This Is How You Can Beat Your Sugar Cravings Once And For All
When it comes to sugar cravings, there are many discussions about how sugar addiction is just that – an addiction. It sounds like a bit much, don’t you think? After all, sugar is a type of food, not a drug. Well, as it turns out, eating sugar activates a certain part of the brain – the ‘reward center’ and releases dopamine. What this does is give you an instant ‘high’. This is not unlike hard drugs, actually. For this reason, having too much sugar can truly lead to a proper addiction. We know it sounds very intense, but there are ways to overcome this addiction. Of course, each person is different and can go about this in their own way, but we’ve gathered some tips and tricks from experts that will help you reduce the amount of sugar you consume. Eating less sugar will lead to a healthier and happier you! Let’s get started:
Cold Turkey
This tactic is a rather known one – one thing to keep in mind is that it doesn’t work for everyone. We’ll discuss another way to go about it for those who don’t want to go cold turkey. This method is relatively simple. What you need to do is decide that from that moment, or from the next day, you won’t be eating sugary foods anymore. Meaning that you remove anything that fits into that category from your house and replace it with healthier alternatives. Keep in mind that many common items have a lot of sugar as well! Be sure to look through the ingredients of the foods you have at home. Just remember that over the course of the first few days, there will be withdrawal effects. Stay strong!
Work Gradually
For those who don’t want to quit cold turkey, there is another way. Work gradually. This means that over a certain period of time, whether it’s a week or a month, you’ll lower the amount of sugar you consume little by little. Add less sugar to your daily coffee, dilute your sodas, etc. After a while, your palate will be used to less sweet foods and you won’t need overly sweet foods.
Eat A Balanced Breakfast
Lots of sugar cravings are due to the fact that your body is lacking in nutrients it desperately needs. The easiest way to minimize these unnecessary cravings is by eating a well-rounded breakfast. Include carbohydrates, protein, and fat in your breakfast to get all the nutrients you need and feel full for longer.
Drink (A Lot) More Water
Being dehydrated – even a little – can seriously increase your sugar cravings. Not to mention, it also slows down your metabolism and causes your body to store more fat. Drink 8 glasses per day – as a minimum.
Be Mindful
Check the labels of the foods you buy! You might not be aware of just how much sugar you really are consuming on a regular basis. This step is crucial as you cut down sugar. You might be cutting out sweets and still have cravings – maybe the bread you’re eating is loaded with sugar? Maybe that ‘diet’ drink you allow yourself actually has more sugar than you realize? There are so many foods and items that have sugar in them – watch out for them.
This journey is not an easy one, there’s no doubt about it. However, it is most definitely worth it! At the end of the day, you’ll feel better, more energetic, and lose weight too!
