Sugar begets sugar. I’m not sure where I first heard that expression or if it’s grammatically correct. But I do know that the essence of it is true. Have you ever noticed that when you eat something sweet you find yourself craving more? Or craving sweet foods more often? Well, luckily, the same is true on the other side. Clean eating begets clean eating. When you eat healthily for a few days, you crave more healthy foods. And when you crave something sweet it’s more likely to be, like, an orange. Lame as that sounds. The hard part? Getting through those first few days without caving to your sugar cravings.
I struggle with sweets. Maybe more than anyone I know. Other people tell me about things they’ve done (“I ate 6 Milanos and a half a bag of peanut M&Ms”) and I listen with compassion, but knowing deep down inside they don’t hit the deep recesses of bingeing that I do. (I would eat ALL the Milanos and the WHOLE bag of peanut M&Ms and then something fruity-sweet to change up the chocolatey-sweet and then something salty) Nor do they have the tastebuds-comparable-to-a-5-year-old that I do. I like AirHeads (especially those nifty AirHead bites) and lots of frosting on my cake (or out of the jar).
Maybe they do. Maybe I’ve just never heard about those extremes or seen them in action. But I feel very alone sometimes in my cravings and in my frustrating failure to resist them despite all I know and love about nutrition!
I have had periods (long periods) of successfully overcoming the sugar cravings and the feeling of powerlessness that comes with them. Months of almost perfect clean eating. Lots of veggies, lean proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats. And each time has started with a sugar break…taking a few days (at least) to make that initial break from sugar.
But giving up sugar is hard to do…
Why do I feel the need to share my struggles with sugar? Because if I can come to terms with it and find a happy way to eat healthily and have treats here and there, you can too.
And if I can fall so hard off the wagon but get back on, you can too.
I know that sometimes slip-ups are inevitable- big ones, small ones, emotional ones, social ones. Some last longer than others.
But there’s always a way to “get back on track” even if you are sick of hearing yourself say that.
There’s always a way to change that cycle of snacking and sugar and bingeing and cravings even if you have never been able to do it before.
The answer? Take a break from sugar. Cold turkey.
Take a break, break the cycle…
Call it a detox (no starving, teas, or weird drinks required), call it a reset, call it a break-up, call it whatever you want. But going without sugar is the key. It’s hard, but you can do it. Eat lots of healthy food that you love, drink tea (I have heard peppermint tea curbs cravings), keep busy.
Part of our sugar “addiction” is also just what we’ve been wired to do- both through outside influences and our own stuff and the ancient survival tactic of eating sweet things and wanting more, blah blah blah. But you can control your mind, you can redirect your thoughts. Remember that- you are in control.
After a few days, it does get easier.
I’m on a sugar break now. And it feels good. It reminds me of what I love about clean eating- how good it feels once you get over the hard part. How good it feels even when it’s hard because you know it’s healthy and you know it’s worth it.
So I’ve decided to start each month with a little sugar break. One of my 5-day or 7-day clean eating groups that I’ve done with less regularity, but I miss. A little reset to start the month off eating more mindfully and reining in habits that might have gotten too loosey-goosey on me.
Who wants to join me for my next challenge? We’ll commit to a week of clean eating, starting the month off strong together. Comment here, email me at mary@stayathomefit.com, or reach out to me on Facebook or Instagram! I’d love to have you with me…
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