I’ve been through a lot of big lifestyle changes over the past few years. Some of them have stuck (avoiding processed fat-free/low-fat foods … um, yeah. They aren’t as “healthy” as you’ve been led to believe. Promise.).
Some have been harder to make a permanent part of my life (I’m looking at YOU, “Mr. Running for Exercise!”).
(My first and final 5K … back in MARCH!!!! And that was the last time I ran this YEAR.)
Even though I despise exercising (There — I said it), I do try to push myself each day to live healthier than the day before. Watching my portion control, getting on the treadmill for a walk (walking is just as healthy as running), and taking vitamins have all been things I’ve focused on with the advent of the new school year.
I Can Do More
I’ve had a nagging feeling that I needed to do more — a change that some would consider big and some would consider small. I needed to curb my addiction to sugar.
When I am stressed, I turn to ice-cream and chocolate and cookies and muffins and scones and brownies and sugar in my coffee. Yeah, I have a BIG sweet tooth. When I get stressed or tired, I find myself obsessively craving … and if I start eating whatever sugary thing I find, I. can. not. stop.
It’s bad, y’all!
So, sometime around mid-September, I decided enough was enough, and I stopped adding sugar to my coffee.
It was my first, small step toward starting my sugar-free detox, which began this week.
How was my coffee without sugar? Not bad! I still kept my Half-n-Half (NOT giving that up) and started adding a dash of Roasted Saigon Cinnamon. It turns out that cinnamon tends to trick the brain into believe a sweet flavor is present.
Yeah. I’m basically performing Jedi-Mind Tricks on myself … and it worked!!!!! I haven’t missed sugar in my coffee, and realizing that I could make it in the mornings with a “new normal” is what has encouraged me to take the leap into a full blown (short-term) sugar detox. I’m going to break my dependency on sugar once and for all.
One small change. That’s all it takes to make your life a healthier one.
The next 60 days of my life are going to be all about curbing my sweet tooth. It started with the sugar in my coffee and I’m going to keep going until I’m completely free of needing sugar to de-stress.
It’s ON!!!!!
One Small Change
You don’t have to cut out sugar for a healthier lifestyle. Drinking more water, reducing salt intake, walking at least 30 minutes a day, or even getting more SLEEP are all simple, easy ways to make your mind and body better .. both for the short and long term.
Need proof how a single change can make your life better?
• Adding 20 minutes of walking to your daily routine lowers the risk of high blood pressure by 7.2%, high cholesterol by 7% & diabetes by 12.3%, over 6 years
• Drinking 2 cups of water 30 minutes before each meal can lead to a 44% greater rate of weight loss over a 12-week period
• Snacking on fruits or vegetables twice a day can lead to a 10% weight loss over 6 months
• People eating at least 2 cups of fruit a day are 30% less likely to have a heart attack or stroke
• Getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night can decrease the risk of weight gain due to sleep loss by 15%
• Meditation and deep breathing exercises for 15 minutes a day for 3 months can decrease Cortisol, the hormone associated with physical & mental stress
What’s YOUR One Small Change?
Make one small change and you can improve your health. Start today. Puritan’s Pride wants to help. Pledge your change and enter to win $2,000, plus products to support your healthy lifestyle.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Puritan’s Pride. The opinions and text are all mine.
