Cutting Sugar Out - Cold Turkey or Not?

How do you cut sugar out of your diet.....cold turkey or not?

Here it is the BIG QUESTION. Now we can certainly argue both positions & quite honestly I don't think it really matters because what matters is what YOU THINK. It is YOUR BELIEF & YOUR BELIEFS are what your subconscious programs are all about..

People always ask me which is the most successful route. What do I suggest to my clients/patients? Well, just what I'm suggesting here. Get your food in order first, and then work with some deep relaxation second.... Bring in awareness during your day & notice when you sugar & the emotions connected to it....as well as anything else you can spot.

We are getting ready to plan now, so heightened awareness is giving us the vital information we need to know WHAT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS & WHAT WE WANT THE CURRENT SITUATION TO BE. The plan will be all about how we will get there, as well as STAY THERE.

You might notice that as your food intake changes, your desires for the sugar foods & the cravings diminish greatly. These are physiological changes. As long as you continue to eat & drink correctly, you won't have them again. Now that was easy, wasn't it? But life is not that simple & so we have a life that unfolds with all kinds of stress, as well as old behaviors, triggers & a host of other self-facets looking to knock us off our bicycle.

Once the food & beverage is in order, I suggest my clients/patients work with awareness meditation ongoing. Next, we address the famous question, weaning or turkey. I like something different..... a very self-disciplined approach to managing sugar. Self-discipline is FUN!!! Please repeat that because it is true. SELF-DISCIPLINE IS FUN!!!!

The subconscious mind loves a good game, and that is exactly what self-discipline is. We make a game plan & our goal is to stick to it. Once we achieve that, then the fun enhances. We are now in heightened motivation. We have more fun..... we look at our game plan & we work to make it better & better in small increments. We involve the actual action in the self-hypnotic game. We ask it questions such as "What would you like to do next to get better?" More about this fun-activity later.....

I like to segregate or isolate the sugars. Any sugar that is related to compulsive eating is completely disallowed. Only non-compulsive related sugars ARE ALLOWED & ONLY AT A SPECIFIC TIME. For my clients/patients that is after dinner. Not in the evening, but right after dinner as part of the meal. It is important to break the sugar-snack behavior.

Our rules go something like this. Breakfast is "religious." It is always eaten & always contains the correct amount of protein, carbohydrates & fat. Lunch is "religious"....and contains the correct amount of protein, low-glycemics, sometimes high glycemics depending on the individual & fat. Mid-afternoon snack is "religious" for some depending on several factors. Dinner is always eaten in a healthy balance & then the sugar-treat is offered, once again a non-compulsive eating choice. If the person finds that it BECOMES a compulsive-treat, then it is disallowed from that moment forth, and a different non-compulsive treat is substituted.

There is no walk-by eating allowed & no snacking on junk or sugars. If the patient/client is hungry, certainly he/she may eat some good nutritious food, but also is required to "study" or become aware of why this has happened. When we eat as we should, the physiological hunger is in balance. Sometimes the person can spot the emotion or stress involved & this becomes part of the life-work in managing sugar addiction.

If you are working with any audio from my website, continue with the sugar addiction, as well as the awareness tools. The more you program for heightened awareness, the easier it will be to spot the little & big offenders & discipline them with interactive self-hypnosis.

Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, President & Program Designer for Sarasota Medical & Sports Hypnosis Institute located in Sarasota, FL & online at http://www.hypnosis-audio.com & http://www.sugar-addiction.comShe is the author of Sugar....the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It, as well as +350 audio CD's & mp3's. The websites include moderated discussion groups, ezines, library & a host of other educational tools for learning Interactive Self-Hypnosis. Visit the online Boot Camp & work directly with the author. Download a free mp3 each month.