I’m 20kgs lighter then I was 4 years ago but if I could lose another 5kgs, things would be even better.
“If I could lose another 5kgs, things would be even better.” Such a classic statement that I have heard myself and a lot of my friends say. There is something magical about that final 5 and if you lose it you will feel better, happier, more confident, stronger etc etc.
As mentioned I’ve lost about 20kgs and plateaued around the same weight for a while now (well there was some weight gain about 2 years ago but having a baby will do that). I eat a relatively balanced diet. These days I tend to eat less carbs and more saturated fats than I use to, though I still eat carbs. Anything sweet is homemade by myself or family/friends using our products (how excited do I look about that cupcake!?!?). But I do have a soft spot for the occasional bit of questionable food, I’m talking to you hot chips.
So why aren’t I skinny? Is it because I still drink milk? I heard a Paleo expert say recently that if you eat dairy you definitely won’t lose weight. Is it because I enjoy nuts and coconut products? I heard a dietician say recently they are too calorie dense and we should restrict them. Is it because I don’t get exactly 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night? I’ve heard another expert in something blame excess weight on lack of sleep. Or maybe it’s because I’m not French, apparently French women’s skinniness is defined by their nationality. Wow these possibilities and experts are getting exhausting. Think I might lie down, listen to Edith Piaf with a latte and mega bowl of mixed nuts, no wait…
We get a lot of emails and Facebook questions from people who have quit sugar with the desire to lose weight. They see it as a diet and if the weight loss doesn’t happen quickly then why did they bother giving up sugar? It amazes me the focus is solely on weight loss not on the other reasons to quit sugar – that it causes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, increased risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, linked to dementia, wrinkles, obesity, depression… the list goes on and seems to grow daily. Not to mention (and this has always been the big one for me) it’s addictive. This addiction can rule your life.
Giving up sugar has dramatically changed the way I eat, the way I think about food and how I feed my family. It has released me from an addiction that hung over my head daily and hopefully reduced a bunch of other health risks. Do these benefits outweigh being “skinny” (whatever that means), you bet. Happy, healthy, good relationship with food will always be the winner in my books.
Why did you quit sugar? Did you get the results you expected? Do you feel it’s been worth it?
TheSugarBreakup.com 
My husband and I have quit sugar 2 weeks ago. He is a slight build, I am a medium build. He has lost 4 kg. I have gained 300g. I am being really healthy and my portion sizes are fine. Why aren’t I losing weight. I’m feeling very disheartened.
I gave up sugar (which I used to treat a lot of!) 6 months ago but haven’t lost any real weight, perhaps one of two kilos depending on the day. I have a pretty healthy diet otherwise and I had put my extra weight down to the fact that i have a sweet tooth. Can anyone explain what else it might be?
I eat very little fried foods
Hi Aisha,
Thanks for your message, congratulations on quitting sugar, I know it is such a difficult thing to do and you should be very proud of this great achievement. But every body is different and how their body responds is different. As mentioned above, I like to focus on the huge health benefits of quitting sugar beyond just weight loss. If you are concerned about your health or weight maybe have a check up with your doctor. Julia
I quit sugar about a year ago, lost 10 pounds immediately without even trying, then little by little the weight came back. Not sure why – post menopausal insulin resistance, I presume. Not sure what I can do now as other diets don’t work either and no one seems to be able to help.
Good post. Just this morning I was looking at the block of chocolate in the fridge and was thinking “well it’s been a year now, surely one piece won’t hurt, it’s not like I’m loosing weight anyway!” .. and then my smart brain kicked in. It’s true though, last time I gave up sugar for 6 months and I lost 10kgs and felt great, then I went back on for 5 months, now I’ve been off for a year but I haven’t lost any of the weight I put on in the middle :(. I just want to go back down those 5kg, I’ll have to start working harder.. but yes, I did do the sugar thing for more than the weight loss, though it’s easy to forget that part! I find when I’m really wavering, the best thing to do is re-read David’s book and it brings back all the other reasons to keep off it.
I have just finished day 11 of no sugar after letting the addiction take over again. I was sugar free for 18 months. Like alcohol to the alcoholic, I can’t have a single cupcake! Its just not worth it. Im now feeling grose with cellulite all over my body, muffin top jeans… who knows how much weight I put on (I dont dare look). Yes, all those other things are a great reason to quit sugar, but the weight does count because it changes the way you feel about yourself.
True Kate, it all comes down to how you feel in your own skin. Good luck with round 2, sugar kicking!! Julia
I caught myself thinking just this morning…”Another 5kgs would be good”. Then I reflected on WHY I quit sugar 6 months ago and it wasn’t for weight loss (although of course that has been fabulous). It was for my increasing lethargy, deteriorating health and to set a good example for my kids. So sure, another 5kgs would be great but I am so happy with where I am right now and that’s the first time in my adult life I can say that :)
That’s fantastic Pav, so good to be happy right where you are. Sadly too few people say that. Julia
There are a whole lot of people out there with syndrome x, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes who really struggle with weight loss because of an over burdened pancreas. Those who have tried every diet under the sun are desperate for a diet that actually works and results in weight loss especially around the abdomen which in turn will minimise an array of health risks. I have a family member in this situation and I support wholeheartedly her weight loss goal and her health.
I quit sugar to break a life long addiction. That was 27 months ago. Of course I’m still losing weight so I don’t know what my body wants me to be. Not me, but my body will decide what the best weight is for me. I’ve since quit carbs and live in ketosis, because my body once clean of sugar, told me that was best. I’m so glad I have, because as good as I felt sugar free, I now feel even better. Weight loss has sped up a bit, but hey at seven weeks shy of 67 I don’t expect it to just drop off.
What if I don’t lose that last 5kg? Who cares? So what? I quit sugar for my health, not realising that the weight would come off as well. In 27 months I have had a 1-day cold and only that because somebody was peeling prawns that I ate, with a cold. :( Still what was usually 9-days, lasted 1! That’s it, nothing else. One month sugar free, 26 months ago, I had my last clean at the dentist, since then, every six months I’ve only had a polish and no cavities. I no longer listen to social pressures of breakfast, lunch or dinner because I only eat when I am hungry and that is only twice a day with no snacks. There are so many benefits, they are too many to list. The best though is I continue to look 15 years younger than I am :)