How I Quit Sugar in 60 Days or Less (and You Can Too!)

If you’re trying to break the sugar habit, this detox plan from YourTango may be exactly what you need.

Want to give up sugar for the long haul? For years, it was commonly believed new habits could be formed — and broken — in just 21 days. The truth is, though, it actually takes more like 66 days for most people to leave habits behind says a UK study, led by University College London research psychologist Pippa Lally.

With that in mind, here’s an eating plan I quit sugar with (that will help you) in a way that is sustainable; just four simple rules is all you follow for the next 66 days.

I have personally followed this eating menu and let me tell you: Dropping sweets wasn’t easy. I’m a certified sugar lover. It’s wasn’t uncommon for me to have a serious sugar cravings at 10 p.m., put on boots and sweater and tromp through the the snowy streets of SLC to hunt down chocolate-covered cinnamon bears and Swedish Fish. Being a candy lover was a huge part of my identity for years.

But no matter how pretty those frosted cupcakes looked, my growing jeans size didn’t feel pretty at all. I knew I needed a change.

The first change was unwelcome. It came in the form of massive stress. I dropped 10 pounds by just not eating. But as the weight started to melt away, I loved the way I felt and wanted to find a way to keep pounds off while also maintaining energy and boosting my overall health.

So I decided to start cutting sugar.

I turned to a mostly Paleo-eating regimen, which includes no use of sugar at all. After a hard-earned month of fighting cravings, relearning what (and how) to eat, and dropping another 10 pounds, I had a wild realization: I wasn’t craving sugar anymore. It took weeks. I mean, literally weeks. And not because my body was begging for treats, but because my brain kept turning to the comforting habits I’d taught myself through years of reaching for sweets. I needed nearly 45 days to get some new neural pathways rockin’ in my head. I needed to prove to myself that old(ish) dogs can learn new tricks.

This journey of mine inspired the printable. It’s a one-page no-sugar survival guide full of real foods you can really eat (and enjoy!) for the entire duration of sugar detox and beyond. You’re going to love it.