Good Morning and Happy Sunday!
I hope you are enjoying yet another glorious weekend. I know I have been talking about the weather a lot these past few weeks but I can’t help myself. It is just so beautiful here in PDX right now.
So today, I am going dive into one of my favorite subjects: SUGAR!
You know that sugar is not good for you and that is lacks nutrients, but did you know that it is actually a TOXIN?
Too much glucose in the blood leads to digestive issues, blood sugar imbalances, fatigue, and even diabetes.
Do you know just how much sugar that yummy Starbucks drink contains?
- A grande Caramel Brulee Latte has 52 grams of sugar and a whopping 430
- The frappuccino version contains 63 grams of sugar and 410
- A venti contains 82 grams of sugar and 510
For the next couple of weeks, I am going to walk you through how to kick the sugar habit without feeling deprived! Giving up something that gives you pleasure cold turkey is difficult. Instead, I am going to teach you the exact tools and tips I used myself to kick this habit to the curb.
FIRST STEP
Let me first introduce you to sugar, because once you know the facts, you will have an easier time saying good-bye.
- Sugar occurs naturally in all foods, and when in its most natural state contains vitamins and minerals. A great example of a sugar in its natural state is honey.
- But refined sugar depletes the body of its own minerals and enzymes, and creates an acidic environment leading to digestive distress, headaches, mucus in the body, and allergies.
- When we consume refined sugar, it has a negative impact on the blood sugar, which can lead to depression, fatigue, poor sleep, and many serious health conditions.
When sugar is out of your life and not depleting your beautiful body, then you will experience:
- Glowing skin
- Less bloat
- Better sleep
- Improved sex drive
- No more bags under the eyes
- Stabilized blood sugar – which means less cravings
- Weight loss
- Less cellulite
Need I say more? Are you ready to get started?
To ditch the sugar, you need the following:
- Mindset – the first step is tapping into your willingness to say no to something that, while pleasant in the short-term, is ultimately detrimental to your happiness. Keep in mind that you are what you eat. The goal is to get into the habit of putting the right foods into your mouth to give you the energy you desire.
- Knowledge – get educated about how sugars affect your body. Sugar leads to chronic inflammation that can cause premature aging and a multitude of health issues.
- Commit to self-care – yes, it is about the food you eat, but self-care is a big part of letting go of consuming sugar. When the body is stressed, we reach for sugar as a way to calm our nervous system.
How often when you’re stressed out do you reach for a candy bar or a doughnut? Or even’ healthy’ desserts like gluten-free cake? (just because it is gluten-free does not mean it is healthy: )
This happened to me too often, until I started to notice I was lagging and depending on my next “hit” of sugar or coffee to get me through the day.
Since successfully kicking the sugar habit, I jump out of bed with energy in the morning and keep a stable level of high energy throughout the day without resorting to blood sugar “highs” which inevitably crash. I won’t sugar-coat the fact that this giving up SUGAR is hard and that it takes some effort but the pay-off is HUGE!
This week, I want you to start by writing down all the sources of sugar that you eating. Do you put sugar in your coffee? Eat sugary breakfast cereal? Do you crave something sweet after lunch and dinner? What is your go-to snack at 3:00pm? Take note of where you are adding sweetness to your diet and life. This will be an important component to kicking the sugar habit.
Next week we will dive into all the different names for sugar and where they may be hiding!
In Health and Happiness,
