So last week we looked how to tell if you have a sugar addiction and if you were being honest, you probably saw you have a problem. So now you know that sugar is dangerous and you are addicted to it, now what?
I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty tough to break the habit. The first few days after I cut myself off, I was pretty much fantasizing about cinnamon rolls and Hershey’s bars every night. The good news is that it can be done! You can get those cravings out of your system and break through to a more healthy diet with just a few easy steps.
1. Have the right attitude.
Attitude is SOOOOOO important. If you see this as an exercise in deprivation, it will not go well. You are not depriving yourself of something awesome, you are getting rid of a dangerous toxin that is slowly killing you. Keep your eye on the future you that feels better, has lower BP, lower BMI, has lost weight and looks great.
2. Eliminate Habits Associated with Eating Sugar
This was HUGE for me. I had to look at where I was most prone to eat sugar and either get rid of them or at least be aware of what was going on. If I went to the movie, I had a Coke, popcorn, and maybe sneak a Snickers bar in as well. When I went to a church fellowship event, I sampled a few of the awesome desserts the ladies would bring. 3PM Energy crash? That’s when a Reese’s peanut butter cup and a Coke come out. I had to look at each of these and figure out what I was going to do in each situation. Mentally go through your day, figure out when you are most prone to eat sugar and come up with a plan to either avoid the situation or avoid the sugar.
3. Eliminate Sugar from Your Fridge and Pantry
As long as you’ve got a package of cookies in your pantry, this is never going to work. Start reading ingredients on the back of packages looking for these sugars and starting chucking them in the trash. I know, I’m a frugal guy so the idea of wasting anything is anathema to me but you gotta do what you gotta do.
4. Withdraw from Sugar
This is the big moment. Intentionally eat the last bit of sugar you will ever eat and begin your new lifestyle. It’s not going to be the easiest thing in the world. Sugar causes a chemical addiction so there will be a chemical withdrawal. You are going to have cravings and want to cheat a little Don’t! Once a sugarholic, always a sugarholic and eating a little, especially in the withdrawal phase, could cause you to relapse. All I can tell you is that after a week or so, everything changes. I have no desire for sugar and am able to see it for what it is, a dangerous substance that can only hurt me.
5. Restock and get on with your life.
Don’t just through your food away, get new healthy food. I am convinced that part of the reason I’m feeling better is not just the absence of sugar from my diet, it’s also the fact that I am eating so many more whole foods and fresh produce. (If you are worried about price, there are ways to save on meat and produce) In fact, we went so far as to join a co-op that keeps us stocked on fresh food. Life is good, we eat better, we feel better, I’m losing weight, there are no cravings for sugar and my doctor likes what she is seeing.
If you are interested in cutting the sugar out of your diet, let me know either in one of these ways or in the comments. I’d love to keep in touch and encourage you through this process.
A special thanks to David Gillespie for these helpful steps.
This is a hard one