Start the new year healthy

I just participated in the “Start the New Year Healthy” tele-summit hosted by celebrity chiropractor and wellness expert Dr. George Gauthier. It was a free online conference from Jan. 2 to 5 and included interviews and free giveaways from 18 different health experts. We all shared our tips and strategies for kicking off 2016 with health and wellness.

If you didn’t have a chance to tune in, I’m sharing a few highlights from my interview with Dr. Gauthier about the common mistakes and success factors for breaking the nasty sugar cycle.

Whether you want to give up sugar or just want to make some healthy changes in 2016, I hope these insights will inspire you to get started.

Q. What are some of the common mistakes you see people making when they try to minimize or cut out sugar?

A. To successfully reduce sugar you need to stop thinking about it as a nourishing, rewarding, comforting, wholesome treat. And start thinking about it as the toxic, damaging chemical that it is.

If you thought about sugar this way, if it was labelled with a poison skull symbol, you likely wouldn’t use it to nourish and soothe, or give it to your kids as a reward or incentive.

If you’ve tried to quit sugar and been unsuccessful, it could be because you are still thinking of it as a delightful indulgence, a tasty treat, a sinful extravagance — not as the harmful substance it actually is.

The next mistake I see people making is trying to cut back on sugar slowly.

I am sure many of you have tried cutting out sugar slowly, piecemeal, removing one item, then another, then another.

This is a painful, slow process. It’s like death by a thousand cuts and it does not work. Because you still have too much carbohydrate in your system and you never really get it all out.

When quitting sugar, just like quitting drugs or alcohol, you really do have to go cold turkey. This means for a period of time, you need to remove all processed refined sugars and restrict carbohydrates.

The third common mistake people make is to “try” but not really make a full commitment.

When attempting to minimize sugar, many people don’t give it their all. They do it “willy nilly” and don’t take it seriously.

You say you are going to “try” to get healthier. “Try” to eat less sweets. Well “trying” just doesn’t cut it.

I’ve seen it happen time and time again. People fall off the wagon, they only do the parts they like, the easy stuff, and they fail.

If you truly want to break up with sugar for good, you have to get serious about it. You have to be committed. You have to have a plan, take some action and just do it!

Q. What are some of the success factors people need to include in their plan or process to successfully break the sugar cycle?

A. The number one success factor is to have a vision.

The first step in the process is to develop your sweet life vision. This is figuring out what your motivation is to want to change, the reason why you want to give up sugar and be healthier.

You envision yourself at your most healthy and well state. What’s possible when you have unlimited heath and vitality?

People who can clearly define this vision for themselves and keep it front and centre during the process, are much more successful that those who do not come up with a vision, and are solely motivated by external factors or fear.

The second success factor is to have support and connection.

When trying to make a health, wellness or lifestyle change it’s crucial to your success to consider your sources of support and connectedness.

Isolation has become a known health risk. Research shows people who are better connected to their community, to nature, to their work, have a connection to something greater, and who have good self connection, appear healthier than those who are isolated.

If you are going to be successful at making a heath change, you need to reach out and get support. Taking on this shift will be a lot easier and more enjoyable when the people you love and surround yourself with support your journey.

The final success factor is all about trusting the process.

There are many ways you can choose to tackle your break-up with sugar. You can hire a professional like a coach, dietician, or a naturopath. You can enrol in an online program, read a book, or join a cleanse.

Whatever path you choose, it was designed to bring certain outcomes. It has steps to follow, guidelines, recommendations and a proven process.

So trusting the process is all about making a commitment to this proven plan and to stick to it. Keep showing up. Keep moving through the steps. Have faith. Recognize the small wins and successes. Slowly but surly, you’ll build momentum, break old habits, and develop new ones that you’ll have for life.

When you start to doubt the process, go off on your own, take detours and shortcuts, that’s when you’ll run into trouble.

If you want to be successful at a health and wellness change in 2016, develop a vision, get some support, pick a plan, and trust in the process. You’ve got this.

Michelle MacLean is a certified Wellness Coach and Nutrition Consultant in the Halifax area. She works primarily with women who are struggling with the negative effects of sugar and helps them find energy, lightness and ease through her eight-week Sugar Shift Intensive and individual coaching. For more information visit www.michelle-maclean.com.