Sugar and I are no longer lovers …

My Love Story with Sugar

Here’s an uplifting breakup story.

A few months ago, I was inhaling almost half a block of chocolate every day (Note: this might appear to be a story about sugar. But, you can apply these techniques to any compulsion you’re trying to weaken).

We weren’t even close to ending this turbulent relationship. In fact, sugar and I couldn’t get enough of each other!

A block of chocolate with a sad expression on its face.

The Real Problem: Mindless Eating

So here’s the catch: I wasn’t even enjoying spoiling myself. Instead, each piece felt like a blur, and I’d feel heavy and lethargic afterward.

Something had to change.

The Psychology Behind My Sugar Fix

That’s when I remembered something from my psychology degree. Thinking back, through my lectures on behavioural reinforcement, I found it. I remembered that intermittent rewards make experiences feel more exciting and habits stronger. So, I decided to apply this idea to my chocolate habit.

So, I decided to apply this idea to my chocolate habit.

Being the psychology nerd I am, I used a random number generator to shake things up.

Each day, I’d roll a number between 0 and 4. That number told me how many pieces of chocolate I could eat.

Trusting in Chance

Here’s what happened:

On a day I rolled a 0, I felt a little disappointed—but only briefly. Still, it was only a small price to pay for what came next …
On a day I rolled a 1, that single piece of chocolate tasted incredible. It was even more satisfying than the 16 pieces I used to auto-demolish!
And on the rare days I rolled a 4? Oh, those were chocolate jackpot days!

The Best Part: More Enjoyment, Less Sugar

Here’s the best part: I started enjoying chocolate more while eating way less. Instead of a mindless munch, each piece became a mindful moment of bliss.

If you’re looking to break a sugar addiction or savour your treats more, try this:

Pick a treat you love but want to cut back on.
Use a random number generator to decide how much you’ll have each day.
Notice how much more satisfying your treat becomes.

So, sugar and I aren’t as close as we used to be, but we’re still on good, and tasty terms.

Here’s to moving on, one mindful bite at a time!

If you enjoyed this, you may also enjoy:
The Simple Way to Unbloat Your Downtime
Gamify Your Quest for Success!
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How to Break Free from the Hedonic Grind