What Happens When You Stop Eating Sugar: What I Noticed in the First Few Weeks
In short
Ditch the sugar for two or three weeks and things change fast. I dropped about 5 kilos in the first three or four weeks (a lot of it fluid), my energy levels evened out, the cravings disappeared, my joints loosened up, the gas went away and the brain fog lifted. Just as important, my blood pressure came right down.
Key points
- Quick early weight loss. In the first three or four weeks I probably lost 5 kilos (10 to 12 lb). A lot of that is stored fluid, then your body starts chewing through its fat reserves, starting around the belly and the liver.
- Blood sugar and blood pressure. A work medical showed my blood sugar and blood pressure were off the charts, undiagnosed for years. Once I cut sugar and started burning fat instead, my blood pressure came right down.
- Steady energy, no cravings. No more mid-morning slump or being hungry mid-afternoon after a big lunch. Sugary food has you craving more within an hour or two; getting off it ends the roller coaster.
- Fewer aches. I used to get stiff joints and shoulder stiffness. I put the improvement down to cutting inflammatory foods like seed oils, wheat and sugar itself.
- Better digestion. Bread, pasta and beer gave me gas, and once I ditched them it just went away. Plenty of people in the carnivore groups say their IBS cleared up too.
- Clearer head. After maybe three weeks or a month the brain fog lifted. I found it much easier to focus and got a lot more done.
- You don’t need sugar for energy. Without easy sugar in your blood, your body makes ketones from your fat stores instead.
- Starch counts as sugar. Bread, rice and pasta don’t taste sweet, but they turn into sugar in your bloodstream. That’s what catches most people out.
What actually happens when you stop eating sugar? I found out the hard way, after a work medical showed my blood sugar and blood pressure were off the charts. In this video I run through what changed for me in those first few weeks off sugar and carbs, and what a lot of other people report too.
Weight loss is why most people start, but for me it was only part of the story. Steady energy, no cravings, looser joints and a clear head made just as big a difference.
Why bread and rice count too
Plenty of people reckon they’re on a low sugar diet because they’ve given up biscuits and cake. But starch is basically just a form of sugar. A few slices of bread or a bowl of rice gets turned into sugar in your bloodstream almost straight away, and your body goes back to burning sugar instead of fat. That’s why I go low carb, not just no sugar.
Give it two or three weeks
Whether you’re over 50, 60 or 70 and it’s been a lifelong problem, try cutting out the sugar for two or three weeks. That means the treats, the biscuits and cakes, and the sugar in your tea. If you tried before and stalled, don’t worry about it. Everybody hits plateaus. Get back on the horse and give it another shot, because it’s entirely worth it. And you don’t have to miss out on the good stuff: the low carb French fries, 90 second keto bread and sugar free ice cream all keep me on track.
New to all this? Grab the free Carb Guide, or watch my story and how I lost 23kg in four months.
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Not medical advice. I'm not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist, just a bloke telling the story of what worked for me. Check with your doctor before changing your diet or medication.
