The one thing that keeps more people from committing to a sugar-free diet than any other cause is fear of sugar withdrawal symptoms. Don’t let that stop you: The withdrawal symptoms of sugar addiction, compared to many other addictive substances, are fairly mild, so kicking your addiction to sugar and other refined carbohydrates is fairly easy. The hard part is staying “clean” afterwards.

Other drugs, like 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 drowsiness, probably occur every day when you’re still on a high-sugar diet, as your blood sugar goes up and down, but it’s usually not to blame. to the way of eating. When you kick the sugar habit, you will 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 are completely free of them.

A caffeine withdrawal headache can be quite painful and can last 2 days or more, while sugar withdrawal symptoms are usually milder but can last a week or two. Some people may experience little or no discomfort and will simply receive the full benefits of a sugar-free diet almost immediately.

And the benefits are enormous: better health, better mood, a feeling of increased 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 will, or that they will feel miserable for much longer. Some of this reasoning is actually caused by the “stinky thinking” created by your addiction.

Knowing how long your symptoms will last will give you the strength to commit to moving through the withdrawal phase toward health. You don’t want to give in to lingering symptoms begging you for that donut just hours before the symptoms are gone for good.

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’re 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 gone through the first few weeks. The mild withdrawal symptoms from him at first will actually keep you focused and remind you of your goal of starting 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 prevents you from slipping back into your old unhealthy eating choices.