Give up refined sugar

No question, the withdrawals suck, and the label-reading takes some getting used to. But once you’re on the other side, you can’t believe how much better you’ll feel.

The best way to get yourself ready to start: every time you consume sugar, pay close attention to how it makes you feel afterward. Sure, there’s a momentary high, but focus on the aftermath. . . the exhaustion. The crappy feeling in your stomach. The burnt feeling in your throat.

If you really want to scare the pants off yourself, read “Sugar Blues” by William Dufty.

. . . And know that you don’t have to give up sweet things entirely. There are options that won’t hurt you, and once you’re past the hard part, they will taste just as good as you think sugar does now.

Wow . . . I never thought I’d find myself in this lifetime not eating sugar—and not missing it!

Once you’re through the fatigue and cravings, it’s amazing how much better you feel overall. My energy levels are more consistent, and I have fewer food cravings in general.

When confronted with some kind of sugary treat, I find that I enjoy the smell, but then am confronted soon after with a little wave of nausea—my body’s signal that it’s done with this stuff.

Best of all, the caloric intake that used to be sugar is now healthier foods. This is a really good change. I couldn’t have handled it before my body was ready to let go, but I’m glad I finally got to that point.

This one’s certainly easier said than done. But I’m three weeks into it, and the awful fatigue and mood swings have subsided. It radically alters your diet, because sugar is nearly everywhere. But I can’t say enough about the level of clarity and bodily balance that’s opening up in me. I’d been hardly aware of the highs and crashes from ingesting sugar—all I knew were the cravings.

This is so worth it . . . but be prepared.