By Dietary and lifestyle habits are probably the most challenging things to change in your life. It takes a lot of persistence and will power in the beginning. It’s human nature to get comfortable in the surroundings we are currently in – even though they may not serve us in the best way. We can sometimes get caught up in that spiral until one day we wake up and either our health is suffering, or we’ve put on weight unexpectedly. I say this with certainty as it’s been my own story for many years.One of the most challenging yet most beneficial habits I changed was my sugar addiction. I was the kind of person who got high on sugar. I even had three sugars in my coffee three times per day. Yes, I know that’s quite sickening indeed. I also snacked on candy which I kept in my office draw. They would be ready when that 3 pm slump hit, and I would instantly get my hit again to make it through to 5 pm. Did these help me in any way? No way. I was always getting sick; I had outbreaks and experienced random fat stores around my body. I believed back then I had a healthy diet, and I remember my trainer saying to me “Ange, it’s not exactly an ideal breakfast when you have white toast with butter and vegemite.” Yes, that’s pretty gross now. I don’t think I’ve eaten white refined bread (or dreadful vegemite for that matter) for about ten or so years! I can’t even remember all of my sugar habits anymore, because it’s been so long for me – but I can recall with certainty all the health problems I had. Thankfully, those are not a problem for me anymore – and they never will be, since I cut my sugar habit completely. This change was not all roses and peaches fo me. I was tormented for many months when I gave it up. I used sugar-free lollies as an alternative. All this did was keep the sugar habit alive and make me feel awful. Let me say that those sugar-free lollies have droplets of chemical poison which is toxic for your health – not to mention ruining your gut bacteria! Stay well away from those at all costs! To give up sugar completely, I worked very hard at it daily. It took about nine months to become completely free of the chains sugar had on me. I can say that this was the best change I ever made – but the hardest one. My significant compelling “why” for giving up sugar for good, was the distaste I had, knowing something was negatively taking my energy. To be obsessed with food or to think you “need” a processed piece of junk to feel good, was ridiculous to me. I didn’t like being under the thumb of a substance which disempowered me, left me with mood and energy slumps – not to mention consistent bouts of sickness. I believe for anyone to change a habit, you need to find a compelling reason beyond “I want to lose weight” or “I want to be healthy.” That’s what makes the difference between someone that makes those changes – for life, and the person who goes about it casually – yet failing. It’s not only a matter of will power but a step beyond will that goes deep into your heart.If you want to make a positive and impactful change in your life and health, it must come from a place above the surface. Do think about why you are doing this, and go beyond the first layers, right down to the core. If you can do that, then making any positive changes that benefit your life and health, will always become a reality for you. People will wonder how you did it, and keep doing it! Think about what’s important to you right now, what you need to do to change and go ahead with the great intention behind you. I hope you found this article helpful and I would love you to upvote it if you did. Please also join me on my various social platforms and do go ahead and download your new year’s resolution pack – which has seven days of free nourishing recipes. I’m also on Instagram.