Are you a sugar addict? I am.
In 2005 I vowed to quit and began
writing about life without sweets.
This site contains a forum,
product reviews, my journal,
educational Sugar Challenges,
and the Stop Being Sweet ebook.

Should Sweets Be Taxed?

October 14, 2009 • Comments (0)

There has been talk of a new “soda tax,” as it is being called, that will tax sugary drinks to help pay for health care.¹ Coke and Pepsi, Rockstar Energy Drink and Gatorade would all be eligible for the new tax. As you can imagine, beverage companies are not happy.

Mutar Kent, CEO of the Coca-Cola Company, recently wrote an op-ed article in the Wall Street Journal arguing that it is a lack of exercise and not drinking soda that makes Americans fat.

Mr. Kent states, “Policy makers should stop spending their valuable time demonizing an industry that directly employs more than 220,000 people in the U.S., and through supporting industries, an additional three million. Instead, business and government should come together to help encourage greater physical activity and sensible eating and drinking, while allowing Americans to enjoy the simple pleasure of a Coca-Cola.” ²

Bottom line? Don’t stop drinking sugar drinks, just exercise more! What worries me about this is that the Coca-Cola Company is now partnering with the American Academy of Family Physicians to help teach consumers about nutrition. ³

This means that Coke (all-American sugar water fizzy drink manufacturer) is going to be the first corporate partner to work with AAFP on educational materials for your family.

“The AAFP recognizes the significant influence that consumer companies have on consumer health,” said Lori Heim, M.D., president-elect of the AAFP. “We look forward to working with The Coca-Cola Company, and other companies in the future, on the development of educational materials to teach consumers how to make the right choices and incorporate the products they love into a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.”

Sources:

1. Wall Street Journal

2. Wall Street Journal

3. American Academy of Family Physicians

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 10/14/09 • Comment

Alternative Halloween Hand Outs

October 10, 2009 • Comments (1)

For those of you who celebrate Halloween, what will you be handing out this year? When you were a kid, did it annoy you when people gave out something other than candy on Halloween?

Do you go to the store and buy a few bags of your favorite candies, stick them in a huge salad bowl and then secretly hope you don’t get too many tick-or-treaters? If so, does that make you feel guilty?

Why is it that some of us feel guilty about having a huge bowl of candy in the house—knowing we’re going to eat all of it ourselves—and yet we’re fine with handing out tons of sugary crap to all the kids in our neighborhood?

I have vivid memories of trick-or-treating and when people broke from convention they always seemed to give out something “heavy handed” like a toothbrush. No fun!

There are many things that you can hand out on Halloween besides candy and sweets. Here are a few ideas, please add your own. Perhaps we can start a new paradigm.

Juice Boxes - with real fruit juice.
Cool Erasers
Mini Pretzel Bags
Goldfish - real, live ones in bags of water (memories for a lifetime!)
Bat or Spider Rings
Glow-in-the-Dark Fangs!
iTunes (okay, that’s expensive - are you listening Apple?)
Rubber balls
Something you made yourself
Crazy glue — just kidding!

What else can we hand out that’s fun but not part of the sugar machine?

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 10/10/09 • Comment

10 Tips That Will Help You Quit Sugar

September 19, 2009 • Comments (2)

1. Keep It A Secret

You’re at your friend’s house for dinner. Dessert comes and you announce, “No thanks, I am quitting sugar.” The most common reaction is laughter, surprise and disbelief followed by your friend attempting to temp you into just one bite. Instead of telling them you are on a mission, quietly say you just don’t feel like it. Suddenly they’re concerned, offer you some fruit or something else, and soon the situation passes.

2. Get Rid of the Stuff

Get rid of all the tempting foods from your kitchen, pantry, closet, cupboards, car, purse, backpack, desk, etc. Wherever you keep it get rid of it! Even if you get a hankering for something sweet, it’s a lot hard to eat sugar when it’s not there.

3. Replace Sugary Snacks with Healthy Foods

When you’re hungry for a candy bar but you don’t have any in the house, you’ve got to eat something. Stock up on all the good things you like to eat and you’ll end up eating more of them.

4. Bring Dessert to Parties

People do not usually make healthy, sugar-free desserts. When you go to a friend’s for dinner, bring a fruit salad or some other type of sugar free dessert for you and everyone.

5. Avoid the Places You Used to Go

If you are accustomed to eating lunch in the break room and that includes having some cookies from the cookie jar, a free soda from the tap and some candy from the candy vending machine, then start eating someplace else. Eat at your desk. Eat outside. Take a walk. It is not like you will never go back to the lunchroom, but while you transition from a sweetie to an unsweet person, staying away helps.

6. Write Down Everything You Eat

Include how much you paid as well. You will be surprised at the end of the week.

7. Don’t Do It Alone

If you can, find a friend and avoid sweets together. It really helps to be able to discuss what you’re going through with others who are also going through the same thing.

8. Expect to Eat MORE

When you first quit sweets you will end up actually eating more (healthy) foods in order to satisfy your sweet cravings. This will pass.

9. Read Books & Websites

There is tons of information on the subject of sugar. Read, read, read and learn, learn, learn.

10. Create An Outlet

Create a blog. Keep a personal journal. Make drawings. Cut the lawn. Feed the birds. Find or figure out an activity that you like to do and do it whenever you have the sweet cravings. It will not be easy at first, but in time you will be able to change your behavior.

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 09/19/09 • Comment

Little Sugar Addicts: Why You Can’t Quit Sugar

September 15, 2009 • Comments (0)

Ever wonder why you can’t quit sugar? It’s probably because you are too old to have videos of yourself grabbing for, overeating, overacting to, and being rewarded for all of your cute’n’sweet behavior. With positive reinforcement at such a young age it’s no wonder we just can’t stop ourselves…

Posted in Tips, Tricks, Info & News on 09/15/09 • Comment

Sweet Failure at the Local Chocolatier

September 04, 2009 • Comments (0)

Last night Gwenn and I went into our local Chocolatier. They often have Portland made sugar-free chocolates sweetened with agave. But last night they were out. Gwenn got a sweet chocolate thing and the staff offered me an agave sweetened hot cocoa drink. I asked if they could make something cold, like a chocolate shake. They said they could. After the cashier had a lengthy talk with the staff behind counter (explaining what I wanted) they charged me several dollars for a drink that contained milk, some cocoa powder, and a squirt of agave syrup. It was awful! Still, I was thankful that they tried.

There are alternatives to sugar sweetened chocolates out there but I suggest you not be the guinea pig when ordering them or you might be in for a disappointment. Find a place that has something already made and perfected and you’ll be surprised and amazed at how good (and sweet) agave chocolates can be.

Posted in My Personal Journal on 09/04/09 • Comment