Time to break free from sugar...for real this time?

If you’re tired of being out of control, and sabotaging your best intentions for becoming healthier, then you’re in the right place. Are you a sugar/carb addict? Do you do any of the following behaviors?

  • You plan your route to pass by a store where you can get a specific treat.

  • You are in the habit of rewarding yourself for “being good.”

  • You have been known to finish entire (or almost) bags of cookies, chips, pretzels, or pints of ice cream in a single sitting.

  • It sometimes feels like your stomach is a bottomless pit.

  • You justify a splurge by saying “I’ll compensate tomorrow.”

  • You’re tired of succumbing to the cravings and how that makes you feel. You feel you “should” be able to figure this out.

Yes, you can learn to eliminate sugar from your diet, even though it feels impossible sometimes.

And you know what, you probably will, because you’re here. You have enough personal honesty to know you have an issue with sugar/carbs, and you know it’s hard to be successful quitting on your own. Maybe you’ve tried tons of different diets…they all work for a while, but ultimately are too restrictive, so you slip back to your old ways. Ahhh, those old ways. They’re comfortable. They’re consistent. They’re reliable….you have a thought, then a craving, then you give yourself the satisfaction of feeding the craving. It’s kind of a good system! You’re not sure you even want to give them up.

Well my friend, it's not your fault.

Sugar is more addictive than cocaine because of the way it lights up your brain.

The fact is that sugar is a highly addictive substance – some research suggests that it is 6x as addictive as cocaine. And, it is hiding in 74% of the foods in the supermarket. That’s a pretty deadly combination. But once you learn about what sugar does in the body, and how to avoid it out in the world, you will feel empowered and in control of your health future.

It's not about having enough willpower.

I know what it is like to be a carb addict, how deceitful and self-justifying it is…and how hard it is to quit. It took me several tries before feeling like I finally had a “safe” relationship with sugar/carbs. What does that look like? For one, I feel in control. I don’t feel like I need to use all my willpower to avoid eating a piece of cake – it just doesn’t have the pull it used to. I have sustained energy and mental focus throughout the day, and no longer have 3:00pm cravings for a pick-me-up. All this is huge relief, because thinking about what I “could” eat and “shouldn’t” eat was taking up so much mental energy (not to mention all the self-loathing from continually letting myself down from not being able to control what I ate). All gone!

That's the sugar talking!

Here's the story about the day I learned that sugar actually TALKS to you.

I work as a communications consultant, specializing in behavior change marketing. That is to say, we use all the tools and techniques of commercial marketing, but try to get people to behave better. You know, quit smoking, breast feed longer, wash your hands…stuff like that. I also teach about behavior change in the Masters of Public Health program at the University of Vermont. So, a few years ago, I was doing research for a book about how government policy and the media were the forces behind the health crisis in this country. But while I was focusing on these big-picture problems, I was in major denial about my own sugar/carb addiction. I didn’t think having sweet treats, especially ones from the health food store, was an issue for me because I workout and am otherwise healthy. But this one day I was in the grocery store, deciding what I was going to eat on the drive home. As I was reaching for a dark chocolate peanut butter cup, I heard a voice in my head say, “You can have that, you worked out today.” Wait a second! Who is that voice talking?? That’s not me – I have health goals that don’t include having candy. That was the moment I realized that it was the sugar talking, and it sent me on my path to discover how and why it gets in your head (it's a real thing). I figured out what I needed to do to be successful quitting -- addressing the emotional as well as physical addiction -- and created this program to help others break free too.

If you're ready to take action, I can't wait to help you learn how to master your sweet tooth by empowering you with knowledge, practical tools, and a winning mindset.

Doing a No-Added-Sugar Challenge isn't forever; it's just long enough to break the chains.

Then you can have the choice and freedom to choose how much and what kind of sugar/carbs you can eat without being triggered. Now I can safely have sweet treats on occasion, and have a better sense of how much sugar and what type (including fruit) I can have without falling into the addictive cycle again. You can learn this too. It has become my mission to educate people about the harms of sugar, and help them set themselves free. [It's also part of my mission to teach nutrition education in schools, and to develop policy that protects kids from sugar marketing.]

What people are saying about the program

Sustainable Change

Suzy F.

Breaking Free From Sugar has increased my awareness of how much sugar I was actually consuming. Andrea’s approach to this program truly takes in to account and is understanding of the fact that many of us are making major habit and lifestyle changes. Yet her encouragement and supportive educational materials made it easy to want to make a lasting change (rather than just eliminating sugar for one month and then going back to old ways). My new relationship with sugar feels sustainable. My body is thanking me - and Andrea!

No Looking Back

J.R.

The Breaking Free From Sugar program that Andrea has created set me up for success in taking on the challenge of cutting sugar out of my diet. Her informative packets, backed by thorough research, kept me motivated to see the challenge through to the end. I was also supported by Andrea's multi-pronged approach to setting up support systems, which ensured my success. Lastly, her positive messaging and down-to-earth approach allowed me to get over some early setbacks. I was feeling the differences occurring with my body in a matter of days. After 1 week into the challenge, my energy level leveled out and there was no looking back!

Raised Awareness and Changed Habits

E.S.

The No-Added-Sugar-Challenge raised my awareness of the hidden added sugar in the foods I was eating and drinking. I've changed by shopping and eating habits for the better after completing the challenge. Thanks for creating a very worthwhile experience for me. I am very glad that I participated.

Changes I Plan On Keeping

Erika L.

This was a real wake-up call to the amount of sugar in our food. I did not think of myself as a sugar addict but I was surprised by how much sugar is in the foods I eat that I consider healthy (Go Lean cereal, Chobani fruit yogurt, fruit and nut granola bars). This one month challenge was a great way to make changes I plan on keeping.

Instructor(s)

Andrea Grayson, PhD

Andrea’s primary work for the past decade has been in public health communications, where she designs marketing/outreach campaigns and programs to inspire healthy behaviors. She teaches about the social and behavioral aspects of public health in the Masters of Public Health program at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont and is also a Certified Holistic Health Coach.

It's a Win-Win

A portion of profits go to supporting nutrition education in schools

This small-but-important step you are taking to improve your health is also contributing to teaching the next generation about healthy eating. Updates about this initiative will be available soon.
Register now