David Vanadia

Viewing Category: Tips, Tricks, Info & News

Quit Sugar. Eat Sugar Again. Here’s Why You Go Back.

April 26, 2013 • Comments (0)

If you’re new to quitting sugar, or you’ve already tried, then chances are that you’re looking for some tips on how to quit sugar for good. Below are some of the main reasons why you’re having trouble quitting:

1. You Like to Eat Sweets.

Let’s face it, sugary junk food tastes good. It’s been engineered to be extremely palatable. No wonder we’re drawn to it—plus everyone else is doing it.

2. Sweets Are Fun.

Is there any cartoon character associated with broccoli? I didn’t think so. Maybe that’s why we don’t gather around a head of steamed broccoli at birthday parties, although the candles would probably stand up well in one. 

3. Sugar is Everywhere.

Not to pick on broccoli (I like the stuff) but you just don’t see it for sale on the shelf at your local gas station or convenience store. Probably because it won’t sit on the shelf for months before going bad. It’s also not salty and sweet combined with fat. Plus you have to grow it and that takes time and effort. With junk food, someone just presses a button and a blob of sugar plops onto a piece of paper that then gets sent to the store where it sits on a shelf until we spot it and snarf it down.

4. Your Body Craves Sweets.

Just like a drug, the more sweets you consume the more you want to eat in order to feel good. It sounds funny and people often make fun of the idea that sugar could be addictive (Psst. Hey, you. Want to buy some Pop-Tarts?) but here we are talking about how to get off the stuff while hoping there’s a way that doesn’t involve willpower and an agonizing detox period.

5. You Think Sweets Aren’t That Bad

The biggest reason people can’t get off sugar is because they have yet to change their positive associations with sweets. In other words, the idea of quitting sugar sounds excruciatingly painful. Quitting sugar is like being lost in the wilderness and caught in a bear trap—you’ve got to lose a part of yourself in order to keep the rest of you alive. The good news is that part you leave behind isn’t anything you need.

Here’s the secret for anyone who wants to quit sugar.

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 04/26/13 • Comment

How to Deal with Sugar Cravings

April 24, 2013 • Comments (0)

Jonesing for sweets? Craving sugar? Can’t stop thinking about that snack you think you need so much?

The only way to overcome sugar cravings is to not give in to them. It’s a catch-22, the more sweets you eat the more you’ll want. The less you eat the less you’ll crave.

The challenge is that the space between intense craving and controlled cravings is a matter of weeks. (Notice I didn’t say, “no cravings”?)

Here are five tips to help you navigate your transition from sweetie to sugar-free:

1. Determine if You’re Actually Hungry

If your stomach is growling, eat something good for you. Eating well helps curb your desire for sugar.

2. Distract Yourself

If you’re not hungry and you’re just looking for something to do, find something that challenges your energy and your thoughts. Play a game, take a run, go to the gym, or make a phone call.

3. Tackle a Project

Sugar cravings often jump up when we’re procrastinating.If you have a TO DO list, start knocking stuff off of it.

4. Write About It

When you’re feeling that crazy sugar desire, start writing. Figure out what’s going on in your life. Lots of times your cravings are fueled not just by something physiological, but also something emotional.

5. Eat Something Healthily Sweet

If you’re just going off sugar, eating some grapes will help curb your desire for cookies. A belly full of fruit beats a belly full of processed sweet junk food any day.

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 04/24/13 • Comment

Infographic: Too Much Sugar

April 19, 2013 • Comments (0)

Visualizing how much sugar is in the food products sold in your supermarket.

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 04/19/13 • Comment

Video: How Much Sugar is in Your Brand of Baby Formula?

April 19, 2013 • Comments (0)

Are you feeding your newborn “baby milkshakes”? If so, you might be creating a blueprint for a habit that will carry through your child’s lifetime.

Apparently sugar content is not listed on baby formula labels, so they tested seven formulas for dextrose, lactose, maltose, fructose, and sucrose. 

Highest Sugar Content of 7 Tested

• Parent’s Choice Infant Formula: 12.4g per serving
• Enfamil Infant Formula: 13.5g per serving
• Similac Advance Organic Complete Nutrition: 3.5g per serving
• Similac Soy Infant Formula with Iron: 3.8g per serving

Lowest Sugar Content of 7 Tested

• Gerber Good Start
• Similac Advanced
• Enfamil Prosobee

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 04/19/13 • Comment

Fruit = Nature’s Candy

April 17, 2013 • Comments (0)

Years ago, farmer stands appeared on road sides across America. Having fresh watermelon, blueberries, or strawberries in the summer was a sweet treat. The farmer stand food had to be planted, cared for, and harvested.

These days, for summer snacks purchased a short walk from our car, we can choose from frozen ice cream pops, chilled and flavored sodas and energy drinks, or artificially flavored ice shakes. The food of today is sold in road side stands (petrol fueling stations), is shipped in on trucks, pre-packaged, and can sit on the shelf for months before it goes bad.

Some sugar addicts steer away from fruit for fear that they will binge on it. Others avoid fruit because they feel that it’s equally as bad for them as a spoonful of table sugar.

Fruit contains sugars but it comes packed in fiber. It’s your life—eat it or don’t. However, I personally recommend fruit for anyone who chooses to Stop Being Sweet. It beats a bag of candy or box of cookies any day.

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 04/17/13 • Comment

About David

I realized I had a sugar problem back in 2003 after a weekend-long binge on raw chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate covered pretzels. As a result, I began trying to quit sugar but kept failing. Finally, I figured out a way to stay off sweet junk food for good. Read more.