Your foolproof plan for busting the sugar habit for good

So… think you can’t live without sugar? Well I think you can.

In fact, I know you can. And I’ve helped hundreds of others do it. Starting with this one simple technique.

All it takes is 72 hours. That’s it. I’ve seen even the most diehard sugar addicts succeed in this time.

And if you’ve signed up for the Fed Up Challenge,  this plan will guarantee your success, too. (If you haven’t yet, please consider joining me. You can learn more about this new documentary—and sign up for the 10-day sugar-free challenge—here.)

Ready to get started? Great! Let’s get to it…

For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to start you off slow. Just a few small changes, one step at a time. With the final goal of being completely sugar-free for three full days.

Make it through those first 72 hours, and the next seven days of your sugar detox will be a breeze. Because if you can abstain from all sugar for just three days, that insatiable hunger, that urgent feeling of “addiction” goes away.

Yes. In three days. Trust me. I’ve seen it happen with thousands of patients.

As I’ll explain over the next week, though, this means more than just avoiding the things you know have sugar in them without even having to think about it. You want to completely reset your relationship with sugar. And that means clearing the slate and starting over from scratch.

But with that said, cookies, cakes, ice cream, soda… well, tossing them all is still a pretty good place to start.

If it seems like just one small sweet won’t hurt you, try looking at the sweet and visualizing all the sugar it contains. An ounce of hard candy? Picture a 5-teaspoon mound of sugar! A slice of cherry pie? Make that 10 teaspoons.

Would you sit down and eat a mound of sugar that size? I doubt it. Yet, that’s essentially what you’re doing when you eat these sorts of sweets.

Now, listen. I know food cravings can be hard to handle—especially when you’re trying to kick the sugar habit for good. It seems like you can’t quit thinking about those foods you love.

Everyone experiences it, and it can make you cranky—even ruin a perfectly nice day.

Believe me, I’ve been there. But before I tell you what REALLY works to curb those cravings, let’s talk about what doesn’t.

The results of a new study came out recently, funded by the Wrigley Science Institute. (Yes, the gum people). They found that chewing gum for 45 minutes after lunch reduced cravings for sweet and salty snacks.

Which sounds great… but this is actually very bad advice.

First of all, regular chewing gum contains sugar—which defeats our purpose here. And the sugar alcohols in sugar-free gum can cause gas, bloating, cramps, and diarrhea.

Luckily, there’s a much better, longer-lasting way to combat your cravings. Here it is, in three simple steps:

1. Stay hydrated. Drink water (not juice or soda) throughout your day.

2. Keep moving. Even a little exercise can go a long way in reducing your sugar cravings. I’m not talking about working up a sweat or spending hours in the gym. A walk around the block will do. The idea here is that when you’re moving, your brain is otherwise occupied and there’s simply no room for those cravings. And you’ll be surprised how long the effect lasts.

3. Learn how to indulge in foods that are truly crave-worthy. Cravings come from feeling deprived, which is pretty much impossible when you follow my program. The recipes and foods outlined in my New Hamptons Health Miracle will regulate your blood sugar so well and satisfy all your senses with amazingly decadent foods that you simply won’t miss the bad stuff.

That said, the first few days can be tough. So tomorrow I’ll share some more strategies that can help get you over the “hump”—and well on your way to a healthy, sugar-free future

In the meantime…One of the hardest things for some people to give up is sweet drinks—but soda has got to go. (Yes, that includes diet soda!) But that doesn’t mean you need to stick to plain old water.

One of my favorite ways to make water more satisfying is to infuse it with flavors I love. I keep a pitcher of this infused water in my fridge for when I need something more interesting than water. The cucumber makes it crisp and refreshing, and the mint satisfies my sweet tooth.

Ingredients

½ gallon filtered water

1 small cucumber, sliced thin

½ cup fresh mint leaves, washed

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Pour over a glass of ice and enjoy!

 

Source:

“Chewing Gum Reduces Snack Cravings And Decreases Consumption Of Sweet Snacks,” Science Daily (www.sciencedaily.com), 4/20/09