Why You Can’t Stop Eating Sugar (and How to Stop Eating Sugar)
Do you ever feel that your desire for sugar is other-worldly? Like seriously, the ability to say no, or to stop once you start, is not a choice you make, it is simply something you MUST do!
Guess what, you’re not alone! And the food industry knows it and takes full advantage of this desire. Sugar is like a drug in the way it causes our body to respond, it gives us a dopamine hit, an instant surge of energy and a feeling of happiness. Of course we want more! Who doesn’t want to feel happy and energetic? But this is exactly why it’s so dangerous. And the pervasiveness of it in our food, in our drinks, should be criminal! I know this sounds extreme, but stick with me.
Let’s take a look at why this is such a bad thing, and then we’ll talk about what to do about it.
If just a small amount of sugar causes us happiness, why not more? This is the sentiment that gets people hooked on alcohol, or drugs, or any kind of addictive behavior.
If you are on the fence, or wonder if sugar really is addictive, just give a child some sugar. Watch how they respond, watch what happens a couple hours later when it wears off, and then refuse to give them more. I bet you don’t actually have to perform this experiment to know exactly what’s going to happen. If you do want to try this experiment, I recommend trying it with someone else’s kid so you can send them home when the meltdown happens! 😉
It’s kind of crazy when you think about how carelessly we treat sugar. We freely give it to our kids, often starting at a very young age, as well as eat and drink it ourselves daily. Any other substance that was that addictive, we’d keep away from our kids, and handle with care ourselves. The food industry has normalized it though. In fact, they target the kids in order to get them hooked from a young age. This is a brilliant strategy for the food companies! They’ve got a lifelong customer. It’s a terrible idea for parents and teachers though that are going to have to deal with these kids with out of control emotions. It’s an even worse idea for the kids, who will struggle all their life with lack of focus in school, constant cravings, cavities, likely weight gain, and very possibly some sort of chronic disease later in life they’ll have to manage with medication and invasive procedures. Not a great prospect for anyone involved other than the food company!
In the fantastic book “The Case Against Sugar” by Gary Taubes, he states “sugar appears to be a substance that causes pleasure with a price that is difficult to discern immediately and paid in full only years or decades later”. I think we’re finally beginning to understand this as we see the majority of our population overweight and sick.
Let’s talk for a minute about why this tasty sweet product is so dangerous.
When we eat sugar, our blood sugar quickly rises, this is what gives us that hit of happiness and energy. What this also does is causes our body to release insulin. One of insulins jobs is to lower blood sugar back down to a more appropriate and healthy level. When we eat sugar though and cause that spike and then the release of insulin, our blood sugar often drops too quickly, and this leads to that familiar feeling of being “hangry”. Then we’re off to the break room for a snack. And the cycle repeats. This constant rush of blood sugar followed by the release of insulin, is what eventually leads to insulin resistance which is one step away from type 2 diabetes. This is the disease that if most often associated with lifestyle, sugar is not the only culprit here, but it is a biggie.
One of the common precursors to diabetes is weight gain. I mentioned earlier that one of insulins jobs is to lower blood sugar. Another of its jobs is as the storage hormone. Weight gain happens because of too much insulin! So, eating a diet that causes that rush of insulin, will lead to weight gain. If we then snack in between our meals, that’s another spike in blood sugar and another rush of insulin. It’s no wonder its so easy to gain weight and so dang hard to lose it!
Weight gain happens because of too much insulin!
And here’s something I really want you to understand, you do not overeat because you are weak or unmotivated. We eat too much because our body, when in this stressed state of too much insulin, begins to signal us for more and more of the foods that cause this strong response. You are reacting to what your hormones are telling you to do! And those hormones are powerful! Do you blame your child for eating more than normal when they’re growing? Of course not, they are simply responding to what their body is telling them to do, and that is to eat more. The same thing is happening when we get hooked on sugar and begin gaining weight, only not in healthy and normal way like growing. Our hormones get out of balance and start signaling for the wrong things. But do not doubt, we are simply responding to our bodies demands when we overeat and eat the wrong foods.
While weight gain and diabetes might be what is most commonly associated with food and lifestyle, they are not the only possible negative outcomes. Did you know they now refer to Alzheimer’s as type 3 diabetes? That is because they have discovered it is a disease of too much insulin.
Another side effect of too much insulin is inflammation. Excess insulin, leads to chronic inflammation. Research is now telling us that all chronic disease that modern day society is dealing with has the common symptom of chronic inflammation. When inflammation is working as it should, it is our friend and takes good care of us. But when it becomes chronic, it leads to a whole host of health problems. Inflammation can show up in the body in a variety of ways and is not always obvious, which makes it difficult to detect. A sure-fire way of assuring you are inflamed though is to eat the Standard American Diet (SAD), with too many processed foods, which of course includes sugar.
Here are a few other side effects of eating sugar that are not so dire, but are still worth mentioning as they could be having a negative impact on your life:
Depression
Anxiety
Acne
Insomnia
Low Energy
Premature Aging
Bloating
Weakened Immune System
Constant Cravings
Ok, enough of the doom and gloom! Actually, I want you to look at this in another way, because it doesn’t have to be doom and gloom. Even though the cravings are strong, and the convenience of processed food is real, you do ultimately have the power to be healthy! You have the power to get out the gunk, and get in the good!
You do ultimately have the power to be healthy!
So let’s get to the good stuff I promised and talk about how to start on a better path. To get the sugar out, to deal with the cravings, and have steady energy without the crazy ups and downs of the blood sugar roller coaster.
Reduce your intake of sugar. I know I know, this sounds overly simplistic, and is definitely easier said than done, but this is the logical first step. Get the sugar out of your house. If it’s not convenient, you aren’t as likely to eat it. The cravings are going to be tough in the beginning, but they do fade and will eventually go away, so stick with it through the hard days and you’ll be one big huge step closer to ending the addiction.
Once you get the sugar out, stock your pantry with healthy snacks that you enjoy. Some of my favorites are nuts and seeds, nut butters, olives, almond flour crackers, fat bombs, low carb bars, and dark chocolate.
Take time during your day to stop and eat. Try and not eat while you’re distracted. This means no eating at your desk while you’re working, or while you’re driving. Carve out the time to eat your meal and take the time to really enjoy it. Your body needs to be in a relaxed state to properly digest and then utilize the nutrients from your food. You’ll also be more aware of what you’re putting in your body if you’re not eating on the go or while you’re distracted.
Focus on eating healthy protein and fat with every single meal. These are not only delicious and nourishing for your body, but they are extremely filling and will keep you full between your meals. If you’re not hungry, you’re less likely to reach for a sugary snack.
Work on minimizing your stress. Stress is a huge cause of snacking and eating foods we know are not good for us. If we let our stress get out of control, we’re going to let our food get out of control as well. Not only do we not have the capacity to make wise choices, but we tend to soothe ourselves with sugary comfort foods. Get some good self-care practices in place to assure you are giving yourself a break from your daily stressors. Consider adding in some adaptogens (herbs, roots and fungi) into your diet. These superfoods are known for their calming effect and assisting the body in dealing with stress.
Prioritize sleep. Get a nighttime routine in place, such as going to bed and getting up at the same time every night. Turn off all electronic devices at least 2 hours before bed. If this is not possible, get a good pair of blue blocker glasses and wear them a few hours before bed. When we do not get a good night’s sleep, we tend to make poor decisions. Our defenses are down and its just way too easy to reach for a sugary treat or drink.
Drink your water!!! Both hunger and dehydration can cause similar feelings. So, before you reach for food, drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes. If you are still hungry after the break, get yourself a healthy snack. If not, you’ve just hydrated your body and avoided eating extra calories you really didn’t need. Win win!
Ok, now you have a better understanding of why you haven’t been able to stop the sugar! It’s addictive and when you consume it, your body responds in a strong and convincing way telling you to give it more! Be kind, cut yourself some slack, and remember, those cravings are real and it is not that you’re weak, it is simply a response to your hormones. So now that you understand that, its time to retrain your body to desire and thrive on foods that will actually nourish you, serve you well, and keep you healthy for life.
If you’re ready to get serious and get the sugar out, I’m here to help you! I have so many more tips and tricks up my sleeve I am anxiously ready to share with you! I teach an incredible and powerful 5-week group class called RESTART® that is going to get you BIG results! Click below to learn more and sign-up for my upcoming class. You don’t want to miss this one!