It’s Q & A Saturday!

This is a special weekly post of answering reader questions in more elaborate detail.

This weeks reader question is from Michele:

“I MUST get off sugar. I did good not drinking soda and one day thought, I haven’t had one in a while, it will just be a treat. Bad idea. I haven’t stopped drinking that treat since! What is the best way to go about doing the no sugar or no sugar most of the time? It’s in EVERYTHING!”

My response:

Michele is right , IT is in almost everything you buy that is processed and packaged. Unfortunately doing no sugar MOST of the time and then adding it back SOME of the time is a battle I just can’t win. And believe me I tried it. Occasionally having some sugar in products only produced the desire and cravings for more.

I can’t tell you if you are the person who NEEDS to eliminate the sugar for good like I had to do.  I can’t tell you if you can handle eating sugar products just one day a week or only at parties and go back to a sugar free life style without a problem.

I can tell you my experience and what worked for me. I HAD to eliminate ALL forms of refined sugars for GOOD because that was the only way I could get away from the cravings and become more disciplined. I was addicted to the stuff and if I open myself up to having even a bite, those cravings will come back like a roaring, ravenously hungry lion. How do I know about that roaring lion? We have wrestled before and I finally won. 🙂

Here are the steps I must follow to this day to maintain my weight loss and be free from the sugar addiction.

 Step 1: Become a Food Label Expert.

You MUST read the label on everything that is store bought from salad dressings, protein bars, cereals, sauces, yogurts, pretty much everything. Follow the rule that if you find sugar listed within the first 5  ingredients you just won’t buy or eat it. Plain and simple, not gonna happen. END OF STORY. Click here for my How to Become a Food Label Expert Series.

Step 2: Make it Yourself.

The only way to truly eliminate refined sugar in your food is to cook/bake it yourself. That’s how this blog came to be for me. I had a desire to make healthier, sugar-free meals and wanted to share it.

I know it can be challenging to cook wholesome, homemade meals but in the end it is so worth it. I know exactly what is in my food when I make it myself. In fact you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Have you seen how many dessert recipes I have on my blog?

You must decide how bad you want to lose weight, be free from sugar addiction or just lead a healthier life style. Set aside time one day a week to do some freezer cooking. You will find when you have something ready to heat and eat, you will be less likely to grab an unhealthy option.

Here are some of my favorite freezable Meals: Personal Sized Baked Oatmeal, Apple Oatmeal Muffins, Barley Salad, Beef Orzo Soup, Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts, Meatloaf, Turkey Mini Muffins, Italian Spinach Pie. There are a ton more, just look around.

Step 3: Daily Commitment.

You can do anything for one day you know. You really can. Each day of making the choice to leave refined sugars behind is one more day you are getting stronger and more able to say no when offered something. One more day to build your confidence in yourself and one more day that those cravings will have less and less of a pull on you.

You must decide what you will allow in your body.

I only allow myself certain types of sugars that are less refined. Read this post to learn more about my sweeteners of choice. Will you allow yourself to use artificial sweeteners? I don’t because they just fool my taste-buds and still make me crave everything under the sun. Read this post all about Splenda in case you are thinking or are currently using it.

Check here to start with my 3 Day Cleanse & Detox Plan!

One thing I want to make sure you know. If you give in, mess up, eat something with sugar in it, the world will not end, you will not die, you will be OK.

All you must do is get back on track and focus on the next meal. Say NO to whatever it is that calls your name and defeat that lion.

HUGS to you,

Brenda

The post Q&A: 3 Steps to Eliminate Sugar in Your Diet appeared first on Sugar-Free Mom.