Unlike the tooth fairy, sugar addiction is real. Very real. And if you want the fastest arm toning possible, you need to overcome it. Now I’ll be honest, overcoming any addiction is not easy, but there is hope.

How do we know that sugar addiction exists? First, sugar acts as a powerful painkiller in newborns. Second, rodents demonstrate alterations in dopamine receptors when given high intakes of sugar. The same type of alterations you see with drugs. Third, naxolone-a drug used to combat drug addictions-temporarily mitigates sugar addictions.

So let me ask you the million dollar question, do you think you are addicted to sugar? There are two effective ways for determining this. First, is your emotional state dependent on your sugar intake. Second, are you coming up with complex and detailed reasons as to why you are NOT addicted as you read this paragraph? Be brutally honest with yourself…

Here’s the bad thing about sugar: it can completely blunt your arm toning efforts. Why? Because it blocks your main fat burning hormone. Thus, in this article I am going to show you 4 effective tools for winning the war on sugar:

1. Sugar substitutes. Remember that strange aftertaste you used to get after drinking your favorite diet soda? Well, the good news is that sugar substitutes have changed a lot. And although a substitute won’t give you an energy high, it will taste just like sugar. My favorite one is stevia, an all natural herb from south America. Just don’t overdo it here because we still don’t know if high intakes of sugar substitutes are safe.

2. Loose leaf yerba mate taragui. More popular than coffee in south America, yerba mate is the most powerful craving killer I have ever found. Just make sure you keep on eating even though you aren’t hungry. This will prevent you from bingeing once the effect wears off. And be patient because it takes about an hour for the tea to take full effect.

3. Lifting weights. How is lifting weights related to sugar cravings? Because it increases your hunger a lot. How does increased hunger help fight a sugar addiction? The type of increased hunger you get from intense weight lifting readjusts your palate and makes average-tasting foods much more palatable.

4. Emotional healing. You need to address the emotional side of the addiction if you want long term success. The best method I have found for doing this is cognitive therapy. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David Burns M.D. is your best bet for self-administering this powerful method. Mind you, this is the number one recommended book by therapists.

Overcoming a sugar addiction is no walk in the park. And there are a lot of forces working against you. Especially the food industry. But if you want to maximize your arm toning, you have to tackle this monster head on. And remember, there are many tools at your immediate disposal that can help you win the war. The key is to apply this information now and not later. Do not wait, take action!