But don't despair - you can beat your sugar cravings. Here's my action plan to help you overcome sugar cravings for good: Take your cravings seriously - admit to yourself (and others) that you have a weakness for sugar, and that you are battling very real cravings right now. Commit - again, declare to yourself and others that despite your sugar cravings you are going to reduce your sugar intake. Get specific. How often a week will you allow yourself sugary drinks or snacks? Start each day right - for breakfast, eat a meal rich in lean protein and complex carbohydrates (eggs and whole grain toast is a great choice). This will keep you full for longer, which reduces sugary snacking, but will also keep your blood sugar stable.
Don't ignore cravings - ignoring cravings completely will often be too difficult, to begin with, and isn't necessary when you can satisfy them with healthy options. Whenever you get a sugar craving, just choose a piece of fruit or even some sweet vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, peas). While you eat, focus on the food and nothing else (turn off the TV!), and make a note of concentrating on how sweet the food tastes, so your brain connects that you are eating to satisfy your craving.
Water - water really is your best friend, especially if you eat sweet treats out of boredom or without really thinking. Often, when we reach for food between meals our body could actually do with a drink. Water also fills you, so you'll be less likely to snack on sugary foods. Avoid salty foods - salty foods are bad news for the sugar addict for several reasons. Firstly, they increase thirst, usually leading to a big sugary drink. Secondly, eating salty foods actually spark cravings for sugar. And thirdly, most salty foods are high in carbohydrate content - and remember that carbs are a form of sugar.
Adrenal review - a common cause of sugar cravings is a low adrenal function. This is often caused by stress or underlying food allergies. Consult a nutritionist if you think this may be a problem for you. For the longest time, I believed the myth that in order to lose weight I'd have to spend every day at least 30 minutes on a treadmill. No wonder I failed! And I equated losing weight with losing pounds on the scale. So I completely discounted resistance training. Yet resistance training is the best way to burn fat and lose inches or dress sizes. You may not see a change on the scale (because of muscle weight) but you'll notice a thinner body shape. And the great thing is, once you start resistance training, you'll be losing fat while you sleep.
Don't ignore cravings - ignoring cravings completely will often be too difficult, to begin with, and isn't necessary when you can satisfy them with healthy options. Whenever you get a sugar craving, just choose a piece of fruit or even some sweet vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, peas). While you eat, focus on the food and nothing else (turn off the TV!), and make a note of concentrating on how sweet the food tastes, so your brain connects that you are eating to satisfy your craving.
Water - water really is your best friend, especially if you eat sweet treats out of boredom or without really thinking. Often, when we reach for food between meals our body could actually do with a drink. Water also fills you, so you'll be less likely to snack on sugary foods. Avoid salty foods - salty foods are bad news for the sugar addict for several reasons. Firstly, they increase thirst, usually leading to a big sugary drink. Secondly, eating salty foods actually spark cravings for sugar. And thirdly, most salty foods are high in carbohydrate content - and remember that carbs are a form of sugar.
Adrenal review - a common cause of sugar cravings is a low adrenal function. This is often caused by stress or underlying food allergies. Consult a nutritionist if you think this may be a problem for you. For the longest time, I believed the myth that in order to lose weight I'd have to spend every day at least 30 minutes on a treadmill. No wonder I failed! And I equated losing weight with losing pounds on the scale. So I completely discounted resistance training. Yet resistance training is the best way to burn fat and lose inches or dress sizes. You may not see a change on the scale (because of muscle weight) but you'll notice a thinner body shape. And the great thing is, once you start resistance training, you'll be losing fat while you sleep.
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