As a nutritionist and someone with 20+ years in the health and fitness industry, I am supposed to have this stuff all figured out and not be a sugar addict, right? Nope! I am human, and I struggle just like everyone else.
I’ve always wanted something sweet daily. The key is that over the years I have learned to enjoy it in moderation, for special occasions and as a treat. BUT, there are times that even I find myself eating too much of it. Since doing our detox over a year ago, I’ve found all the recipes that fill that sweet craving but without its crazy side effects.
Over the past few months, I’ve allowed or fallen back into having dessert with my family on the weekends. At first, it was one dessert, then it became two, and when we went away on a 3 day vacation it was all 3 days. At the end of the weekend, I was grouchy. Like seriously…screamed the f-word in front of my kids grouchy - I had become a sugar addict again.
I’ve been telling myself lately, I need to cut it all back out because I’ve noticed as I enter peri-menopause (I know I am young for this, but my mom went through full menopause early and I knew I would start early) I can see the direct correlation between how I feel the day or two after the dessert and how it’s affecting my other hormones (insulin, thyroid, ghrelin). It’s a vicious cycle! When entering peri-menopause the last thing you need is any additional help in whacking out your estrogen balance, and when the others are off, they affect your estrogen too.
So why then is it this battle? I am a nutritionist, I should just say no more and it's gone. Haha…it's never that easy, it's all about the mental game here. So, to push through this…these are the steps I have taken to let go of being a sugar addict…
Yep, chatted with Stacia about the many reasons both physically and emotionally why I need to once and for all dump the sugar, especially now as I am getting older. Asked her to be my sounding board when I feel like giving in. It’s not something I need (remember we’re talking good ole refined white sugar here – cookies, cakes, etc) it’s just something I want. She happily agreed to help. Plus, I told my family. So while they eat their cakes and cookies I can have any one of our detox approved treats or a small piece of dark chocolate (also detox / hormone reset approved).
I pulled out all my podcasts and books to remind myself of all the stuff I already know. Why having my blood sugar in balance is key to feeling “optimal” – remember that word from OUR podcasts. And of course, I see the effects of science and the removal of sugar in my body and on the scale daily – goodbye bloat and swelling all over.
Hello - Mel Robbins is back in my ears again. Mel has a new podcast out on audible that I am really digging. Each episode is only 30 minutes (perfect listening while walking the dog, waiting on kids or during a car ride) it’s called Start Here. I love every single one I have listened to so far…and the Emotional Eating one is great when struggling with any kind of food issue.
So there you have it, real honesty from your healthy lifestyle expert and sugar addict – we all struggle in one area or another; the key is to know when to make a change and then be courageous enough to make the necessary steps!
More #sugar related blogs - check out: SugarFreed and Why Stevia.
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sugar, sugar free
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