The Sugar Habit

How to Break the Sugar Habit

Sugar withdrawal symptoms are very real. It is biochemical; it is not about a lack of willpower. "Days 1-3 are the worst. Days 4-5 start to get better and beyond that you will have an even energy, calmness and clarity that you have probably not experienced for years. That’s the time to enjoy freedom from sugar addiction and vow never to go back. Learn from the smokers and alcoholics at this point – don’t have that first sip or first cigarette – it would never be a good thing!" – Zoe Harcombe, The Obesity Epidemic⁵

Add fruit to your meals. Natural sugars are much healthier than their added and refined counterparts. By introducing more fruits and vegetables to your diet, you get the benefit of vitamins and minerals that are absent in most sweet "junk" food.

If a lot of your added sugars come from drinks such as soda or juice, try Dr. Oz's Half-and-Half Rule. Dr. Oz says, "dilute [your soda or juice] with a half a cup of seltzer. This will immediately reduce your sugar intake by half! Continue to reduce the amount of the sugary drinks you consume as you go and, soon, you won’t even miss them."⁷

Drink lots of water. Stay hydrated! Often, we eat sugary foods when our bodies are actually craving liquid. Also, why not get up and move when a sugar craving hits?! That way, not only are you not giving in to a craving, you're also doing something great for your body. The more you move your body, the better your metabolism will be!

One more thing. Keep a food journal. Yes, record everything you eat. I highly recommend MyFitnessPal to keep track of your daily diet, and track not only calories, but more specifically your sugar intake. I have used MyFitnessPal for about two and a half years, and absolutely love it. 

-from website:  http://motivationspark.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Survive-Sugar-Withdrawal