Sugar addiction had been part of my life for years without me realizing it. I turned to it when I was stressed, when I needed to focus, or when I had digestive discomfort. The result? I found myself with 22% body fat despite exercising regularly 3-5 days a week.

After seeing my measurements, the trainer asked: “Which one is it - alcohol or sugar?” I rarely drink alcohol so the culprit was obvious.

Not seeing results after all the hours I put into training was dissappointing, but also a wake-up call to fight sugar addiction.

Signs of my sugar dependence

• I kept drinking black tea with sugar after meals. It was my way of sneaking in dessert.
• I preferred mochas over regular coffee, or paired coffee with sweets.
• If I ran out of chocolate, biscuits, or fruit at home, I’d panick and rush to the store before closing time.

Having to keep a constant supply at home was exhausting and it didn’t feel good. I didn’t want to be dependent on sugar.

What helped me break the cycle

I started observing myself — both with a glucose monitor and by noticing cravings after meals. I noticed a pattern: starchy carbs like white rice or potatoes would spike my blood sugar, leaving me hungry for sweets even after a filling meal.

So I made some changes to my diet:

• Instead of baldo rice, I switched to basmati. Basmati has a lower glycemic index. It is digested and absorbed slowly, resulting in smaller glucose spikes. I could feel the difference.
• I cut out potatoes and corn altogether.
• I switched to fruits instead of chocolate or biscuits.
• I traded high-sugar fruits like watermelon or peaches for smaller, less sweet ones — blueberries with yogurt, kiwi, or white nectarine.
• While artificial sweeteners aren’t great for gut health, I used them to transition away from sugar. I drank flavored protein shakes or Coke Light when I had sweet cravings.

Over time — months, not days— my body slowly adjusted. Cravings faded. My taste buds reset. Desserts I once loved started tasting too sweet.

I had stopped eating sweets once before in my life but it didn’t last very long. We’ll see if I can make it sustain this time.

Either way, I hope my findings help you on your journey.