Sugar addiction is such an huge part of our world that we don't even have a word (like "alcoholic", "chocaholic" or "workaholic") to describe people addicted to sugar. Let's just use "sugarholics", because when you think about it, being addicted to sugar today is like being a smoker in the 50's!
You used to be able to smoke any time, anywhere. You didn't have to stop work and stand alone in the middle of a field. You weren't frowned upon for lighting up a cigarette indoors. Quite the opposite; if you didn't smoke, you were the odd one out. Today, sugarholics are the norm. Most of us are addicted from birth. Not eating the birthday cake in the lunch room marks you out as weird.
Make no mistake: the task you are about to undertake will not be easy, but it is not completely an exercise in willpower.
Despite what everybody tells you, if you are a sugarholic, there is nothing wrong with you. You are not greedy. You are not weak. You are chemically addicted to a substance in the food supply called fructose. And until you treat that addiction as the powerful biochemical force that it is, it will be difficult to overcome.
We have come up with five steps to breaking your addiction, but before undertaking them, you need to have the right attitude!
There are lots of downsides to sugar addiction and the only upside is that you feel normal when you eat it.
Do you really have cause to feel deprived? No, but many diets demand that you feel deprived. They ask you to "go without" and to "give up" a treat. Feeling deprived will simply drive you back into the arms of addiction.
If you want to succeed, you mustn't feel you are being deprived of anything. You need to view any offering of sugar not as a temptation to be overcome, but as an attempt to poison you (perhaps a little extreme, but you get the idea!).
You are not giving up anything. You are simply addressing an addiction that is not benefiting your health. It really is that simple to break an addiction. If you have the right attitude, avoiding sugar becomes a lot easier than you could possibly imagine!
Here are our top five steps to saying bye-bye to sugar:
1. Enjoy a protein rich breakfast.
Eggs with bacon and vegetables, quinoa porridge and chia seed puddings with fresh fruit are great breakkie staples.
Grab your copy of Simply Balanced for more ideas and recipes!
2. Eat well balanced snacks throughout the day.
Nuts, vegetables with hummus dip or yoghurt and fruit with seeds are simple ideas to keep you satiated.
3. Keep hydrated.
This will ensure you can tell the difference between habitual hunger vs real hunger and will keep you from overeating and craving sweets.
4. Move!
Exercise will ensure regulation of insulin and therefore satiety.
5. Sleep.
Fatigue will increase sugar and caffeine cravings.