Secrets I learned after 7 years without sugar

For the past seven years I have eaten no sugar. Sugar as in table sugar, sucrose, not sugars as in carbs. This includes all sweets obviously, including honey, agave syrup, but also all non-sweets foodstuff or dishes with sugar. No sugar-laden bread, sauce, topping, ribs, etc.

When people hear this, they have one of two reactions.

Reaction one: look at me weird. Like they don’t understand what is wrong with me.

Reaction two: look at me with admiration. They are impressed. They even comment that I must have an iron will or something along those lines. Then hastily add that they could never do this. Or they comment something like ‘life is worth living and we should all treat ourselves.’.

What did I learn from these seven years of no sugar? Five secrets:

1. It’s easy to not want sugar

Despite what everyone believes and feels, in fact not eating sugar is really easy. There are two very hard weeks in the beginning. These are full of intense cravings. I found my mind constantly craving sugar: in the middle of a work task, while eating lunch, when at the supermarket, in the middle of the night whilst sleeping, during conversations. But after those two weeks, it’s no effort at all.