Episode 49: How to Cut Sugar & Cure Your Cravings‪!‬ Wholeness with Melissa Kathryn

In today’s episode, Melissa breaks down how to cut sugar and cure your cravings for good. She outlines four steps that can help you to break the habit and stop your sugar cravings. 
 
Melissa also spends time discussing the mechanics of emotional eating and how this plays a large role in why sugar feels more powerful than your desire to be healthy and fit.
 
She wants to reiterate - there is nothing wrong with you, her beautiful friend.  If you’ve been over-indulging this episode will help.
 
The key takeaway is that sugar addiction is like any other addiction, if not even more challenging due to the fact that we need to consciously and continually choose healthier alternatives each day, multiple times a day.  Once you have a small taste, it’s hard to stop and break away from what you’re eating.  This is when binges occur. 
 
However, Melissa points out that there are several helpful things you can do to get ahead of your eating habits by pausing, connecting and choosing to align with yourself to know what the “real” reason for reaching for sugar and food is - if it’s NOT from hunger.  
 
Ask these four questions if you’re tempted to indulge the sugar addiction:
“Am I really hungry right now?” “What’s going on in my life right now?” “Is food going to serve me or hurt me?” “What can I do instead?”  
Some action steps:
 
The first thing you eat in the day will set the tone for your eating for the day. Stop cravings by drinking mint tea or ginger tea. Skip dry fruit and opt for berries instead.  
In closing, Melissa reminds us that we have control over our mind and bodies, along with what/who we surround ourselves with. 
 
Practice better eating habits by trying to understand what you’re seeking comfort for in the first place. Believe in yourself. You have power over your choices and what you put into your mouth. You can do this.
 
Brief Outline:
 
If you’re in AA or recently overcoming an addiction with another substance, the go-to will be smoking or sugar or both. Our eating habits are rooted in our upbringing and learned behavioural responses due to our emotional state. Melissa describes head cravings and heart cravings. Melissa shares a story with a cake-eater and demonstrates the power of community. Be smart about what you keep in your house. Create “kitchen hours” to limit your time in the kitchen. Action steps for curbing sugar: Melissa gives a specific recipe for fighting sugar addiction. Bulk up on protein.  
Increase your fiber intake. Food scientists know that you will get addicted to their products. Don’t go crazy with fruits...they’ve got plenty of sugar, too. “Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.”  
Somethings we cover:
 
— Sugar is an addictive substance.
— Sugar will elicit the dieting mentality.
— Science confirms that you will want more than just a little sugar.
— Identifying the emotional connection to sugar will help.
— Head cravings:
A craving for something that crunches. Stems from a lack of control.
— Heart cravings:
A craving for something smooth and creamy. Stems from an emotional void.
— Paying attention to the emotional meaning of our eating gives YOU the power.
— When you’re sad, you tend to soothe with food.
— Don’t buy the thing you feel powerless around.
— Ask yourself questions about why you’re eating.
— You don’t have to be who you were yesterday.
— Cravings will pass in four minutes.
— There is more hidden sugar than we realize.
— Mint tea and ginger tea will curb sugar cravings.
— Cleansing your palate will help through a reduced sugar diet or cleanse will help.
— Berries are a good snack for when you’re trying to kick sugar.
— We often eat when we’re just thirsty.
 
A few key takeaways:
 
“Sugar is more addictive than crack and cocaine.”
“You’re not going to be able to have just one cookie.”
“Where are you allow