I rarely rant. I’m really a “steady as she goes” kinda guy.

I believe we make our lot in life by just tackling the next thing
in front of us and try to do the next right thing.

But in coaching lots of people to quit sugar and, as you can
well imagine, answering lots of questions about sugar there
is just one thing that really still bothers me about this whole
topic.

Drinking Sugar!

I understand that there is sugar in foods and that sweet treats
are made of sugar and that through hundreds of years sugar
has worked it’s way into the food system and become part of
modern social life. Then High Fructose Corn Syrup was inserted
into the food supply and we ended up a planet battling something
we really didn’t bargain for. I compare it to the evolution of tobacco
into or lives. By the time we figured out it was doing us huge harm
we had a population addicted to the product and the fight was on
to help folks stop.

But drinking sugar is just crazy. It disguises the amount you are
drinking and just leads to weight gain and more intense cravings
for more sugar!

Let’s just make an assumption that if you’re on SugarAddiction.com
you have made an assessment that you have some issue with sugar
and are willing to at least look at your sugar intake.

We’ll also assume that you are a smart and aware person. You like
that right? So what’s with the DRINKING sugar? Our battle is hard
enough as it is. Most times the sugar is to mask the bitter taste of
caffeine and salt. Ohhh you didn’t know soda has salt in it? Well it
does – lots of it.

If you look around the site you’ll see that quitting caffeine first is a
recommendation we make before you attempt to quit the sugar. It
really is helpful to have your sugar to help self medicate your caffeine
withdrawals. I know that sounds a little crazy at first blush but just
trust us on this one. Caffeine may be harder to quit than sugar and
the folks that do it in reverse find it very difficult to eventually ever
get off the caffeine.

So now that we know that we are drinking sugar to help us ingest our
caffeine maybe we can rationalize that quitting all drinks with sugar in
them is the perfect place to start this journey. With the exception of
chocolate and some baked goods we get most of our caffeine from
drinks. So if we start with sugared drinks first and stop the chocolate
we take one huge step toward beating back both addictions.

And let’s not forget the kids in this one. They will do what ever mom or
dad do and won’t even care. Many of you know my passion (and next
section or even website) is going to be about kids and sugar and kids
and caffeine. Many times I find that folks will do things for their kids
before they will even do for themselves. So let’s start with this one. In
helping your kids limit the sugar and caffeine they drink you automatically
limit your own.

You Know I Love You Right?

The Healthguy

Recently Dr. Robert Lustig and his colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco Laura Schmidt and Claire Brindis have come out in an article in the journal Nature in favor of government regulation of sugar. Much like the regulation of alcohol and tobacco, Lustig is calling for higher taxes and a possible age limit for purchasing sugar.

I consider Dr. Lustig one of the hero’s of our movement to help people get educated about the dangers of sugar. I believe his work, his impeccable credentials and his drive to get this message out are going a long way to raise awareness of this issue. Since the tobacco litigation caused such huge publicity storm – tobacco use has definitely fallen.

There are many voices online speaking of sugar addiction and the dangers of sugar. Dr. Lustig’s approach is 100% necessary. More academics need to get involved in the research and add to the knowledge base.

Here at SugarAddiction.com we, by our very nature, have to approach the problem in a different way. We work only with people who have struggled mightily for years with sugar and finally come to the conclusion that the need help in stopping sugar. We are not in the recruiting or convincing business. If you think you might have a problem with sugar leave a comment below and declare you readiness to change.

One of the best parts of Dr. Lustig’s article in Nature was the courage he showed in broaching of the topic of age restrictions for sugar. We will be starting a new section of the website soon in hopes of educating parents about the dangers of sugar in young children. While I’m not a huge fan of trying to regulate addiction recovery or peoples use of anything, I do believe that feeding children sugar is a topic that needs much discussion. I’m of the simple mind – “if there is a question – why not leave it out?”

That goes for during pregnancy too. This silly, colloquial idea that mom’s get a free pass during pregnancy to eat “weird things”, which usually include huge amounts of sugar and results in a ridiculous and equally huge weight gain, is dumb and dangerous. Dangerous for mom and possibly life altering for baby.

I think that kids should be able to make their own decisions, later in life and on good information, about things like sugar, caffeine and alcohol. We don’t feed them the later so why should they start life with a sugar monkey on their back? We all know, at some level, too much sugar is bad for you so why, why would you want to give that to your kids before they we fully developed and able to choose for themselves? “Choice for Kids” will be the theme of the new section.

Ok, I admit I have been putting this post off. I partially didn’t want to have to face it, but if I did I wanted to do a video for you, but can’t find my camera ANYWHERE. I think I left it at my sister’s house over the holidays.

So YES, I finally had a HUGE meltdown and caved, BIG TIME! I had been craving for a couple days. The drive home after the holidays was brutal, because it was late at night, I was sad, hungry and tired…the killer combo for me. But I was really, really good and resisted. Then the next day, bad cravings still, but I resisted. By day three of horrible cravings I just could take it anymore!

I was tired of being good, being different, not able to handle the indulgences that everyone around me was. I was also sad about being away from some of my family and stressed about what to do with myself in the new year without the safety net of a normal job.

So on my way home from a meeting I stopped to get gas and a $1 movie rental from the kiosk and just had a melt down. And so no, I didn’t call my great sponsor, Mr. Health Guy. I should have, but honestly I WANTED wanted to be bad and eat that chocolate bar; I didn’t want to be talked out of it. I was tired of not being able to indulge just once.

It made me really sick but honestly now looking back I can’t say I regret it. Yes, it has now caused me to feel like I’m starting at day 1 again, because now the cravings are back and resisting every day is really tough.

However, I’ve never been one for regrets and this is just another instance of me learning a lesson and truly realizing that unlike a lot of people I really don’t have control of it. I can’t indulge just once and then leave it alone. It is a struggle for me and I want to indulge everyday. I want to be one of those people that can eat whatever and have it not effect me (like I was when I was 20), be able to take it or leave it with no problem. But I’m not one of those people and I this relapse illustrated that.

So here I am again, back in the saddle of cutting it out all over again. I probably won’t post everyday, because I’m not sure you want a rehash of all of that. However, I will post at least a weekly recap on here to hopefully spark some discussion.

And every day I will strive to make this true:

I would love your comments, because it’s good to not feel alone in all this! Thanks for reading.

I survived Christmas!! We entertained a few friends and of course made traditional pies and my favorite cranberry chutney.

Making these goodies for everyone else was mild torture, but I abstained. However a friend brought over some excellent ice wine and so I had to indulge…it would have been horribly rude otherwise. Hahaha

So little slip up because it was a sugary wine, but luckily this doesn’t set up cravings for me like I know it does for a lot of people.  I am glad however that the holidays are over and the temptations will now be minimized!

It is tough being around people that are indulging treats that you are trying to resist. It really helps to have someone to talk to, lean on for emotional support and to talk me through cravings. Otherwise it’s rough to resist when everyone else is eating this junk you sooooooooo want!!

It it’s definitely getting easier now and I don’t get The emotional cravings it even the cravings is opportunity as much.

I have to admit the sugar cravings aren’t bad at all anymore but the flour cravings still hit me…craving pizza, pita chips, fried food….

It is a tough habit to break, especially being a stress and emotional eater. That is why I’m so grateful I have a great support system!

Have you figured out your craving triggers?

Last night I went to a Hanukkah party. It was a lot of fun and though I stayed away from the pastries, I went over board on the potato latkes….of course I used the excuse that it didn’t contain sugar or flour!

I do find that I’m getting better about my eating, but when I spurge I still go over board. I’m just glad that I’m at least indulging in slightly better choices.

I know it’s part of the process. For me, I want to learn how to eat better over all, so I need to know that it’s ok to have some of these little non-sugar/flour splurges without eating too much!

Today, I was good. I survived making cranberry chutney without even a little taste! I am starting to get over the sugar cravings…though the flour cravings are a little tougher.

I how you are having a wonderful holiday and are a lurker more conscious about your eating. Don’t use the excuse of waiting until next year…be good to yourself and start today!

This was a rough day for me.  It is driving me crazy that I haven’t settled into a schedule and my eating schedule is all messed up.

I am sooo irritated that I forget to eat and get so hungry I feel week but then I go beyond the point of feeling like eating and just get sick and grumpy. It was bad at night trying to work and feeling like crap. I forced down a banana which helped but then I just could eat anything else.

I’m determined to get on a good schedule…maybe I need to just set my alarm to remind me when I need to eat! hehehe

Any other good suggestions!?!?

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the Sugar Addiction Facebook Page for more great updates and tips!

As the year draws to a close we think about the past year and make plans and goals for the new year.

This year we lost a great man – Jack Lalanne

Over 50 years ago he knew what we know today, but seem to have forgotten….

I can’t tell it any better than the great man himself

I would love to hear your comments, concerns and goals for the new year from your inner sugarholic.

Be well,

Powers
The Health Guy

I am now down to 132.8, so I’ve lost about 7 pounds since the start of the Sugar Addiction Challenge. I think that is not too shabby considering all the holiday temptations I’ve been subjected to!

I’ve been really good so far this week. I had dinner last night with the family of a good friend and they made pasta and garlic bread and had fudge for dessert. They even put out rice crackers with cheese as an appetizer. Now, you probably don’t know this, but those are ALL some of my favorite things! It was a quite torturous and I was soooo wanting to give in, just one rice cracker….OR the cranberry chutney they wanted me to make for them. I am a cranberry chutney FIEND and everyone always requests my chutney. I like making it for others, but talk about torture!

Forget the Rack…you really want to torture people, make them prepare their favorite holiday recipes, have it displayed out on the table under their nose, but don’t let them eat it! Sugar cravings and sugar withdraw symptoms are nothing to be trifled with.

I surprisingly was good though! A couple times I was tempted to upend the table, but my friend kept me on track and I avoided ALL of the temptations, including the seemly innocent rice crackers.

It helped that I was prepared and brought over some lentil and rice soup to complement the salad and veggies they made and I also made date balls for desert (a fabulous treat in a pinch that tastes delicious but has NO sugar or flour in it!). So I survived and everyone came out uninjured.

Now, I just have to get through this weekend’s Christmas extravaganza with my family! Please keep your fingers crossed.

You may not be ready to cut our sugar (or flour) completely yet and that’s ok. I would love to know though if you are ready to at least cut back. What is your biggest weakness? Are you going to try to cut back over the holidays to start of your new year right?

Ok, first I apologize for slacking on my daily postings! I’ve been very busy this month and sometimes I just feel like I’d just be repeating myself.

The past couple of days have been a little rough. Had some bad cravings. Last night I was REALLY craving pizza, beer and chocolate.

The Christmas party I went to last night and the lunch I had with friends don’t help! I really still wrestle sometimes because I see other people that can splurge and eat what they want and be ok. I know the splurges for me is my big downfall….but it SUCKS!

I had a bit of a breakdown last night about 11 but luckily Health Guy was there to help talk me through it and I went straight home…no snack stops!

Tonight is still rough and still craving. I really hope I’ll get past this before Christmas!!

I know you may not be ready to cut our sugar completely, but every step helps. Is there something you are ready to cut out of your diet prior to the holidays??

P.S. The Health Guy always hounds me to explore my feelings when I’m having cravings. I tried to do this, but can’t pin point anything major. I’ve had good couple of days; though I am feeling overwhelmed by how much work I have to do and how I’m going to fit in the personal and family stuff I have going on the next couple months. Just trying to balance a crazy schedule and REALLY don’t want to let anyone down.

SOoooo here is my video confession. I did it; I finally slipped and the attack of the midnight munchies got me!

No schedule + No sleep + Hunger + Stess = bad combo for cravings!

I’m not going to let it beat me though or get me down. Just one little slip and I’m back on track and motivated to continue.

I’m honestly surprised I didn’t slip before this…I swear this public forum (well, sort of public; I have no idea if anyone is actually reading this!) has really helped motivate me and keep me on track!!

So it would be EVEN MORE motivation for me if I actually knew someone was watching so leave me a little comment here or on the Sugar Addiction Facebook Page. And remember I’m also here for YOU if you want to cut back or cut out sugar.

P.S. If you’re new here and don’t know what this is all about check out our Sugar Addiction Challenge Welcome post.