My carbon scrub sessions caused me to lose my sugar cravings for four days. The result was weight loss
Did you know a lot of us are sugar addicts but don’t even know it?
Giving up sugar or cutting down your consumption of it considerably will help you lose unwanted pounds or maintain the right weight.
Sugar that is not burned off is responsible for obesity and stubborn fats.
I figured that since I don’t drink alcohol or soda, it would be easy for me to give up sugar, as I just had to give up chocolate, iced tea and pastries.
Then I realized a lot of things I take are merely disguised as healthy but are loaded with sugar: cereal, yogurt, Asian salad dressings and sauces, corn, atchara, barbecue sauce, Ruby Red grapefruit juice, loads of pomelos and pears.
Wow, food without sugar can get really sickening and bland.
It all started when my carbon scrub sessions caused me to lose my sugar cravings for four days.
Juice drinks and frappuccinos suddenly tasted sickeningly sweet: I had no desire to touch sweets like pastries, fruit and ice cream.
I noticed after a week of dropping sugar, I could fit into some of my old pants and I had less back bra bulges.
I fully decided to quit sugar even without the AC scrub on Jan. 4. On Jan. 19, I weighed myself and happily found out I had lost six of the seven pounds I started piling on starting last November. And this had been achieved without added exercise or going hungry.
But I caved in once, had barbecue sauce and iced tea, then woke up to three extra pounds, with a tight belly and chunkier thighs, which made my pants fit awful.
I got right back on the regimen and lost two pounds the next morning. I would have lost up to eight pounds had I just not slid down.
Benefits
The most dramatic change is actually easing to sleep at 11 p.m. and staying there without waking up several times in the evening.
I used to sleep at 2 a.m., wake up several times at night and get out of bed at 9 a.m., feeling cranky and exhausted.
Another benefit is that I have less cravings for fast food, chocolates and chips. The cravings, if any, are now so slight that they are easy to resist. Even coffee holds no appeal for me now as I like mine with sugar.
Then there’s less craving for salt. You know the vicious cycle—you eat something sweet, then you look for something salty later? That goes away, so the body has less water retention and less puffiness.
Downsides
But I got really bad headaches on and off on days three to five and was very irritable due to withdrawal syndrome.
Then there’s chronic constipation since I have given up fruit. I have to take more green leafy veggies which I am not crazy about.
There are even days I still have to take senna tea to regulate my system.
Note: Those with hypothyroid disorders should stay away from carrots, radish, eggplant and Brussels sprouts as these stall metabolism. Inch loss is also more apparent than weight loss so do not weigh until the two weeks are up or you will get discouraged if no pounds are lost.
What must still be done: I will continue to abstain from sugar but I need to add to the regimen by not eating anything after 7 p.m.
Others still to be done: Drinking water is allowed but nothing else. Cut down on carbohydrates and totally ban it for dinner. Increase aerobic activity.
Did you know that for the first 12 minutes of aerobics, all that our body burns is sugar? It is just after that you start burning fat. So slow and steady really wins the race. Bursts of energy you cannot sustain past 12 minutes will only burn sugar. No wonder despite multiple high-impact aerobics classes, some people I know still have high body fat.
Still yet to be done: Read labels and drop anything containing fructose a.k.a. corn syrup. If sugar is in the first three ingredients, forget the product. Four grams of sugar is about a teaspoon.
If you can, stop also using Splenda because the point is to train your taste buds not to crave anymore for sweets.
For questions, e-mail kinnyski@gmail.com.