We all tell ourselves little white lies, but what’s the WORST thing you can tell yourself when fighting sugar addiction, junk food addiction, and inflammation? Keep reading…
You’re at an office party, talking to your co-worker, Steve, and suddenly a scent hits your nose and your vision narrows like a nuclear submarine ready to strike. There must be a cannoli in the area.
I will NOT eat junk food. I promise myself.
You spot the offending cannoli platter on the dessert table.
It stands out like a beacon in the night of plastic Publix containers, hastily dumped by co-workers that half-assed their participation because they’re too busy getting the kids ready for school (ahem….yes that would be me). Through the clear film you see the gelatinous, red jelly pastries and gritty cookies lined up in rows.
But someone…..someone went all out. They brought homemade cannolis. Be still my taste-buds, you think.
The next thought comes…
A little bit won’t hurt me.
So you partake, and like a beer fueled, one night stand, one thing leads to another and you find yourself buried face first in powdered sugar and crying because the cannoli doesn’t love you back. It tasted so good going down but now you’re left with regret and self loathing. Ugh! I'm addicted to junk food! How do I stop being addicted to junk food?!
Tomorrow. I’m gonna get this under control tomorrow morning, you think.
What are some of the symptoms you might experience resulting from sugar and junk food addiction?
Inflammation and Joint Pain
Digestive Issues: abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, or constipation
Exhaustion
Headaches
Weight Gain
Depression and Anxiety
Here’s how I fought sugar and processed food addiction....and won!
Become aware of self-talk
Realize that down the road you may be able to handle some sugar. But when you’re just starting out, even a little can set you into a downward spiral.
I’m at a point where I can detach and observe. Last Halloween I tested eating one snack size Snickers. That’s the only candy I had. I observed cravings for two full weeks, every day, at the same time I ate that bite size Snickers.
So become aware of the times you tell yourself, a little won’t hurt me, and shift that to, that one little bite can set me back at least two weeks. Is that bite worth two weeks of struggle and frustration?
Now this is the part that’s as painful as a sadistic orthodontist with a pair of needle nose pliers. And there’s no way to get around it…..
Find Food Substitutions for your favorite foods, aka. Eat This, Not That
Don't give up on your favorite foods, change it up. Write down your top five favorite junk foods and open up Pinterest to find substitutes that will satisfy cravings without refined foods.
I have a client addicted to potato chips. Instead of cutting out potatoes, we decided to cut a whole potato, skin and all, into wedges and air-fry the potato wedges. Even MORE satisfying, and just as delicious as potato chips.
Prepare
Get ready for those cravings to hit because you know they’re coming like your in-laws to Christmas dinner and prepare for them. Have fresh, prepped, cut up fruit.
Whole fruit (not fruit juice) has lower levels of sugar along with vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, enzymes and fiber that balance the absorption of the sugar.
Carrots and hummus to munch. Natural nut butters (no sugar – just nuts and salt), seeds (chia, pumpkin, sunflower), nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews etc.) and un-sulphured, dried fruit or trail mix (again, no sugar, candies or chocolates).
Portion when you’re not in a period of craving
Portioning these foods out ahead of time can increase awareness of the amount of food being eaten. I love these little reusable stainless sauce cups with lids for the perfect portion size and to cut down on plastic. The reason we do this when we’re not in a period of craving is because during that time we aren’t focused on portions. We’re focused on what we can consume next.
This may sound a little woo woo. But Emotional Freedom Technique, (EFT aka. Tapping) is awesome.
This is an incredible video from Gabrielle Bernstein to address the emotional issues you’re feeling along with the physical addiction. You’ll note that when we talk about sugar or processed food addiction, we’ll always address both the physical and emotional challenges together.
Tapping is a way to help you focus on the negative, destructive emotions you’re feeling when the cravings hit: stress, challenges, anxiety, memories, problems etc. The tapping allows you to focus on the issues at hand as you tap on the meridian points in your body.
This helps you uncover the real reason you began using food as therapy and restores the energetic balance in your body.
Sometimes the hardest part is just starting to make a positive change.
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