When the sugar cravings hit
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When the sugar cravings hit
How my one New Year's day resolution is saving the day
When I said I’d get back on my weight loss journey on January 1st I was not talking about doing ALL THE THINGS at once. I have a plan but this plan will unfold and evolve throughout 2023. I only made one resolution that day:
To quit refined sugar for 12 months.
There are other habits I want to establish and I have started a couple of those as well, namely eating only 3 meals a day and doing morning pages. I will share more about those and other particulars of my plan soon.
I knew that quitting sugar had to happen from day one, it’s the one thing that I cannot do gradually. So I decided to treat it as an experiment, which is something I often do when I want to make changes. For instance, in 2019 I decided to stop doing 1:1 web design projects and focus 100% on my online courses. It was a bold step and I gave myself one year to try it and if it didn’t work out, I would go back to web design. Needless to say, that experiment was a huge success.
Quitting sugar is not easy when you’re pretty much addicted to the stuff. Ice cream and chocolate have been my go-to anxiety soothers for decades. When things are bad I eat so much sugar that I get skin rashes and constant heartburn. There is nothing healthy about consuming sugar at those levels. But quitting it is not just about my health, it’s also about removing the crutch and learning to walk without it. Which is perhaps a bit drastic but it’s the only way for me. If you’ve ever read Gretchen Rubin’s articles on abstainer vs. moderator you’ll know what I mean when I say I am an abstainer when it comes to sugar.
So.
Four days in and today was the first day when I really struggled and craved sugar big time. It was a combination of wanting some relief from the intensitity of a task I was working on for my business, and the physical craving that I get after eating something savory.
The usual mind games began…
… I should just count calories and allow sweets in moderation.
… or just allow one treat a day, or once a week, or 3 x week.
… it’s stupid to quit sugar and deny myself treats.
… it’s ok to make an exception.
And so on. But then I stopped myself and paused. I pulled out my journal and started writing about it… I thought ahead and imagined how I would feel afterwards: not great for having broken a promise to myself. Then I reminded myself that next year I can have sugar again if I still want to. For some reason that thought was comforting.
The craving passed and I am grateful for the pause.
One thing I remember from the last time I quit sugar (for five months in 2020) was that after a while it felt like I had taken the crazy out of my head. No more lengthy negotiations with myself over whether to have a sweet and how much. No more feelings of remorse and failure. It’s quite powerful really.
I am generally not an all-or-nothing person but when it comes to sugar this approach works for me.
Well, that’s all for tonight. Sweet dreams!
Kerstin xo
When the sugar cravings hit
Totally get the all or nothing need to deal with sugar. The ‘just one piece’ mouthful is fatal for me, one piece leads to the whole bar. Much the same with alcoholics for whom one drink is never enough, hence sobriety coming from abstinence. Being unwell for most of December meant I didn’t eat much, including chocolate. I haven’t missed it and I’ve stayed away from it now for six weeks.
I love that you're doing what works for you - and that you worked through the craving with a pause and some journalling! One step or resolution at a time is perfect! Congrats!