I Quit Sugar author Sarah Wilson: "I personally eat sugar every single day."

Sarah Wilson’s name is synonymous with her best-selling book, and now eight week program, titled I Quit Sugar.

On Mamamia’s lifestyle podcast, Can’t Live Without, Wilson explained that five years ago she was “very unwell…I had a knarly sugar addiction.”

But she wasn’t chowing down on bags of lollies, or drinking 10 cans of Coke a day. Rather, her sugar intake was covert. She says it was in the honey she was adding to her chai tea, or the fruit juice she would have with breakfast.

That was until she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Hasimoto’s thyroiditis, and decided that something had to change.

Listen to Sarah Wilson talk about eating sugar on Can’t Live Without. 

So as an experiment for a column she was writing at the time, Wilson decided to quit sugar.

Since then, she has written several books and developed an 8-week program, to help people – in Wilson’s words – “recalibrate your appetite hormones”.

But what most people don’t know, is that the smiling face next to the big words “I QUIT SUGAR” actually eats sugar. Every day.

Excuse me, but I have something in common with Sarah Wilson and I did not think this day would come.

@tajafox in Bermuda says: “New recipe book for a new month. This is worth a try. 8-week detox. Hmm, before #Thanksgiving & #Christmas?!” Go for it, Taja! #iquitsugar #toxinfree

A photo posted by _sarahwilson_ (@_sarahwilson_) on Nov 10, 2016 at 10:36pm PST

“I personally eat sugar every single day,” she told host Mel Buttle. “I eat and I don’t count the amount…I intuitively know now what my body can handle and what’s the appropriate amount.”

Wilson explained that the eight week program is about getting yourself off sugar, so that “you can actually eat a normal amount of sugar everyday and not be addicted to it”.

She says “every now and then I go over it…and I think ah what did I eat today? Ah yeah that’s why I’m feeling a bit crap…”

My old pal and spiritual confidante @_juliegoodwin very much loved today’s @womensweeklymag #womenofthefuture awards. The best get-together all year. Handbags down.

A photo posted by _sarahwilson_ (@_sarahwilson_) on Aug 31, 2016 at 1:20am PDT

According to Wilson, sugar compromises our ability to know how much we should eat. The average Australian currently consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, which is significantly more than the 6-9 teaspoons recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Wilson eats chocolate and has a glass or two of red wine every night.

Her biggest advice to anyone looking to live a healthier life is to eat three regular meals, choose full fat milk over skim (and butter over margarine), and lastly, learn to cook.

You can listen to the full episode of Can’t Live Without with Sarah Wilson, here.