Can You Find Benefits in Sugar Addiction? by Joan Kent, PhD

 

Tough to believe it’s already November, and Thanksgiving will soon be here. I began preparing a list of things I’m thankful for in my life. It’s really long. How wonderful is that?

 

But a client made me realize something unusual about giving thanks.

 

Throughout her life, she was able to eat whatever she wanted – no weight gain, no problems, no guilt. Then she reached her 50s, and things changed. She had to change.

 

She was no longer able to eat anything and everything. She needed to pay attention to how much she ate, to which foods she allowed herself to eat. That was the only way she could manage her weight, keep her energy high, and stay positive at work and with her family.

 

She had a strong emotional reaction to having to change. She struggled with her new reality and complained bitterly that it made her feel “ordinary.”

 

And I Fell in Love with My Sugar Addiction

 

My client made me realize how thankful I am for my sugar addiction … because it forced me to focus on healthful nutrition long ago.

 

Why is that important to me? Well, it has kept my health on solid footing for decades. I cringe at the direction I was headed when I ate sugar every chance I got:  frequent colds; irritability; mood swings; bad dreams; skin flare-ups.

 

But I changed before things got seriously bad. Before I “had to” change for age or chronic illness.

 

It also means that, so far, I’ve escaped aches, pains and inflammatory conditions. I actually feel good virtually every day. But it’s more than not being sick or not getting old as I get older (!).

 

It means I’m still thriving as an athlete. That was a huge part of my identity for most of my life, and I guess I cling to it.

 

‘Growing old young’ has kept me doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) regularly. Planks (real planks, no cheating) that last 6 minutes or longer.

 

Recovering from sugar addiction has given me compassion and understanding for folks with chronic conditions and for other food addicts. It has made me a better coach who can offer more value to my clients.

 

It turned me into an expert who has helped many people, which I love most of all.

 

And my client? She found her way through her new food tangles and now feels and looks fantastic.

 

“Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it … it’s just easier if you do.”
― Byron Katie

 

Would you love to conquer a health problem that has been with you for a while? Perfect. That’s what I do. Just visit www.LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Empowered Eating Consult. Discover how easy it is to make a few tweaks and get great results.

 

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar:  7 Simple Steps to Defeat Sugar Addiction, Lift Your Mood, and Transform Your Health.