Now that Halloween is behind us (yes, my butt is bigger, too), I hope we can take a more “measured” look at sugar.
For the record, this diet guru permanently removed over 50 pounds 7 years ago, and YES, Janice Taylor DOES enjoy a sweet or two now and again.
It has been my experience that as soon as I tell myself that I absolutely cannot have something, I want it even more than I did before. I begin to obsess over the “can’t have” item.
It’s called the “Forbidden Fruit” phenomenon. And I’m betting that you are shaking your heads up and down agreeing with me. “Yup. Me too … soon as I say, “NO” … the candy calls my name even louder. It’s like some evil force has taken over.”
In the service of quieting your ‘inner alien’ a.k.a. ‘evil twin,’ here are some steps that will help you to …
Make peace with (or kill) your cravings!
1. Plan Ahead: If you are a chocolate-holic, pull out your weekly food plan/calendar right now and write in 3 chocolate snacks that you love. Example: one ounce of your favorite semi-sweet chocolate (170 calories). Plan it and count it!!
2. Enjoy It: When “The Chocolate Hour” is before you, stretch that one ounce piece for an hour! Well that’s a bit of a stretch. Nevertheless, do sit with your chocolate,. Be one with your chocolate. Do not watch television, talk to others, read the paper. Let the chocolate melt in your mouth, s-l-o-w-l-y … and ENJOY it.
3. Alternative Sweets: People generally tend to crave sweets after a meal or when they hit that late afternoon slump. You might enjoy some peppermint tea, a one- ounce box of raisins, a piece of fruit. Get it? Something natural. Not processed!
4. Wait It Out: Cravings are like clouds. They roll in with the winds and out, too. Generally, the ‘crave’ cycle is ten minutes long. As soon as you see a ‘crave cloud’ rolling in, call a friend, take a walk, get busy and distract yourself for a mere ten minutes. Build your ‘wait it out muscle.’
5. Give Yourself A Star: Whether you wait out a craving or sit and be one with your chocolate, you have changed a behavior. Seriously, that’s bigger than losing a pound and harder to do! So, give yourself a star. Buy a packet of sticky stars and put one on your food journal page every time you do something that shows that your thinking and behavior are beginning to shift.
Changing your behavior and thinking differently are the two biggest keys to permanent fat removal. We are talking permanent fat removal, not just weight loss…
… because if you lose it, you will find it!
How can you begin to change your relationship to sugar? Comment below!
Spread the word … NOT the icing!
Janice
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Janice Taylor is a Weight Loss Coach, author, columnist and 50-pound BIG-TIME-LOSER. Interested in one-on-one coaching? Write Janice for a free consult.
Want to wake up THINNER on New Years Day? Christmas Diet
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posted November 3, 2008 at 10:18 am
I really think Janice is right. If we say we can NOT have something, we want it that much more. I’m feeling encouraged by being a part of this community. Knowing that I’m not the only one!
posted November 3, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Definitely for me, total denial leads to obsession and then overindulgence. I need to learn balance. At least starting the Christmas Diet I am eating more healthy food and less junk food along with remembering that this requires planning ahead.
I feel encouraged by being part of a community too, Becky.
posted November 4, 2008 at 6:15 am
I found that if I think that I am craving, craving, craving a sweet or feel ravenously hungry, I drank a big glass of water before putting that forbidden sweet/ food in my mouth. Half the time, I wasn’t ravenously hungry, just thirsty, and when I was hungry or craving, drinking the water seemed to take the edge off of the craving/hunger and gave me enough time to think about what I could eat instead of the bag of m &m’s in the office kitchen I had been contemplating.
This is a great program…I know that it’s only day 4 but I feel so in control…The questions Janice has us answering are very helpful and enlightening.
posted November 4, 2008 at 7:51 am
Cutting back on diet drinks helped me so much with cravings. I drank these things incessantly, and now rarely if ever have one. I would have not thought that change was even possible. Who knew water came out of the faucet?
posted November 4, 2008 at 8:51 am
OMG! I know that you gave great tips this year for halloween, but I was shopping and I couldn’t resist the reese’a peanut butter cups! Oh well. It’s over now and I can get back on track!
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