21 Comments
User's avatar
Anfisa Nikitina's avatar

I feel like for me it’s just a habit to have something sweet after dinner as a reward. You can change that mindset. Although it’s not easy at all.

Expand full comment
CarpeLibrum CatLover's avatar

Thank you for these dietary tips. I’m trying to cut out sugar as well. For me it’s more of a mindless habit than an addiction. My weakness is savory carbs more than sugary things and I’m trying to live a lower-carb lifestyle in general for the health benefits, but not to the level of keto as I don’t think I’d realistically sustain that long term.

Expand full comment
Emily's avatar

Same!!

Expand full comment
Gary Bloomer's avatar

Thank you for sharing this. I’m two weeks away from a cardiac surgery and am looking for ways to improve my diet, cut out sugar, and limit my intake of carbs and sodium. This article is a must read.

Expand full comment
Nigel Masenda's avatar

This is so good! I started following this process (almost a T, tbh) during an early marathon prep. Intended to restrict processed sugar/foods and increase protein intake. I learned, about 85% of the time, cravings are attributable to an insufficient protein consumption. The remaining 15%, dehydration, lack of sleep (underrated culprit!!) and.. just being a human and craving sweets lol.

Expand full comment
Lauren Linster's avatar

I had no idea the order you eat made any difference! Thank you for sharing a simple, reasonable guide. I'm 4 days into eating with no added sugar. The "you'll stop thinking about food all day" made me laugh cause boy is that true :-D.

Expand full comment
Lauren Linster's avatar

How long would it say it took you to regain your energy?

Expand full comment
Ollie's avatar

To summarise, eat protein to stop craving sugar

Expand full comment
Lisa Hostettler's avatar

Thank you for posting this. I’m reading this while eating the worst breakfast. Luckily I’m headed to the grocery and I can course correct. I need the sugar monkey off my back.

Expand full comment
Denasche's avatar

What if, like me, you just have a sweet tooth?

I really love desserts. When I'm at home, I try to bake as much as possible to control my sugar intake, but a good rum baba or Black Forest cake excites me more than a steak. I try to eat less sugar, but I feel stuck between giving up what I love in the name of a discipline that's impossible to maintain in the long term, or giving in to adjustments like fruit and homemade pastries without really seeing spectacular results.

Expand full comment
Brooke's avatar

Thank you for sharing. This is exactly what I’ve been struggling with this week, especially the 3pm crash where all my good work goes down the drain.

Expand full comment
The Wallachian Girl 🖤❤️'s avatar

This is exactly the kind of content Substack wants and needs, and excellent work putting it so effectively into perspective! 🖤❤️

Likewise, great to meet you, and I’m glad that you’re finding Substack to be so rewarding! 😊🧡📄

Likewise, if you’re interested in a fresh perspective on culture, lifestyle, and politics, as well as poetry and short stories, I’d really appreciate it if you could please subscribe to and comment on Letters From the Castle 🏰🌙💜

My latest post: https://thewallachiangirl.substack.com/p/haikus-for-the-soul-9d7?utm_source=activity_item

Expand full comment
Lia's avatar

Great article. I also found it useful to eat some sweet fruit, even dried fruits that are generally frowned upon, when I was craving dessert. A few dates instead of a brownie or cookie. Now I've cut down on these as well. Sweet cravings are so much less than they were.

Expand full comment
Quinn O'Riley's avatar

Very good tips. Thank you.

Expand full comment
A lantern in the dark's avatar

Great tips thank you

Expand full comment
Adrianne's avatar

I hear you on this but do you just never have anything with sugar ever again? Ice cream on a hot summer day, birthday cake, wedding cake. Nothing ever again?

Expand full comment
Rosemary's avatar

Great article! I started doing this gradually in my 20s. I never went a day without sweets of some type before this. I didn’t realize that your taste buds can be retrained! I then raised my daughter like this and she has never had a craving for it. She can detect if something is too sweet and won’t eat it.

Expand full comment
Susan's avatar

Good advice. I was off sugar for a few months, but then Easter came and I decided it wouldn’t hurt me to indulge myself just a little bit. Four weeks have passed and I’m still struggling to get back on track.

Expand full comment
Rawform's avatar

yep sounds about right. It’s absolutely addictive, and we need firm boundaries. It doesn’t help that society is constructed in a way that reinforces sugar addiction.

Expand full comment