Carly Rae Jepsen shares lackluster results after attempting to quit sugar

Carly Rae Jepsen has shared her extremely relatable results after she attempted to cut sugar out of her diet. Spoiler alert, the “Call Me Maybe” singer lasted only four days.

The 38-year-old Canadian pop star began her journey on 22 March, when she shared in an Instagram Story post that she was three days into her no-sugar diet. While the Story posts have since expired, one fan luckily reposted Jepsen’s glucose-free updates on X, formerly Twitter.

The “I Really Like You” singer shared a mirror selfie on day three without sugar, where she informed her followers that it’s actually much harder to cut the carbohydrate than she initially thought. “Day three no sugar. Update…” Jepsen wrote. “Sadly retired the idea of a ‘lil morning chocolate’. Accidentally cheated twice ‘cause turns out there is sugar in EVERYTHING.”

While Jepsen admitted that she’s “been a little crazy” without her chocolate vices, she gave a shout out to her boyfriend - musician and producer Cole Marsden Greif-Neill, known professionally as Cole MGN - for sticking by her while she quit sugar cold turkey. “To my surprise I still have a bf so yay for that.”

Her sugar-free journey continued one day later, but it seemed that things had taken a turn for the worse. “Day 97638 of NO SUGAR (okay day four). I can’t recall what happiness feels like,” she admitted.

“I no longer feel the need to wear real clothes in public. Sweatpants of PJs will do,” Jepsen wrote, aptly over a photo of herself wearing a matching red sweatshirt and pants. Fortunately for the “Cut to the Feeling” singer, cutting out sugar from her diet has allowed her to swap one guilty pleasure for another. “Cheese has become extremely important to me,” she wrote.

But like all good things, they must come to an end. Jepsen’s journey finally concluded on 25 March, after she accidentally “cheated” on her no-sugar diet. Two days after her supposed existential crisis, the “Party For One” singer shared her final update on Instagram Stories with a sweet photo of herself and her boyfriend.

“How’s everyone? I’m great. May have cheated on my ‘no sugar’ thing,” Jepsen revealed. Despite her attempt to cut out the sweet-tasting soluble carbohydrates from her diet, she maintained that her love for sugar is still as strong as ever. “Sugar is great. I love sugar,” she wrote.

Jepsen also gave another shout out to Cole MGN, noting that he is “patient, loving and kind” for supporting her throughout the four-day sugar cleanse. “Won’t try that again, baby,” she promised.

Although the “Too Much” singer’s sugar-free diet lasted less than a week, it still managed to keep the internet thoroughly entertained. On X, many users applauded Jepsen for even attempting to eat no sugar and emphasised how they too would last only a few days without it.

“Carly Rae Jepsen chronicling her decision to quit sugar, the first few days of her attempt and then abandoning it less than one week in,” one fan wrote on the platform. “Deeply relatable queen.”

“Carly Rae Jepsen trying to give up sugar and lasting less than a week?? Relatable!!!! Love her!!!!!” another exclaimed.

“It’s literally so hard I lasted three days and still had chocolate milk on the second so I really only lasted one,” a third user admitted.

Naturally occurring sugars can be found in some foods like fruits and vegetables, or dairy products with lactose such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. Table sugar, known as sucrose, is found in sugar cane and sugar beet, maple syrup, and even honey.

However, the consumption of added sugars - such as soft drinks, ice cream, and desserts - can have negative health effects. A recent study published in The BMJ suggested reducing consumption of added sugars to around six teaspoons a day and limiting sugar-sweetened drinks to less than one serving a week. The study found significant harmful associations between sugar consumption and several outcomes, including asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, depression, and some cancers.

Researchers also discovered harmful links between sugar consumption and heart health-related effects, including high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke as well as seven cancer outcomes, including breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer.

Because sugar has powerful effects on the body, it’s no surprise that reducing consumption of added sugar or removing it from your diet completely may also lead to significant changes. Reducing sugar intake can sometimes lead to temporary detox or withdrawal symptoms, like cravings, headaches, bloating, and irritability.