The pain of an addictive relationship to sugar and simple carbs can manifest in many ways. Here’s a sampling of the kinds of benefits that readers share when they kick the sugar habit:
- Stability in your emotional moods and sense of well-being.
- Freedom from sugar or other food cravings.
- Increased, consistent energy throughout the day.
- A leaner body.
- Greater self esteem.
- Freedom from irrational swings, anger and irritability.
- Decreased PMS symptoms.
- Prevention of type 2 diabetes and other problems associated with eating foods with a very high glycemic index.
- Improved likelihood of meeting your goals for weight loss.
The offerings on this website can also help you if you just want to reduce your sugar intake, rather than give it up all together. It can also help you if you’re undecided: if you’re thinking about giving up sugar, but aren’t certain you’ll benefit from it.
“It’s been very helpful in helping me kick the sugar habit for good, and is a wealth of information about how to sensibly kick the sugar habit for good. And while I’ve just gone through the first week of detox, and have a week to go, it’s making me realize how much hidden sugar I have in the house, and am starting to find sugar free alternatives to them. I’m now focusing on what I can eat, versus what I can’t. And hope to be off the sugar rollercoaster for good this time.” – Patricia B.
You can control sugar addiction
You need four things to heal from sugar addiction:
1. Find your sugar abstinence
If you’re sugar sensitive, and you want to stop sugar binges, eliminate sugar from your diet in order to heal. This step, combined with eating regular meals of whole, healthy foods, is what heals your brain chemistry so that you aren’t eating sugar compulsively. This book shares the secrets that helped me give up sugar … and regain my life. I outline exactly how I did it.
“For many years, I have struggled with sugar addiction. Until recently, I did not know this problem was something that I shared with other people. Reading your book nightly is helping me to stay my course of healthy eating and abstinance from hidden and obvious sugars. Thank you!” – Jen
2. Soothe yourself without turning to sugar or food
And yet abstinence is not enough to stay off sugar for good. Even though you’ve fixed the biochemical craving for sugar, you haven’t healed the emotional craving. You still have an ingrained pattern of turning to sugar or food for comfort when you’re stressed, anxious, have an unmet need or have blocked feelings.
You need to create a new pattern of soothing yourself without turning to food. Period. Without this new pattern in place, you will eventually go back to sugar when life gets stressful or when your circumstances change. I know – I spent 10 years going back and forth with sugar until I finally found lasting abstinence.
“I am on my 7th day and I have to say that this really is life changing to see such a notable difference in ME. I have lived in a vicious cycle of being agressively hungry and trying to work around it, deny it, give in to it, and get fat and depressed and irritable – reading your book was eerie because everything you said seemed to show case ME.
“Thank you so much for the honesty and the no fluff and hype approach to a subject that is very real to many if they can make the first step of accepting that SUGAR IS THE PROBLEM. Bless you Karly. I really appreciate your leadership.” -Stephanie T. S.
3. Relax and refresh with the support of others.
I know that the thought of giving up sugar feels terrifying and impossible – overwhelming, too, as our culture is surrounded by sugar. That’s why you need support. You need the voice of someone who’s been there, as well as the voice of someone who’s traveling the same path, so you can feel reassured when you’re feeling discouraged or afraid.
We strongly recommend finding a buddy to help you in your transition. If you don’t know anybody with whom you might share this journey, find someone on the facebook page of Firstourselves.org. There are lots of people waiting to start, and you might find someone eager to start but hesitant to go it alone.
You also have the option to join a community of women at firstourselves.org. Sign-up for our private forums (women only, sorry guys). You’ll get crucial support from others who are going through the same thing. It’s very, very hard to get off sugar on your own – especially when your friends and family don’t understand why you’re doing this. The other people in the support program will know exactly how you feel.
“I’m celebrating 90 days sugar free! I’m unbelievably fortunate and grateful to have been able to learn so much from you and for this AMAZING community of women. You speak the truth that is within me – so thank you so very much for your voice.” – Kaitlin, Support Forum member.
4. Embrace this for life, without resentment.
To stay sugar free, you need to be mindful about what you’re eating. This doesn’t mean that you have to be obsessive about what you eat or a rigid food cop. It does mean that you need to pay attention.
If you find yourself justifying why you can indulge in a sugar treat now and then because you’re “fixed,” stop and question this thinking. If you find yourself craving sugar, I’ll give you practices and self-assessments you can use to get unstuck and move onward in your abstinence.
Healing from sugar means that you have to keep doing the things that keep you sugar free – those things that honor your sugar sensitive brain chemistry and keep it healthy and whole. Think of healing more akin to putting gas in your car – something you do over and over again – rather than fixing a broken muffler – something you do once and then it’s done. You need to put gas in your car over and over and over – you need to continue new practices, sustain new patterns that don’t rely on food for comfort.
I have read it probably four times and highlighted tons of passages. It is the best book on the subject right now. Everything I started to wonder about was answered in the next chapter. You are real and I can relate. Thanks again!” -Joy R., New York