Sugar has been compared to cocaine in its ability to cause a major addiction. And why shouldn’t it; the part of the brain it affects is the same as cocaine, and the way it’s affected is eerily similar.

When we eat sugar, the pleasure centre of our brain gets activated and dopamine is released, giving us a natural feel-good high… the exact same thing that happens when we, quite literally, get high. This feeling of euphoria is pretty short-lived, but fret not; there’s always a box of sugary cereal or bag of candy to remedy that. 

That’s the scary thing about a sugar addiction… this stuff is SO. READILY. Available! And because eating it is so widely accepted — encouraged, in fact — then good luck trying to get away from it.

But that’s just the thing. You CAN get away from it; it is so completely possible. But, you need to know what is going on in your body and how it’s pulling you in so you can take the reigns and cut the strings, once and for all.

Now if you’re thinking, aw, that’s cute, a nutritionist talking about cutting out sugar; she has no idea what it’s like… then HOLD. THE. PHONE. I know this intimately, my friend.

I don’t call myself a recovering sugarholic for nothing.

Believe me, I get it. I know all about the pull towards carby foods… chocolate, chips and ice cream were my main squeezes for many years and are still the things I crave when I’ve spent too much time hanging out with Mr. Shugs.

I know how it feels to NEED that bag of chips, and then the follow-up need to finish the whole bag. “I’ll feel better knowing it’s out of the house,”… “I might as well finish it at this point, and then tomorrow I’ll start fresh,”… “Now that I’ve had all this salty I need some sweet… oh wait, there’s ice cream in the freezer! Perfect.”

Like I said, I get it.

Now, when we’re talking about getting sugar out of our life AND reducing the craving for it (that’s the hard part, right?), then there are a few different aspects to keep in mind.

1. Balance the ol’ blood sugar.

First, we need to focus on our blood sugar level and in particular, keeping it steady. Sugar causes an upward swing followed by, you know it, a downward crash. And the thing we crave the most when our blood sugar is low is, of course, SUGAR, and really, any form of high carb food. 

To help keep our blood sugar steady, we’ve gotta call in the troops (fats and protein, that is). Both take longer to digest, are satisfying, and help to prevent cravings. See ya, Mr. Shugs.

Some awesome players in these fat and protein troops include:

Avocados
Fish
Full-fat dairy
Meat
Eggs
Seeds (some of my favs are pumpkin, hemp, chia, and ground flax)
Nuts (like walnuts and almonds)
Butter and some rockstar oils including olive, flax and coconut
Lentils, beans and chickpeas

2. Work those habits, girl.

So, eating this way can already begin to reduce our sugar cravings. But to help tackle this even further, we need to change our habits. Because habits are just that, right? Habits! Things that we do over and over without even really thinking about it. And backing it up a bit, our actions are what form our habits. So, healthier daily actions will lead to healthier habits.

The healthiest habit I urge you to get into is this:

• Planning your meals out for the week (at least your dinners).
• Grocery shopping for everything you’ll need at the beginning of the week.
• Prepping as much as you can right away. This prepping could include washing and chopping your veggies, washing your fruit, making salad dressing, and anything else you can do in advance.

I know what you’re likely thinking: “Ha! With what time, girl?”

Was I right?

I totally get it and the last thing I want to do is add stuff to your already full plate. BUT, I promise you, if you take a couple hours before your week begins to plan, shop, and prep, you will thank yourself a million times throughout the week.

First off, you’ve already decided what you’re making each day so the guesswork has been taken out of the equation (and that’s the thing that already takes up SO much time, right?). 

Next, those ingredients you’ll need are ready and waiting for you in the fridge. (It’ll be hard not to break out into song every time you open it.)

And finally, this all means that you’re way more likely NOT to reach for those sugary snacks. You’re nourishing your bod and keeping your blood sugar level steady. Win-win.

Another great habit to get into is enjoying a mug of your fav herbal tea at night after dinner. Since this is one of our main snacking times and the food of choice is usually questionable, choosing tea instead gives our body a one-up in so many ways. Try it for a week, seriously; it’s a game-changer. 

3. Rewire your brain.

Ever thought you could do that? Well, you can. You know those voices in your head that contest one another? One says “eat that chocolate bar” and the other says “don’t eat it; you don’t need it.” The more you listen to one of those voices (let’s say, the rebel that’s telling you to eat the chocolate bar), the more likely it is to keep winning every time you’re faced with something sugary. This is because you can actually create new neural pathways based on that decision that then lead you to make the same decision again and again.

Crazy, right?

The GREAT news is that the more you listen to the angel voice (the one that’s telling you NOT to choose the sugar), the more likely you are to keep staying away from it because you’re creating new pathways based on those good decisions.

The other way to think about this is comparing our primal brain with our higher brain.

Our primal brain wants pleasure NOW. Chocolate NOW. Reward NOW. Satisfaction NOW. She doesn’t care about consequences and she doesn’t think about the future, because her game is all about the here and now.

On the other hand, our higher brain is all about better decisions leading to long-term results. She’s the one who’s okay with leaving the chocolate in the cupboard, who will wake up early to work out, and who’s happy to choose the smoothie over the cereal because she’s focused on the long-term gain. She understands consequences and makes the decisions that will lead to awesome health, both physically and mentally.

Now SHE is someone I can get behind and definitely someone I want to support. And we can all do this by allowing her to speak and then really listening, rather than allowing the rebel voice (our primal brain) to crowd out her softer, more subtle tone.

To review:

Primal Brain = loud and in yo’ face, only thinking about instant gratification
Higher Brain = quiet yet determined, with long-term success in mind

Really start to listen and pay attention to your higher brain; she’s a smart cookie and will lead you toward better health. She will help to steer you away from the sugar and toward the foods that will nourish your body and make you feel freakin’ fantastic.

Puttin’ It All Together

If you see yourself on that sugar addiction rollercoaster, then I encourage you to take a look at your food intake and see where improvements can be made. Make sure you’re including protein and fat at each meal and ideally in snacks too.

Remember, our actions create our habits, and healthy habits can literally change our life. Start with taking intentional action and keep doing it day after day; before you know it, a new, awesome habit will be formed, and you’ll be workin’ your way towards awesome health. 

Know that we can squash our rebel voice (primal brain) by paying closer attention to our angel voice (higher brain). She’s always there, but it’s up to us to let her be the star of the show rather than letting her hang out in the background. She will help us choose health over sugar, every time.

And once you cut sugar out of your life, even just a little bit, notice how much sweeter certain foods taste.

Really take the time to enjoy and savour healthy, real foods… it’s amazing how much more we can do this once our taste buds are no longer bogged down and desensitized by sugar. 

Also, pay attention to how much clearer your mind is with less sugar in your body. Without those sugar highs and lows you’ll feel happier and more energized, you’ll be able to stay more focused AND you’ll be better able to truly live in and enjoy the moment. I know it may sound fluffy and over the top, but it’s true. Just try it for yourself.

M’ friend, if you have experience with kickin’ Mr. Shugs to the curb, let me know in the comments below. And if you have a tip to help out other readers, please do share it.