The one thing that prevents more people from committing to a sugar-free diet than any other cause is the fear of sugar withdrawal symptoms. Don’t let that stop you: Withdrawal symptoms from sugar addiction, compared to many other addictive substances, are fairly mild, so kicking addiction to sugar and other refined carbohydrates is pretty easy. The hard part is staying “clean” afterwards.
Other drugs, such as tobacco (and even caffeine) have much longer and more disturbing withdrawal symptoms.
During the first few days without sugar you may experience headaches, fatigue, depression, drowsiness, skin rashes, and a runny or sore throat.
Some of these symptoms, especially mood swings, fatigue, and sleepiness, probably occur every day when you’re still on a high-sugar diet, as your blood sugar goes up and down, but you’re usually not to blame. to the way of eating. When you kick the sugar habit, you’ll be acutely aware that these symptoms are being caused by your recent change in diet, and you should look forward to the day when you’ll be completely free of them.
A caffeine withdrawal headache can be quite painful and can last for 2 days or more, while sugar withdrawal symptoms are usually milder but can last for a week or two. Some people may experience little to no discomfort and simply receive all the benefits of a sugar-free diet almost immediately.
And the benefits are enormous: better health, better mood, a feeling of greater vitality, and clearer thinking.
Unfortunately, the thought of sugar withdrawal symptoms is a powerful impediment to healthy change. People often think that they will feel much worse than they really do, or that they will be miserable for much longer. Part of this reasoning is actually caused by the “stinking thought” created by your addiction.
Knowing how long your symptoms will last will give you the strength to commit to moving through the withdrawal phase to health. You don’t want to give in to persistent symptoms begging for that donut just hours before the symptoms are gone forever.
For this reason, it’s important to mark the moment when you know you won’t feel your best. Think of it like a voluntary case of the flu and commit to getting through it. In a few days it will be over.
Does that mean you are free of sugar cravings forever? Nope.
As mentioned above, the hard part is not giving up sugar. It’s staying sugar free once you’ve gotten through the first few weeks. Mild withdrawal symptoms from him at first will actually keep you focused and remind you of your goal to start a healthy diet.
It’s later, when you’re feeling healthy and energized, that the lure of “just one” treat can seem like a harmless indulgence. To make sure you stick with your new healthy diet, you’ll need a plan that will prevent you from slipping back into your old unhealthy eating choices.