I could eat my way through a Nutella jar while watching an episode of Friends . Wolfing down doughnuts and brownies at the speed of light was one of the things I did, along with crunching deadlines and juggling multiple work assignments. I ignored the warning signs that having these ‘superpowers’ brought: the weight gain, the fatigue, the mental cloudiness. Even the weird eczema on the scalp at the back of my head.
Until that bleak day in September when I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and told that it could be cancerous and needed an immediate biopsy. The alarm bells were clanging deafeningly and I knew I needed to make changes and make them FAST. Not just that, I was also getting pretty exhausted of being exhausted all the time, and I knew (like we all do!) that sugar was to blame. But I needed that wake-up call to actually take some action.
Taking baby steps... and falling on my (sugar-deprived) face
Filled with new-found enthusiasm and focus, I started cleaning up my diet. “No sugar for a month!” I declared to friends, family, even total strangers at the local bakery, when they caught me glancing a little too longingly at the soft doughnuts and cinnamon rolls. It wasn’t easy.
While I did feel like I had more energy at times, for the most part, I was crabby, cranky and an adult version of a 2-year-old having major meltdowns at being denied cake. I gave up, and when December rolled around, stuffed my face silly with said cake, lemon tarts, and yes, Nutella. I needed help. But like most women, I tried to soldier on, alone. It didn’t work.
Quitting sugar needs support
By now, one thing was clear. I had to quit sugar and I needed a plan that would be sustainable for the rest of my life. I hired a nutritionist who put together a plan that included eating small meals at regular intervals, staying hydrated (dehydration often leads to sugar binges) and eliminating all forms of sugar: white (table) sugar, honey, jaggery, stevia and other ‘sugar-free’ pills. This meant no desserts—not even the rare bite of something small when we went to the mall.
What quitting sugar actually looks like
It’s been 8 weeks since I’ve quit sugar. I’ve discovered that my taste buds are so sensitive to sweetness now, that I find my earlier “treats” horribly sweet. I enjoy fruit smoothies without sugar, which was unthinkable earlier, and have noticed that my appetite has shrunk.
Most importantly, I’m setting a solid example for my 9-year-old daughter, who’s already starting to enjoy naturally-sweetened treats more than commercially-available, sugar-laden cookies and cakes.
I recently went on a family holiday to Thailand and I didn’t touch a single sweet. It was the first time I avoided it at the breakfast buffet too!
Quitting sugar, however, is challenging if you’ve been as addicted to it as I was. There have been instances when I’m tempted to eat a full chocolate bar, but remembering why I’m doing this—and seeing the benefits—keeps me on track. The trick is to take a second to think before you put it in your mouth.
It requires patience; not only your own, but also that of your family. I have to give truckloads of credit to my husband and daughter for seeing me through my mood swings. Yes, quitting sugar isn’t easy, but it’s totally worth it. My energy levels are through the roof, there is no crankiness and I’m 6 kilos lighter already.
At 12 weeks, I will go back for a complete medical review, but I have no lower abdomen pain any more, so I am positive that my results will only be encouraging.
