Just a few final thoughts on cutting sugar out of your diet.

In October 2013, when I drastically cut sugar it was out of medical need. It took me about 2 years to come to terms with the need to do it, but I found that once I was able to confront the issue and limit the sugar that I was a lot better. My mood swings were less, my digestion was better and a whole host of other symptoms were made more manageable. For me it was necessary to goal cold turkey for 90 days 

and to do an elimination diet - no sugar, no yeast, no coffee or tea, no gluten or grains or nightshades (like tomatoes and eggplant) for 90 days. Unless you have to, I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS. It was really challenging - mentally and physically. Once I was able to start add in more foods, I learned that for me I couldn't make sweeping declarations...i.e. I'm never going to eat that again. It just doesn't work. My cousin shared with me some very thoughtful tips that I found inspiring and helpful. 

1) Plan Your Cheats as much as possible. Look at the plan for your month or week and plan in some wiggle room. Acknowledge that some times it's not always in your control, but make the best choices you can. (with the exception of true food allergies...always take the control or don't eat it...no exceptions.)

2) Ask yourself, "Is this worth what it is going to cost me later?" Remind yourself that you aren't working for right now, you are working for the YOU in the future. It may be 20 hours in the future or the you years from now. But cheating always comes with a price. How much would you have to walk to burn off the extra calories? How will this make you feel 20 minutes or 20 hours from now? How will this affect your moods and how will that affect your loved ones? If you decide to eat that cupcake or scone or pie how long will you beat yourself up about it and feel guilty? Let's face it; these are all factors that should be considered, right? 

3) Allow yourself 2 bites of anything. Sometimes all you really want is a taste. Of course, be smart about  your options and apply the rule - Say no more often than you say yes - but if you really want 2 bites of that creme brulee then have 2 bites. Fortunately my husband is generally good-natured and will usually share a very small portion with me if I ask, but it took some time to adjust to this new rule. 

4) Allow yourself permission to leave it. Especially when dieting or making changes, it is ok to not eat it all. Take it with you if you can. Share it when possible. But if those aren't going to work. It's ok to leave it. It is really easy to get caught up in the "I paid for that" cycle. It is a really easy "rabbit hole" to fall in, especially with children who may not eat all their food. If you can plan to share from the start and only order what you can eat...great. But it is okay to not eat it. Think of it this way: Most restaurants pack in the side items; if you order a child's cheese pizza they also give you a yogurt (full of sugar) and grapes with tons of preservatives...right? So make that cost on them - you only wanted the cheese pizza. You know your child may not eat all of it and the sides. You would gladly pay less for just the pizza, but that isn't the option they give you. The restaurant added the extras. Don't fall into the trap! Take the power back and tell yourself "It's okay to leave it." 

5) Plan Ahead...Always. If you are going out, plan ahead...it's not fun and it may not be stylish, but it's necessary. At the very least, take a bottle of water and a snack that is good for you. I resisted this rule for the longest time, but it caused a lot of issues. I found it left me feeling powerless and h-angry most of the time. It took a while, but I finally found something that worked for me. If I'm going out all day I take enough water, almonds, a KIND or ODWALLA bar and my essential oils. If it is going to be a very active outing, I add veggie straws, and a peeled orange or grapes. It sounds like a lot, I know, but it gives me options if nothing else is readily available. It gives me the power to say no when necessary. It helps me not feel left out of the fun stuff AND I don't have to feel guilty later.

I hope these tips help you. If you enjoyed this blog, sign up for our e-mailing list for more great information. Our doctor is happy to offer a free consultation to anyone who mentions this article; to schedule please contact us.