Suffering from poor sleep, aching joints and obesity, Christina was keen to make a change in her life. That’s when she came upon the 8-Week Program – the nurse and mum-of-3 shares how she transformed her lifestyle and reignited her inspiration for healthy living in just 2 months.

Christina had long-struggled with sleep issues as a result of her working hours and reliance on sugar and coffee – she reveals she’s battled with chronic disease as a result.

“Being a shift worker is difficult and I have found my reliance on sugar and caffeine to keep going detrimental to my health,” she says. “This has led to type 2 diabetes and hypertension.” 

The nurse and Chinese Medicine practitioner says it was her battle with obesity that had her especially concerned for her health.

“My apple-shaped obesity has worsened and as I approach Menopause it is increasingly difficult to lose weight.” 

She’s certainly not alone here – the mum-of-3 is one of the almost 650 million people dealing with obesity around the globe, not to mention the 67% of overweight or obese adults here in Australia where we’re grappling with a growing epidemic of the disease.

Excess added sugar is one of the biggest contributors to these trends, and you’ll find it almost unavoidable in processed goods – from cereal to bread. The addictive cycle that sugar throws us into makes it even harder to get break the chains of sugar on our lives – it starts when dopamine is released in the brain in response to the sugar, triggering the reward system. And while Christina says sugar was one of her vices, she reveals that it was her sleep habits that also interfered with her health – including her chronic pain.

“My sleep habits have worsened and my joint pain has given me sleepless nights,” she says. “Working in health care all my adult life has been a blessing and a curse. It is wonderful caring for others and facilitating their healing but sometimes it can be at the cost of my own health.”

It was after a trip to the doctor that the nurse found out how unwell she was – this was one of her turning points in deciding to put her health first.

“After Christmas I was suffering from debilitating headaches and being prompted to go to the GP it was found my blood pressure was dangerously high and my diabetes worsening,” she says. 

That’s why Christina decided it was time to make a change for herself and give the 8-Week Program a go. With a supportive team of fellow members, a group of experts in nutrition and health, along with fun, easy and enjoyable recipes and meal plans, the mum-of-3 was ready and equipped to tackle her health struggles.

But it wasn’t all downhill from there – Christina reveals her experience with sugar cravings, withdrawal symptoms and adjusting to a new lifestyle.

“The hardest part about the programme was rethinking my regular go to meals, I am usually on automatic pilot when cooking and shopping as life is busy and my jobs can be stressful when trying to get through the day to resist going for the sugar hit in the afternoon to get me through,” she says. “The withdrawal symptoms were more emotional reliance if anything and it made me realise how much I relied on sugar for comfort.”

Christina’s not alone here – so many of us use sugar as a coping mechanism for the stresses in our lives. After all, it provides that dopamine hit many of us are sorely lacking on the back of a busy work day with family and social commitments to boot. But the mum-of-3 reveals that the benefits that followed her withdrawal symptoms were the key to sticking to her goals.

“But the fact I found such a huge reduction in joint pain really motivated me to stay off sugar,” she says. “During the programme on my organised weeks I felt great and felt so motivated, excited and empowered that I am not held at the mercy of processed and packaged foods.”

Christina reveals her favourite recipes are the Savoury Muesli and the Basil Peach Loaf – and we’ve got a lot more where that came from! The nurse says that she’s maintained her motivation to keep going and fight for her health – and that she’s also gentle and understanding with herself. It’s okay to slip up sometimes, and it’s never to late to start the day afresh – that’s what we’re all about here at I Quit Sugar.

“I think even though I am not perfect with ‘NO Sugar’ when I drop off the wagon I get right back on and that I feel is the secret to long life changes,” she says. “My goal is to be medication free and to have long term change with the chronic issues I have recently acquired.”

Feeling inspired by Christina? Join us for the 8-Week Program and we’ll help you change the way you look at food – and that doesn’t mean you have to follow restrictive diets or miss out on your favourite foods; we believe you can still enjoy delicious food without jeopardising your health. With celebrity chef Sarah Glover on our panel of experts, you’ll have an array of fun recipes at your fingertips, along with our own exclusive armoury of simple, tasty and healthy recipes for everything from daily meals to impressive entertaining. We know it can be hard to stick to your health goals – especially when you’re trying to manage it alone. When you sign up with us, you’ll have access to clear-cut meal plans, community support and exclusive access to our sugar-free content. Here’s what’s on offer:

1. 8 weeks of meal plans and shopping lists.
2. 90+ member-only recipes.
3. Community forums to share your journey.
4. Support and guidance from the I Quit Sugar team.
5. Exclusive content from our panel of experts.

So, if you’re ready to ditch sugar and the host of maladies that come with it, it’s not too late to join. We’d love to help you get started on your health journey. Sign up HERE today!