Last week’s blog was about how sugar keeps us trapped in a vicious circle of wanting more and more. I explained how it lights up the pleasure centre in your brain and why from an evolutionary point of view our biology has developed in this way.
It is important that you understand this evolutionary point, so, if you haven’t yet, please read my previous blog or watch my video in my free FB community page “ Weightloss, great energy, more focus!”.
If you are stuck in the sugar trap, there is nothing to feel ashamed about as we are all programmed to like and need sugar!
And that is why giving up sugar is so incredibly difficult.
In this blog, I offer you three steps to break free. These steps are part of the strategies which I use with my clients in the Fit and Focused Formula where I coach busy women to regain the best version of themself. I hope you will also follow them to free yourself from the sugar cycle of addiction.
Step #1: Awareness
I always say that awareness is the first step of solving any problem. Awareness of the problem itself and, in this case, there is no exception. Being a private investigator when it comes to your sugar habits, is very important so you can understand when and why you find yourself falling into the trap.
Some useful questions to ask yourself are:
Do I rely on sugar-rich food at breakfast?
Do I need carbs-rich breakfasts to get going in the morning?
When do my cravings for sugar show up?
Is it immediately after a meal? In the middle of your morning? In the middle of the afternoon? Or is it after you had your supper and sit down to relax and enjoy your free time?
Do I crave sugar after a challenging/stressful situation?
Start building a sugar-craving map of your day so you know when to expect the cravings so you can also be ready to deal with them in a positive way.
But there is also another type of awareness that I invite you to develop around sugar. And this is about being aware of the health consequences of having a diet high in sugar and the effects on your body.
I was obsessed with sugar for the first part of my life and I have many cavities to prove it! I was brought up to think that sugar would help me deal with any emotions and still now when I go back to Italy to visit my mum and dad, I find it difficult to dissociate from that mentality about “eating to make you feel better” or as a way to celebrate or as a reward for hard work.
I know firsthand how daunting it is to face the reality of sugar, but the evidence is overwhelming.
Sugar is one of the main contributors to many common issues that can impact our quality of life, including weight gain, low energy, hormonal symptoms, skin problems (acne, premature ageing skin), joint pain, and depression.
Our bodies are amazing and resilient, in spite of poor nutrition, they keep going but the effect of a poor diet will catch up with us. The signs and symptoms often show up in our 40s and beyond when we, as women, also face the natural hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause.
The chronically high blood sugar and insulin that results from a high-sugar diet are linked to life-threatening diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, fatty liver, and diabetes.
Sugar is a sexy but cruel lover; it seduces us with an immediate release of pleasure but leaves us feeling worn out and broken down.
Step #2: Add before you take away
I am sure that, if you have ever tried to go on a sugar-free challenge, you know how terrible you can feel without sugar. This is due to sugar withdrawal because, as I explained in my video of last week, we get addicted to sugar.
If sugar is part of your daily life and you stop eating it today, it is likely that you will feel irritable, hungry, tired, and low in moods.
I have helped hundreds of women to detox from sugar and there are two main points that are essential for success:
- Adding foods before removing foods
- A clear plan – a sugar-free map of what and when to eat
Lets’ talk about adding before removing. The quest for a sugar-free eating style is much smoother when you add high-quality, hunger and taste buds-satisfying foods before or at least at the same time that you are getting the refined sugar out of your diet.
The two types of foods that help this transition the most are foods high in fat and plenty of vegetables. Fatty foods help to shut off hunger hormones and stabilize blood sugar which prevents cravings. Nuts, seeds, avocados, nut butter, good quality butter, full-fat yoghurts, coconut products…
Adding vegetables plays an important role in adding volume to your diet. Consuming a large salad and a side of cooked vegetables, with your main meals brings bulk and nutrients into your body that tells your body that its needs are being met, which further decreases cravings.
The second part to successfully adding is to know exactly what to add, how and when. Have a clear plan laid out ahead of your journey so that your focus is clear on what to add and what you need to leave out and how to organise yourself to do this successfully. And be aware that sugar is very tricky and creeps in many foods’ products and wear many disguises.
My clients in The Fit and Focused Formula, start their journey exactly like this, they have a clear path to follow to stay away from sugar and they know what to eat instead, how to eat it and how often too so that they can better manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Step #3: One change at-a-time
A great way to avoid the feeling of overwhelm that can come with quitting sugar is to make one change at a time.
For example, you can start from today to make one sugar substitution a day. You could swap your evening dessert with delicious coconut yoghurt. Add some grated dark chocolate to it and a small handful of nuts. In this way, the high-fat content of the nuts and the yoghurt leaves you feeling comfortable and satisfied through the evening hours and the dark chocolate taste ( minimum 80%) will still give that yummy, satisfying hit to your taste buds.
Or, if you typically add sugar to your coffee, you could substitute the sugar with a splash of double cream instead or some coconut butter or even grass-fed butter; the fat in the cream and butter will leave you feeling comfortable and help keep hunger away.
These are just two examples of small changes to existing sugar habits that you can start straight away.
If you are tired of being controlled by sugar, you know you want to change but you don’t know where and how to start, do start with the three steps I offered you today. If you don’t want to do it alone, join my next 5 DAY SUGAR-FREE CHALLENGE starting on Monday 21st March. It’s always easier and more fun to do it together.
If you want to participate, register your interest by clicking here and I will send you the link with the details.
It is a FREE challenge, but it is super valuable and it will change the way you see sugar forever. If you are ready to change and you want professional guidance and support make sure to join. Places are limited so don’t miss out on this opportunity; join the 5 DAY SUGAR CHALLENGE today.
With love, energy and care,
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