Are you angry with yourself because you can't seem to turn down tempting desserts or other empty-calorie carbs -- even though you began your day determined to eat cleanly?
Are you discouraged because, over the years, you haven't triumphed over your sugar or carb addiction?
You're in good company. Millions of people worldwide share your plight.
Take a look around you. Whenever you go out, watch the people -- often overweight or obese -- mindlessly shoving donuts, cookies, chips or other junk foods into their mouths. They, like you, may feel like unwilling but undisciplined "sugar slaves," stuck in a sugar shock rollercoaster routine.
Of course, you probably already know that eating too many sweets or refined carbs is bad for your health, even toxic. (Did you catch the recent 60 Minutes piece about this with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who interviewed Dr. Robert Lustig and other experts?)
You may even know that overdosing on sugar can trigger obesity, heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and other scary conditions.
But when you come face to face with luscious-smelling brownies or cookies, you don't think about those diseases or conditions, do you? Indeed, although you know that excess sugar can kill you eventually, your sugar addiction seems to have taken on a life of its own, right?
You may even feel like a drug addict or alcoholic -- except you're strung out on sweets and carbs. And so, despite everything you know, you find that when push comes to shoving something down your throat, you may even feel so hooked that that you don't really want to quit your favorite calorie-packed "treats."
I've been there myself. Indeed, despite a whopping 44 debilitating ailments -- from horrible headaches to severe PMS to scary heart palpitations to huge sugar cravings -- I did not want to kick sugar.
Even though a doctor ordered me to do a sugar detox, I dreaded leaving behind my cherished sweet friends!
Truth is, I doubted that I could be happy without my favorite hard candies, chocolate chips, and small wheat crackers, which contained several kinds of sweeteners.
Sure, that may sound somewhat melodramatic that I couldn't enjoy life without my cherished "treats," but I invite you to ask yourself: Do you feel that a day without a sweet treat would be... no fun? That life with no sugar added would be... unbearable?
If you answered yes -- or even felt tempted to nod your head -- it's time to break the "spell" that sugar has on you.
You may not realize it, but you've already begun your sugar-free adventure. Just honestly admitting that you don't want to quit sugar is a great start.
That's right, owning up to your resistance, reluctance or even rage at the mere suggestion that you give up (or cut back on) your empty-calorie, quickie-carb companions is a wonderful way to warm up for your sweet adventure. You don't want to fight those feelings, just step outside yourself and look at them dispassionately.
Isn't that exciting? Simply confessing to your mixed feelings can help you to turn the corner and move you towards your goal of being slimmer, happier, more energetic, and focused.
Now that you've admitted your reluctance or resistance to quitting sugar, take one small step further. Ask yourself: "Why?"
Let me amplify. The next time ice cream, cookies, donuts or whatever "call out" to you, admit their powerful pull. Then, before you put one little bite into your mouth, ask yourself:
- "Why do I want this [fill in desired food]?"
- "Why do I keep turning to these dangerous nonfoods again and again?"
Then, go a little deeper. Find out your biggest sugar "whys."
- "What are my absolute biggest reasons why I want [that brownie, cookie or chips]?"
- "What are my biggest reasons why I continually abuse my poor body with junk food?"Once you discover your biggest sugar "whys," you are ready to take action to break sugar's hold over you.
But for now, let's concentrate on making this important discovery a part of your inner being. Just ask yourself "Why?" over and over again.
When you quiz yourself in this manner, you're doing a simple process that I call "Sugary Soul Searching."
And, sure enough, as I've discovered after coaching sugar addicts for from more than a decade, delving inwards is incredibly powerful and liberating.
Soon, you'll be on the path to a slimmer, sexier, and sweeter life.
Check back here or my blog, www.SugarShockBlog.com, for more tips and information about free teleseminars and other programs to help you to begin to break free of your sugar addiction.
Connie Bennett is a charismatic former sugar addict. She is author of the bestselling book Sugar Shock!, which was praised by Dr. Mehmet Oz. Her eagerly awaited follow-up book, Beyond Sugar Shock, has been endorsed by many acclaimed, bestselling authors such as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Marci Shimoff, Dr. Daniel Amen, Brian Tracy, Dr. Christiane Northrup, and Kathy Smith.
Connie's sour-to-sweet story began back in 1998, when she was riddled by 44 symptoms, including horrible headaches, difficulty concentrating, and severe PMS, and a doctor ordered her to kick sugar. After she reluctantly gave up sweets, she gained a delicious freedom, a new lease on life, more fun, inner peace, and a huge amount of energy.
Now, Connie is the acclaimed Sugar Freedom Coach, and she has helped thousands of sugar and carb addicts worldwide through her books and her popular Sugar Freedom Now Course, which is the companion program to her book, Beyond Sugar Shock. Even if you don't think you have a sugar or carb habit and don't want to think about cutting out or cutting back on sweets, Connie invites you to get your free gifts, including a joyous, 3-minute Sugar Freedom Mind Movie, at her blog, www.SugarShockBlog.com or website, www.BeyondSugarShock.com.
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