Four months ago my hunger and energy levels fluctuated like a roller coaster throughout the day. I woke up, starving and groggy every morning. My day was filled with sugar and caffeine drinks to prop myself up, and alcohol to bring me back down at night.

Every morning when I woke up the first word out of my mouth was, “Fuck.” As in, “Fuck, I feel like shit.” Or, “Fuck, I have to get up.” This was followed by an intense and urgent need to eat immediately, even before taking my morning piss.

When I was trying to eat “healthy” I’d have a huge bowl of sugary oatmeal, a banana, and a large orange juice. I’d congratulate myself for eating a “heart healthy” meal. I’d eat so much that I’d be almost uncomfortably full.

And then two hours later I’d be hungry again.

What. The. FUCK!?

When I went to work I’d bring a huge bag of food to get me through the day. Because I’d be hungry every two or three hours I needed lots of snacks. Chips, sandwiches, fruit, yogurt, candy bars, stuff like that.

My snacks would barely get me to lunchtime. Usually I went to Subway for lunch. Large sandwich, chips, large soda. Again, I’d eat so much that I’d almost be uncomftably full. And then I’d be starving again a few hours later at the end of my shift. By this time most of my food was gone and I’d eat a piece of fruit, which would barely get me home.

Why was my hunger so broken? Why was I so hungry all the time?

When I went on road trips it required a significant amount of food planning. I’d have to bring lots of snacks with me. The ice chest had to be within easy reach in the back seat. Camping trips and vacations would be filled with meal preparations and eating. Fuck, why do I need to eat all the time?

I needed sugary caffeine drinks to get me through the day. My favorites were Monster energy drinks, Coke and Mountain Dew, and Starbucks fraps and mochas. When I was trying to be “healthy” I’d drink fruit “juice” (loaded with HFCS, of course). I’d feel a rush after slamming a Monster. I’d be up, way up–for an hour or so. And then I would crash hard. And I’d need another sugary drink to prop myself back up.

And at night I was so wired from all the sugar and caffeine I couldn’t fall asleep. Some nights I’d try to drink enough alcohol to bring myself back down, and some nights it would work. But mostly I was an insomniac. Regular readers of this blog know that I’ve always had problems sleeping. Now we know why.

I wasn’t much of a sweets eater or craver. But I loved sugary drinks. I used to wake up several times in the middle of the night, head straight to the fridge, and slam some cranberry or apple juice. Rarely did I eat ice cream or cake. Sugarwater was drunk all day every day, however.

My energy levels spiked and crashed several times a day, all day, every day. I was miserable.

And then I found the low carb lifestyle.

I got off the sugar. I completely eliminated all forms of sugar from my diet. I started reading labels. I paid particular attention to the ingredients. I was shocked at the level of sugar in our food supply.

Almost all processed foods are loaded with some form of sugar.

In the supermarket aisle one day, I was reading the label of a can of diced tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers. It had high fructose corn syrup. Really? Why? I started reading the labels of all the foods on that aisle. Pickles, olives, ketchup, mustard, spaghetti sauce, spinach, rice, pasta… almost everything in a can, box, or wrapped in plastic had sugar in it (usually HFCS). Why? I was angry.

I stopped buying food that came in a box, can, or plastic wrapper.

These days when I go to the supermarket I go to the produce section, then the meat section, then I check out. Everything else is crap. And really, the other sections aren’t really food.

And these days I feel fanfuckingtastic.

My energy levels are level and stable throughout the day. I don’t need sugary caffeine drinks to prop myself up any more. And I night I fall asleep quickly and without the need for alcohol. I sleep soundly throughout the night. I don’t wake up several times needing a sugar fix any more. And in the morning I feel great.

I don’t eat breakfast any more. I’m just not hungry. I’ve learned to listen to my body, and to eat when hungry–stop when full. I eat my first meal of the day in the early afternoon. And then I don’t eat until 9pm-ish.

I don’t get ravenously hungry any more. And if I need to, I know I can skip a meal or two and be fine. Two or three times a month I’ll fast for 24 hours and still have plenty of energy the whole time.

This is the most significant thing that has ever happened to my health.