Breaking up is hard to do...

I came out of the closet almost 3 years ago and it's not what you think. I used to be a closet eater, when Halloween rolled around, I would buy a box of chocolates for giving away and then another box to eat in the pantry with the lights off, so no one would know I was in there consuming 20 or 30 of these treats at a time. If you’re a sugar fiend or even an occasional dabbler, you know that the love affair with sugar can be a gut-wrenching one.

Coming out of the closet wasn't easy until I understand the health consequences of overindulging — weight gain, leaky gut, insulin resistance, diabetes, and heart disease, just to name a few.

What makes it more difficult to break up with sugar is it's everywhere and in foods that we don’t consider to be sweet at all. You start your day with your morning coffee and a cup of yogurt with some granola, have a healthy salad with low-calorie dressing, to the energy bar you grabbed for your 3:00 pm snack, and bam lots and lots of sugar just snuck into your diet without you knowing.

But don't you fret girlfriend, I've got your back!. Here are 8 tips to help you recognize where sugar may be lurking and how you can break up with sugar forever

Start your day strong So you are going to eat that “good-for-you” high-fiber cereal for breakfast, looks and tastes like sticks, but did you know that cereal can have a whole lot of added sugar - some contain as much as 17 grams per serving, you might as well be eating a glazed donut. Be sure to check the ingredients on the box, and look for words like high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane syrup, brown rice syrup, carob syrup, agave syrup. Many of these are just another name for SUGAR.

Say goodbye to your fancy expense mocha chino low fat, soy.....drink

That wonderful smell of chocolate, that keeps you coming back for more, that yummy delicious morning chocolate latte. Did you know it could be costing you up to 30 grams of sugar, or 5 grams per pump, and it's not the smell that keeps you coming back, it's the addiction to the 30grams of sugar. But it doesn't have to be bad news the good news is you don't have to give up the taste of a yummy latte, we have many yummy chocolate/nonchocolate lattes in our recipe section that smell and taste great! Have you tried one?

Hydrate the right way Patting yourself on the back for stopping in at the juice place? Good job. Well, sort of. The green drink you’re grabbing actually might be loaded with more fruit and sugar than actual greens! Read those labels carefully, and remember they are using additives to keep their juices fresh, avoid at all cost especially in the beginning, as sugar has a way of mesmerizing us back. I suggest carrying around a 32-ounce water bottle. Fill it up twice per day and if plain water doesn’t excite you, make your own spa water by adding fresh mint and lemon slices.

Pack in the protein A lunch filled with lean protein and veggies will keep you satisfied longer, which will make you less likely to dive head first into the birthday cupcakes being passed around the office. Protein keeps you satisfied by reducing ghrelin, that pesky hunger hormone that gives you the false sense that you might waste away if you don’t quickly reach for a handful of candy. Check out the recipe section up top for great lunch and dinner ideas...The cold truth about dieting when you’re not properly fueling yourself with an adequate amount of calories, the very first thing you crave is sugar. Go figure. My go-to protein snacks are:

• mixed nuts, such as pecans, cashews, walnuts, and almonds

• fat bombs

• protein shake (watch the ingredients for sugar)

Avoid a sugar sandwich An average slice of multi-grain bread has about 1.6 grams of sugar and making a whole sandwich quickly doubles this amount. This secret source of sugar may not seem like a lot, but you can avoid it altogether by reading the ingredients. High fructose corn syrup is commonly added to bread products for extra flavor. Do your research and choose a brand containing 0 grams of sugar — you won’t miss it, I promise. My favorites are the sprouted bread found in the refrigerator section

Think less about the food and more about what you are adding Just a ½ cup of traditional tomato sauce can pack as many as 10 grams of sugar. Make sure to buy a store-bought pasta sauce that has zero sugar in the ingredient list. Or, for a truly healthier option, make a super simple fresh pesto instead! Blend 2 cups basil, 1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, salt, and pepper in a food processor with ½ cup olive oil for a perfectly flavorful, authentic sauce.

When dipping, slathering, or marinating, consider your options carefully. Barbecue sauce and ketchup are loaded with sugar. Just 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce can have more than 16 grams — and nobody’s eating a pulled pork sandwich with just two tablespoons!

Herbs and spices add flavor and boast a number of health benefits, such as antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Plus, they contain virtually no calories, and, of course, no sugar. Up your seasoning game with cayenne, garlic, oregano, rosemary, or turmeric. And check out our condiment section in the recipes.

Snack your way to health Watch out for low-fat snacks, just like low-fat salad dressing, manufacturers tend to add sugar and artificial additives to make them flavorful Here are some of my favorite low-sugar snacks:

• sliced apple + 2 teaspoons almond butter + dash of cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons guacamole with fresh veggies

• 1 cup mixed berries + 1 tablespoon shredded coconut

Don’t let your emotions get the best of you Hormones, emotions, and memories can create cravings for sugary comfort foods. This is why even the aroma of cookies baking can cause a sugar craving to kick in. Acknowledge these moments for what they are when they happen, and move on.

Take Away Message: Reading labels and be mindful of the foods you choose can help you have a successful sugar breakup. I can’t promise the process will be easy and there may be tears, but I can promise that by following these steps, you can dramatically reduce the amount of sugar in your diet. And, with that, you’ll likely up your energy, improve the glow of your skin, reduce bloat, indigestion problems, sleep better, think more clearly, and best of all improve your health.