I have been off the wagon for a while now and I have all of the symptoms that you describe.  It is a terrible way to live.  My challenge is that I tend to be all or nothing.  I can do it, but when I get to have sugar (chocolate) I binge.  I resent depriving myself of the wonders of chocolate and then I spiral out of control and don’t get back.  So, my question is, can I do sugar 3 or 4 times a year and still be able to control it?

Hey David,
Just wondering why you go for the store bought stuff.  I usually want the sweets from a bakery and homemade sweets-something of quality.  I have since learned that if you are going to binge, at least these have little to no preservatives and you have more control over the quality.

Hi Joy, You can do it, it just takes time and practice. I was off and on sugar for weeks and months at a time over several years before I attempted to go a full year. You start with a week, then two, a month and then add time in between sweets until you get to the point where you don’t want them anymore. I outline all of this in the Stop Being Sweet book. It tells you how to get started. There are also some blog posts about it in the Archive section. You can so do it!

Hi Judith, Good question. Perhaps next year I won’t buy any products. The cookies Gwenn made were the best thing I ate. Having only quality sweets sounds like a good parameter to help cut back on junky foods. It kinda makes me want to eat cookies right now…

I not only “try” to omit sugar, but get the best milage on low carb, so have a few things to omit from my eating.  For me, it’s all or nothing - if I were to eat sugar here and there, I’d have no control at all.  So I need to keep it totally out of my diet.  Keep up the good work!

David, Thanks so much for sharing your story.  I think a lot of us think “all or nothing” but finding our own gray is the best solution.  I agree with Juthith about eating only the best quality foods if you’re going to eat sugar.  I made it through Halloween without eating any candy.  It was really tough and I felt angry with the situation quite a few times.  I feel stronger now and optimist I’ll be in control over the holidays.  Congratulations on another year!!

How long have you gone without sweets Bev?

Thanks Connie! Hope you’re well.

I probably made it sound as if I never eat sugar at all -  that’s pretty well true but once in a while I have some and then pay for it.  I guess I’ve been eating this way for at least 5 years.  Blood tests never show that I have diabetes, but I’m sure it would be just around the corner if I let myself go.  The symptoms I get from eating it are not nice.  Years ago when I figured this out (on my own), I was able to get away with other sugars as well as organic cane sugar, but now even those give me hot flashes,  unable to sleep straight through, thick tongue and dry mouth when waking, dizziness, rapid heart beat when laying down—the list is long!  Sorry, I likely gave you way more information than you asked for.  Thanks again for your site -  it’s very helpful and good to be reminded that there are others in the same boat.

I meant to say, the “other” sugars that even bother me now are - honey, agave, maple syrup , and I’m thinking, even stevia.

Symptoms are good to hear, Bev. How many people are wandering around not knowing that all their sluggishness and other issues are sugar related? I was like that for years.

Just a word of encouragement-I have had a problem with sugar for a long time.  I have gone off and on the wagon many times.  In May, I found out my cholesterol was very high, but I didn’t want to take meds.  I told the dr. to give me three months.  Well, I walked and ate mostly healthy, but wasn’t able to stop the sugar binges.  I asked for another three months and went off the wagon for the first of those three months.  For 9 weeks now, I have not had any binges and I continue with my walking.  I just got my results-I have lowered my cholesterol 53 points (and lost 9 pounds).  I am convinced it was the binges, since we all know we don’t just eat sugar-it’s also the fat and white flour attached. 
Hope this helps someone.

Judith, that is good to know for sure.  I can’t say that I binge on sugar, but I do have a bit every few days which I really want to put a stop to.  One of these times it will happen.

Hi David-
Glad to hear you’re still at it.  I did last year’s No Sugar in No-vember challenge, and kept up the habit through February or so, but have been backsliding as time went on.  I was going to do the No Sugar November thing again, but decided I had too much Life Stuff going on right now to give energy to that—but then I was kept awake the night before last by some very painful digestive goings-on.  So I really need to change things, I guess.  (It’s easier to deal with Life Stuff after a good night’s sleep.)  Checking in right now because I’m having a craving, and while I can’t leave my desk at work to go take a walk until it passes, I can visit a blog.

Hi Dave, I’ve been following your journey for a while and really appreciate you sharing your story. It seems like your yearly binge is evolving. I suspect that it will eventually evolve itself away!

I agree with another comment. I’d indulge in the home made perservative-free stuff.  I know when I get very dark high-end chocolate, just a square or two is enough. Any more feels like having 10 espressos instead of one.

I’m not off sugar yet, but you have helped me to observe what I do. Thank you!

david,

you rock. reading your blog is making me laugh out loud. one of my fav’s is, the chocolate wafer cookies were making you sick, so you switched to candy! yeah baby! that’s what i do on my binges, mix that shit up. i also keep eating, even when the “appeal” is gone.

what jumped out at me the most with this post is how you don’t have sugar items on your radar when you are “off sugar.” me too! and i am reminded of the tranquility of that space, and would like to go back to it. i was “grey sheet abstinent” from june 24, 05 to sept 30, 2010, and then picked up. i don’t need to go back to the stringency of the grey sheet. it saved my life at the time. right now i am trying to figure out how to navigate with “mostly no sugar” (since it slays me), as a sugar addict. i like your idea. stop being sweet. i am going to copy you. i choose oct 31 to nov 3 for my annual binge, as well.

thanks for your honesty.

i’ll be back.

anita

Anita, good to know I’ll have someone to “celebrate” with each year!