2025 HARD Challenge - JANUARY

Tomorrow is D Day for my 2025 HARD CHALLENGE I have not totally decided how I will structure the rest of the years HARD's challenges but... I’m starting my HARD this year by tackling one thing that’s held me back for too long: Additional sugars and treats. It’s something that has not only stalled my Life and fitness progress but also given me endless excuses for not hitting my goals. Yes, I train every day, but this has always been my weakness.

How did I identify this? Like many things in my life, I make it a habit to track and log the foods I eat. It's not about controlling every bite but more about using it as a statistical tool to gain insights. In moments like this—when progress seems to stall—I can look back at my food log and ask, "Why isn't anything moving?"

The extra calories in some foods are often shocking. 200-300 extra calories might seem insignificant in the moment, but when you add that up over time, it adds up quickly. Take that number and multiply it by a week, and we're looking at 2,100 extra calories in just one week. Over a month, that’s 8,400 extra calories. Yes, you read that right. Now we all just had the holidays and food was the centre of most of the celebrations and I am just as human as everyone else. Like these delicious ones I had on my recent trip to the UK. AND...enjoying them occasionally is not a problem!

BUT... For someone who trains hard, works toward specific goals, and is committed to discipline, those extra calories can make a significant difference. They can slow down progress or even derail it altogether. It’s a powerful reminder of how small decisions can have a big impact over time.

Besides the calories, why Specifically added sugars? And what exactly does it do to my body and my progress? Let’s dive into the truth about sugar and why it’s time to finally take control.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m all about training hard, pushing limits, and crushing goals. But here's the truth: despite my consistency with workouts, sugary treats has been a crutch. It’s the thing I turn to when I’m stressed, tired, or just looking for a quick boost. But that temporary satisfaction? It comes at a cost — both to my fitness results and my mindset.

I’ve used sugary treats as an excuse. When things didn’t go as planned, it was easy to blame my lack of discipline on my cravings. "I trained hard today, but I just couldn’t resist that dessert," or "It’s okay to indulge a little, I’ll burn it off tomorrow" — sound familiar? But the reality is, sugar has been quietly sabotaging my progress for far too long.

What Does It Really Do?

When I take a step back and think about it, sugar is more than just a harmless treat. It's a hidden force that can affect not only my body but also my mind. Here’s why I’m finally saying Lets lesson the added sugar amounts.

1. Sugar Disrupts My Energy Levels Sugar gives me that quick hit of energy — but it’s short-lived. Once that blood sugar spike crashes, I feel drained, sluggish, and craving more. This rollercoaster of energy isn’t just exhausting; it can interfere with my workouts, making it harder to maintain the intensity I need for real progress.

   
   

2. Sugar Derails My Fitness Goals I train hard every day, but if I’m constantly feeding my body sugar, I’m sabotaging all my efforts. Sugar contributes to fat storage, messes with my metabolism, and makes it harder to lose those last few pounds. That’s not even mentioning how it affects my muscle recovery. When I choose sugar over healthier fuel, I’m not giving my body the nutrients it truly needs to build strength and endurance.

   
   

3. Sugar Affects My Mindset We all know that a balanced mindset is key to success. But the truth is, sugar can mess with your mood, too. After a sugar crash, I feel irritable, sluggish, and even anxious. These mood swings can affect my motivation and make it harder to stay focused on my fitness journey. It’s like a mental fog that prevents me from pushing forward.

   
   

4. Sugar Is Addictive Here's the kicker: sugar is addictive. It triggers the brain's reward system, releasing dopamine and making me crave more. This is why it’s so hard to resist. The more I eat, the more I want. This addiction doesn’t just affect my workouts; it affects my mindset and discipline, making it that much harder to stick to my goals.

   
   
   
   

5. Disrupting Bowl Flora

   One of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered in managing my J-pouch is the impact of sugar on my system. Sugar can be a major disruptor for my gut flora, which plays a critical role in the health of my J-pouch. When I consume too much sugar, it disrupts the balance of bacteria in the pouch, leading to inflammation. This isn’t just an issue for my digestive system—it affects my entire body.

   
   
   
   

Lets Look at some Research:

The Real Impact of Sugar on Your Body and Mind

Additional Sugars may seem harmless in the moment, but its long-term effects are undeniable. It’s not just about a few extra calories or a temporary dip in energy. Over time, excessive sugar consumption can lead to serious health issues like weight gain, insulin resistance, and even heart disease.

In the context of fitness, sugar can delay recovery, mess with my sleep, and make it harder to achieve the lean body composition I’m working toward. It’s time I face the facts: sugar is standing between me and my Life goals.

Why Sugar is Like Cocaine for Your Brain

We’ve all heard it before: “Too much sugar is bad for you.” But what if I told you that sugar could be affecting your brain in ways that are eerily similar to the way cocaine does? This might sound like an exaggeration, but scientific research suggests that the comparison isn’t far off. In fact, sugar and cocaine share some surprising similarities when it comes to how they impact our brain’s reward system. So, let’s dig into why sugar is sometimes called "the legal drug" and how it can trigger a brain response much like that of an illicit substance.

1. Sugar Triggers the Brain’s Reward System

When you consume sugar, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in pleasure, motivation, and reward. Dopamine is often associated with the "feel-good" sensation we get from eating something sweet, but it’s the same neurotransmitter that’s released when we engage in addictive behaviours, like drug use or gambling.

Now, here’s the kicker: Sugar can activate the brain’s reward pathways in a way that resembles drugs like cocaine. Just like a drug-induced high, the surge of dopamine gives us a temporary feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. However, much like with cocaine, this spike in dopamine is fleeting, and our brain craves more to get that same rush, creating a cycle of desire and consumption.

2. The "Sugar High" and the Crash: The Same Pattern as Drug Use

After eating sugar, we often experience what’s known as a “sugar high” — a burst of energy and euphoria, followed by a crash when blood sugar levels dip. This cycle of highs and lows mirrors the effects of certain drugs like cocaine, which can lead to periods of intense euphoria followed by a sharp decline in mood or energy. The more sugar you consume, the more your body becomes conditioned to this cycle, which can result in cravings for more sugar — much like a drug addict’s need for their next fix.

3. Sugar Can Lead to Tolerance

One of the most alarming parallels between sugar and cocaine is the concept of tolerance. Over time, the brain’s reward system becomes less responsive to the same amount of sugar, meaning you need more of it to achieve the same pleasurable effects. This is similar to how a person who uses drugs may need higher doses to get the same high.

Research in animal studies has shown that when rats are repeatedly exposed to sugar, their brains undergo changes similar to those seen in cocaine addiction. This includes alterations in dopamine receptors and the brain’s reward circuitry, making them less sensitive to sugar and requiring more of it to feel good.

4. Sugar Can Be Addictive

For some people, sugar isn’t just a treat—it can become an obsession. The addictive nature of sugar isn’t just metaphorical. Studies have shown that sugar can activate the same brain areas as addictive substances, leading to behaviours that resemble addiction. In fact, when sugar is removed from the diet of sugar-addicted animals, they display withdrawal-like symptoms, including anxiety, irritability, and cravings.

In humans, sugar addiction can take many forms, from mindless snacking to a compulsive need for sweets after meals. The constant craving for sugary foods is driven by the same psychological mechanisms that drive addiction to substances like alcohol or drugs.

5. Sugar and Mental Health: The Negative Impact

Beyond the immediate rush of dopamine, sugar consumption can have long-term effects on mental health. Research has linked high sugar intake with increased risk for anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. This is partly due to the impact sugar has on the brain's chemistry. When you consume sugar, your body goes through a rapid increase and subsequent crash in blood sugar levels. These fluctuations can cause mood swings and irritability, contributing to feelings of stress and emotional instability.

Chronic overconsumption of sugar can also impair your brain’s ability to cope with stress and could even make you more vulnerable to mental health conditions in the long run.

6. Sugar's Effect on the Brain and Body: Long-Term Health Risks

Just like drugs, excessive sugar intake has consequences that extend beyond the brain. High sugar consumption has been linked to a variety of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. It can also increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

The link between sugar and chronic diseases can be seen as part of a vicious cycle: sugar creates an emotional dependency on its consumption, which leads to more sugar intake, more inflammation, and a greater likelihood of developing conditions that negatively impact both mental and physical health.

7. Breaking the Sugar Habit

If you feel like you’re hooked on sugar, you're not alone. The good news is, just like with any other addiction, it’s possible to break the cycle. Reducing sugar intake gradually can help reset your brain’s reward system and reduce cravings. Replacing sugary snacks with healthier alternatives like fruits, nuts, or dark chocolate can provide a satisfying, yet less harmful, option. Engaging in regular physical activity, getting enough sleep, and managing stress through mindfulness or other techniques can also help regulate your mood and reduce the urge to reach for sugary comfort foods.

Sugar as a Double-Edged Sword

Sugar might not be illegal, but its effects on the brain can be just as powerful as those of cocaine, especially when consumed in excess. The addictive potential of sugar, combined with its ability to create a temporary sense of pleasure and its long-term health risks, means that we need to be more mindful of how much we consume. Like all things, sugar should be enjoyed in moderation, with an awareness of its impact on both your body and brain. After all, the sweetness it brings might not be worth the bitter consequences in the long run.

REMEMBER! Sugar is not just a treat — it’s a substance that can trigger powerful biological responses in the brain, leading to addictive behaviour and potential long-term health risks. Understanding how sugar affects your brain is the first step in taking control of your health and making smarter, more mindful choices about what you eat.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Whether your “hard” for January is cutting out sugar, tackling a new habit, or working through a personal challenge, know that you're not alone. We all have our own battles, but together, we can support each other and make this month a turning point. Let’s commit to making January great—not just for ourselves, but for each other. Here’s to growth, progress, and embracing the challenges that help us become the best versions of ourselves. Let’s make it happen!

Al my Love Coach M