My Six Secrets For Combating Sugar Cravings By Michael Dempsey
Sugar cravings
Chances are, you’ve dealt with these before. We all deal with sugar cravings from time to time. Even the healthiest eaters will see a food that strikes their fancy and feel the need to go get some (whether they act on this need is another story).
The hard thing though is that sugar cravings can completely derail your progress if you aren’t careful. If you do indulge when you suffer from one, you’re going to be left taking in more calories than you should, left putting your body at risk for diabetes, and left with seeing the weight come on faster and faster. Clearly not an ideal scenario!
This is why having a game plan for dealing with those sugar cravings is so essential. When you do, you can put them behind you and keep yourself on track to seeing results. While giving in on occasion can be fine if you really want to, you must avoid doing so on a regular basis.
Think the 90/10 rule. 90% of the time you should be eating healthy and keeping your diet on track. Then 10% of the time, you can indulge in foods that you crave. If you do this, you should be taking good care of your body and doing you part to prevent diabetes from happening if you currently don’t suffer or managing your diabetes if you do.
So this all said, let me share with you my six secrets for dealing with sugar cravings head on. While not every single one of these will work, chances are good one or two will do the trick perfectly.
1.Drink a tall glass of water
It’s very easy to mistake thirst for hunger and this can lead us to suffer from food cravings when we shouldn’t be eating. To combat this, simply have a large glass of water whenever you feel the urge. Then wait 10 minutes. See if that doesn’t take the edge off that craving.
Nine times out of ten, it will.
2.Have a some berries
Sometimes the best way to satisfy your craving is to actually have something sweet. In this case, you can practice damage control with a few berries. Berries not only give you that sweet taste, but they are very low in calories and sugar. A few berries will only net you around 10-20 calories and a gram or two of sugar.
More importantly, they pack in some dietary fiber and antioxidants, which will help boost your health. It’s the smart way to keep your diet in check.
3.Go out for a brisk walk
Exercise is another great strategy to combat those food cravings when they strike. Consider getting out for a brisk walk. When the craving hits, go out and take 10 minutes and quickly walk around the block.
Focus on getting in some fresh air as you do. When you arrive back, see if you still have that craving. There’s a very good chance it’ll be gone.
4.Pop a stick of sugar free peppermint gum
Another way to combat that sweet tooth is to pop a stick of sugar free peppermint gum. The minty flavor will not only be sweet but also turn you off putting other food into your mouth as the two tastes don’t combine all that well.
Rinsing with mouthwash can also be an effective strategy if you don’t happen to have gum nearby.
5.Re-evaluate your calorie intake
Sometimes sugar cravings are brought on by simply not taking in enough calories total. Take the time to re-evaluate how much you are eating. Is it an appropriate level for your target weight loss goals? If you are on a very low calorie diet, this could be part of your problem right there.
Consider bumping your intake up by 100-200 calories. While this may mean slightly slower weight loss, it could make a big difference in how you feel overall as you go about your weight loss journey.
Faster is not always better.
6.Take a few deep breaths
Finally, focus on taking a few deep breaths in and out. Many of us crave sugar when we are very stressed, so some deep breathing can be an excellent way to help calm this stress and ease cravings as a result of it.
Breath in and out slowly ten times. Then see if you still have that craving. Hopefully that will help you do away with them.
So try any one of these next time you are having that urge to eat sugar. The more often you do this, the better able you’ll be to combat those cravings head on.
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Image Sources:
https://onedio.co/content/how-to-spot-and-clear-out-negative-energies-with-just-a-glass-of-water-13072
http://www.wisdompills.com/2017/03/16/incredible-benefits-eating-berries/
http://www.constipationexperts.co.uk/blog/2013/10/5-quick-and-natural-fixes-for-constipation.html
http://www.starlightdental.net/blog/taking-care-of-your-teeth-with-sugar-free-gum
https://www.verywell.com/calorie-counting-dos-and-donts-3495627
http://www.the-wandering-yogi.com/yoga-deep-breathing-article/