My Sugar Addiction... and Witch's Lent

Julie Whatmough | SEP 30, 2025

witch's lent

When I was a kid, I would run into the house and eat a tablespoon of honey... What a treat. I could eat sugary snack after sugary snack and didn't notice how much of my diet it took up.

Flash forward and here I am, a sugar addict.

Okay... maybe saying that I'm dependent on it or abusing it can feel a little strong but from my research, I've found that daily recommended sugar consumption is 25-36 grams (1).

But... How bad is sugar really??

Not only can sugar contribute to an increased risk of heart disease (including heart attacks and strokes), type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and tooth decay (2,3). Sugar can also raise blood pressure, increase chronic inflammation, and is linked to fatty liver disease (4). It's also been shown to affect your mood, skin, pancreas, and kidneys (5).

For me, it's the inflammation, tooth decay, and heart disease that inspire me to reduce my sugar intake. That and my rage about how it's put in * seemingly everything *

causing a dependency and a negative feedback cycle of poor health, in a society without accessible medical care for all, and where conglomerates prey on people and families with low incomes... but I digress and will note here that all this is also overconsumption of sugar and each individual is different.

How/When did I give up sugar?

October 2022 was the first time I gave up sugar for 31 days as my Witch’s Lent sacrifice.

Yes, let’s be clear: I have not gotten to the point where I’ve given up sugar “for good”. As I write this, I still have the taste of dark chocolate-covered pretzels in my mouth, and I will soon eat another! But the past few years I have given up sugar for my “Sober October” (read more in the blog Witch's Lent A Pick Your Poison Sober October).

This has looked different each year:

Sometimes I ate sugar alcohols as I read they are processed differently in our body but — from personal experience, I have found that these have a laxative effect and that, like sugar, eating too much can cause digestive issues 😬 So I have cautioned away from them for the most part.
I played with allowing sugar alternatives up to 22 grams per day, but found it difficult to track.

🎉 Things that have worked for me:

I stock up on fruit. I let myself eat as much whole and dried fruit as I like.
I follow the ingredients list. I highly recommend this, whether or not you read nutrition labels. Sugar can be present even if it’s not specifically added. I cared more about it being added.
I have not given up starches at all. Potatoes, rice, noodles, and bread have always been on the table for me. I will say… finding sugar-free bread can be a challenge. I really enjoyed a Seattle Sourdough bread that I found (and have since not seen) made without sugar.
Having quick snacks at the ready, eating before events, and bringing my own food are game changers. I don’t know anyone who likes the hangries, to have them or to be around someone who has them.
The protein game increases. I’ve found that eating full meals that are rich in protein, nutrients, and minerals (general whole food eating) seriously helped with hunger, cravings, and can reduce sugar crashes.
I am prepared to say no if someone offers something.

Hot Take: Try making “sugarless” alternatives and offer them to your friends.

If they’re good then it’s great, and if they’re not good it’s still fun to laugh together. I made garbanzo bean blondies sweetened with dates, and let's say that everyone else enjoyed them with reese's pb cups on top but it was a fun experiment.

I have NOT tried the whole 30 diet. I think this sounds like an excellent idea for people who want to “reset” and don’t want to come up with their own plan. I have had friends praise its benefits to me, but I have yet to try it.

Listen to your body (and your doctor)

YOU know you best. Witch's Lent is an experience, a chance to experiment and see how you feel, how you're affected, and how you cope as you go through life without something. You might not even realize how much you used it in your life whether that's a dependency or an unseen habit.

I'm not here to convince you to stop consuming sugar but I can tell you that...

Everytime I stop eating sugar I feel better

Not all at once because withdrawals are real. And I know it's a good practice to not use always or never but... everytime I start eating sugar again after abstaining, I notice the effect on me much more strongly. One time eating a dessert after a month without sugar gave me a searing headache that lasted for hours and made my stomach hurt. Changes in our habits and diets can profoundly affect us but, for me, that's why I do it.

I'm not an expert sugar free person. I'm just someone who tries and loves to go into fall shedding things that don't serve me.

Please take care of yourself. Give yourself grace. Practice patience and kindness towards yourself.

DISCLAIMER

I am not a medical professional, dietary consultant, or other certified person to direct your consumption, nor am I trained in substance abuse. Please take care of yourself and seek a professional for medical advice and support.

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