M2A! November Week2: 3 Months Without Sugar

Eric Hamm — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:00:01 +0000

Image courtesy of rumpleteaser

Both Liz and I are border line hypoglycemic which means we are extra sensitive to simple carbohydrates. Too many cookies and we crash. This brings on dizziness, headaches, short tempers and sometimes even nausea. But this doesn’t mean we can’t eat those cookies in moderation or have a delicious doughnut now and again. It just demands that we take extra care of ourselves and keep the food balance in abundance.

But one day, about 4 months ago, I got the idea of knocking out ALL sugar and white flour in my diet. I wanted to know exactly WHAT would happen if my body stopped getting these boosts of buoyancy and instead stuck to a steady flow of energy. So I proceeded to cut out the simple carbs and take note of the effects. Here’s what happened:

After 1 week: At this point I didn’t see any major changes other than the lack of extreme ups and downs. STRUGGLES: The first week was by far the hardest in terms of cravings. Almost like trying to quit smoking cigarettes, every evening after dinner I would have done anything for just one cookie. Pitiful, I know.
By the end of week 2: Now is when I first stated noticing a real change. I felt much calmer and had a little sharper focus. The best way to explain it was that I just seemed to have a little clearer head. Struggles: The cravings still came on occasion, but were much lighter and easier to manage.
The end of month 1: By now I had completely rid myself of the aftereffects that sugar brings to the table. I was very focused and felt incredibly even emotionally. Very little phased me and my ADHD seemed to disappear. Struggles: This was around the time my energy level really started to take a dive. Instead of my usual ‘always tapping my toes’ kind of buoyancy, I was slow and steady. Good for focus, but bad for many other things.
By the 6 week mark: At the halfway point I was INCREDIBLY focused. I could put my mind on one specific thing and truly give it my FULL, UNDIVIDED attention. The only other time I’ve experienced this kind of sensation was when I tried Ritalin for a short time. Struggles: By this time my energy level was next to nothing. Even walking up the stairs was a struggle. It felt like my muscles were barely alive. And even though I could focus extremely well, I had very little multitasking capabilities. When I was used to being able to do 5 things at once, I was now easily overwhelmed with the slightest interruption of thought.
After 2 months: Right around this time I went ahead and added one heaping teaspoon of brown sugar to my breakfast oatmeal. This might sound like a lot, but it was the only simple carb for the whole day. I did this to continue the experimenting. The fact was, I could tell my body was WAY TOO LOW on carbs and I needed to add something to find a better balance. Within a few days I started noticing my energy levels coming back a little and I just felt a little happier. Struggles: After 2 months of going sugar free, I was starting to get depressed. I couldn’t sleep (I’d wake up at 3 or 4 am every morning and couldn’t go back to sleep.) My muscles felt aged, like I was 30 going on 80. I just didn’t feel ‘right’.
2 1/2 months into the experiment: OK, so at this point I was not ACTUALLY going sugar free anymore, but I was still learning of its effects none the less. By now I was doing a little better and sometimes felt like I had the best of both worlds (Strong focus as well as energy and even emotional state.) But I never seemed to get back to the ‘uber even’ state that month 1 gave me. Struggles: I seemed to lose the benefits of the non sugar diet without gaining the benefits that simple cabs used to give me. I was kind of in a bad state of limbo.
The end of the experiment, month 3: By now I was feeling pretty crappy. I was tired all the time, had little motivation, and oddly little appetite. My emotions were generally of the unhappy kind. I just wasn’t myself AT ALL. Struggles: Did I mention I fest like CRAP?! I had also lost about 5 pounds, which is unheard of for me. I’m a ‘skinny fellow’ to put it lightly (OK, that was SO not planned!) Up to this point I had weighed the same for the last 15 years! Not even a pound difference.

At this point I decided to try and ease my way back to my old diet which included some light desserts and white flour on occasion. I figured it couldn’t hurt and I could learn even more as I took note of the road back to normal.

Week 1: Within a few days I started feeling happy again. My energy levels were also rebounding as I started to get my bounce back in my step. Struggles: I did start to feel like I was losing some of the ‘ninja’ focus that I previously experienced. But I didn’t care at this point.
Week2: I pretty much had all my energy back by now. Exercise was MUCH more enjoyable and I started running up steps again instead of dragging my lower limbs the whole way. Sure, my focus wasn’t as strong on one thing at a time, but I could once again handle the daily influx of challenges that my consulting business, as well as life in general, brought about. I just felt much more like myself. Even Liz commented that I seemed more like…ME. She very much preferred this.
Weeks 3 and 4: Pretty much the same, but with more intensity. Even more energy and a better all around mindset. But the cool thing is that I haven’t lost much more of my single tasking focus. It’s like I lost my energy, but gained my ‘ultra focus’ through this experiment. But after coming back ‘online’ with the sugar I’ve gained back ALL my energy without losing ALL of this enhanced focus.

If I could do it all over again, what would I have done differently?

Looking back, I realize that I should have added more complex carbs as I reduced the simple ones. This would have most likely alleviated much of the negative symptoms.

What did I learn from this whole experiment?

Much of our ‘ADHD’ is greatly affected, if not caused by our sugar intake. As the simple carbs left my system, like I said, I felt the same sensation as being on an ADHD medication.
Get past the first week and you’ve broken your major sugar cravings for as long as you stay off the stuff.
If we’re physically active as well as have a high metabolism, our muscles NEED some simple carbs to burn for energy. I know this is not any kind of revelation or anything, but MAN did this become apparent to me.
I need some simple carbs to feel content. Maybe if I had added some more complex carbs I would have been fine, but once I added back a little bit of sugar, my mood was MUCH better.

I learned many other odds and ends, but the fact of the matter is, I do MUCH better with some sugar in my diet. Not only because of all the things mentioned, but even the simple fact that a good dessert after a nice dinner makes my life that much more enjoyable. Not to say that we should eat junk food just because it tastes good, but that eating a healthy balanced diet should, for me, include some indulgences now and again.

The fire place analogy.

There’s one last point I want to touch on. All of us our different. Our metabolisms all ‘burn’ at a different temperature and with varying intensities.

I like to look at our metabolisms like fires in a fireplace. If we put just the right amount and kind of wood on the fire, we can expect a good clean burn. But if we put too much or the wood is not good for burning, we will smother the flames and slow the burn. Also, if we add too little, we may see a flare up at first, but as the flames lose their fuel, so too will they lose their heat. Just a thought…

So what’s your take on all of this?

What has been your experience with simple carbs and its effect on your mindset and energy levels? Do you struggle in this area? If you were me, what would you have done differently during those 3 months?