By Mike, The SugarFreeMan
Founder of SugarDetox.com and the 30-Day Sugar Freedom Challenge
Darn, I had a great holiday!
Sorry, as a few folks have mentioned, that I didn’t get an email off to you on Christmas Day, but I think we all needed a break from thinking about sugar for a minute.
I was hanging out with my sons and we had just a delightful day. I’m lucky now that sugar plays no part of our holidays and it still was beyond wonderful. They have turned into incredible chefs and the food was historic!
Today, and all this week, is shaping up to be one of our biggest times of the year. I think I knew this when I took the whole day off on Christmas Day.
Some folks struggled to get through the day with all the sugary temptations. I’m hoping you’re doing okay now.
After 35 years sugar-free and helping tens of thousands of people quit sugar, I’ve learned something crucial: the difference between people who succeed and people who keep trying isn’t willpower or information. It’s readiness. And readiness comes from finding your “why” – a reason larger than yourself that makes this time different from all the other times you’ve tried.
This article was review by Dr. Camela McGrath, MD, FACOG. Find more about her here
The Mental Exhaustion of Living With Sugar
Starting today and through the next week, people slowly move towards the idea of making the new year a sugar-free zone.
They think about finally quitting sugar or attempting to bring it under control in their lives. Some include that idea in their New Year’s resolutions.
As I’ve said many times before, yes, the physical part of too much sugar is bad. But the mental part, for me anyway, was always worse.
It was always taking up too much space in my waking life.
The negative self-talk. The self-bargaining. The “deals” we make with ourselves. All of this requires work and time.
It just becomes mentally exhausting.
The Voice on Your Shoulder
We end up eating the sugar just to shut up the good angel on our shoulder who keeps harping at us to stop.
You know this voice, don’t you?
- “You said you weren’t going to eat sugar today”
- “You promised yourself this time would be different”
- “You know how terrible you’ll feel after you eat this”
- “Remember what the doctor said about your blood sugar”
- “You’re never going to lose weight if you keep doing this”
The voice that’s simultaneously trying to help you and driving you crazy.
So you eat the sugar. Not even because you want it that much, but because you want the voice to shut up. You want your brain to be quiet for five minutes.
This is the mental exhaustion of sugar addiction that nobody talks about.
It’s not just the physical cravings. It’s the constant internal battle. The mental real estate that sugar occupies. The energy spent negotiating with yourself, making deals, breaking promises, feeling guilty, starting over, and repeating the cycle.
Research from the American Psychological Association shows that chronic decision-making and internal conflict deplete mental resources and create psychological stress that’s as damaging as physical stress.
You’re not just craving sugar. You’re exhausted from fighting yourself about sugar.
If you’re ready to explore real change, join our 30-Day Sugar Detox Challenge and let us help you turn readiness into action, clarify your “why,” and finally break the cycle.
Are You Ready? (The Question That Matters Most)
That’s what I’d like to talk to you about today.
I’d like to gauge – or help you gauge – if you think you might be ready to give quitting sugar a try.
In a word, I’d like to know if you think you’re “ready.”
Now I know you may have tried this before. But almost no one thinks they need any “help” doing this thing.
I always hated this condescending question that seems to be new in the lexicon, the way it is used, but it seems very apropos right about now:
“So, how’s that working out for you?”
The Pattern of Trying Alone (And Why It Fails)
When we poll our success stories, we find that they are the ones who have tried at least ten times — very seriously — to quit sugar. Some as many as 100 times, going back decades.
Ten times. A hundred times. Decades of trying.
These aren’t people who lacked motivation. They weren’t lazy. They weren’t weak.
And they kept “failing” – not because they were doing something wrong, but because they were missing something essential.
The One Question That Reveals Everything
So I ask one simple question of our successes:
“What changed this time?”
Why did you finally push through the cravings, the withdrawals, and the social awkwardness this time?
Almost always, they had finally found their deep, internal WHY.
That’s the difference. Not willpower. Not a better diet plan. Not more information. Their “why.”
What Is Your “Why”? (And Why It Changes Everything)
For some it was diabetes.
For some, weight and related health issues.
For some, a spouse leaving.
For some, their kids.
What mattered was that they had a reason larger than themselves.
Why “Larger Than Yourself” Matters
Your “why” can’t just be “I want to lose weight.”
Your “why” needs to make you say: “This MUST happen. There is no alternative.”
Examples of powerful “whys” include real, emotional, life-changing declarations.
When your “why” is that powerful, cravings don’t stop you. Withdrawal doesn’t stop you.
Come for the Vanity, Stay for the Sanity
We say this a lot:
“Come for the vanity, stay for the sanity.”
Vanity is a perfectly fine place to start.
But people stay sugar-free because of:
- Mental clarity
- Emotional stability
- Peace around food
- Energy to live life
- Freedom from mental chatter
If vanity is your “why” right now, that’s okay. Start there.
The Signs That You’re Actually Ready
You’re ready when:
- You’re willing to accept help
- You’re tired of your own excuses
- You’re more afraid of not changing than changing
- You stop waiting for the perfect time
- You want solutions, not just information
- Your “why” makes you emotional or determined
Your Assignment: Find Your “Why”
If you know your “why,” share it.
If not, ask yourself:
Health Questions
- What health problem worries you?
- Where will your health be in 5 or 10 years if nothing changes?
Relationship Questions
- How is sugar affecting your relationships?
- Are you present with the people you love?
Life-Quality Questions
- What are you missing out on?
- What dreams are on hold?
Identity Questions
- Who do you want to be?
- Is sugar compatible with that future?
Sit with these questions. Journal. Reflect. Your “why” is there.
Making This Year Different From All the Others
Starting today and through the next week, people are thinking about quitting sugar. Just like they did last year. And the year before. And the year before that.
Most of them will try for a few days, maybe a few weeks, and then return to sugar – just like they did last year.
The question is: will you be different this time?
What will make this time different isn’t a new diet plan. It’s not more willpower. It’s not more information.
What makes this time different is:
- Finding your deep, powerful “why”
- Accepting that you need help
- Actually being ready, not just thinking about being ready
- Taking action instead of just consuming information
- Connecting with people who’ve succeeded
- Following a proven process instead of figuring it out yourself
That’s what makes this year different. That’s what makes this time the time you actually succeed.
If you’re ready – truly ready – we’re here.
If you’re not quite ready yet, that’s okay too. But ask yourself: when will you be? What needs to happen? How much longer are you willing to live with the mental exhaustion, the broken promises, the voice on your shoulder that won’t shut up?
Today could be the day everything changes. Or it could be another day of thinking about changing someday.
The choice is yours.
If you’re ready to make this year different, join our 30-Day Sugar Detox Challenge.
We’ll help you transform readiness into action, strengthen your “why” into unshakeable motivation, and provide the support that makes this time actually stick. This is already shaping up to be our best year ever – and it could be yours too.
About the Author
Mike Collins, known as “The SugarFreeMan,” has been sugar-free for over 35 years and is the founder of SugarDetox.com. He has helped tens of thousands of people break free from sugar addiction through his evidence-based approach combining nutritional science with practical behavior change strategies.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have underlying health conditions.
FAQ
Q: What is a “why” and why does it matter for quitting sugar? A: Your “why” is a deep, life-changing reason for quitting sugar that’s larger than yourself – something that makes success feel non-negotiable. It matters because people who succeed long-term all had a powerful “why” (diabetes prevention, being present for children, reversing health decline, stopping mental exhaustion) while people who keep trying and failing usually only have surface motivations like “I should be healthier.” A powerful “why” sustains you through withdrawal, cravings, and social pressure when willpower alone fails.
Q: How do I know if I’m truly ready to quit sugar vs. just thinking about it? A: Signs of true readiness include: willingness to accept help instead of insisting you should do it alone, exhaustion with your own excuses, being more afraid of not changing than of changing, done waiting for the perfect time, looking for solutions instead of just information, and having found (or actively seeking) your deep “why.” If you’re still just gathering information or thinking “someday,” you’re probably not ready yet. Readiness means commitment to action now.
Q: Why do people try to quit sugar 10-100 times before succeeding? A: Success stories show people tried seriously 10-100 times over decades before finally succeeding. They weren’t weak or lacking willpower – they were missing their deep “why” and trying alone without proper support. What changed the time they succeeded wasn’t a better diet plan or more information, but finally discovering a life-changing reason that made success non-negotiable, combined with accepting help from people who’d succeeded before them.
Q: What does “come for the vanity, stay for the sanity” mean? A: This means people initially quit sugar for appearance/weight loss (vanity), but long-term success comes from discovering deeper benefits: mental clarity, emotional stability from balanced blood sugar, peace from not fighting themselves about food, energy to actually live life, pride in keeping promises to themselves, and freedom from constant mental chatter about sugar. Vanity is a valid starting “why,” but the sanity benefits are what make people stay sugar-free permanently.
Q: Why is focusing only on goal weight problematic for quitting sugar? A: When your only “why” is a number on the scale, reaching that number often leads to thinking “I made it, I can relax now,” returning to sugar, regaining weight, and repeating the yo-yo cycle that 95% of dieters experience. Better “whys” focus on sustainable lifestyle changes: being healthy enough for grandkids for 20 years, reversing pre-diabetes to avoid medication, being present in life instead of numbed out, or modeling healthy eating for children. These don’t have end dates and motivate beyond goal weight achievement.
Q: What is the mental exhaustion of sugar addiction? A: Mental exhaustion from sugar addiction isn’t just physical cravings – it’s the constant internal battle taking up mental space: negative self-talk, self-bargaining, deals with yourself, broken promises, guilt, and the cycle repeating. Research shows chronic decision-making and internal conflict deplete mental resources and create psychological stress as damaging as physical stress. People often eat sugar just to silence the critical voice on their shoulder, not because they even want it that much.
