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 • The Daily Life  • Food & Fitness  • Addicted to Sugar? Why It Happens And How to Break It
Addicted To Sugar

Addicted to Sugar? Why It Happens And How to Break It

I have to admit, I never thought that I would ever be addicted to sugar. I have always, and I mean always been a savoury over sweet kinda girl. Hand me a bag of crisps and I can and will devour them before you can even blink. But put Chocolate on the table and I will maybe have a square or two before I lose interest and forget they are even here.

I used to feel somewhat proud of this. I had fallen in to almost every other over eater category. What can I say I love food. So I was happy that I seemed immune to the sweet addiction. At least there was one thing that I didn’t feel the need to overindulge in.

This was me………. until I had a baby.

Addicted To Sugar

A lot of new mums I know have experienced the same need for sugar post baby so what is it about female hormones that make us crave sugar? Besides the need to up your calorie levels while breastfeeding, it is also said that serotonin levels drop dramatically after having a baby which leads to strong sugar cravings. Chuck in the sleepless nights and high levels of stress and BOOM. We turn into Sugar Junkies.

Unfortunately for us, once you have boarded the sugar train it is very hard to get off. Sugar is highly addictive, and has even been said to be more addictive than cocaine. It stimulates the reward centres of the brain which causes withdrawal symptoms if you do not get your daily fix. Read about How Sugar Hijacks Your Brain And Makes You Addicted here.

Not only is sugar highly addictive, it is now been classed as the root cause of obesity and obesity related diseases. Sugar is high in calories, however they are empty calories. Meaning that there in no nutritional value what so ever. So with its addictive properties making people want to binge eat and fill up on sugary foods. Their bodies in the mean time are consuming way to many calories whilst depleting the body of nutrients it needs for optimum health.

So How do you ditch the sugar?

Go Cold Turkey

I am sorry to say but there is no other way but to go cold turkey. Just like with any other addictive substance, cutting it out straight away is the best way to detox and get it out of your system. Going down the moderation route will end in disaster. One little bite will set you up and leave you wanting more. Choose a few days where you are likely not to be tempted and go cold turkey.

Do not Give in

This is where you need to muster all the willpower you have. It will be hard but it will be worth it in the end. For me it was harder than I thought. I had serious withdraw symptoms. My usual lazy self was willing to take my son and hike up the hill in the rain just for a piece of cake. I gave in a few times only to make it harder on myself the next day. Be strong and stay in the house if need be. You don’t need any temptations at this time.

Do all your shopping online

This piece of advice was my saviour. If i were to go and walk around the grocery store while fighting my cravings I would be setting myself up for failure. Online shopping not only helps me to save time in my busy mummy schedule and it helps me to get straight to the point and buy only the things I need for our meals. No shopping cart envy or lovely smells to tip me over to the dark side.

Get your 5 a day

Another reason you may be finding it hard to curb the sugar cravings is that your body is desperate for some nutritional therapy. With our modern diet revolved around a lot of processed food. Chances are most of us are not getting enough of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need. Incorporate more fruits and vegetables in your diet. What helped me to curb my cravings was to start the day with a green smoothie. Check out my recipe here.

Need some help quitting sugar? Check out these products

Books to help you quit sugar and change your lifestyle

(Click on the image to be directed to amazon)

                                                  addicted to sugar

So there you are. I hope these tips can help you to cut the sugar addiction and detox your body. I know that it is hard, but in the long run your body and skin will thank you for it.

 

xxx

***Disclaimer : This post contains affiliate links

 

A Fashion lover, An Optimist and a mum of two little boys! I am the every girl turned Modern Mum.

Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger
COMMENTS
  • I totally relate to this, I can’t end a meal without something sweet

    June 1, 2017
  • aaahhhhh this article came up at the right time!! Im on a no carb/low carb diet as I call it and it is so hard!! I tried cold turkey and ended up binge eating every other day bc I wanted it so bad. I decided to just cut out processed sugar goods and allow myself fruit/veggie carbs with the occasional piece of bread with breakfast and rice with dinner sometimes.

    June 1, 2017
  • thehouseturnedhome

    REPLY

    I love the “go cold turkey” tip. Overcoming sugar addiction is hard, but you have to be fully invested and completely quit for it to work!

    June 1, 2017
  • Hey! I like your idea of ‘sugar detox’, and would definitely purchase the book. Nowadays it’s such a problem to tackle sugar after being a mom. It does help in weight management.

    https://figmentsofimaginationwordpresscom.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/wandering-lust/

    June 1, 2017
  • This really resonates with me I love sweets. Great tips!

    June 2, 2017
  • marinatayylor

    REPLY

    I sit here reading this… while my 7month old is sleeping, and I’m elbow deep into a bag of chocolate covered almonds…. WOW you totally get me! I need to start making healthier snack options…Such great tips to break the habit!

    http://www.marinatayylor.com

    June 2, 2017
  • I think staying away from sweets keep you from wanting it. The body only craves what it’s used to.

    June 2, 2017
  • I definitely can relate to this. I used to have a major sweet tooth where I always crave for something sweet. But I’ve gotten a lot better now though I still gotta practice them skills some more haha. Thanks for sharing these useful tips!

    xo Tina
    IG: @tinasweetheart
    http://www.tinasweetheart.com

    June 2, 2017
  • Elizabeth O

    REPLY

    I grew up in a nutrition driven household where sweets were not allowed at all. I believe moderation and retraining our palette is key.

    June 4, 2017
  • I have to admit that when it’s the time of the month I could easily live on chocolate! Making sure I snack on my favourite fruit and veg all day really helps with the cravings, and means I don’t give in easily (although I do tend to treat myself to at least one bar of chocolate during that time).

    Great tips for anyone struggling to quit their sugar addiction 🙂

    Louise x

    June 4, 2017
  • I don’t really think I’m addicted to sugar so I thought it would be easy to do a sugar free diet cleanse and then I realized that almost EVERYTHING that is processed has sugar in it. You have to eat organic and raw to eliminate processed sugar which is what’s bad for you.l

    June 4, 2017

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