losing weight means decreasing the amount of calories you intake a day and burning the extra ones. You need to change your diet while having a fitness routine. Did you know that the maximum sugar intake per day for an adult should be no more than 30 grams of sugar a day — roughly seven sugar cubes a day? But most of us eat more than that. One can of Coke is already 23g of sugar.
• Quitting sugar is a good exercise to overcome any addiction. Studies show that sugar is more addictive than cocaine. It strongly stimulates the brain’s reward center, which can become out of control.

So, with those elements in mind, how did my yearly challenge go? Read now.

One year without sugar challenge — Month 1 to 3

The first three months were the most difficult ones. I felt the craving for sugar every day.

• I was more tired and hungry than usual — that’s saying a lot because I can eat an entire pizza by myself.
• My mood was terrible, and I would easily snap at people. I felt like crying all day long, and my headache was so bad it was almost impossible to focus on work.
• Even though I slept well at night, sleeping did not make up for these issues during the day.

As time passed, the second and third month of my sugar detox were progressively a little better.

I didn’t feel as tired and hungry anymore, but I still had a headache and was again irritable.

​​I learned how to read labels and understand nutritional information

You may be surprised to learn that sugar is in everything! It’s not just in obvious things like candies.

A glass of wine? Full of sugar. A beer? Too. Bread? It’s sugar. What a bummer!

So, I had to learn to read labels and understand nutritional information.

I had to make tweaks to my diet so that it would fit my needs

I started following a 1500 Kcal/day meal plan, but I was so hungry and lacking energy that I decided to increase my daily intake to 2000 Kcal. Yet, I strictly committed to zero sugar added.

My diet consisted every day of:

• Chicken or salmon,
• Quinoa, white rice or couscous and
• Some vegetables that are very low in sugar (broccoli: 2g of sugar, carrots: 6g)

I know it sounds boring, but I got used to it. I would cook and meal prep lunch boxes on the weekends.

I went to the gym regularly

On top of my diet, I went to the gym five days a week, twice a day: one hour and a half before work and the same after work. I know it’s a lot, but I had nothing else better to do.

I drank more water

I noticed I was drinking more water than usual. Quitting sugar made me extremely thirsty. I’m not someone who usually drinks water, but during this year of quitting sugar, my body wanted water.

So I drank two liters + of water a day instead of half a liter.

One year without sugar challenge — Month 3 to 12

Three months into my challenge and the cravings faded away entirely:

• I started craving other foods, such as salmon or avocado. Interestingly, those are foods high in fat.
• Instead of feeling tired throughout the detox process, I finally felt lighter after three months without sugar.
• My energy levels remained high throughout the rest of the year.

As per my fitness goals?

I was proud to have gotten to 18% body fat. I was smoking hot and running different fitness competitions!

I’m not saying it was easy to stay away from sugar — it wasn’t. But I'm also surprised at how easy it became after three months.

And when friends, coworkers, clients, or family would present me with some sweet food, it appeared so disgusting. Even the smell of it!

How it ended

Only at the end of my year-long challenge did I accept to eat a piece of chocolate.

I let my guard down because the man I was dating wanted to break up. My diet was too “complicated” for him. Indeed, quitting sugar affects you AND the people around you, who often have to adjust to your new diet.

So I took a bite of a piece of chocolate he gave me for Valentine's Day.

And another one for our three months anniversary.

And a glass of wine for a business dinner.

Etc.

However, even a tiny amount of sugar had become extraordinarily sweet to me. Seven years later, I still can’t eat much sweet food.

Why this worked for me, but it might not work for you

Quitting sugar is something that everyone can do with a bit of planning and preparation. However, it has worked perfectly for me but might not work for you.

Why is that?

1. I lived in a country that consumes little sugar

I believe my environment helped me win this challenge. Japan is a low consumer of sugar so there is less temptation around. Even breakfast comprises white rice and fish, and it’s hard to find fruits in supermarkets.

2. I had a great metabolism

I was 32 then and was already thin despite eating more than most men around me! So I believe my metabolism helped me win the challenge, but it might not be your case.

Know your body first by talking to a nutritionist.

4. I’m super efficient when I compete

I love competition, and it keeps me accountable. So when I set a challenge for myself, I do everything to win it.

If you don’t have a competitive mind, that might not work for you.

5. I’m good at planning

You must think ahead and plan for things you can eat when you start craving sugar. Those cravings will get the best of you if you don’t do that.

If you’re not good at planning, you might experience unnecessary setbacks in your progress.

6. I love to cook, and I always find the time to meal prep

It’s easiest to quit sugar when you have your meals prepared ahead of time. Meal preps will help you stay on track with your diet and avoid the temptation of sugary snacks or drinks.

Since I love to cook and will always find the time to cook (even if I finish my day at 11 pm), I was able to win this challenge.

It might be more difficult if you hate cooking and rely heavily on ready-made meals from the supermarket.

7. My friends were all fitness and nutrition freaks

Apart from the man I was dating, all my friends were also conscious about what they ate. So they never judged me when I entered my challenge; some even joined me.

But it might be more difficult if you are not surrounded by people who understand your choice.

Conclusion

Quitting sugar for one year is one of the best things I’ve done in my life. And I want to challenge you to try it out for at least three months.

You will test your sense of:

• Commitment
• Discipline
• Willpower

Three months is the least you need to see the benefits for yourself: more focus, more productivity, more energy.

But if it’s too difficult, be kind to yourself and remember that sugar is more addictive than cocaine.

Good luck!

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