Weight Loss Tips: How to Kick Sugar!

 
Hi, I’m Dr. Angela Zechmann.  

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, I want you to know that I’m in your corner. We’re going to team up and fight against a very dangerous substance in our lives, and that’s SUGAR. Yes, one of the first things you will want to do is get off sugar. You may be thinking Come on Dr. Angela, sugar? Really?

Yes, really! Who’d have though this innocent kitchen staple could be wreaking havoc on our lives? We all know about all the other hard hitters out there… alcohol, tobacco, drugs… but sugar, really? Well, turns out it’s just as bad for you as any of the others.  In this video I’m going to explain why it’s so bad, but way more importantly, I’m going to show you the ‘how’ of what we can do to win this toxic battle.

So if you’re ready to fight back against the insidiousness of sugar and its effects on us well. Buckle your seat belt and get ready! 

So let’s start with the ‘why’. Why would you want to get off sugar?

What if I told you that the reason most people in this country are so miserable most of the time is because of sugar? Would you believe me? Do you ever have those achy joints that hurt for no reason? Sugar causes that. How about that out of the blue heartburn, indigestion and bloating?  Sugar causes that too. When you start wheezing when you’re climbing steps… that’s Sugar! Sugar also causes that fatigue that hits you at 3pm - yeah, this happens to basically all off us. 

Sugar is the cause of that weight that seems to pile up in the middle and keeps everyone from seeing your six-pack. Sugar also causes depression… and how many of us are on antidepressants these days? Yeah, basically sugar is at the root of pretty much all pain and chronic disease in this country. Most people don’t really understand just how bad this stuff is. And later, I’m actually going to show you how to get off sugar, so stick with me.  

It turns out, sugar triggers a release of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the happy chemical, a feel good hormone. It’s the same thing that gets produced when a cocaine addict snorts a line, or when a heroin addict shoots up, or when an alcoholic takes that first drink. Tons of dopamine gets released. 

Sugar does the same thing. As a matter of fact, animal studies show that sugar is actually 8x more addictive than cocaine. Eight times! And you wondered why you couldn’t keep yourself out of the Oreos? By the way, If you like Oreos, you’re not alone. Mice like them a lot too. They eat the insides first, just like I did when I was a kid! 

Research is also showing something interesting about flour products, like white bread and pasta. Lots of people tell me they don’t care for sugar. Give them some sour dough bread though… Or that standard comfort food, macaroni and cheese. That’s the stuff that rings their bells.

It’s interesting, because guess what? Past the tongue, white flour and sugar are digested exactly the same way. Flour is actually turned into sugar and will trigger a dopamine release just like sugar. So yeah… all that pain and disability that comes from sugar, occurs with flour products too. Whether it’s cake or pizza, ice cream or macaroni and cheese…. It’s all triggering an addictive drug-like response in the brain. Maybe we should call it ‘Discomfort food’?

And guess what? The food scientists that engineer food products for the big food corporations like Nestle and PepsiCo and General Foods and Kelloggs - they know how to get their food formula just right, so it will trigger that dopamine response in the brain. They even have a name for it: it’s called it the “Bliss Point”. I did a video where I explained how they do that, HERE.

Once you start looking for it, you’ll find added sugar in about 80% of all processed foods in the grocery store The thing is, these added sugars have about 61 different names - names like barley malt, corn syrup solids, maltodextrin and sweet sorghum. Yup - it’s all sugar!

So other than the addiction, why does sugar wreak so much havoc on the body?

It’s all about the insulin. Insulin is a hormone put out by the pancreas. It brings your blood sugar down. Eating crap food brings your blood sugar up, so the pancreas will get to work secreting insulin to bring your blood sugar back down where it belongs. It works (unless you’re diabetic). But insulin also causes your body to store fat. 

Visceral fat.

Belly fat.

You know, the stuff you hate? The stuff that makes you look pregnant if you’re a woman. The stuff some people call a “sugar baby”   

And that fat, that sugar baby belly, as it turns out, is what's causing all the sickness, because it causes inflammation. The body thinks there’s a foreign invader and starts attacking parts of itself, causing arthritis, heartburn and indigestion - and basically scores of other pain and misery.  

Sound familiar? Do you suffer from inflammation, … like joint pain, heartburn, bloating, poor sleep, lethargy… and the list goes on and on. 

So can you see…. If you want a better life, you’ve gotta get off the sugar. 

Now I can hear you: Doc, you just told me this is a drug that’s 8x more addictive than cocaine... Does that mean I have to go through a withdrawal that’s 8 x worse than cocaine withdrawal? 

And that answer is, not exactly.. it's not that bad. You don't have to check yourself into detox. And… you can actually get through the withdrawal with minimal discomfort, of you’re prepared! 

So I’ve told you the ‘what’ ….and the ‘why’ ... so now let’s talk about the ‘how’.

I’ve developed a 3 step process for getting off sugar! It’s all in a little freebie I’ve created called “3 Steps to Break Your Sugar Addiction” - you can download it here.

Step Number 1: Set a quit date. 

OK, so you’re going to have to go though a withdrawal right? If you have a big presentation at work or if your wedding is next weekend, wait until after these events to quit sugar. Just try not to do too much damage in the meantime and don’t, by all means don’t have a ‘Last Supper’. 

Step #2: Ditch it.

So let’s just say you were addicted to crack cocaine. And let’s just say you were tired of sneaking around, and tired of doing jail time when you got caught, and you were really ready to quit. Do you think it would be wise to have stashes of cocaine hidden all over the house? Probably not!  

You’re dealing with a drug that’s 8x more addictive than cocaine. You need to get it out of your house. Yes, you really do! 

So you get a big box and you start with your pantry and you throw out all the crap food. Candy, Cookies, Chips. Cereals. Mac and Cheese boxes. The bread. The crackers Remember we have to get rid of flour too. It’s just as dangerous and addictive. Throw it all out. 

Then go to your fridge. Find the sugary yogurts, the coffee creamer, the barbecue sauce. Throw that out too. 

Then go to your freezer and ditch the ice cream, the taquitos, the frozen pizzas, any kind of crap food that’s there too. 

Now I can hear you through your computer right now…. How can I possibly waste all this food? I paid good money for it! 

Well, think of it like this. It’s going to spike your insulin. And it’s going to make fat. And it’s going to cause inflammation. So it’ can go to ‘waist’, or it can go to ‘waste’. You actually get to decide that. 

Actually, just don’t think too much about it. Chalk it up to being duped by the food engineers. They know what they’re doing and they got you.  

But not any more, right? You’re too smart now. You know better. 

I mean, you’ve made much costlier mistakes in the past, I guarantee it. This is nothing compared to that costly divorce. Or that night in jail after a DUI and thousands of dollars in legal costs. Or that $300 pair of shoes you wore once. So in the grand scheme of costly mistakes, this really is not that big of a deal.

Step #3: Plan ahead.

The biggest question I always get is “So if I can’t eat pancakes, sandwiches, burgers, fast food, Chinese take-out, what in the heck am I supposed to eat except for salads???”

This is where the ‘5 Day Sugar Detox Meal Plan’ comes in, you can download it here. I’ve designed this meal plan just for those of you who really want to do this right. You make this delicious egg and cauliflower casserole for breakfast, and then eat off of that for 5 days. Lunch is a chicken and grape salad, and then every night when you make dinner, you make enough so that you can have the leftovers for lunch the next day. How frickin’ easy is that?? The meals are wholesome, nutritious and delicious. There’s a grocery list there for you too. 

Now here’s a hint. Don’t set foot in a grocery store for a few weeks. Order ahead and pick the groceries up … or have them delivered. You don’t want to go into a store and be tempted to go buy donuts when you have a sugar craving. And you will have cravings. So just don’t even go there. 

Now when you’re in sugar withdrawal, your brain is going to play all kinds of tricks on you. 

Your brain will bargain with you … A little cookie won’t hurt. I can start fresh tomorrow.

Don’t listen to that confused part of your brain. Stay strong. A little cookie will hurt. Because a little cookie will lead to another little cookie and the next thing you know you’ve become the cookie monster. 

So in summary:

If you really want to lose weight and keep it off for good, you have to get the sugar and flour monster under control. Sugar is a powerfully addictive drug and it is the root cause of most of our pain and disability. Flour counts too.  This doesn’t mean you can’t ever have another piece of cake again, it just means that you are very conscious of how much of it you’re eating. You’re careful of what you’re eating every day. Be sure you do it in moderation. Don’t let yourself fall back into the constant binging of sugar and don’t ever give up.  

If you have any questions, and if you want ongoing support for your sugar detox, Join our FB group, ‘Sugar and Flour Buster’s society’. 

I’m so glad you stuck with me to the end, because this is going to be a life changer for you!!

And if you know someone else who needs to get off sugar, make sure you share this with them. Like maybe your mom, your BFF, your sister, your dog… 

To your health!

Dr. Angela

3 Steps to Break Sugar Addiction
5 Day Sugar Detox Menu
FaceBook Sugar and Flour Buster's Society