Is Sugar Addiction Real?

Hi, my name is Lisa, and I’m a former cookie addict.⁣

🍪⁣

I used to eat full boxes and packages of cookies a row at a time. There was no stopping me once I started. I was a machine. At first, my friends watched in shock and awe, not believing the sheer volume of food that I could consume. Then, I started to sense that this was not “normal” as no one else around me was eating to the point of keeling over on the couch and passing out from a cookie coma.⁣

🛋

⁣ After years and years of feeling shame over my behavior and thinking that something was severely wrong with me, I decided to get help. That’s when I decided that enough was enough, and as fate would have it, I met Shannon.⁣

👯‍♀️⁣

“This is not a diet; this is science, Lisa,” she said.⁣

👩🏻‍🔬⁣

Science! I love science! And good thing it’s not a diet, because I suck at those. SOLD. Tell me everything, Shannon!!⁣

🙏⁣

One week into my program, I quickly realized that I HAD BEEN UNDEREATING DURING THE DAY FOR MOST OF MY ADULT OF LIFE, particularly with respect to carbohydrates and particularly with respect to my intense activity levels and training volume.⁣

🤦🏻‍♀️⁣

While I had committed to a regular exercise program, I was completely clueless about how to properly fuel my body. I was absolutely terrified of carbs, so I tried to avoid them at all costs during the day until I⁣ lost my willpower and caved at night. I relied on the “eat less, move more” mantra that has been drilled into our conditioned brains since we started to become more sedentary as a species. What I realized is that I was training like an athlete and treating my body like a dumpster in terms of nutrition. Skipping breakfast, coffee and a Kind bar for lunch, clawing my way to wine-o-clock, chugging wine, squeezing in a 1,000 calorie dinner, and topping it off with a box of cookies for dessert. Rinse and repeat the next day.⁣

😬⁣

All this time, I was convinced that I was addicted to sugar – because sugar is more addictive than cocaine, right?! But, have we ever stopped to ask in what context this sugar consumption is occurring? Are we eating erratically all day or not at all, with low protein, and not enough fuel for our lifestyle? For me, I was addicted to sugar because my body was CLEARLY hungry and asking for some freaking carbs! I can’t believe I used to go into a powerlifting session or high-intensity spin class straight up cold with no food at all. Of course, I wanted a box of cookies by 8pm!!!! Nowadays, with the rising popularity of high- fat, low-carb diets and even intermittent fasting, many of us are feeling the intensity of these “sugar” cravings which just feeds right back into the theory that it’s addictive.⁣

🤯⁣

I had no idea how bad I felt until I started feeling AMAZING from balancing my macronutrients. I had so much energy that I had to tell myself to NOT fist pump in excitement at the gym. My PRs went through the roof, muscles started popping, body fat decreased, the weight dropped, and I stopped binge eating packages of cookies... for a few months.⁣ 🗓 ⁣ You see, I’ve been eating like an a-hole for many, many more years than I’ve been eating like I give a damn – from a place of love and self-care. Full disclosure: choosing to nourish my body is STILL something that I have to make a conscious effort to implement TO THIS DAY. Every time I choose to make a balanced meal, I’m choosing myself and my health. The cookie cravings only come when I default to not eating.⁣

🙅🏻‍♀️⁣

So, if you’re doing Keto, Whole 30, Paleo, etc., what happens when you opt for a piece of birthday cake or go on a 3-day carb bender because you’ve missed bread so much, and then blame it on your “sugar addiction” and lack of willpower? Let’s take a step back on this one... could it be that the very thing you’re trying to restrict is coming into more focus because you’ve now labeled it something that you can’t have? There’s a better way, friends. We promise. Carbs can be your friends.⁣ 💚⁣ Welcome to The Green Door Life. NOTHING is off-limits.