Thursday, August 25, 2011

The First Step is admitting you have a Problem.....right.....?

I'm pretty sure I have a sugar addiction. Seriously. Im not kidding.

I catch myself day dreaming about sweets. Cookies, Cheese Cake, Candy, Jumbo Gummi Bears....Apple O's....... *Sigh* DAY DREAMING.....

I'm cranky if I don't have something sweet. Ice Cream.....Oh My FLIPPIN' Delicious......I can't help myself....

So...Google to the rescue.....





How to beat Sugar......
 
1 - Keep sugar and sugar products out of your house. This includes white and brown sugar, corn syrup, and maple syrup. (duh right...if it's not in the house I wont eat it....but never under estimate the dedication of an addict, however, this is a start)
 
 
 
2 - Eat enough healthy food to satisfy your hunger. Eat healthy, whole food snacks like fruit, carrots, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, dates, and dried fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth. Drink plenty of water, too. Add a little fruit juice to sweeten iced tea, carbonated water, and other sugar-free drinks. Frozen fruit, whole or pureed, makes a delicious alternative to ice cream. Once you have cleared sugar from your system, your taste buds will become more sensitive, and these whole natural foods will taste sweeter and more satisfying. If you slow down and eat mindfully, you'll enjoy these foods even more. (Makes sense right)
 
 
 
 
3 - Eat three regular meals each day that combine complex carbohydrates (vegetables, whole grains, and fruits), lean protein (poultry, fish, meat, dairy, tofu) and healthy fats (milk, cheese, omega-3's, olive oil and other cold-pressed oils). This will help you maintain a steady blood sugar level throughout the day and reduce your sugar cravings. Eating a diet high in fiber also helps to reduce sugar cravings. (Complex Carbohydrates???? can't I have Jelly Beans?)
 
 
 
 
4 - Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement. Chromium picolinate and l-glutamine help to reduce cravings for some people.
 
 
 
 
5 - When you go out, make sure you are not ravenously hungry, especially if sugary sweets will be the only food available. Bring your own healthy snacks with you, or eat before going out. (pre-eat....okay)
 
 
 
 
6 - Get regular exercise, plenty of sunlight, and adequate sleep to reduce sugar cravings. (hahahaha, okay, so, when my insomnia acts up and I'm spending more time than usual on my work computer......)
 
 

7 - Learn to identify and manage cravings that are not a result of physical hunger, but instead are rooted in stress or anxiety. Develop alternative ways of managing stress: Take a walk, call a friend, read a book, play with your pet, watch a movie. Breathe, meditate, listen to music, or take a hot bath to activate your body's relaxation response. Relaxation helps to balance your blood sugar and reduce cravings. (<-- this one makes sense)


8 - If you have turned to sugar to deal with uncomfortable feelings, learn to identify the specific feelings and respond appropriately to them. If you are tired, take a break or rest, rather than trying to persevere in the face of fatigue. If you are bored, find something stimulating to do. If you are lonely, reach out to a friend. Overcoming your sugar addiction involves really paying attention to what you are feeling, and giving yourself what you really need instead of using sugar as a substitute. (hmmmmmm)
 


9 - If you do overindulge in sugar, acknowledge that you slipped, and get back on track as soon as possible. Let go of the guilt and shame. Eating sugar is unhealthy, but it's not a sin. As with other addictions, it doesn't matter if you need multiple attempts to quit, just that you keep trying until it sticks. (They said the same things about cigarettes, and kicked that habbit)
 
 
 
 
10 - Be kind to yourself. To end the struggle with sugar, learn to nourish your body well and respond compassionately to your own feelings. The best sugar substitute is genuine self-acceptance. (So in short, stop eating my feelings with nutritionally empty food, the party is OVAH)




So it's that easy right??????????

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