Maybe you can help me and then we can help each other. I have a love-hate relationship with refined sugar. It is a curse and a Godsend all in one. How can it be both? I know it is bad for me, I think most of us do. Yet, I keep giving in. Granted I think I have come along way. Last year I went 6 full months without sugar
(5 in a row from January to May and then October randomly at the end of the year... random I know, but I skipped Halloween the candy nirvana of the whole year.) I rarely binge eat...yet occasionally ice cream straight from the container is the only therapy that works. I try to stop and it keeps finding a way back into my life so I think I need to write about it. On those occasional times that I think, “I don’t have to be that extreme person who is prudish about her diet. I will just eat sugar once in a while” than….IT GETS ME and It keeps reappearing in my diet over and over. Not extreme just constant: dessert for a friends birthday, a family night reward, a kids school party, a gift from a well-meaning friend, a holiday, a church refreshment (which I find ironic that they always bless with wishes for health, strength, or other unnatural sugar consequence), a wedding party. WAIT it just doesn’t stop and soon I find myself sneaking into the closet with my new found chocolate when I just need some food-related stress release. THAT is precisely when I know I am back in the addicted zone.
The cycle, for me, has repeated many times and I find it works best If I just cut out sugar cold turkey. I give up desserts, sweets, jams, and basically anything that contains corn syrup or refined sugar for a set period of time.1 month is my usual go to, long enough to be challenging but short enough to see an end in sight. Now I am not overboard strict on this either, some items like ketchup may contain sugar so I choose the healthiest version I can find and use them in moderation. As long as it is not Corn Syrup or an artificial sweetener (EVEN WORSE, more about that another time) and not in the first 5 main ingredients I basically deem it in another category. I eat fruit. I eat bread baked with honey, I eat homemade yogurt or honey sweetened granola. For goodness sake, a person has to keep functioning and joyful somehow. The problem is for the first week it is HARD, the second week a little better but still challenging and by week 3 or 4 I no longer crave it so after finally reaching that satisfying stage is it worth having to start all over again? And if these sweet treats are one of my few rewards and relaxers in my life what other convenient healthy but equally happy go to's provide that instant and gratifying release. YES, those related endorphins are so real.
If you are like me and need a few tools to aid in your recovery. Here are a few things that have worked in the past for me. Cause after all I need the reminder most of all.
1- Education = rehearing all the facts from the experts add to my motivation and toolbox. Here are a few of my favorite links.
2- Do not buy the stuff- It is definitely easier to not give in if it is not in your house. That being said if other family members do have these items ask them to keep them out of sight so you will not be tempted. Out of sight out of mind really plays a big role.
3- Make alternatives. For those, I need a treat too moments. I love all natural fruit leather, protein balls made with sugar- free chocolate protein powder or fruit smoothies. (I’ll add the recipe link) Just make sure your protein powder is sweetened with healthy alternatives like monk fruit, stevia, etc... NOT SUCRALOSE or other easy to disguise chemicals that are even more harmful than refined sugar.
4- Use other natural endorphin boosters like massage, exercise, laughter for a release.
5- Have a support or accountability friend. This one is my most powerful aids. If I know I am going to have to fess up to someone else I can often resist longer.
6- Make giving in painful or a payoff. Have you heard of positive rewards- or negative conditioning? Do both. Set a goal with a friend and whoever gives in first has to pay up. That way you are double incentivized to keep with your goal or reward yourself with something you really want after reaching a hard set time frame.
7- Change your mindset. Remember that you are choosing something better, not deprivations. You are choosing health, energy, lowered inflammation, greater focus, higher immune strength, better skin with more elastin and fewer wrinkles...yep removing sugar does all that.
Okay, I’ve convinced myself once again. Anyone want to join me?
Still not convinced here are 146 ways sugar is hurting your health and corresponding 146 resources. I warned you I am a little obsessed.
http://www.rheumatic.org/sugar.htm
P..S. My apologies. I only have one font option on this web service and it is not the easiest to read. I am exploring options as I learn my computer world.
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