Confessions of a Recovering Sugar Junkie

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Sugar can be addicting...true or false?
 
I have always had a sweet tooth.  As a child, I was a sugar junkie... no really!  I. LOVED. SUGAR.  (Still do actually!)  As an adult, growing older, I became "pre-diabetic" with warnings from the Doctor to cut back on the sugar or I would be diabetic soon.  So as a side effect of my new healthy lifestyle, I changed those important numbers on that blood test, and am no longer "pre-diabetic".  Yay me, right?  Absolutely.  I no longer craved sugar.  No longer needed sugar.  Until....

Ok, so over the holidays, I indulged in cookies, candy, sweet punches, cakes, etc.  Having lost 42 pounds, I felt like I deserved those treats.  And I worked out like a crazy person to counteract those extra calories.  I put on 2 pounds over the month of December.  And that's ok.  Not bad really.  I will take those off quickly, so no worries.  However, the one thing that does worry me is that all of a sudden, I'm craving sugar again.  Why?  Because I caved and ate all that sugar last month!  I never really thought too much about it, but I had totally stopped craving sugar until now.

I won't bore you with statistics, but here's a link that explains sugar addiction.  It's real y'all!  It's crazy real!  
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/health/sugar-brain-diet-partner/index.html

This describes one individual who gives up sugar and how it takes more than a month to not feel the withdrawal symptoms.  Yikes!  Now, I haven't given it up totally.  But I keep my daily intake to 45 grams or less.  So how much is 45 grams of sugar?  Well, one 12 oz can of Coke is 39 grams.  How about a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte?  50 grams.  Yes, more than my daily allowance!

And carbs?  Don't get me started on carbs!  Ok, get me started!  I need to be aware of those again, too!  That Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte?  52 grams carbs.  That coke?  Yup!  39 grams carbs!
Remember that those sugars party with your carbs.  The bad kind.  It's a really bad, call the food cops, body wreaking party!

Ok, enough preaching!  I just needed to do this to remind myself to get back on track!  I already have.  Started yesterday.  But now I get to go through the sugar withdrawal again.  Hopefully it won't be terribly bad!  I didn't go totally overboard.  Just enough to REALLY want some sugar right now!  However, I hear my Son Jeremy in my head.  I always seem to hear him, whether I want to or not.😜  He has given me many quotes to remember.  But the one I hear today is this: "Nothing tastes as good as fit feels".  Amen Son. Amen.  

 

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