A Year Without Junk Food
By Jason
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You know you need to do it… you know you need to quit eating crap.
It wasn’t easy for me either, but I’ve done it. In fact, I went for an entire year of my life without eating any sugar at all and almost no fast-food junk. You can do it too, but just like anything in life that’s worth your effort — there will be challenges.
If you know the challenges ahead of time and what the rewards are, you’ll be able to handle it. We’ll talk more about the specifics of how to quit junk food another day (Done! Click here to read).
How it happened: Sometime in mid-January, one of my good friends in college and I were talking about all the junk food that’s making everybody so fat. My friend mentioned that he and another friend had once quit junk food for 3 months because of a bet they made.
At first, I thought that sounded so crazy. Why would anyone avoid all sweets for that long? We finished our conversation and that was it… we never made a goal or a bet to quit eating junk food.
But the next time I saw junk food, I just tried to resist it. I don’t know why, but I just wanted to see if I could do it. After 3 weeks of resisting just for the hell of it, I realized I had practically quit without meaning to do it. I talked to my friend a few weeks later and he told me he was doing the same thing. Weird.
The Challenges: The first few weeks were the worst. All my favorite deserts were everywhere around me. This is just a simple law of nature — if you really want to do something great, you must be challenged.
My college professors had all made rules that if anybody’s cell phone rang during class, that person had to bring doughnuts for the entire class the next day. A lot of cell phones rang that week, and doughnuts were put in front of me every day. It was really tough to resist.
Withdrawals: Sugar and sweets have addictive properties. If you’ve seen the movie Super Size Me, you’ll remember that the main character became addicted to McDonald’s after he started eating it every day. Quitting junk food and soda will bring withdrawal pains and your body will feel like complete crap when you stop giving it sugar and the junk it’s used to getting. This will go away after a while though.
People will think you’re stupid: There’s no reason to tell people that you are trying to eat better. I learned this lesson during the first six months. Guys usually didn’t seem to care, but I found that girls were pretty fast to tell me that quitting junk food is stupid.
At first, I thought I had just talked to a few people with really negative attitudes. I later came to realize that many people don’t appreciate the fact that you are trying to become better at something they are weak at. I’m not sure why girls reacted more negatively than guys, but I learned to just tell people that I was already full and couldn’t eat desert. There was no sense in trying to explain.
Do what you have to do, and don’t expect people to understand.
The Benefits:
Increased Sensitivity: After a certain period of time, I noticed just how strong sugar really is. After my full year without any sugar products, I found that if I did try to eat any junk food, I felt affected by it. It made me feel sick to my stomach if I ate anything more than just a small amount.
Cravings Disappeared: At first, resisting the doughnuts / cookies and soda was tough. But after a period of a couple months with nothing but good food, I simply didn’t need it any more. Sure, if I were to eat it, it still tasted good, but the cravings and the need for those foods was gone.
I used to consider waffles loaded with syrup a decent breakfast, but I just can’t consider those types of things as food anymore. Unless I have some decent nourishment, I really don’t feel like I am getting fed.
Look better and feel better: This is what it’s all about in the end. Quitting junk food isn’t about just trying to discipline yourself to see how tough you are. You begin to see the results, and you can really feel the results.
Most people think it’s stupid to deny yourself of the pleasures in life just so that you can look a certain way. They think it’s a vain thing to do.
I hate it when people say that trying to look better is vain. They believe that their physical condition is separate from the person inside of them, but they are wrong. Being out of shape comes from the fact that they’re not taking care of themselves.
They are entitled to do whatever they want with their health, but trying to eat good food is not equal to denying yourself of the pleasures of life. You see, these people have a fundamental misunderstanding of what the true pleasures of life are.
The true pleasure of life is not the way a cookie tastes. It is becoming stronger and enjoying all of the greater pleasures that come along with a little self control. It is the feeling that comes when you accomplish something difficult and see the results.
They will never understand this because they believe that true pleasure is doing whatever is easiest in life. Let them believe whatever they want to, because they will only feel threatened by your success.
Note: I’m not a health-food Nazi. I ate absolutely no sweets for a full year in college. I do eat them from time to time now (not very often though) and in small amounts. Moderation is the key.
*Update* While it should be obvious from reading the article, I’ll clarify that quitting sugar refers to refined sugars, not the naturally occurring sugars found in fruits and other natural foods.
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Topics: Dieting & Food |
February 11th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I really like your view on fitness (and on the world in general).
I am also (almost) laying off the sweets and fast-food, and have gone without them for several months now. Occasionally, I do enjoy a serving of popcorn, or something similar, and instead of feeling guilt like lots of people do, I just feel really good because I’m treating myself (for all my hard work).
It’s great, and I really think that it’s the only way to go. It shouldn’t be a struggle to live healthy, it should be a treat, a privelege!
Really nice post by the way.
Alex
February 11th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Alex- Best of luck with that, and I’ve really found that it only gets easier with time. Cravings for most junk food have almost totally disappeared for me, and now that you’ve been laying off for several months (and congrats on that) they should be going away for you as well.
Honestly though, when I am in a place that has only junk to eat, it’s just as hard (maybe harder) to go back and eat that stuff as it was to quit in the first place.
February 12th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Wow Jason, I can’t believe you’ve gone a year without any sugar! That my friend is highly commendable! Like you, I stay very conscious of what I eat as well. I hardly ever eat any sweets except for an occasional dessert, but I can’t even compare to a year long abstinence!
In relation to this article I must add that I have managed to abstain from alcohol completely for 6 months now. I use to binge on the beer on weekends and realized after a while that it was a serious problem and I had to stop.
So here I am now 6 months later completely clean and training hard! I also managed to put down drugs (5 years clean now) and ciggaretes (3 1/2 years clean) all thanks to lifting!
Goes to show that negatives can be turned into positives and I don’t care what anyone says or thinks, fitness is the ultimate foundation to live by. So right on Jason, stay strong and healthy brother!
February 12th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Sean- That’s inspiring that you were able to get off of alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. The addictive properties of those three combined is far and away much greater than the “addiction” to sugar, so congrats on doing something to overcome some tough addictions. These are the types of success stories that are a true inspiration — Keep it up!
February 12th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Just wanted to share a slightly different perspective… for some 30 years, I’ve been taking 8 spoons of sugar a day in tea and coffee.
Cutting out sugar was clearly one of the least physically disruptive approaches of controlling my exploding waistline… but mentally, I didn’t know if I could do it.
I ended up asking myself, why am I having the tea/coffee anyway?
One answer was for the “pick-me-up”. OK, fine, so I’ll take 2 cups of coffee a day at work, but the sugar isn’t needed for the caffeine high. So I have that coffee black.
But another answer is sometimes it’s a social thing - going out for a coffee. On these moments, I let myself experiment with exotic tea/coffee - and if it has sugar, no problems… it’s only once or twice a month anyway.
I find that this little “reward” allows me to have a balanced outlook, and helps maintain the discipline when it comes to the daily caffeine dose.
Like you said, “moderation is the key”
All the best
/Sifaan
February 13th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Sifaan- I like how you mentioned that you do it in social situations. In fact, I’ve written an article about how to quit junk food (or seriously decrease it) that I’ll be putting up in the next couple weeks, and that was a key thing for quitting. If you never buy it yourself, you’ll still have plenty in social situations, and that is a decent approach to keeping moderation in your life. Of course, that depends on how social you are
February 20th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Hey Jay,
What up buddy! I just read the article and loved it. Sounds like the conversations we used to have throughout our year of no sugar. ( FYI for anyone who is reading this — I am the college roommate) I makes me laugh just thinking about all those people who just could not understand why we would give up sugar for a year or even a month. I read a quote recently that explained exactly what we knew all along and what you tried to express in your article. It goes something like this: “those who have always yielded to temptation will never know the feeling of standing up to it and the satisfaction of resisting.”
February 20th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Evan- Surprised to see you here, thanks for stopping by. Always nice to have a good friend visit. The fact that you were there quitting with me made it much easier… and I’d recommend it to everybody else. Get a friend or family member on your side for support, especially the people that you eat with and cook with. Much better that way.
I like the quote you wrote there. Very true on both a physical and spiritual level.
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:03 am
[…] you’re wondering whether you will ever beat your addiction to sugar and fast food, read this very inspirational post by someone who did […]
February 24th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Did you lose weight?
February 24th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Christy- No, I did not lose weight, I gained weight. Becoming stronger was my goal, but my abs became more visible.
Weight loss isn’t a very good goal for most people because the true intention is to look and feel better. As you replace fat with muscle, your clothes will become looser and your body firmer, but your weight may not change (muscle weighs more). In fact, the needle on the weight scale might not turn at all, but the heads of the guys who see you probably will.
February 24th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I’ve been off all junk food and that includes all refined flour, sugar, processed foods and all artificial additives for 2 years. No caffeine, alcohol either.
It’s a piece of cake. I am never tempted anymore.
You’re right though, people assume you think you are better than them. It’s tough. I really don’t care what others eat, but if I go to someone’s house for dinner it isn’t always easy to explain why you won’t eat half of what they are serving.
People seem to get mildly offended or think I’m some sort of nut.
It is sometimes a hassle.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Just reading this makes me feel that I can do it too, how inspiring.
I quit soda easily but still have a habit with Coffee and cookies, (they just go together so well). It’s time I kicked those too. I dont really eat them because I’m so infatuated by how they taste, but rather because I get bored/tired at work and want a cheap boost.
I think I came upon this article for a reason. It’s time to kick one more habit of mine.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
This describes what I went through on the master cleanse very closely. I worked in restaurants during that time and all the deserts killed me. It was worth it though because I realized how unhealthy I was before then. Check it out if you haven’t heard of it. I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to follow through for their health.
February 27th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Congrats to the lay-off!
However, I get really upset when you know what the pleasures are! The are relative, of course! Its just like trying to prove me, an atheist, wrong:P Everyone has their own “pleasures of life”
I try to eat good, and I work out, but I don’t claim that people who don’t are wrong. You deserve recognition for your abstinence, absolutely, but I just don’t think that you can claim that you have all the answers
February 27th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Albin- I see where you’re coming from, but the true pleasures of life are more than sensations that only last for a moment. Those sensations are great perks, but you can eat all the cookies in the world and sleep with all the most attractive people ever, but the joy doesn’t last past the moment. Lasting joys require sacrifice…
The purpose here is not to judge others, but to avoid being judged by others. Allow them to believe as they will while still trying to not appear as if we think we are greater. We’re not greater; we’re just trying to become better versions of ourselves.
February 28th, 2008 at 6:58 am
It’s funny how once you’ve kicked the junk food habit properly, you just don’t desire those foods anymore. You can actually look forward to eating your fresh fruit and vegies and walk past the donuts without flinching.
Mike
March 7th, 2008 at 3:20 am
I just wanted to say thats quite awesome to challenge your self like that. Its time to help more people realize that they can do it, and this article of yours was the perfect way. I have been “sugar free” for 10 years. No soda, no candy, very seldom ice cream and pastries ( I was pregnant last year, I woulda ate your face if you said no ice cream) and I think its a wonderful feeling to have your body free from the impurities that you can control.
March 9th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Wow, you guys are all awesome! Hubby and I had started a contest to cut the fat out, but this may be even better. I am diabetic, and about 20# overweight, as he is (overweight, not diabetic) , so we decided to go low fat, etc. He tends to eat more junk food than I, as he works outside, and these cold winter days in PA make him need energy. I, on the other hand, sit on my arse at work in an office setting, and hate it. I don’t eat a ton of junk food, but the pringles add up after a month; maybe 2 cans a month, and that alone is not great for my diabetes. So we are going to challenge each other on this, and see what our outcome is.
Thanks for the info and all the comments.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:24 am
I’ve heard that caffeine is a major player in the diabetic realm. For me it’s easy to cut out and so are most meat products. I drink a lot of cheap beer and find that I feel pretty darn good when I add some nutritional yeast to my soups which I eat regularly. I must agree that the important thing is how you feel.
I dehydrate nearly everything that I don’t eat and put it in various soups be it animal or vegetable matter. Any veggies I don’t eat, cooked or starting to rot ,get cleaned and dried. Being single I know that soups can be made in a coffee cup in the microwave in about 5 min + cool down. Eat frequently and small,small. It may be something that some folks may want to try. Eat vegetables, they can be filling foods. I also do not eat margarine, only unsalted butter(real). If I need salt I add sea salt. Cheese is not an option, it is truly a necessity(sparingly).
I feel that any fast food that you make yourself is way healthier than M@#onalds or the King or the Bell. Check the net, theres some kickin recipes there …free.
March 12th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Baloney.. you know nothing about sugar. Sugar is everywhere… 90 percent of food you ate are converting into sugar.. a BIG DUH!!!
bread, pasta, fruit, veg and everything.. You are fraud!! This is money-making info, selling your fraud to ignorants. Rip-off!!
March 12th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Sugar- Try reading the *Update* portion at the end of the article before you get all upset. As far as your claim that I am a fraud with money-making info, I haven’t made a single dollar off of this website as of the date of this comment.
Try quitting processed and refined sugars as the article recommends. You’ll feel better, become healthier, and hopefully be a bit less hyperactive.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Question for cribcat-why would you dehydrate rotting veggies? That is not healthy at all, in my opinion. What is the benefit of eating rotten vegetables etc? I think I am missing something here…..
ALL products have some type of sugar. BUT what I, as a diabetic, have to watch, is CARBOHYDRATES, not sugar. For every 15 grams of carbs, I have to take one unit of insulin. The more insulin I have to take, the more weight I can gain..didn’t say I do gain it, but can. So if I can eat a low carb, veggy and protein type meal, 9 times out of 10, I don’t take much insulin at all, and my glucose readings are in the normal range 2 hours PPD. Usually 1 hour PPD.
So my goal now is to cut all junk foods out, which I have now for 4 days straight, don’t miss anything either, didn’t eat too much junk food. I have eaten more healthy meals, and snacks, and am trying to drink more water. So far, since Sunday I have lost 2 pounds. I also don’t trust my scales 100%, so that is just a guesstimate.
Cheers.
March 13th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Is it legal in the US to not consume any junk food? I though we all had to pitch in a consume at least our body weight every year.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Your friends made a BET that they couldn’t stay off crap food for three months?! And you thought that sounded IMPOSSIBLE? Wow, you guys have some serious, serious issues to be addressed here. If you consider that a hard thing to do, you are in need of professional help. I’m not kidding. I don’t even keep sugar at home, and the closest thing I come to sweets is perhaps a lump of sugar in my coffee every once in a while if I’m at a café, and even then only if I really feel like it. Last time I visited a McDonalds was about eight months ago when we were driving for a long stretch and that was all the “food” we could find along the way. And I haven’t placed any bets, it’s just obvious to anyone in their right minds that that kind of food chews at your organs like cancer. I might order a pizza occasionally, perhaps once a month or so, and even then I make sure to try and keep the calories down.. None of my friends, or any random stranger I’d meet out on the street for that matter, would consider my behavior even remotely strange, and I wouldn’t be even a little surprised if a majority of them did pretty much the same thing. And we are NOT some kind of fanatical puritans, we drink and eat and treat ourselves to stuff, but not to the point of where it seems like an insurmountable task to go without the junk for a few WEEKS.. That’s just insane. I StumbledUpon this page looking for sites that would give me tips on improving health and fitness. I don’t feel like I need to worry anymore, you people have far, far worse problems.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Moax- Pretty entertaining to read your take on the article, I gotta say. Keep in mind, however, that those feelings– thinking sweets are so hard to quit– those feelings were before my conversion to eating healthy food. The changes I made then have been kept for 4 years strong, except that I do eat some “cheats” on occasion and conservatively.
And not to discount your comment, but there are people out there who struggle. You’re strong. Not everybody has become strong yet, but everybody can become strong. We must encourage those who need the help to change life-long habits.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Dear Lori #23 I do not eat rotting vegetables. If you have a few rotting potatoes do you throw out the entire ten Lbs?
March 26th, 2008 at 4:54 am
Cribcat wrote, and I am quoting: “Any veggies I don’t eat, cooked or starting to rot ,get cleaned and dried.”
Cribcat, this is what I was referring to, that you posted. Any veggies starting to rot, to me, is already rotten, and it gets tossed, no if’s, and’s, or but’s in my house. When in doubt, throw it out. I just would not want to risk me, oir anyone else, you incliued, getting sick from a rotting veggie. It just isn’t worth the risk.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Hi Jason. I just wanted to say good work on completing your little experiment. I have done pretty similar things with my diet - after becoming lactose intolerant, wheat intolerant, then choosing to take up the blood group eating plan, I found it doesn’t make sense for me to eat junk. I like having such a small list of foods to choose from - I find that it makes it easy to stay off bad foods that way! Well done. From Katie in New Zealand