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These days, everyone seems to know that sugar is bad news and should be avoided.

Sometimes I feel as if I”™ve heard every possible question about it, but a few sugar questions pop up over and over again. Here are 3 of them.

- If I quit sugar, will I have to do it forever?

No nutrition question is ever wrong or out of bounds. But this one is asked from the person”™s current sugar mindset.

For someone who”™s hooked on sugar, just thinking about giving it up is scary. That”™s probably because any sugar addict knows that cravings and symptoms are likely to occur if and when they try to do without it.

The idea of going without sugar forever seems even worse — not only scary, but also impossible and dismal. How can life be worth living without sugar?

Here”™s the good news. What”™s true about giving up sugar is things change. Often a lot.

Once you”™re past the addiction, for example, other foods start to taste different — better. Really. It is possible to enjoy the delicious flavors of foods that aren”™t sweet when you”™re no longer hooked on wanting everything to taste sweet.

Here”™s another change. After going without sugar for a while (think several months, rather than just a few days) you may be able to taste a little bit without experiencing any relapse.

The bad news might be that it won”™t be possible to go back to eating the “bad old way” without rekindling the sugar addiction. But since that ‘bad old way”™ may have caused the health, mood or focus problems that made you decide to quit sugar, how bad is it really to let it go?

- Aren”™t all foods okay in moderation?

Not everyone can achieve moderation around certain foods.

In the same way that some people can drink alcohol in moderation while others can”™t, some people can open a candy bar, take a bite, and leave the rest on the desk for days — till they decide to take a second bite. Obviously, that”™s moderation.

Not everyone can do that. For a sugar addict, a bite of a candy bar is all too likely to lead to repetition — another bite, then another, then another. It”™s also likely to lead to another candy bar — or some other sugary food, such as the cookies in the office break room that day.

- Can I still have agave, maple syrup, honey, or dark chocolate?

I call this the “loophole” question.

It takes other forms, too. Some clients have asked me if it”™s okay to take weekends off from their food program.

Clever (sneakier?) clients have asked if it”™s okay to take weekends off from logging their food intake. I guess they think I won”™t realize they”™re trying to give themselves room to eat whatever junk strikes their fancy, while keeping no record of any of it for me to review.

If you”™re looking for loopholes, you”™re probably still in the powerful grip of sugar.

I recommend making a commitment to yourself — dull, unsexy and arduous as that may sound — to quit and stick with it.

What”™s great is how you”™ll feel once you”™ve taken the plunge. Once your health improves — along with your medical tests, your skin, your mental clarity, and your moods — the junk will seem less important.

In fact, you may wonder how you ever let sugar take control of your appetite, your moods and your life in the first place.

Or why you ever resisted getting rid of it!

Are you thinking about quitting sugar but feeling a bit scared? Do you think you might need help? Perfect, because that”™s what I do. Just visit www.FoodAddictionSolutions.com/Coaching and request your free Food Breakthrough session. Find out how easy it can be to make a few changes that get you on the right path — and how easy it is to stay on it!

Joan Kent

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