Or perhaps you need something sweet after every meal?

Is it impossible to stop once you start eating the sweet stuff?

What about breads and pastas?

Your body is wise.

So just because you are having uncontrollable sugar cravings does not make you weak or your body the enemy.

Cravings of any  kind are a cry for help. A cry for balance.

It is the opportunity to investigate what might be off and give your body, mind, spirit what it really needs.

Sugar has many unhealthy consequences as you can read in my past blog post.

It also fogs up your clarity and purpose.

It darkens the light of the spirit.

If you are ready to take the sugar free challenge, here are some tips:

Eight Steps To Sugar Freedom:

1. Add more leafy greens - nature’s magic food
   
2. Add more sweet vegetables – carrots, sweet potato, yams, beets, cooked onions, parsnips, winter squash
3. Monitor your protein- not too much, not too little
4. Get more water – hydration heals sooo much
5. Add natural sweeteners to your foods/cooking – stevia, xylitol, real raw agave, raw honey
6. Call in more sweetness in your life! Get a hug, visit with nature, call a friend, get a massage . . .
7. Eat breakfast. And make it a good one. Try some veggies for breakfast or a good quality superfood shake, you might be surprised!
8. Feed your spirit. Connect with work or hobbies that inspire and nourish your being.

Bonus: Get support! I am so grateful to the counselors and health professionals who guided me along this path.

Need support? Contact Ana to schedule your break through session today!

devana108@gmail.com (831) 601-3282

Get more details and register for the F*REE call on Wednesday

http://snipurl.com/devana

Trust me, I’m a former sugar head.

And I’ve worked with many a sugar head in my health coaching practice.

As one friend so eloquently put it, “nothing puts fat on my body faster than sugar.”

He shared that he would notice “visible fat within 24 hours”.

And fat is just the beginning, unfortunately.

Stay tuned for an ongoing exploration of why and how to get the bad sweet out,

and how to get the good sweet in.

For now, some sugar stats . . .

with love and sugar-free sweetness,

Ana : )

Sugar Stats

• · The average American eats a whopping 160 pounds of sugar and corn syrup each year – PLUS another 24 pounds of artificial sweeteners. That’s just the average!
• · If you think you’re not adding that much sugar to your cup of coffee, take a look at the ingredients in the foods you eat.
• · The average American takes in 42 pounds of corn syrup every year.

• · The average teenage boy drinks 868 cans of soda a year. The average girl isn’t far off this mark.

• · Artificial sweeteners are no better. Some people react to aspartame immediately, while others can take 10 to 20 years for the aspartame reaction to become noticeable. Problems attributed to aspartame include:

* anxiety and panic attacks

* problems concentrating and focusing

* loss of memory

* depression or irritability

* dizziness

Health risks associated with sugar consumption:

Obesity, Hypoglycemia, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, anemia, immune deficiency, tooth decay, bone loss, PMS, yeast infections, loss of memory and concentration, depression and mood swings

Addictive substance:

Eating even a small amount creates a desire for more

Suddenly quitting it causes withdrawal symptoms like cravings, fatigue, mood swings and even headaches

Watch out for hidden sugars in “health foods”:

Flavored yogurt

Ketchup

Peanut butter

Teriyaki sauce

Tomato sauce

Low or non-fat foods

Hamburger buns

Baked beans

Toothpaste

Shakes and sports drinks

Cold cereals, even most “healthy” ones

Read labels and make whole food choices:

Whole fruits, roasted carrots or yams, turkey with veggie sticks, nut butter on celery sticks, unsweetened trail mix, fruit and veggie smoothies, organic plain yogurt with fresh fruit, hummus and whole grain bread, guacamole with baked chips

Stevia and agave nectar are great sweet alternatives

Sometimes you need to just focus on the next step . . .

with love,

Ana

I was depressed, addicted sugar, suffering from debilitating migraines and barely had the energy to get out of bed in the morning. The fog in my brain made it impossible to really move ahead in my life, have a healthy intimate relationship and enjoy my life.

I knew I needed help and support, and thankfully, I found it.

I found yoga, holistic practitioners that showed me a healthy way to live and The Institute For Integrative Nutrition where I eventually got my  training to help others live a vibrantly healthy and happy life.

I understand being in the darkness, which is why I want to support you in reaching your light as much as I possibly can.

That is why I decided to create the 10-week BlissBody Transformation Teleseries. This program can be done from anywhere, anytime (all classes are recorded) and I made sure the cost was very affordable.

However, I realize that for some of you, money may be tight.

If you have been feeling that you are ready to support yourself in finally reaching your goals of shedding excess weight, gaining abundant energy, and really just feeling great in a body you adore, but financially have no room to wiggle,

I invite you to apply for this very special scholarship.

How to apply:

First – Review the entire program to be sure that it is a fit for you.

10-week BlissBody Transformation Program

Second – Tell us why you feel you need to do this program on scholarship by leaving a comment on this blog post below. What are your current challenges? What do you expect to gain?

You do not need to leave your full name if you do not want to, just initials are fine.

Third – Email me at devana108@gmail.com with your name, email, phone number and let me know which submission is yours. This will keep your identity safe, but offer a way for me to contact you should you be the winner.

Update: The deadline for submission is Saturday, January 30th at MIDNIGHT Pacific.

The winner will be announced by Sunday, January 31st at 6pm Pacific.

I thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to serve and support you!

Good Luck!

Be well,

Ana

See the links below the video for more info.

Click here for more info and to register the 10-week BlissBody Transformation Teleclass Program beginning Feb. 1st

Click here for more info and to register for the Daylong Winter Detox Retreat on January 31st

Below is a letter I received with more info on how IIN is helping out with these efforts:

Dear Ana,

As heartbreaking images of the devastation in Haiti fill our screens and our minds, we are asking everyone in the IIN community–employees, students, alumni, and prospective students– to do whatever you can to help alleviate the immense suffering that is now occurring just hundreds of miles from our shores.

To encourage you to take action, we are offering matching donations immediately. If any IIN employee, alumni, current student or prospective student makes a donation to the Red Cross between now and the end of next week, simply email your donation confirmation to charity@integrativenutrition.com, and we will match the donation. We delete the receipts immediately and do not hold onto any personal information. We will match up to $25,000 in total donations immediately.

At IIN, we want our students, alumni and prospective students to take action about pressing, urgent issues around the world–and we also want you to know you’re part of an organization that does the same.

In addition to these matching donations, we are also implementing an emergency donation drive through our enrollments. For students who enroll between today and the end of next week, we will donate an additional $100 to relief for Haiti.

(note: mention my name for a $500 tuition discount)

Please reach as deep into your heart as you can and donate generously to the Red Cross. Send us the receipt to charity@integrativenutrition.com and we will match it, up to $25,000 in total. Haiti needs us, this very day before night falls again on the people in crisis.

Sincerely,

Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Hope you will join me!

Learn more about the 10-week BlissBody Transformation Program

Click here for BlissBody Transformation Program details.

March 9th to 15th, 2010

“Quick. Healthy. Delicious: Fifty Fantastic Recipes to Feed Your Life”

Some of the best learning, growing and magic happens when I am

with clients and students in the kitchen showing them how easy and

delicious healthy meals can be. Unfortunately, it is just not possible

for me to be in everyone’s kitchen in this lifetime.

So, that is where this brand new cookbook comes into the picture – an easy and economical way to have some private cooking coaching no matter where you live.

* Ready to take your taste buds for a ride they won’t forget without spending hours in the kitchen?

* Longing for ways to make healthy and satisfying food for yourself and your family?

* Want to know the secret recipes that allow me to continually wow clients and cooking class students, while being a self-proclaimed “lazy cook”?

* Ready to learn how you can save time and money on your monthly food expenses, while eating like a queen (or king)?

* Would you like to have an easy reference of recipes that you know are good for you, beautifying and even bliss-inducing?

* Looking for a special holiday gift to give a loved one in need of a boost or a health conscious friend?

Just click the button below to reserve your copy today!

$24.97

$12.49 through March 15th, 2010

This e-book is sure to satisfy all of these needs and so much more.

What’s inside:

• 50 easy (I mean really simple) recipes that you will want to make again and again. Everything from breakfast to dessert. Recipes include raw foods, “gently” cooked foods and everything in between.
• Intuitive and flexible kitchen tips – How to tweak any recipe to make it your own, as well as substitutions when you don’t have all the ingredients.
• Time and money saving secrets that make eating healthy, delicious food a snap!
• Kitchen tools and special ingredients source guide. Plus resources for buying bulk to save money!

Click the button below to get your copy today:

Here is a “taste” of what you get:

* Easy Overnight Meuslix

* Gluten-Free Blender Waffles

* Savory Sage Pate Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

* Fennel and Bitter Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette

* Ginger Butternut Bisque

* Winter Lentil Soup

* Buttery Baked Salmon

* Creamy Root Vegetable Puree

* Curry Millet Tart with Red Pepper Sauce

* Decadent Chocolate Tart with Coconut Crust

* Flourless Almond Cookies

Try this FREE RECIPE sample here: Roasted Roots with Fennel

Here’s how it works:

The price of this fabulous book is only $ 24.97 $12.49 through March 15th

Simply click the button below to pay safely through Paypal

I can’t wait to “visit” with  you in your kitchen!

Click below to securely purchase your copy NOW!

$24.97

Just $12.49 through March 15th

1 cup coconut cream (or full fat coconut milk)

2 tablespoons organic blackstrap molasses

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 scoops Vanilla Dream Protein (hormone and antibiotic free whey)

1/3 cup ground Flaxseed

2-3 tablespoons Ground Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon (approximately) of each:

pinch ground Nutmeg

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger

pinch ground clove

pinch ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon Real Salt, Celtic or Himalayan pink Salt

pinch stevia powder, if needed

2 (15 oz.) cans organic pumpkin puree (unsweetened). Or make your own by pureeing

cooked pumpkin, winter squash or sweet potato.

1 cup organic walnuts

ground Cinnamon, sprinkle to taste

Directions:

1. Lightly oil 9 x 9 baking pan with extra virgin coconut oil.

2. Using a 14-cup food processor, blend eggs until creamy.

3. Add coconut cream, molasses and vanilla to eggs. Blend until thick and creamy (approximately 1 minute).

4. Add one can of pumpkin at a time to the mixture, blending in between.

5. Add remaining ingredients, except nuts, and blend until mixed.

6. Mix in nuts until blended.

7. Taste the batter to check sweetness. Add some stevia or more spices according to your liking.

8. Pour into the sprayed pan and sprinkle cinnamon on the top before baking.

9. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Rotate the pan at 50 minutes to ensure even browning.

10. When the bars are cool, cover with plastic wrap or foil. Cracks will appear on the top and will flatten when the bars cool.

Note: Bars must sit overnight for the flavors to meld. They will not taste good right out of the oven.