Weight Mastery: The Sugar Pining Playbook

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Happy Valentine’s Day! Sugar was called “Crack” when it became a rare and coveted delicacy in 16^th century France.  Even back then sugar was thought of as a drug, known for its powerful addictive potential.

How can you walk through the week of love and sugar with your power and weight mastery intact?  This week is for lovers and sugar lovers alike as the world outside becomes a big candy dish full of chocolates and sweets—so how do you keep from becoming a sugar pining fool and steer clear of the excess of sugar and not tailspin into addictive eating patterns?

CANDY SWEETHEARTS…VERY BITTER

Back in my un-Shifted days when I yo-yoed up and down the scale 40 pounds, my “crack” during Valentine’s Day was not chocolate but those sugary sweet “sweet hearts candy” that came in the little box.  I never stopped at one box though—I powered through multiple boxes in one hedonistic sitting.  Sugar then was not my sweet heat but my enemy—taking my power and leaving me feeling like a cheap, easy date.  Not only did I feel guilty but I would also want more sugar for the impact it had on both my brain and my body after the initial sugar high was to seek out more.  Therefore, Valentine’s Day was never a day time of love but a time of self defeatist loathing.

When I made my own SHIFT 20 years ago I began by creating a powerful boundary around the sweet heart candy.  Those sweet hearts,  can say “Be Mine” and “So Cute!” all they want but they do not seduce this wise and  Shifted mama into letting one pass over her lips.  I may treat myself to other VD treats—such as chocolate—which does not hook me—but I stay clear of my danger zone.  Valentine’s Day now for me is not about the candy (as it always used to be) but for being grateful for all the fabulous people I have in my life—including you!

How about you—do you worry about going down that dark alley of Valentine’s Day treats? 

Your Inner Coach can use certain strategies to keep you out of that addiction cycle. Here are some weight master’s strategies to keep you out of Sugar and Valentine’s  Candy REBAB

THE SUGAR PINING PLAYBOOK—COACHING FOR VD DAY

1- Eat More fiber, whole foods and protein: In order to physically “unhook” addictive eating it will serve you to create a food plan that is low in sugar, salt, fat and refined floury foods and high in fiber, fruits and vegetables and lean protein.

2--Know your refined food/ sugar and starchy carbohydrate “set point”:  Every “body” is different and can tolerate a certain level of starchy or refined sugars and carbohydrates before they start feeling “hooked”—it will be your mission to discover what your set point is and to make sure that you stay under that point on a daily basis. For many this is about 2-3 servings a day.

3-Tune into your body after eating refined foods and sugar—some foods have worse impact than others (think “gateway food”) and for many the rule of thumb is to avoid eating Valentine’s Candy on an empty stomach as that sets off raised blood sugar levels but also creates a bigger impact on the brain—and it starts looking around for more sugar.  It is best to eat sugar (if and when you do) with other food.

4-Think of refined starches and sugar like cocktails—only to be had after 5pm!  The earlier in the day we eat refined food the earlier we begin wanting more!!!

5-Learn trigger times and emotional triggers for compulsive eating and use your Inner Coach to come up with other ways of comforting yourself other than food.

6-Find healthier alternatives for those times that you have gotten used to reaching for the more “addictive” foods.

7—Take steps for addiction prevention.

Sugar and Valentine Candy Addiction Intervention

Remember long term permanent weight release is not about being perfect—it is about embracing imperfection and consistently finding solves and strategies that allow us to stay connected to ourselves and moving forward –“showing up for ourselves” rather than hitting the “eject” button on ourselves and our weight release when we get off course.  If you find yourself eating a “gateway food or candy” and getting “hooked” at least be prepared. 

Take action as quickly as possible and engage in the following strategies and you will become unhooked in no time:

 First take a break from all starchy and refined carbohydrates for three days (or limit to one).

 Next up your protein intake—this will stabilize your blood sugar and stunt the false hunger that is being caused by your out of whack blood sugar levels.

 And up your intake of vegetables and whole food—the more healthfully you eat the less your body craves the junk

 Drink water which flushes it all from your system

 And move your body and exercise.

Note:  Starchy Carbohydrates can range from whole grain bread to the most refined sugary candy and alcohol.  Even though starchy carbohydrates from whole foods give you more nourishment than candy and donuts and more refined carbs—some people have a low tolerance level and can overeat even these “healthier” foods. Part of your Shift Process “loving scientist” project is finding out what amount is right for you.

Have a Great Valentine's Week
oxox Rita

Valentine’s Special 30% off all CDs (check out “Just One Bite or None at All—Shifting Your Relationship to Chocolates and Sweets”

TO GET THE DISCOUNT—enter the word SHIFT into the coupon code box at check out (all caps)

Shift Store