I don’t eat (or crave) sweet treats. If I eat anything sweet, it’s the salt that really draws me to it – salted caramels, buttery caramels (butter=salt), turtles made with salted nuts, chocolate covered salted pretzels, etc.

Okay, that said, I’m a carb addict, which, of course, is a sugar addict with a preference for savory foods. Bring on the pasta, pile it high with salty Parmesan! I can eat it until I can barely move.

So, a couple years ago I went on a low carb diet. It worked. If I quit EATING carbs I quit CRAVING carbs. Imagine that?! It took a while, there’s no doubt about that. Full disclosure: Wine made my “I’m giving in to this one thing” list. I greatly reduced my carb craving (would have been better without the wine) and I lost weight (would have been better without the wine.)

To me, the answer to the question “Is sugar addictive?” is yes. If we accept the fact that carbs turn into sugar in our body, then I know for a fact that sugar is addictive.

I also believe that for the greater good, we as a governing body need to be on the right side of history. As you mentioned, unregulated slaughterhouses would never be tolerated today, right? Child labor? Fire codes? Waste runoff?

I imagine a day when museums have artifacts of cigarettes and ‘Big Gulps’ and people stand and shake their head and say, “What could they have been thinking!?”

The 21 Day Detox program sounds great. I know when I went low carb, I joined a group that had great support, and recipes! Right now I’m on a 21 Day Green Smoothie challenge and it’s working. I know these groups are a great help to keep you moving forward on any health incentive program.

Thanks again, Pam, for the thoughtful, and thought provoking post.

Rather than look back with regret next year, just start today with that one small step.

Pam, your personal story and what motivated you to develop an exercise routine you enjoy and one that fits your lifestyle truly inspires everyone who wishes to start or had tried too hard before and gave up. I can so relate to all you share.

There couldn’t be a better formula to encourage exercise, regardless of limitations as Pam describes: start small, find what you like, and do it every day – if only for ten minutes! Well said and so true!