How I Knew I Had to Quit Sugar and Flour

The one question people ask when I tell them I no longer eat sugar and flour is, "How did you know you had to quit? Wouldn't it be enough to just cut back?"

I understand. Moderation is what all the "experts" say is necessary to keep from feeling deprived. Moderation, they almost always say, is critical for weight-loss success.

And for someone in my situation, extreme measures didn't seem necessary. I was overweight -- more than just a little overweight -- but not obese on the healthy weight charts. I could still shop at department stores, and I didn't have diabetes.

But I did get to a point where I knew it was time to quit. How? Here's how I answer:

First of all, I had no idea whether or not quitting would "work." I still don't, not long-term. But I did know that after years of dieting and trying restraint and struggling to moderate, moderation didn't work. Not for me. I didn't know if quitting was actually necessary. But I was open to trying something new.

Even more than that, there were a lot of red flags that my behavior around sugar and flour wasn't normal. A lot of red flags. I can't point to one big incident of hitting rock bottom, but I do recall many little clues that built up over time. Here are the ones that come to mind:

1) You cannot "cut back" on sugar and flour long-term (you make a plan to eat sugar and flour only on one “cheat day” a week, you set a limit for how many treats you’ll eat, you eat these things only on special occasions — but none of that works consistently for the long term).

2) You cannot go one full day without eating sugar or flour. The thought of it is scary or unimaginable.

3) You wait until you're alone to eat sugar and flour (when you’re in the car, when someone else takes the dog out for a walk, etc.)

4) You hide wrappers and containers (in the car, in the bottom of the garbage can, etc.)

5) You hide extra food (in a special cabinet, above the refrigerator, in the garage, etc.)

6) You worry constantly about whether there was enough sugar and flour in the house (and whether others will eat it first)

7) You are constantly aware of sugar and flour at parties, receptions, get-togethers, and while there, you plan what and how much to have

8) You get upset when something disrupts your eating plans (when the dessert runs out before you get a piece, when the store doesn’t have the particular something you want)

9) You buy healthy food at the grocery store along with junk food so the clerk won't think you are only planning to eat the junk

10) You realize that these things are escalating

Anyone else have thoughts about the red flags that signaled to them it was time to live without sugar or without flour?

[This blog post was inspired by a June 2014 post from the sober blog "UnPickled" about living alcohol-free. You can read the original post HERE. ]