My 40-Day Sugar Fast: How Giving Up Sugar Changed My Health and Mindset

Today’s post, My 40-Day Sugar Fast: How Giving Up Sugar Changed My Health and Mindset is all about the real-life lessons, tips, and results from my personal detox journey.

A few days before Ash Wednesday, I asked my parents and my accountability partner if they would help support me through a 40-day sugar fast for Lent.

I had no idea how I was going to make it through 40 days without processed sugar.

After all, I have a massive sweet tooth.

But after going through lots of medical testing and a few health challenges last year, I needed to make a change.

To my complete surprise, they not only said they would support me, but they also agreed to do the 40-day sugar fast with me.

As always, it’s best to speak to your doctor or healthcare provider before starting a fast.

We all have different medical conditions and needs to consider, and I’m no exception.

My doctor and therapist gave me specific parameters and recommendations, and yours can do the same.

This post is not meant to be medical advice, but rather my 40-day sugar fast experience.

Here’s a look at all the details.

My 40-Day Sugar Fast: Real-Life Lessons, Tips, and Results from a Personal Sugar Detox Journey

Set the Ground Rules Early

When I initially spoke to my doctor about the 40-day sugar fast, I was sure she would recommend cutting out all sugar solely based on my labs.

But she did not.

She simply recommended I cut out all processed sugar, added sugar, refined carbs, dried, canned, and jarred fruit, high glycemic foods, honey, alcohol, juices, and sodas, which basically left me eating whole fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, seeded bread, and drinking water.  

My doctor also recommended I walk every day and lift weights 3 days a week.

In addition, she shared tips and parameters for reading labels, which helped immensely.

Daily Support and Accountability

Along with supporting each other daily throughout the 40-day sugar fast, we also read the book, The 40-Day Sugar Fast: Where Physical Detox Meets Spiritual Transformation by Wendy Speake.

On the days I really struggled, I watched YouTube videos from The Glucose Goddess and documentaries like Fed Up, which were eye-opening.

Truly, we relied on each other for constant encouragement and accountability to stay motivated.

Especially in the beginning.

Sharing our struggles and victories made the fast more manageable and helped us stay committed.

Keeping Track During the 40 Day Sugar Fast

Every Wednesday, my parents and I weighed ourselves and took our waist measurements.

We also completed a quick questionnaire about how we were feeling and ranked our answers from 1-5, so we could check our progress from week to week.

Our ultimate goal was to complete the fast for Lent.

But I was also curious to see how the fast would affect us, given our varied ages, physical abilities, and medical conditions.  

The Detox Cycle

Week 1, I had intense cravings, headaches, fatigue, and mood swings.

I was wildly irritable and teary, which caught me completely off guard in Week 2.

Week 3, I felt like I was in a sugar fog where I didn’t crave sugar quite as much as I did when I started the fast, but I also couldn’t tell if it was working or not.

I turned a corner and felt more like myself in Week 4. I had little to no cravings or brain fog. My face and stomach weren’t as puffy, my skin was bright, I slept better, had lots of energy, and no mood swings.

Week 5: I went out of town, and it totally threw me for a loop. While I didn’t have any sugar, I also didn’t have access to as many healthy or fresh food options. We had three super stressful family events happen in the same weekend, and I didn’t sleep well at all.

I was back on track in Week 6 and thankfully felt much like I did in Week 4.

The Surprising Results…

All in all, I lost 5 pounds and 2 inches on my 40-day sugar fast.

My parents lost around 8 pounds and between 2 and 4 inches from their waist.

That wasn’t the coolest thing that happened, though.

Prayers were answered in ways we did not expect, goals became clear, and humble anticipation of divine moments became our norm.

 My Mom and I learned to sit with uncomfortable feelings instead of reaching for sweet treats to soothe, and to cope with stressful situations differently.

We planned our meals around protein and fiber. We learned how to snack and nourish our brains differently.

Our energy levels improved, our focus changed, and we became better stewards of our time, talents, resources, connection points, and our bodies.

Truly, we have a completely different relationship with sugar now, which I initially didn’t think was even possible.

Life Beyond the 40 Day Sugar Fast…

While I would love to say I’m going to continue the sugar fast, I know deep down I’m going to want a glass of champagne, a piece of birthday cake, or a chocolate chip cookie one day.  

The difference is I’ll be more intentional about when I choose to enjoy those treats.

Before the sugar fast began, I used sugar to cope and celebrate.

Now that I’m on the other side, the only thing I’m celebrating is how being without sugar has changed us for the better.

Plus, now that I know I can do hard things, it makes me want to give up other things that don’t serve me well, like worry, clutter, doom scrolling, and negative thinking.

I do not plan to have sweets during the week unless it’s a special occasion or to even add them to my grocery cart. It’s just way too tempting to have them in the house.

On the days I feel like a treat, I’m going to “fast” from my sugar fast, and I’ll give things that I bake away to friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family members.

On the days I feel like fretting instead of feeling, I’m going to pray, phone a friend, go for a walk, listen to a podcast, clean, declutter, organize, simplify, or find a sugar-free alternative.

If you’re considering your own sugar fast or simply want to make positive changes, know that transformation is possible.

The sweetest reward has been rediscovering my faith, my strength, and my joy, one intentional choice at a time.

Here’s to living a life that truly nourishes, inside and out.

As always, I’m cheering you on.

Other Healthy Habit Posts to Explore:

How to Jazz Up Store-Bought Salad Kits

A Simple Morning Matcha Protein Recipe

How a Weighted Vest Changed My Walking Routine

Introducing the Encouraged and Inspired Planning Pages (a simple way to anchor your day)

Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo