In a world facing a type 2 diabetes crisis, deciding to quit sugar for a month or at least drastically curb your intake is a no-brainer. It’s a big step towards healthy eating for weight loss and one of the top recommendations by the World Health Association.
Sugar isn’t just a high risk factor for diabetes, it also has zero nutritional benefits and makes you crave food. Most people lose weight when they decide to quit sugar.
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No Sugar For A month Weight Loss
Now I don’t have a sweet tooth, I guess I’m lucky that way, (peanut butter toast is my downfall). For my guy it’s a different story.
Tea is his drink of choice and he can get through 10 cups a day. He was taking 2 teaspoons of sugar in his tea. Just think! That’s 20 teaspoons of sugar a day! We were getting through a packet of sugar a week.
Now he does exercise a lot and you would never say he was overweight, but he did have a little bit of a tummy. (Not that I would ever mention it to him!)
I was more worried about what that sugar was doing to him. Could someone as fit as my guy still get diabetes just because of his sugar intake?
It was probably less likely because he exercised daily (which lowers your blood glucose level), but that’s no guarantee. There’s certainly an increasing in the number of people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who are thin but don’t have the best of diets.
I managed to quit sugar myself, lost some weight and it made my guy curious enough to try. He found it tough but he lost half a stone in a month. He was so chuffed!
That was just from cutting out obvious sources of sugar – sugar in his tea and sugary treats. My guy’s a climber and the weight loss made a difference to how hard he could climb.
No Sugar For A Month – Long Term Effects
This was a few years ago and the weight has stayed off. He does have a few sugar treats from time to time, but he’s never gone back to the high sugar intake he used to live on.
Quitting sugar or at least drastically reducing your intake is so worth it. You owe it to your body.
What Counts As Sugar?
Sugar creeps into our diet in so many different forms. It naturally occurs in fruit, it’s added to processed food from sauces to cakes and food producers try to mislead us by adding “natural sugars” in the form of fruit sugars, maple syrup and honey.
It’s all sugar! Even when it’s natural. I draw the line at removing fruit from my diet but try to minimise eating foods with added sugars even from natural sources.
I like to avoid drinking fruit juice. It’s a big sugar hit and you can get the nutrients you need from eating whole fruit.
Here’s what happens when you stop eating sugar for a month…
You’ll Go Through Withdrawal Symptoms
Everyone reacts differently but sugar is addictive and when you quit you’ll go through withdrawal symptoms. Don’t worry – they won’t last.
Some people get headaches for a day or two and most people feel tired but by your second week you’ll be bouncing around with extra energy.
You’ll Have Better Digestion
Eating too much sugar messes up your digestive system. When you quit sugar you’ll be rewarded with a healthier gut.
Quitting sugar is good for your immune system and you’re ability to extract nutrients from food.
You’ll Feel Lighter
A big plus of quitting sugar is reduced bloating. You’ll also be consuming less calories and have less food cravings.
The result? You’ll lose weight in no time. Real sugar addicts can experience large weight loss just by quitting sugar.
Your Dentist Will Love You
Quitting sugar means less fillings! Sugar is the main cause of tooth decay and by eliminating sugar from your diet your chance of fillings becomes almost zero.
That means less bills and time in the dentist chair! I haven’t had a single filling since I quit sugar!
You’ll Cook More
When you quit sugar for a month you’ll become more aware of all the bad ingredients in processed food. The solution? You’ll start cooking healthy food at home. Better for you and your family.
You’ll Need A Supply Of Healthy Snacks
It’s best to be prepared with healthy alternatives to sugary treats. Make sure you don’t lapse by having a supply of fruit and nuts to hand.
Travelling Will Be Tricky
You’ll need a plan to cope with travelling. It can be very difficult when you’re out and about to find sugar-free food. It’s best to go prepared with your own food.
You’ll Be Able To Taste Sweetness Again In Natural Foods
When we eat sugar all the time we lose our sensitivity to sweetness. When you quit sugar expect to be delighted by the wonderful natural sweetness in healthy foods.
It’s Your Best Defense Against Diabetes
Sugar is the number one factor contributing to the rise in type 2 diabetes. Cut out sugar and you vastly reduce the risk. Some people have even managed to reverse type 2 diabetes by quitting sugar and following a low-carbohydrate diet.
Tips To Quit Sugar For A Month
Sugar is everywhere. It’s the hidden ingredient in so many processed foods. Everyone needs a little help to quit sugar for a month and the resources in my post: 6 Tips To Help You Quit Sugar (Right Now) will help.
These are just some of the many benefits you’ll enjoy when you quit sugar. I find the challenges are always outweighed by the huge pluses in how I feel. Love to hear your comments!
Frequently Asked Questions
Expect to lose 1-2lb a week. It can be a lot more if you’re a big sugar addict and have a lot of weight to lose. Weight loss will depend on how much your diet changes by quitting sugar. If you have a sweet tooth – expect to see big changes.
Expect withdrawal symptoms for the first few days. These could be headaches, feeling achy and tired. After the first few days you should start to feel better and by the second week notice increased energy levels. You stop craving your next sugar fix. No more energy peaks and crashes. Your digestion will be better, less bloating and if you’re replacing your sugary snacks with healthy food, expect to lose weight.
Sugar is present in many natural forms, such as fruit and vegetables, so you’re never completely detoxing from sugar. It’s the super concentrated stuff added to processed foods or stirred into your tea that causes the problems. Quit adding granulated sugar, honey, maple sugar or any other form of intense sugar fix to your food and your taste buds will quickly adapt. Some people will adjust in less than a week but everyone is different and it’s harder if you have a sweet tooth. One month should be enough to eliminate cravings and adapt to healthy eating.
Good morning
I have decided to quit sugar and have been thinking honey could substitute. Now I’ve just read that sugar is Sugar it does not matter whether is natural. My question is will it not affect our body if we don’t take sugar completely
Hi Precious thanks for commenting – it’s a good question. The body needs glucose to function. Glucose is the energy source of the body but you don’t need to eat pure sugar to get this energy. The body will convert just about all food into glucose. Sugar naturally occurring in the food you eat isn’t the concern. Even vegetables contain some sugar. Unless you’re diabetic, eating fruit which has high levels of sugar in it’s natural form is still good for you. Just don’t over do it and avoid fruit juices. It’s adding extra sugar to your food or eating processed foodstuffs with high sugar levels such as cakes and biscuits that’s the problem. These are the big contributor to diabetes and obesity. Try and avoid all added sugars. These can be honey, fruit sugars, molasses, agave nectar, maltose, maltodextrin. Some are better than others in terms of Glycemic Index but all will make your blood sugar levels spike then crash a few hours later leaving you craving your next sugar fix.