Why Diets Fail (Because You're Addicted to Sugar) by Nicole M. Avena Page B
Authors: Nicole M. Avena
Ads: Link
just waiting to be tried.
You may be wondering, why not quit sugars and other carbohydrates cold turkey? Isn’t that what you ultimately have to do to quit other addictions (like alcohol or smoking)? First, as mentioned earlier, although we can draw similarities between drug addiction and food addiction, they are not the same. Quitting drugs cold turkey is not an easy thing to do. (That is why many people need to be admitted to inpatient rehabilitation centers, and even then, they are sometimes given drug-like pharmacological therapies to transition them off of drugs.) Cold turkey might work for some people, but it isn’t for everyone.
Second, our food environment is such that sugar-rich foods and their cues are abundant, so trying to quit cold turkey would be extremely difficult. You would be constantly bombarded with cues and reminders of the foods that you used to overeat. Also, unlike many drug addictions, it isn’t necessary to eliminate all sugars from your diet. Later in this book, you will see how certain sugar-containing foods, like whole fruits, can be sensible choices.
Recall from Step 1 that gradual changes are effective when trying to lose weight and establish a way of eating that can be sustainable. The Sugar Freedom Plan has been structured so that you can begin to slowly reduce the amount of excess sugars you consume, reduce your intake of other carbohydrates, and eventually come to maintain a way of eating that eliminates foods with added sugars (and empty calories) completely. The goal of this plan is to provide you with a realistic way of eating. Once you see that you can live without some of the foods that you have been overeating that you know are bad for you (for example, sodas), you will see that you , not your addiction, has control over what you eat. Also, you will begin to replace whatever foods you give up with healthier alternatives. We will discuss these alternatives in greater detail in Step 5, but for now, don’t view the fact that you will be phasing out certain foods as though you are depriving yourself of something; instead, try to keep in mind that by reducing or eliminating unhealthy options, you are setting yourself up to make better choices.
Each of the five phases has a corresponding time frame. Note that these are meant as guides only, as some people will need more time to work through each individual stage, and some may need less. For example, in the first phase, which is geared toward eliminating your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, if you don’t really drink these already, then you probably will have no problem moving on to the next phase. But if you are one of the many people who drink sodas or other high-calorie sugary drinks (many store-bought iced teas, juices, and so on) in excess, this will likely be an adjustment for you and might require an additional week or two. However, it is advised that you stay in each phase for at least as long as suggested. If you rush through them, you won’t be giving your brain and body enough time to adapt to the behavioral changes that you’re making, and you psychologically might not have kicked the need for these foods yet. Remember, this isn’t a race.
How will you know when you are ready to move to the next stage? If you get to the end of the suggested time frame and you still feel compelled to eat the foods you are restricting, stay within that phase for a little longer. You may still be experiencing withdrawal and acute cravings for these foods (we offer some strategies to overcome these two challenges in Steps 6 and 7).
Before You Start
There is some preparatory work that you should do before you start cutting out the sugar to make sure that you are ready to incorporate this new way of eating into your everyday diet. Remember that by coming this far, you have already taken the first steps necessary to get started. In Steps 1 and 2, you took stock of your past and present dieting habits so that you can begin to recognize
You may be wondering, why not quit sugars and other carbohydrates cold turkey? Isn’t that what you ultimately have to do to quit other addictions (like alcohol or smoking)? First, as mentioned earlier, although we can draw similarities between drug addiction and food addiction, they are not the same. Quitting drugs cold turkey is not an easy thing to do. (That is why many people need to be admitted to inpatient rehabilitation centers, and even then, they are sometimes given drug-like pharmacological therapies to transition them off of drugs.) Cold turkey might work for some people, but it isn’t for everyone.
Second, our food environment is such that sugar-rich foods and their cues are abundant, so trying to quit cold turkey would be extremely difficult. You would be constantly bombarded with cues and reminders of the foods that you used to overeat. Also, unlike many drug addictions, it isn’t necessary to eliminate all sugars from your diet. Later in this book, you will see how certain sugar-containing foods, like whole fruits, can be sensible choices.
Recall from Step 1 that gradual changes are effective when trying to lose weight and establish a way of eating that can be sustainable. The Sugar Freedom Plan has been structured so that you can begin to slowly reduce the amount of excess sugars you consume, reduce your intake of other carbohydrates, and eventually come to maintain a way of eating that eliminates foods with added sugars (and empty calories) completely. The goal of this plan is to provide you with a realistic way of eating. Once you see that you can live without some of the foods that you have been overeating that you know are bad for you (for example, sodas), you will see that you , not your addiction, has control over what you eat. Also, you will begin to replace whatever foods you give up with healthier alternatives. We will discuss these alternatives in greater detail in Step 5, but for now, don’t view the fact that you will be phasing out certain foods as though you are depriving yourself of something; instead, try to keep in mind that by reducing or eliminating unhealthy options, you are setting yourself up to make better choices.
Each of the five phases has a corresponding time frame. Note that these are meant as guides only, as some people will need more time to work through each individual stage, and some may need less. For example, in the first phase, which is geared toward eliminating your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, if you don’t really drink these already, then you probably will have no problem moving on to the next phase. But if you are one of the many people who drink sodas or other high-calorie sugary drinks (many store-bought iced teas, juices, and so on) in excess, this will likely be an adjustment for you and might require an additional week or two. However, it is advised that you stay in each phase for at least as long as suggested. If you rush through them, you won’t be giving your brain and body enough time to adapt to the behavioral changes that you’re making, and you psychologically might not have kicked the need for these foods yet. Remember, this isn’t a race.
How will you know when you are ready to move to the next stage? If you get to the end of the suggested time frame and you still feel compelled to eat the foods you are restricting, stay within that phase for a little longer. You may still be experiencing withdrawal and acute cravings for these foods (we offer some strategies to overcome these two challenges in Steps 6 and 7).
Before You Start
There is some preparatory work that you should do before you start cutting out the sugar to make sure that you are ready to incorporate this new way of eating into your everyday diet. Remember that by coming this far, you have already taken the first steps necessary to get started. In Steps 1 and 2, you took stock of your past and present dieting habits so that you can begin to recognize
Similar Books
