Breaking the sugar habit has everything to do with getting in touch with your feelings. I can’t emphasize enough how many people tell me that their real problem with food is about feelings and using food to fill a need it cannot fill. A big one is comfort. The usual food of choice for this need is sugar and starchy food which is also of course highly addictive. The two things go together. That is why the real goal is to learn how to unblock your feelings, identity your needs and find a way to get them met that does not include any addictive substances such as sugar.
Eating sweets can be a reward after a long day, a way to unwind, a source of what feels like a quick fix in a difficult world. What I suggest is that you start breaking the pattern which some equate with an addiction by identifying the pattern.
Once you do this you can be better prepared to deal with it when it comes up. When you get a thought to eat, changing or breaking the pattern starts with asking yourself if you are really hungry. This gives you a clue as to whether you are using food for its true purpose as fuel or using it to feed a feeling. There is a psychology to losing weight that starts with understanding our relationship to food and eating.
Then try to unpack your feelings. Why do I feel this way? What is my feeling trying to tell me? What do I really need that I am mistaking for food and eating? If it’s a reward you need, something that feels good, you can identify other ways to fill that need.
Some rewards that work for me are: taking a walk, a delicious dinner made from healthy foods that I love and look forward to; going out to meet a friend after a long day; or buying myself a really great book to enjoy reading. Find ways to take feed your self-care in place of harmful foods that contain sugar and starch.
Research is showing that when tasting sugar, the brain lights up in the same regions as it would in an alcoholic. When we eat sugar it causes dopamine—the so-called reward chemical to spike and reinforces the desire to have more while sugar also fuels serotonin which is calming.
Most importantly if you take anything away from this, research shows sugar is toxic to your health and well-being. .
Studies are also showing that it is processed food that produces the changes in the brain that resemble an addiction to alcohol and other addictive drugs. This is the main reason why I advocate getting rid of the processed food… that means anything that comes in a box or package or anything that is not real.
When you look for things that give you the same comfort or feeling that sugar does, don’t turn to things like wine. All you would be doing is trading one for another.
If you are hungry or feel you need a pick me up, go for the healthy food. Berries are great, I love eating big juicy red strawberries or copious amounts of blueberries. They are low glycemic, meaning they produce very little sugar in your blood and body. They won’t trigger your addiction to sugar, and even if you ate a lot of them there are virtually no negative consequences and they contain valuable antioxidants.
The good news is if you eliminate sugary treats, after initial intense cravings you will find your cravings virtually disappear and you feel quite content without them. Some people are very sensitive to this. One day, you might be tempted to try a dessert and you will find that you will be back in the cycle. The next day, your body is craving sugar again, so you give in, just this once. The next day it happens again. And then again. So it goes until you find your clothes are tight and you feel terrible.
That’s because most people do not realize that sugar truly is a highly addictive substance for many people. Studies with rats have shown that the brain changes created by heroin are similar to those created by sugar intake. This includes artificial sugar which works on the brain the same way as actual sugar.
I cannot impress on you enough how misled we have been in terms of sugar and processed foods. More than anything understands getting out of this is a process and sugar is one of the most addictive unhealthy substances out there.
If you need support I recommend you try one of the hypnosis series I created especially Ending Emotional Eating and start taking back control. Breaking the sugar processed food habit is one of the most important things you can do for your health and well-being.
If you have some tips on how to break the sugar processed food habit please share it below.
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