Hi Brooke,
A few months after going through your Stop Overeating program in Scholars, I reached the point where I truly did not desire flour or sugar. I had one joy eat a week and sometimes I didn’t even really want it. Then I made some really big changes in my life and the desire came back. I moved abroad, I started my business, and began living way outside of my comfort zone.

Right after I moved, I started having some artificial sweeteners for a few weeks that I hadn’t had in the U.S., and I noticed that they caused me to have cravings, so I stopped using them. It’s been 3 months since I’ve had any artificial sweeteners, but I still have a very strong desire for sugar.

I’m allowing myself two joy eats per week (a few more during the holidays) but I want to get back to the place where I had no desire for sugar.

This is not really about weight gain. I am below my original goal weight of 120 even with the two joy eats per week. It’s about wanting to feel free from the desire for sugar. I’ve done the 100 urges worksheet. I’ve sat with the desire, naming it and not acting on it. But it’s still there and I know what life can be like when I don’t have it, so I’m really wanting to get back to that.

I think what I need to do is start all over: six weeks with no sugar, no flour. Then add one joy eat back in after that. Does that sound right? I’d also love to get your take on why or how desire comes back. I was hoping it would be gone forever, but clearly that’s not the case!

Thank you in advance!