I Quit Sugar for 30 Days — And Lost 17 lbs + Gained $2,400

It was 11:47 p.m.

I was sitting on the kitchen floor, crying into a box of donuts.

Glaze on my fingers.

Tears on my shirt.

My bank account: $43.

My jeans: too tight to button.

I wasn’t celebrating.

I wasn’t stressed.

I was numb.

That night, I made a decision.

No more sugar.

Not “less.”

Not “on weekends.”

Zero added sugar for 30 days.

I threw the donuts in the trash.

I cried again.

Then I went to bed — hungry, scared, and determined.

I wasn’t always like this.

Two years ago, I was fit.

I wrote every morning.

I had savings.

But then life got hard.

Deadlines.

Breakups.

Late nights.

Sugar became my comfort.

Soda at 3 p.m.

Ice cream at midnight.

“Healthy” granola bars that were basically candy.

I gained 22 pounds.

I stopped writing.

I stopped dreaming.

So I made three rules:

No added sugar (fruit was okay).

Write down every craving.

Use my clearest hours to make money.

The first week was war.

Day 1: Headache by 11 a.m.

Day 2: I stood in front of the fridge for 20 minutes, staring at orange juice.

Day 3: I dreamed about cake. Woke up angry.

Day 5: For the first time in months, I didn’t crash at 3 p.m.

I sat down and wrote a Vocal story — 1,800 words in one sitting.

I published it at 4:12 p.m.

By midnight, it had 1,500 reads.

I earned $98.

I laughed.

$98 from clarity I didn’t know I had.

Week two, I started winning.

I kept a little notebook:

3:12 p.m. – Bored. Wanted cookies. Drank water. Did 10 push-ups.

9:04 p.m. – Watching Netflix. Wanted ice cream. Made tea. Wrote 200 words.

The cravings didn’t go away.

But they got smaller.

By Day 14:

I had lost 9 pounds.

I had published 4 stories.

I had earned $680.

I slept 8 hours — no 3 a.m. wake-ups.

I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself — in a good way.

But then came Day 20.

It was my best friend’s birthday.

There was cake.

I said, “Just one bite.”

One bite became three.

Then guilt.

I went home and cried — again.

But this time, I didn’t quit.

I asked myself:

“What would the 30-day version of me want?”

Answer: To keep going.

So I did.

I allowed one planned treat per week.

Not emotional.

Not secret.

Planned.

By Day 30, I wasn’t the same person.

I had lost 17 pounds.

I had written 18 stories.

They got 72,000 reads.

I earned $2,400 — from reads, a challenge win, and tips.

One reader sent $50 and wrote:

“I’m on Day 4 no sugar because of you. Down 5 lbs already. Thank you.”

I saved that message.

It meant more than the money.

This wasn’t about weight.

It was about control.

Sugar didn’t just make me gain weight.

It stole my focus.

My energy.

My future.

When I took it back, I got me back.

What’s your sugar weakness?

Tell me in the comments — soda? late-night snacks?

I’ll reply with one simple swap that worked for me.

If this story helped you, tip $1.

It buys my next apple (the fruit, not the phone).

P.S.

This story was written at 3:17 p.m. — my old crash time.

Now? It’s my power hour.

No fog.

No cravings.

Just words.

Just wins.

Your turn.