After decades of bingeing on sweet treats and failed yo-yo diets, weight loss expert Molly Carmel finally discovered the secret to transforming her relationship with food for ever.
Sugar addiction comes in all shapes and sizes and in all bodies.
If you find yourself deep into a box of doughnuts when youve sworn to yourself you wouldnt, then you probably have a problem with sugar.
If youre in the kitchen at night finishing off a loaf of bread, hoping no one wakes up to hear you, you are probably in an abusive relationship with sugar.
If you are successful in many parts of your life yet cannot succeed at eating sugar in moderation, then you know how it feels to be addicted to the stuff.
I know how much pain, shame, isolation and suffering this relationship with sugar can cause .
I battled my food and weight disorder tipping the scales at 23st for more than 20 years.
Being morbidly obese and unknowingly trapped in an abusive relationship with sugar is a pain I wouldnt wish upon my worst enemy.
But I was able to piece together a recovery and find a way to create the help I needed.
I amassed degrees, researched and went beyond the traditional fields of psychology, addiction and nutrition to open the doors to my Manhattan clinic, the Beacon, back in 2012.
Thousands of clients later, Ive never looked back.
Today, my relationship with food is everything I hoped it would be.
Surf your cravings
Sugar cravings can be overwhelming. However, they are episodic, not constant, and they rarely last more than 30 minutes. Ride out the cravings and take back control. Research shows that when we eat the foods we crave less frequently, our cravings for that food decrease.
Meditate
Meditation is one of the single most important practices you can adopt to protect your new relationship with food. It helps regulate behaviour and emotions, and reduces stress.
Find your joy
When you experience joy, connection and laughter, your brain releases dopamine, serotonin and endorphins, chemicals that enhance your feelings of pleasure and block feelings of stress and pain.
Detoxing doesnt last
If youre feeling tired, sad, irritable or have headaches, muscle aches, an upset stomach or sleep problems, youre experiencing sugar detox. Physical withdrawal from sugar can last from two days to two weeks.
Avoid cheat days
Cheat days are a slippery slope that will lead you right back into the arms of sugar. Very rarely do planned cheat days last just a day and if they do, the damage done is enough for a week.
I am incredibly satisfied with the food I put into my body, maintaining a healthy weight naturally.
I feel zero shame about food and I live a full, busy, and generally awesome life.
If you too are struggling with sugar, remember that our relationship with the sweet stuff has taken a nasty turn.
Today, processed food is made with highly concentrated sugar and minimal amounts of fibre and protein, activating the brains reward pathways with a new intensity and magnitude.
1 Fat is your friend
While sugar cues our brain to keep eating and not feel the effects of fullness, fat actually sends the proper stop message to the brain. But be mindful. If youre eating processed foods that contain fat and sugar, they may trigger your urge to eat more.
2Carbs are on the menu
Its not about no carbs, its about slow carbs. Carbohydrates including fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains are digested and absorbed more slowly, so they keep you satisfied for longer.
3 Have fun with fruit
Fruit is rich in fibre, which helps to slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, helping you avoid blood-sugar spikes. However, some fruits, such as bananas, grapes, and pineapple have higher concentrations of sugar, which might then set off some serious cravings.
4 Dont eat after dinner
After-dinner snacks can quickly become the foot in the door for a night of eating and a morning of shame. Eating at night supports the idea that you need food after dinner. Thats simply not true.
5 Cut calorie counting
Not all calories are created equal. But different foods affect our metabolism and digestion differently, not to mention our hormones ghrelin and leptin, which control our feelings of hunger and fullness. Sugar increases your appetite and encourages the body to store weight but protein increases feelings of fullness and promotes weight loss.
Its also hidden in bottled and packaged foods such as peanut butter, salad dressing and sauces. In the UK, sugar intake per capita has more than doubled since 1950 and with that, the obesity rate has quadrupled.
We know it impacts our looks causing weight gain, breakouts, wrinkles and tooth decay.
But sugar has also been linked to inflammation, migraineheadaches , anxiety, brain fog, trouble sleeping, gum disease, heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver and diabetes.
Theres even terrifying research showing that sugar increases the risk of developing certain cancers.
I vow to be free of artificial sweeteners
Studies show that artificial sweeteners can raise the body mass index (BMI). This is because sweeteners trick the brain into thinking we need more sugar, causing us to overeat.
I vow to be free of drinking my calories
Scratch the health benefits of juice cleanses, coconut water and smoothies. Without the fibre of fruit and vegetables in their whole form to slow the sugars down, your insulin will spike and send your blood sugar crashing. And limit your booze intake to two units a week of sugar-free alcohol such as gin, vodka and whiskey, mixed with no-calorie mixers like soda water.
I vow to be refined flour free
When you eat flour, your body reacts to it as if it is sugar, causing quick blood-sugar and insulin spikes. And flour, just like sugar, is hiding in almost everything. Some people can handle almond or chickpea flour, while others find they leave them wanting even more.
I vow to be mindful of my volume
Start to weigh exact portions. Eating large volumes of food can be habitual, soothing and comforting. Environmental factors and triggers TV in the background, supersized containers and large portion sizes also cause us to underestimate exactly how much were eating.
I vow to eat every3 to 4.5 hours
People who struggle with their weight snack frequently, eat large portions, binge-eat and miss meals. Dont let more than 4.5 hours go by between any meal or snack, ensuring you limit urges to binge, overeat, or undereat. Its easier to avoid sugar when you feel satisfied and know when your next meal is.
I vow to be a planner
Plan what you are eating, when you are eating, your meals when you dine out and your snacks and meals when youre on the go. Think ahead to when youre going to the supermarket and exactly what youre going to buy there. Plan your online orders and when you will prepare your food for the week.
I vow to weigh myself in a loving way
Weight loss is an outcome, not a goal. Decide to weigh yourself at predetermined times, either twice monthly (on the first and 15th of the month) or on the first of the month.
Dont deviate from this schedule, especially if youre feeling thin or fat. The point of this vow is to ensure that youre moving in a direction toward optimal physical health.
But Im going to help end your unhealthy relationship with sugar with my unique meal plan, recipes and self-care tips.
Follow my plan for 66 days the length of time it takes for new behaviour to become automatic starting with a series of promises to yourself. Im so proud that youre making this important next step. Im with you all the way.
Ingredients in packaged foods are listed in descending order.
First come the ingredients that are present in the highest quantities, and then gradually down to the ingredients with the lowest quantities.
If sugar, flour, or any of the words that mean sugar and flour (words that end in -ose, such as glucose, dextrose, fructose, or starch) are listed in the first four ingredients, dont eat that food.
If sugar or flour are listed as the fifth ingredient or later, the food is good to go.
Breaking Up with Sugar by Molly Carmel (14.99, Yellow Kite) is out now.
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'I beat my abusive relationship with sugar after tipping scales at 23st - here's how you can too' - Mirror Online
