How to Break Sugar Addiction: Effective Strategies to Stop Cravings and Protect Your Health
Have you ever actually thought about how much sugar you’re actually eating in a day?
Like really thought about it?
Because I think most of us, at least on some level, probably realize that sugar is not great.
But it’s also pretty easy to not really think about how much sugar you’re actually consuming on a daily basis.
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Or what all that sugar is actually doing to your body.
Or the fact that if you’re like most people, you’re actually addicted to sugar and you don’t even realize it….even if you think you don’t have a sugar problem.
And that’s why in this post I wanted to take a deep dive into all things sugar, including some of the not-so-obvious signs that you might be eating too much, but also what it actually means to DETOX your body from sugar, and what kind of an impact that can have on your health.
It’s definitely a meaty blog post with LOTS of practical takeaways, but my hope is that it will inspire you to take action.
The reality is that SO MUCH of what we’ve been told our whole life about what’s healthy and what’s not healthy is just flat out WRONG. There is SO much misinformation out there —misinformation that has literally been bought and paid for by the big food companies and the sugar industry and the pharmaceutical companies, and that is why so many of us continue to struggle with getting healthy and losing weight, even when we think we’re doing the right things.
And a lot of it comes down to sugar and sugar addiction, which is exactly what I want to address in this post. Because sugar is a HUGE enemy to your health and weight goals and we’re going to blow the lid on why that is and what you can do about it.
But before we dive in, one thing I DO want to make sure to mention is that if you are new to this website, and to the whole Thinlicious movement, then you should know that I have put together a really awesome and totally FREE on-demand training video called Healthy, Happy, and Free that is designed to help you map out a personalized plan for improving your health, based on the proven metabolic science that we follow in our program.
It will help you understand why what you’ve likely tried until now hasn’t worked, and what you can do differently to get healthy and lose weight WITHOUT dieting, WITHOUT drugs, and WITHOUT making yourself miserable.
And again, it’s totally free. All you have to do to get it is go to Thinlicious.com/ready.
Alright, let’s dive in to the topic of the day —the fact that most of us are sugar addicts and in desperate need of a sugar detox.
And I know that might have sounded like a bold statement, but I hope that word “addict” actually got your attention. It SHOULD grab your attention. Because being an addict is never really a good thing, right? It’s not typically something we’re proud of.
And yet, despite the fact that our ENTIRE SOCIETY is addicted to sugar, and despite the fact that this addiction has literally caused an epidemic of sickness and obesity in our country, no one really seems to care that much.
We just keep feeding the beast.
Sugar is literally everywhere; it’s almost impossible to escape. The food companies add it to almost every single food the manufacture, knowing full well how addictive it is. In fact, they count on it.
And at the same time, we’ve elevated sugar to a symbol of love and happiness and joy.
People offer us apple pies, our favorite desserts, and candies as tokens of affection. Just about every holiday on our calendar is celebrated with… you guessed it… sweet treats.
It’s no wonder kicking this addiction is an uphill battle!
But the first step is actually realizing you might have a problem.
5 Surprising Signs You Are Addicted to Sugar
So let’s start by looking at some of the not-so-obvious signs of sugar addiction that you’ve possibly been missing, or blaming on other factors.
Sign #1: You’re always hungry
The first sign that you might be eating too much sugar is that you’re always hungry, even right after you’ve just eaten a big meal. And this is because sugar has a way of spiking your blood sugar levels, which in turn triggers the release of the hormone insulin. And when your insulin levels go up, it can actually make you feel even hungrier, and cause you to crave even more sugar and carbohydrates.
This is what’s known as the “sugar rollercoaster,” and it’s a very real thing that a lot of people experience on a daily basis without even realizing it. You eat something that’s high in sugar or carbohydrates, your blood sugar spikes, you get a little burst of energy, and then a few hours later, you come crashing down and you feel tired and irritable and HUNGRY, so you reach for something else that’s high in sugar or carbohydrates, and the whole cycle starts all over again.
And it’s a hard cycle to break, because the more sugar you eat, the more you crave it. In fact, some studies have shown that sugar can actually be MORE addictive than cocaine, and that it has a very similar effect on the brain. And that’s why, if you’re someone who’s always hungry, and who’s always craving sugar and carbohydrates, it’s the first sign that you’re actually addicted to sugar, and that you’re eating a lot more of it than you realize.
Sign #2: You’re tired all the time
The second not-so-obvious sign that you might be eating too much sugar is that you feel tired all the time. And this is another very common problem that a lot of people experience on a daily basis, and that can often be attributed to unstable blood sugar levels and a diet that’s high in sugar and carbohydrates.
Because when you’re eating a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, and your blood sugar levels are constantly spiking and crashing, it can have a major impact on your energy levels.
You might notice that you have a lot of energy right after you eat something that’s high in sugar or carbohydrates, but then a few hours later, you come crashing down and you feel tired and lethargic and like you need a nap. And so you reach for something else that’s high in sugar or carbohydrates, and the whole cycle starts all over again.
So that’s the second big thing to watch out for —lack of energy and feeling tired all the time.
Sign #3: You have trouble sleeping
And that brings me to the third not-so-obvious sign that you might be eating too much sugar, which is closely related, and that’s that you have trouble sleeping.
Because as it turns out, what you eat during the day can have a big impact on how well you sleep at night. So you might think the reason you’re tired all the time is because you’re not sleeping well at night, but the reason you’re probably not sleeping well at night is because of the sugar also.
Because if your blood sugar levels are constantly spiking and crashing throughout the day, that can actually have a big impact on your sleep cycles, and make it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. You might notice that you have a hard time falling asleep at night, or that you wake up a lot during the night, or that you just don’t feel very well-rested in the morning.
So that’s the third thing —you’re just not getting very high quality sleep.
Sign #4: You have a lot of digestive issues
The fourth surprising sign that you might be eating too much sugar is that you have a lot of digestive issues. And this shouldn’t come as a huge shock, but what you eat has a big impact on your gut health, and on how well your digestive system is functioning.
And this is especially true if you’re eating a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, and your diet is very high in processed foods and low in fiber. It’s basically wreaking havoc on your gut biome and your gut bacteria. Because all of those things can be very hard on your digestive system, and can lead to a lot of common digestive issues, like bloating and gas and constipation or even diarrhea. You might also notice that you have a lot of heartburn or acid reflux, or that you just don’t feel very well after you eat.
So that’s another thing to watch out for —digestive issues.
Sign #5: You have a lot of aches and pains
And that brings me to the fifth not-so-obvious sign that you might be eating too much sugar, and that’s that you have a lot of aches and pains. Because as it turns out, what you eat can have a big impact on the inflammation levels in your body, and on how well your joints and muscles are functioning.
The reality is that sugar and highly processed foods that tend to be high in sugar and carbohydrates are all highly inflammatory, and also contribute to leaky gut syndrome, which is when the lining of your gut becomes too permeable and starts leaking food particles into your bloodstream, which causes even MORE inflammation.
And all of those things can be very hard on your body, and can lead to a lot of common aches and pains, like headaches and migraines and joint pain and muscle pain. You might also notice that you have a lot of inflammation in your body or that your hands and feet are sometimes swollen or that you’re struggling with skin issues like eczema or acne.
And while all of those signs and symptoms might seem totally unrelated, the reality is that they all point back to the fact that you’re consuming way too much sugar.
Kinda scary right?
But how do you know whether you’re actually ADDICTED to sugar?
What is Sugar Addiction?
I suppose to answer that question, we should start by defining what we mean by “sugar addiction.”
When we talk about being addicted to sugar, we’re not just talking about enjoying a sweet treat once in a while.
We’re talking about a dependence on sugar that can affect your brain and body much like a drug. When you consume sugar, your brain releases dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical, which creates a rewarding sensation. Over time, your brain craves more sugar to achieve the same pleasure, leading to a cycle of addiction.
And for most of us, this is happening without even realizing it because sugar is in so much of the food that we eat.
And that’s mostly because in the late 70s and early 80s, the food industry figured out how to start extracting fructose from corn and other sources, creating a new, highly addictive product called high fructose corn syrup.
They started adding it to pretty much EVERYTHING. And that’s when all hell broke loose. It’s added to bread, ketchup, sauces, salad dressings, and pretty much any processed food you can think of. Potato chips. Cereal. Granola bars. Even things like yogurt and sports drinks.
And like I said, the food companies WANT to add high fructose corn syrup to as much food as they can, because they KNOW it’s addictive, and that it will make us crave more.
So the more we eat, the more addicted we become.
And the only real way to actually break that addiction, just like if you were addicted to drugs, is to detox completely.
So what does that actually look like?
How to Detox from Sugar
Well, I’ll be honest with you, depending on just how addicted to sugar you are, it could be a little rough. Your body will fight you. Your brain will fight you. And for at least a few days, you probably won’t feel very good, because you’re experiencing real withdrawal.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, because the benefits are SO worth it.
So let’s talk about a few steps you can take to make your sugar detox a reality.
Understand that it’s an addiction
First, you need to UNDERSTAND that it’s an addiction. You have to understand that what you’re feeling is not just a lack of willpower. It’s a real, physiological response that’s happening in your body. And the more you can understand that, the more you can have MERCY on yourself, and the more you can have COMPASSION for yourself.
Because I think that’s the thing that trips a lot of us up, right? We beat ourselves up for not having enough willpower. We beat ourselves up for not being able to resist. We beat ourselves up for giving in. And then we feel guilty and ashamed. And what do we do when we feel guilty and ashamed? We EAT MORE SUGAR.
It’s a vicious cycle.
But the more you can understand that it’s an ADDICTION, the more you can start to reframe the way you think about it. Because we don’t usually beat ourselves up for being addicted to drugs or alcohol. We have compassion for people who are struggling with those kinds of addictions. We try to get them help. We support them in their recovery.
And that’s the mindset that you have to have when it comes to overcoming your sugar addiction. You have to treat it like a REAL addiction, because that’s what it is. And you have to have compassion for yourself, and be willing to seek out the help and support that you need to recover.
And that’s actually a really big part of what we do inside our TAS program. We provide that support. We provide the tools and the resources and the knowledge that you need to actually RECOVER from your sugar addiction, and to get your body to a place where it’s no longer CRAVING sugar all the time.
So that’s the first thing —understand that it’s an addiction, and have compassion for yourself.
Cut out the obvious sources of sugar
The second step, then, is to actually cut out the obvious sources of sugar from your diet. And I know that sounds really basic, but it’s something that a lot of people struggle with, because we don’t always realize just how much sugar we’re actually consuming.
Because like I said before, sugar is literally in EVERYTHING. And it’s in a lot of things that we don’t even THINK about as being sweet. It’s in all the bread and the pasta and the rice and the potatoes. It’s in all the sauces and the dressings and the condiments. It’s in all the processed foods and the packaged foods and the fast food. It’s in all the drinks we love to drink. It’s in all the things that we eat when we’re not even really HUNGRY.
And so the first step to cutting out the obvious sources of sugar is to actually become AWARE of where the sugar is hiding in your diet. And the best way to do that is to start READING LABELS. I know it’s a pain in the butt, but it’s so important. You have to start reading the labels on everything you eat, so that you can see just how much sugar is in there.
And I think you’ll be SHOCKED. I know I was. Because I used to think that I didn’t eat that much sugar. I wasn’t a big candy eater, and I didn’t really drink soda. So I thought I was doing pretty good. But then I started actually READING LABELS, and I realized that I was eating sugar in almost everything I was eating. Even the stuff that I thought was healthy, like yogurt and granola and protein bars.
So start reading labels, and become AWARE of where the sugar is hiding in your diet so that you can avoid them. At the same time focus on eating REAL, WHOLE FOODS as much as possible. Foods that don’t have labels. Foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Foods that you have to cook and prepare yourself.
Because the more you can do that, the more you’ll automatically be cutting out a lot of the obvious sources of sugar. And you’ll also be cutting out a lot of the other CRAP that’s in processed and packaged foods, like the vegetable oils and the preservatives and the artificial flavors and colors.
So actually eliminating the sugar from your diet —that’s a pretty essential step to your sugar detox.
Focus on protein and healthy fats
But that’s not the last step. The third thing that I think is really important when it comes to overcoming your sugar addiction is to actually focus on EATING ENOUGH PROTEIN AND HEALTHY FATS. And this is also something that we talk about a lot in our program, because it’s a big part of what makes our TAS system so effective.
But the reality is that most of us are not eating enough protein and healthy fats. We just don’t.
But I’m telling you, your body actually NEEDS protein and healthy fats in order to function properly. Your body needs protein to build and repair tissues, to make enzymes and hormones, and to help your immune system function. And your body needs healthy fats to help you absorb certain vitamins and minerals, to protect your organs, and to help regulate your hormones.
And when you’re not getting enough protein and healthy fats, your body will actually start to CRAVE the things that it’s missing. You’ll start to feel hungry and unsatisfied all the time. And that will make it a lot harder to resist the sugar.
But the more you can actually focus on eating enough protein and healthy fats, the more you’ll be able to AVOID those sugar and carb cravings. Because protein and healthy fats are a lot more FILLING and SATISFYING than carbohydrates. They’ll help keep you full and energized throughout the day, and they’ll help stabilize your blood sugar levels.
So that’s the third thing —actually focus on eating enough protein and healthy fats.
Practice Self Care While You Detox
The fourth and final step that I think is really important when it comes to overcoming sugar cravings is to practice some serious self-care while you detox. And this is something that a lot of us don’t really think about, but it’s actually a big part of the equation.
Because first of all, there’s a very good chance you’re not going to feel good. You might feel shaky or lightheaded. You’ll probably have headaches. You’ll be extremely tired and lethargic. You’ll likely get nauseated and may even throw up. You might even feel like you have the flu. And these symptoms will probably last for anywhere from 2-3 days to a week or more.
So be ready for that. And be smart about it.
Don’t do a sugar detox the same week you have an important project due at work.
You’ll want to get plenty of sleep and plan ways of taking care of yourself, whether it’s binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix or taking long walks outside or soaking in the tub.
You’ll also want to make sure you have ELECTROLYTES on hand and that you’re drinking LOTS of water to help flush out your system, but also to keep you hydrated as you’ll be losing a lot of essential minerals while you detox.
That will actually help a LOT with the detox symptoms, so I can’t emphasize it enough!
But you need to be KIND to yourself while you detox. Prepare to take it easy for a few days. Because this too shall pass.
And then remind yourself that a few days of discomfort are worth the lifelong health benefits you’re going to experience.
The Benefits of Eliminating Sugar
So what are those benefits? Oh my goodness, where do I even begin?! There are so many but let’s start with one of my favorites.
More Energy
First off, say hello to better energy levels. When you cut out sugar, you avoid those nasty sugar crashes that leave you feeling like a zombie by mid-afternoon. Instead, you’ll find your energy is more stable throughout the day. Imagine actually keeping up with your kids or grandkids, or better yet, outlasting them!
Improved Mood
Next, you’ll notice a huge improvement in your mood. No more feeling irritable, moody, or anxious because of sugar fluctuations in your blood sugar levels.
Better Sleep
With improved energy levels and mood, you may also find that you sleep better at night. Without the spikes and crashes from sugar consumption, your body can regulate its hormones properly, leading to more restful nights.
Clearer, Brighter Skin
Next up, you’ll have clearer skin. Yep, ditching sugar can work wonders for your complexion. Sugar is known to cause inflammation, which can lead to breakouts and even accelerate aging, and who needs more wrinkles, right? So, cutting it out could mean fewer breakouts and a youthful glow—double win!
Weight Loss
Then there’s the weight factor. Dropping sugar means you’re not wreaking havoc with your hormones, which is not only beneficial to your overall health, but can help you shed those stubborn pounds as well.
Lower Risk of Chronic Disease
Speaking of your overall health, reducing sugar intake can lower your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, autoimmune conditions, and certain cancers. It’s like adding years to your life just by making a simple dietary change.
More Stable Blood Sugar Levels
At the same time, you’ll experience more stable blood sugar levels. By eliminating sugar from your diet, you can prevent insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders. This means a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as well as better overall health and longevity.
Improved Cognitive Function
Last but certainly not least, cutting out sugar improves brain function. No more foggy brain! You’ll find it easier to concentrate and remember things, making you sharper at work and in your daily life.
Basically, there’s not a part of your overall health that won’t be improved by detoxing your body from sugar and breaking your addiction.
It’s literally trading a few days of discomfort for a lifetime of rewards.
And at the end of the day, you’re worth it!
Okay my friends, that’s everything I have for you in this post.
I hope this was helpful and that you’re inspired to take some action and actually do the thing —plan a sugar detox and experience allllllll the amazing benefits to your health.
But if it still feels scary and you’re not sure you can do it all on your own, please also know that our TAS program is probably the most amazing place you will ever find for support on your health journey.
Our community and our coaching team is like no other, and we are SO good at walking you through every part of your journey, step by step. Again, if you want more info on how to get started, you can check out my free training at Thinlicous.com/ready
