Sugar Addiction is tough to beat and can make achieving your weight loss goals a nightmare...

You may be a sugar addict if...

You feel you need to sneak to eat your snacks.

You always have a justification. "I worked out really hard yesterday..." "There was only a little bit left..."

Your portion control goes out of the window.

You feel sad once there's no more left.

A candy bar is your go-to afternoon "pick me up."

You aren't satisfied with your meal at a restaurant if you didn't get dessert.

You're a person who breathes.

Okay, that last one is obviously an exaggeration but being a sugar addict definitely puts you among the vast majority of Americans, but the good news is you're here, so you at least recognize it. The scary thing about any type of food addiction is that food is vital to your survival. Contrary to drug and alcohol, which can be avoided entirely. That said, what makes sugar addiction particularly insidious is its presence in everyday foods from childhood to adulthood.

One could say that despite growing up happy and healthy that the average adult has been cultivating a gnarly addiction since they were a kid. Juice, candy, snacks, and prepackaged meals are all laced with enough sugar to trigger withdrawal symptoms similar to some narcotics. Further, because excess sugar is so rampant, it's unlikely that you've experienced withdrawal symptoms and attributed it to the correct source. Sugar is basically allowed to steal your energy, and leave you with dizzying headaches while you blame a random headache, head cold or passing virus instead. Essentially Sugar is all like "ha, got away with another one!" and Head Cold is like "I'm offended by your baseless accusations!"

Now as I mentioned before, we're all in this together. More people than not are addicted to or have been addicted to sugar in the past. So, as a team, we must work together to get through it. The first step is acknowledging you have a problem, and we'll you're here reading this post so, we can scratch that off the to-do list. The next phase should be assessing where your problem areas of high sugar foods are and eliminating them. If your addiction isn't associated with a particular snack or meal, then perhaps a specific habit. Ah, yes, maybe you snack on high sugar foods while studying to keep you awake? Those Oreos pair quite nicely with Thursday night TV? Or perhaps sweets are a comfort food for you, and you're unknowingly using them to self-medicate an emotional need? Lastly, your third and final step is to go through a full on detox. For your viewing pleasure, here's a clear task list for beating your sugar addiction.

Sugar Addiction Task List

#1Acknowledgment

#2 Read Nutrition Labels

#3 Honestly Assess Your Daily Habits

#4 Throw Away Your Stash

#5 Eat Whole Fruits

#6 Eat Dark Leafy Greens, Tofu, and Legumes

#7 Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

#8 Talk to a Counselor or Therapist