How To Beat That Crazy Sugar Habit!?

You are NOT alone! It is found in so many of the foods we eat. Some are obvious such as candy, chocolate bars, gum, etc. However, it is also found in processed foods such as breads, pasta sauce, cookies, cereals, salad dressings, etc.

And the more we eat of it, the harder it is to break!

Did you know that sugar has been compared to cocaine and heroin for it’s addictive properties! Just like drugs, sugar addiction can develop which means the more we eat, the more we crave and the more it takes to get the ‘high’. 

Sugar lights up the same reward centers in the brain as drugs do, creating a feel good sensation that keeps us craving more.

It also has a major effect on your blood sugar and puts into motion a chain reaction of ups and downs that all end up badly for your health!

Our ancestors ate approximately 22 teaspoons of sugar per year which was usually in the form of fruit or honey as they did not have all the processed foods that we have today!

Now the average person eats 130 – 170 pounds of sugar per year which is equal to 14,152 tsp – 18,506 tsp!

Hence the rise in obesity and diabetes and other health related problems!

It is recommended that you consume between 6-9 teaspoons of added sugar per day!

Tips To Quitting Sugar

1. Start by cutting back gradually. For example:
   • Decrease the amount of sugar in your coffee each week until you are sugar free.
   • Substitute one of your daily snacks for a healthier option, working up to both of them.
2. Swap out sugary foods for healthier options. For example:
   • replace flavoured yogurt with 2% plain greek or regular yogurt and add fruit to it
   • swap out store bought tomato sauce with homemade tomato sauce
   • replace store bought nut bars with a homemade mix of nuts, seeds, and coconut chips
   • If you are looking for something crunchy, try veggies sticks and a hummus or avocado dip.
   • If you are looking for something creamy try eating 1/2 an avocado with some lemon and Himalayan salt sprinkled over it.
3. Reduce simple carbs—they act like straight sugar in the body (crackers, white bread, white pasta, etc). Remove or cut back one at a time.  Eg. Instead of 2 cups of pasta, make one and top it with a lean protein, the next time replace the pasta with a veggie such as spaghetti squash.
4. Cut down on drinks that contain sugar until you are no longer consuming them.  
   • On the average, a person will consume 40 pounds of sugar in a year in liquid form. This is equal to about 70,000 calories which in turn equals about 20 pounds of potential extra weight gain.  Add lemon, mint, cucumber, etc to water to help with taste.
5. Read your ingredient lists and search for hidden sugars! (sauces, condiments, salad dressings, etc.)  Manufacturers use different types or names of sugar to try and fool the consumer.  
6. Find a support partner or accountability partner as you go on your journey of quitting sugar. Or, join up with a mindful eating program that will help you break your cravings, find out what your eating triggers are, and help you put your plan into action that will have a lasting effect. Check out Focus on Healthy Eating and Mindful Living!
7. And finally be realistic! It is okay to indulge every now and then.  We just need to be aware of the amount of sugar we are eating.  

Your goal is to break the habit without driving yourself crazy. Cravings tend to last less than 15 minutes, therefore, try to take your mind off your craving by doing something else when it hits such as talking to a friend, going for a walk, eating a piece of fruit, drinking a glass of water.

Have a plan in place so that you can refocus your energy towards a healthier food option or an activity and the next thing you know, your craving will have passed!

To quitting sugar!

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