The document discusses the author's love of sugary foods like hot chocolate and how consuming them leads to weight gain and blood sugar spikes. It summarizes an article about a man who went without desserts and added sugars for a year, noting several lessons: desserts are addictive; most carbohydrates consumed are highly processed; it's hard to get fat on whole foods; and giving up sugar can recalibrate taste buds to prefer less sweet foods. The author reflects on recognizing personal weaknesses around carbohydrates and applying strategies to improve eating habits and health.

1. I can remember growing up how I loved that cup of hot
chocolate in the morning or on a cold wintery night.
Aromatic, tasty, sugar and sweet with that deep, rich
chocolate flavor I could die for. My sweet tooth was surely
satisfied at least for a while. It never surprises me any
more when my diet is filled with sugary carbohydrates my
waist size bulges a bit. My blood sugar surges upward and
I am no longer burning fat at the cellular level like I would
be ordinarily. I am now accumulating fat around my belly
just like all the people who eat too much, make the wrong
food choices, and rarely exercise. Your food choices,
including your daily caloric intake, and your exercise make
a huge difference determining your body size.

2. How many people do you know that are addicted to or
heavily drawn to carbohydrates? You can include me in
this group because the more bad carbohydrates (refined
and sugar added) I eat the more I crave. Afterwards, I feel
lethargic and uninspired to do much of anything. When I
limit my sugars, I am so much more balanced. Not to
mention I can significantly lose weight when I balance my
blood sugar. I just finished reading an article where the
author Ryan Andrews stopped eating desserts and "extra
sugar" for an entire year. That's pretty amazing
considering how easily carbohydrates are made available
to us. I'm not sure I would want to stop eating dessert for
an entire year, but I respect the fact that someone could
resist desserts and added sugar for an entire year. Fruits
and vegetables are great, but would you really want to go

3. Mr. Andrews who wrote:the article: Sugar Daddy: A Year
Without Desserts says after the 1st month he wasn't even
missing desserts. So Ryan stayed on his path for 11 more
months and turned down desserts for holidays, birthdays,
and special occasions too. Ryan also walked away with
quite a few powerful lessons for saying "no" to desserts.
The obvious lesson is that desserts are addictive. I could
have taken a wild guess on this nugget but some of the
other interesting take homes include:

4. 1) We don't eat sugar "in moderation." Our society takes
in primarily "processed garbage." The majority is in the
form of refined flour/sugar. Ryan says "nearly 90% of the
carbohydrate dense foods we consume are highly
processed." Not only do we eat crap; we are generally full
of crap because of our large refined and sugar based
carbohydrate intake.

5. 2) "It's hard to get fat on whole-foods, particularly plant
foods." In fact after going a couple of months without
desserts Ryan lost weight unintentionally. Mr. Andrews
says he just wasn't as hungry, so you too might be
surprised how your appetite changes if you're giving up
desserts for a while. Sugar is well-known to drive and
stimulate appetite; I think we can all recognize that.in our
lives. When we open up the flood gates to sugar, we
usually crave and desire more, right?

6. 3) Ryan Andrews also noticed that some foods just
became too sweet for him. His taste buds "re-calibrated"
and Ryan didn't want sweet food as much. I notice this
myself when I curb the sweet stuff. Foods with "added
sugar" tasted like candy, but his friends who were still
eating desserts couldn't tell the difference. "Sugar added"
foods tasted perfectly normal to his sugar eating friends.
Ryan's point is that if you eat sugar all the time that is
what you will become accustom to. On the contrary, if you
eat fruits and vegetables all the time (for a month without
desserts and "added sugar" like Ryan did) that is what you
will desire.

7. Mr. Andrews article is here if you would like to read more:
Sugar Daddy: Year Without Desserts

8. Of course there are always exceptions for a few of us.
Some people just don't have any desire to eat sweets, but
the large majority of the population love to indulge in
decadent fashion. If you are taking the time to read this
article, I imagine sweets and sugars might or could be
addictions for you. I know carbohydrates are my fuel of
choice, but I have to admit I am so much more satisfied by
protein based meals. It takes those hunger pains away and
I feel like I have sustained energy. I think it's important to
recognize our "weak links" and apply strategies that
improve our current situation. So this begs the question
"are simple and refined carbohydrates in control of your
eating?"

9. Every one of us can make improvements in our lives and
hopefully you are practicing a lifestyle that is constantly
evolving and improving. Sugar cravings and addictions
along with excessive calorie intake is the reason so many
Americans are fat and overweight. Most of us didn't learn
how to eat properly from childhood, but that doesn't
mean we can't learn and apply new strategies as we grow
up. There is an abundance of good information at your
fingertips, but you have to put down the milk chocolate.
It's processed anyway so it's not a surprise it tastes so
good. Sugar and chemicals is a potent combination so
don't let the synergy of the two control your life in ways
that will detrimentally harm your health and well-being.

10. http://www.healthyweightlossxp.com/