The 411 On Sugar Addiction - It’s Never Too Late Coaching

The 411 On Sugar Addiction

Just in time for the holiday feasting extravaganzas, let’s take another deep dive into the hot topic of sugar.

Sugar fuels every cell in your brain.

Your brain is designed to see sugar as a pleasurable reward too.  That’s why when you eat it, you get a hit of that good ol’ feel good chemical,  dopamine.  Gotta ensure you remember that this taste signifies that you’ve found food essential to your survival.  At least that’s what our brains needed to know for sure in our cave women days.

So, you can see how it makes complete sense that the more you eat it, the more you want it.  Survival baby!

But the chemically engineered sugars and substitutes of today pack a sweet wallop far greater than the sugar of our foremothers.  They derived their sense of sweetness from the tiniest of, by our standards today, bitter berries.

This sugar/reward pattern designed to keep our ancestors alive is still alive and kicking today.  It’s working 24/7 to reinforce your sugar seeking and eating behaviors.

It’s this conditioning since early childhood that can turn a sweet-tooth into a sugar addiction.

And we all know that addictions are tough habits to break.

What causes that sugar rush?

The sugar in your candy, cake or ice cream — called a simple carbohydrate — is quickly turned into glucose in your bloodstream. Your blood sugar levels spike.

Simple carbs are also found in fruits, veggies, and dairy products. But these foods also have fiber and protein that slow the absorption process.

Syrup, soda, candy, and table sugar take the fast track right to your brain.  Hello dopamine hit!

Your body moves glucose out of the bloodstream and into your cells for energy.

To do this, your pancreas makes the hormone insulin.   As insulin  does it’s job, your blood sugar level may have a sudden drop.

This rapid change in blood sugar levels can leave you feeling wiped out and shaky. That activates the hunt for more sweets to regain that sugar “high.”

So can you see how that sugary treats can set you up for more sugar cravings.

Think you don’t have a sweet tooth, but crave bagels, chips, or french fries?

These starchy foods are complex carbs that the body breaks down into simple sugars.

Eaten without better quality foods, starches can make blood sugar surge and crash like sugar.  White rice and white flour do this too. Highly refined starches like white bread, pretzels, crackers, and pasta are the worst offenders.

Honey, brown sugar, and cane juice are not healthy alternatives.

Sugar is sugar.

Whether it comes from bees or sugar cane, it can cause your blood sugar to rise. Honey and unrefined sugars are slightly higher in nutrients, but their calories still count.

If you’re like most people in the U.S., you eat 19 teaspoons or more of added sugar a day.

That adds up to 285 calories, which health experts say is way too much. How much sugar should you be eating? According to the American heart Association, no more than 6 teaspoons daily for women. That’s about 100 calories. Men should get a max of 9 teaspoons. That’s about 150 calories.

Sugar has lots of confusing names.

You don’t always see the word “sugar” on a food label. It sometimes goes by another name, like one of these:

  1. Agave nectar
  2. Brown rice syrup
  3. High-fructose corn syrup
  4. Dextrose
  5. Evaporated cane juice
  6. Glucose
  7. Lactose
  8. Malt syrup
  9. Molasses
  10. Sucrose

Watch out for items that list any form of sugar in the first few ingredients, or have more than 4 total grams of sugar.

Sugar can hide in foods where you least expect it. Although they don’t seem sweet, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and pasta sauce can have loads of sugar.

So can reduced-fat salad dressings, bread, baked beans, and some flavored coffees.

Get in the habit of reading labels. Filter out high-sugar foods before they hit your shopping cart.

Artificial sweeteners may leave you craving more sugar.

That could make it harder to control your weight. The problem is, some experts say, that artificial sweeteners don’t help you break your taste for sweets.

Your body’s hormonal response to sweet flavors is hardwired, whether nourishment is coming or not.

Your “sweet tooth” might actually be a sugar addiction.

Research shows that sugar in all its forms ratchets up your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.  It may even increase your risk for some cancers, too.

Sugar addiction is no joke.  Brains are capable of rewiring themselves to crave sugar.  And when you try to quit, you can end up with an array of uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

“Sugar addiction is a measurable, physiological phenomenon many people suffer from,” says Ken Berry, MD, author of Lies My Doctor Told Me. “Sugar addiction makes it very difficult for many people to make the dietary improvements needed to improve their health.”

Some studies have suggested that sugar is as addictive as cocaine.

Similar to other compulsions or behavioral addictions, sugar addiction is a special risk for people with depression, anxiety, and stress.

Carb-rich sugary foods are go-to choices for an energy boost when fatigued.

Since sugar releases endorphins that combine with other chemicals in the body, a resulting energy surge is often you’re dragging.

You may crave sugar to balance irritability, emotional lows, and other conditions.

Once you reach this point, control over dietary choices and habits is more challenging and frustrating.  It’s not a matter of willpower.  Your brain’s been hijacked by addiction!

Do you hide your sugar habit?

Some people with a sugar addiction may recognize they’re eating too much sugar but they still can’t stop.  In guilt and shame, they hide it and eat it in secrecy or only when alone.

Who hides broccoli in their dresser drawer?

If you hide sweets, or sneak to eat them, you might have a sugar addiction..

Making excuses or making deals with yourself concerning sweets and desserts is a definite sign of sugar addiction.

Do you need more and more to satisfy cravings?

As with many addictive behaviors or substances, your tolerance to sweets may build over time.

“A sign of sugar addiction is the need for more to satisfy the craving,” says Erin Akey FNC, KNS, a nutritionist and chef. “At first, one scoop of ice cream does the trick, but as you become more addicted you need more and more to get a fix.”

This is due to the down regulation of your dopamine receptors in your brain.  You’ve over-stimulated them with too much sugar and they reduce down their response signals.  That’s why you need to more to just feel neutral.  That is is a hallmark of addiction.

Do you eat sugar even when you’re not hungry?

Stuffed after a big meal but you still have room for a big slice of cake?

“The number one sign you have an addiction is that you’re turning to sugar when you’re not physically hungry,” says Lisa Rachel Snyder, intuitive eating coach and founder of the Beautiful Badass Method.

Do you experience unremitting sugar cravings?

“After a sugar binge, your blood sugar will fall because insulin pushes that sugar into the cells to prevent sugar damage,” explains Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, a health, diet and nutrition expert and author of Hormone Balance, The Magnesium Miracle and The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women’s Health. “That fall causes low blood sugar and more cravings.”

Do you crave salty foods?

“Cravings for salty foods are one sign that your body is not getting the nutrition that it needs.

This is surprisingly common among those who are addicted to sugary foods, as these people are often deficient in key nutrients,” says Lisa Richards, a nutritionist and creator of the Candida Diet. “If you find yourself regularly eating sugary snacks, you’re probably not eating enough of the healthy proteins and fats that your body needs”

Cravings for salty and savory foods are one way that your body might be telling you to take a break from the sugar and eat something more nutritious.

“The inverse is true too,” she adds. “If you eat too much salty food, you might find yourself craving sugary foods or simple carbohydrates.

Do you try to cut back or quit and have withdrawal symptoms?

Sugar addiction can be both a behavioral and chemical addiction.

When you quit or interrupt your normal schedule, your body may show signs of distress or withdrawal.

Some of the most common sugar addiction symptoms may include headaches, lethargy or feeling tired, cravings, muscle pain, nausea, bloating and even insomnia.

In most cases, these symptoms intensify after 24 hours.

Don’t try to go cold turkey. Cut back a little at a time.

Do you use sugar to soothe your emotional state.

If you’re craving something sweet after a break-up, sad movie or a bad day,  you could be headed toward sugar addiction.

When you use sugar as a means to cope with life stressors, boredom or other psychological issues such as depression or anxiety, notice how you are not allowing yourself to feel your feelings.  You’re trying to numb them instead.

But without processing your emotional life by allowing all emotions, you set up a cycle of raging emotions and raging cravings.

Do you know the dangers of consuming sugar but eat it anyway?

It’s a bad sign if you eat sugar and junk food compulsively, even though you realize the negative consequences.

If you’re making special late night trips to pick up a pint of ice cream, it’s a clear sign your need for sugar is spinning out of control.

Do you have feelings of guilt and shame about eating sugar?

Feelings of guilt about eating any food may be a sign of an eating disorder.

If you feel shame about your sugar habit, you may want to discuss this with your doctor or a therapist.

Watch for these silent signs that you could have an eating disorder.

If you answered yes to many of these questions, sugar could be holding you hostage.

Sugar addiction is real.  My It’s Never Too Late Weight Loss Coaching program addresses the effects of sugar on your metabolism from the get-go.

I’m here to help you break the grip of sugar addiction and the damage it’s doing to your best intentions.

Get ready to start the New Year fresh with an intentional strategy to make 2023 the year you conquer sugar cravings.

I can help you navigate all the challenges and overcome the obstacles as we figure out what works best for you.

Sign up for your 45 minute FREE Strategy Call right here.  Right now.

Let’s dig in and explore the possibilities   Year 2023 is a blank slate.  What will you choose to write upon it?

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Hello!

As a Certified Life and Weight Loss Coach, I’m excited to teach you the same skills and tools I used to lose 25 pounds and keep them off with ease. I made this my reality 15 years after menopause, while managing thyroid disease for over 25 years and with a level of self-confidence and motivation I never dreamed possible. No white knuckling or willpower required.

Search

Archive

Archives

Hello!

As a Certified Life and Weight Loss Coach, I’m excited to teach you the same skills and tools I used to lose 25 pounds and keep them off with ease. I made this my reality 15 years after menopause, while managing thyroid disease for over 25 years and with a level of self-confidence and motivation I never dreamed possible. No white knuckling or willpower required.

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