What could happen if you were able to really quit your addiction to sugar?
For as long as I can remember I have always had a sweet tooth. I could never open a packet of sweets and just take one – I had to finish the packet. I found it difficult to just eat one biscuit it would most likely be two and if I was stressed I could have ate the full packet (Rolo biscuits were evil lol). At university I used to take 7 packets of sugar in my coffee and then dunk a diary milk chocolate bar into it. A full dessert spoonful of sugar on my Weetabix in the morning. Even on my wedding day, after coming out of the service, I sent someone on a hunt for chocolate – that is caught on camera – I’m like a chocolate monster going “chocolate, chocolate, chocolate”!!! Everyone was panicking as they were afraid I would drop some chocolate on my dress and ruin it! Not possible for an expert chocolate eater like me!! Nothing went to waste!!
So how can someone that was so addicted to sugar able to give it up!
After many years of dieting (and failing) I finally found a system that helped me. It helped me to balance out my sugars and retrain my body’s desire to be fuelled by sugar. When I started to research what was happening I was astounded by the effects that sugar could have on the body. It was no wonder that I was so unhealthy.
When people start to think about giving up sugar they tend to focus on the things that they will miss by not having it in their lives. However, I encourage people to look at it in a different manner. Rather than focusing on what you are giving up, think about what benefits you will be getting instead. Once you see the positive side to giving up sugar and see the benefits on/in your body you will begin to reset your thinking and create new habits/routines/thoughts in relation to it.
Let’s see how your body can benefit from quitting sugar
1 Your energy levels will dramatically increase.
Most people reach for sugary foods to give themselves energy, when in fact it has the opposite effect on you. When you are doing this you are on a sugar rollercoaster. It is not pleasant. Yes, you will have a short lived spike in energy but within half an hour you are zonked!! Then you reach for the sugar again and the sugar addiction continues. When you are doing this you are eating more sugar than your body can cope with and your energy levels are zapped.
By not reaching for the sugary foods for energy and eating a healthy diet full of good quality non processed foods your energy levels will level out and you will have more in the long run. Yes the withdrawal process is hard and that is where the SMASH programmes can come in to help you.
2 Your body will function better.
Sugar robs your body of essential nutrients so you entire system is in a continual state of compromise and stress. Sugar is also toxic to the body and this means that your liver is being overloaded on a daily basis. As your body tries to cope with the toxins, to keep them away from your vital organs, your body deliberately wraps fat around them and stores them. Sugar also causes inflammation in your body, which studies are showing is a major cause for concern when it comes to many illnesses
By cutting out sugar not only will you reduce the stress on your body but it will function at a better level than before. Aches and pains can disappear and many underlying conditions can improve as well.
3 You will eat less
Sugar can play havoc with your hormones. With insulin being released every time your blood sugars spike, your body is continually storing fat. With a diet high in sugar, the “feel full hormone” leptin, is suppressed. This is why people say that they never feel full or satisfied. It is like the off switch never gets pressed. People think that is lack of willpower that causes this constant eating but it is not – it is sugar and the physiological impact it has on your hormones.
Cut out sugar and your body will go back into its natural appetite control mode. You will start to feel satisfied after eating and have no need for something sweet after eating.
4 PMT can improve and even disappear
As mentioned about sugar plays havoc with hormones and inflammation in the body. When it comes to the time of the month that means major disruption to your body. I used to joke that I was a “psycho b*tch from hell” for about 10 days of the month due to PMT and now I have nothing!! My family LOVE it!!!
But why does this happen? When you have a diet high in sugar (and wheat and dairy which is what we reach for when we are hormonal) it causes mucous formation which in turn causes a lot of gut and pelvic inflammation. When you combine that with the fact that stress shuts down the blood supply to the uterus and gut and your hormone balance is messed up PMT ends up being worse. When you tend to have bad PMT you also tend to store fat!!
It is amazing how much your monthly cycle can improve when you cut out sugar. I am so lucky now that I don’t suffer from it at all. My hormones are balanced and even with me being in my mid 40s I have no signs of the menopause – result!!
5 Your skin will glow and you will look younger
It is scary to think that sugar can age you dramatically. People keep asking me what anti ageing creams I used and the fact of the matter is that I don’t use any specific cream. I do say to people that I feel about 20 years younger and some people say that I do as well 😉
Sugar will affect the elastin and collagen in your skin. These are the 2 main proteins that keep your skin looking young. Once they are damaged skin looks saggy and wrinkled, and we don’t want that. This happens when Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) are produced through the process of glycation. That means that the proteins in your skin are mutating to cause these new harmful molecules – AGEs, which then gather and cause even more damage and inflammation. This can cause your skin to lose its sparkle and glow and you will have a dull complexion.
When you cut out sugar, your skin will definitely have a glow about it, your eyes will sparkle and your hair and nails will benefit too. Women who detox from sugar have no need to botox and their natural beauty will shine through.
6 You will sleep better
Chocolate contains caffeine and anything that puts you on a blood sugar rollercoaster can disturb your sleep. When your sleep is disturbed you tend to reach for more sugar for energy and the vicious cycle continues.
By cutting out sugar and eating a healthy diet full of all of the correct nutrients you will not only improve your sleep pattern but you can also lose weight!! Yes I did say lose weight. Studies show that when you sleep well you don’t eat as much food the next day and cravings are dramatically reduced.
7 You recognise real hunger not just cravings
When we are addicted to sugar we tend to eat due to cravings for something sweet, rather than eat through real hunger. There is an huge difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger. When you finally recognise this, your relationship with food changes. Your body is design to know what it needs and when. It is important to listen to it. People fear giving up sugar due to the fact that they are afraid that they will crave it all the time. However, once you break the habit it is so easy to live a healthier life.
With the SMASH programmes I ease the transition from being addicted to sugar to be free from it, much easier. My programme is so gentle on the body that people can not believe how easy it can be – and that is coming from a former sugar addict!! ME!!
Once you begin to recognise real hunger and what your body truly wants it is liberating. Imagine never being the slave to sugar ever again and having total control over your eating! Total freedom!
8 Your body will change in a way that you never expected – without the need for exercise!!
As I have said sugar causes inflammation and toxins in the body and this shows in your body by puffiness, bloating, fluid retention and fat being stored where you really don’t want it. You can not out train a bad diet. If you are training and rewarding yourself with a bar of chocolate, you might as well not train.
When I lost my weight back in 2013 I did virtually no exercise – apart from 20 squats and 20 sit ups a day and my body changed dramatically. I had people accuse me of doing lots of exercise but I didn’t. Remember, I’ve been there done that with the exercise thing and it never worked long term.
What I found was that once I broke my addiction to sugar and fuelled my body properly I had the energy to do exercise. I now love exercise and I’m doing it for the right reasons, not to punish myself into losing weight. It feels amazing.
I encourage my clients to quit sugar, eat healthy food and then when you have boundless energy do some exercise for optimal health.
Your body will change in ways that you couldn’t think of. Your waist will get narrower, you will be less bloated and even your face will change!
9 You will be in control
Sugar is a drug and it can control so much of your life. It is a pretty powerful and potent one. Studies have shown that it has the same effect as cocaine on the brain. That is pretty worrying. Food companies have spent millions designing food like substances that can make you even more addicted to their foods and the response it has on your body. This is called the “sweet spot” and the point that makes you want to eat lots of their food. Think of the once you pop you can’t stop scenario??? You wouldn’t that there is sugar involved but there is.
Sugar really can get a hold on you and even if you think you don’t want it, you will probably have it anyway. The sugar monster seems to always need fed. By giving it up you can gaining back control of your life. Diet plans that allow you to “treat” continually awaken that sleeping monster and this means that you never break that habit.
If you can give it up for 28 days you on your road to being in control again. My SMASH programme is based on 28 day bites so that it is doable. At the start people don’t think that they can do it but by week 3 they are amazed at how easy it has become.
Do I miss sugar?
No not at all! I never thought I would say those words! I hate the way that sugar effects my body when I eat it (Christmas/birthdays). I much prefer how I feel nowadays – full of energy, healthy and looking 20 years younger. I have created recipes that are healthy and tasty so that I never feel as though I am deprived. Life is so much better without sugar.
If you would like to give up sugar, send me a message and reach out. I can let you know what is involved in my SMASH programmes and you too could have freedom from sugar!
Yours in Health and Happiness
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