When it comes to addiction, “falling off the wagon” is feared by all who embark on a journey of recovery. Falling off the wagon means starting from square one to many people. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, there is evidence that approximately 90 percent of alcoholics are likely to experience at least one relapse over the 4 year period following treatment.
This number may be even higher with those quitting sugar, simply because of sugar’s widespread presence in our world. You’re not going to accidentally get some liquor in your breakfast, however, refined sugar is a different story because it is often lurking in unsuspecting places. This can be discouraging and stacks the odds against sugar addicts, thus leaving them prone to “falling off the wagon”.
In light of this discouraging reality, what if we reframed the journey? What if you were on a train instead of a wagon? You’re not falling off the wagon, you’re making a quick stop on the train. Regardless of the amount of time spent at the stop, that train will always be heading toward your freedom – whatever that means for you. The strategy for getting off of sugar involves making those train stops shorter and less frequent until, before you know it, your destination is well within eyesight.
So the next question becomes, what is your freedom? In a TED Talk by Simon Sinek, he discusses the importance of knowing your “Why”. In large successful organizations that thrive, they have a clear vision of what they’re “Why” is and that’s what they communicate from.
This is no different for individuals. Knowing your reason for embarking on this journey to end your sugar addiction is what carries you through the journey. That “why” is going to be different for each individual and knowing it is crucial to making it to your destination.
So, ask yourself, “Why do I want to end my sugar addiction?” If your answer is “Because I want to lose weight” then dig a little deeper. The superficial won’t keep you motivated through this process, so question your own answers. Why do you want to lose the weight? Is it to feel better in your clothes? Is it so that you can feel happy each morning you wake up? Is it so you can be more present with your family? Whatever the reason, identifying it is the first step to boarding your train to Sweet Freedom.
A meaningful life change comes from manifesting positive energy in all 4 dimensions of nourishment – Mental, Emotional, Physical and Spiritual. Physical change is driven by the other 3 dimensions and if there is toxicity in any of these realms, the drive for the physical fails.
This means that by identifying toxicity and bringing in nourishing influences in the mental, emotional and spiritual realms, you can actively make physical change happen easier for yourself. The Sweet Freedom Program works in all of these realms to “hypernourish” your body and bring you to your Sweet Freedom destination.