But I’m addicted to carbs

“But I’m addicted to carbs” is one of my favorite lines. If that describes what you have been thinking and believing, you need to know that what you are really hooked on is sugar. I remember a couple of years ago during the low-carb fad when people thought that the Atkins Diet was healthy. People would tell me that they avoided carbs as they were telling me about short-term memory loss, gout, inflammation and the other bad side effects of a high protein diet. Your body needs carbs (not donuts and potato chips) to be healthy. Your brain is powered by healthy carbohydrates like vegetables, whole grains and fruit. Weight loss hypnosis can help you make healthy changes in your eating habits so that you are addicted to the right carbs.

But I’m addicted to carbs

This is one of my favorites! It’s really hard for me to keep a straight face when people tell me they are addicted to carbs.

As I was researching the effects of low-carb diets, I began hearing reports on TV about the mood swings, depression, anger and concentration difficulties that can be experienced while limiting carbohydrates. The restriction of carbohydrates impacts serotonin levels resulting in these mood swings. In December 2003, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reported that of 429 participating individuals on low-carb diets, 44 percent experienced constipation, 40 percent experienced loss of energy, 40 percent reported bad breath, 33 percent reported heart-related problems, 29 percent experienced difficulty concentrating, 19 percent experienced kidney problems, 9 percent reported gallbladder problems or removal, 5 percent reported gout, 4 percent reported diabetes, 4 percent reported colorectal or other cancers and 3 percent reported osteoporosis.

Instead of looking for low-carb foods, you should be looking for products that don’t have any added sugar or refined flours.

Many of the new low-carb products are just as refined and faraway from their natural state as the old low-fat products. And look at all the unnecessary ingredients like diglycerides, carrageenan, acesulfame potassium—some products have dozens of ingredients! The ingredient label should be simple; it should contain real food like potatoes, wheat, apples or cinnamon.

Of course we really do crave carbohydrates. Our bodies need carbohydrates, even in childhood, as a nutrient. Carbohydrates are the most efficient forms of energy that we can consume. But I’m not talking about Oreos, Pringles and Krispy Kreme donuts. The foods our bodies crave and need for nutrition are vegetables, whole grains and fruit. No one has come to me complaining about craving brown rice, beans and apples.

Unfortunately, when people tell me they’re hooked on carbs, what they’re really saying is that they’re hooked on sugar. What they are craving are foods loaded with sugar or foods that rapidly disintegrate into millions of sugar molecules that rush to the bloodstream during the process of digestion. White flour and white sugar provide little nutritional value and squeeze healthier foods out of your diet. The more sugar and refined grains you eat, the less you eat nutritionally complete foods that provide essential vitamins and other micronutrients.

Mike finally kicked his sugar habit, and offers this advice. “Hang in there getting off sugar—it took me about a month to stop craving it—but now I don’t think about it, and it’s no big deal to turn down pastries, cookies, etc. The same goes for chips.”

But let’s focus on the good carbs. You want natural food— the way it grew from the earth—foods that are closest to their natural state: apples, oranges, potatoes and whole grains are packed full of life-giving nutrients. According to William Castelli, of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, “Some people scoff at vegetarians, but they have only 40 percent of our cancer rate. They outlive us. On average they outlive other men by about six years now.”

Charles, who had been overweight his whole life, finally released his excess weight on the Slender For Life™ program. He was surprised at how much his food preferences changed. “I became a vegan, and it is a huge success, because I was addicted to cheese. I like not feeling bloated. My cravings have disappeared, thankfully. Low-fat hummus and tofu are my new favorite foods. I am surprised that I like veggies and tofu now.”

From Becoming Slender For Life, second edition,
pages 141 – 143

Seattle weight loss and Bainbridge Island weight loss can help you to desire a healthy plant based diet that will support you in your weight loss goals, help you to improve your health and facilitate your ability to maintain your healthy ideal weight throughout your life. Stop yo-yo dieting with hypnosis for weight loss.

Check out Slender For Life™ and call (206) 903-1232 or email for your free consultation.

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