You crave sugar, lose control, and eat more than you planned?
Yes it is possible to be a ‘Sugar Addict’. Sugar affects the same “feel-good” brain hormones as street drugs. Not saying sugar is the same as heroin, but it can still mess with your brain and body.
A few simple steps will retrain the taste buds and over time help you lose your need for that sugary pleasure:
Choose the good sugars: yes sugar can be good- fruit like-berries, apples, vegetables like- sweet potato, carrots, dried fruits like- prunes, figs, dates. They all satiate the desire for eating the unhealthy sweet foods while adding essential vitamins and minerals.
Take small steps– make mindful, small changes that are sustainable. Give up the can of soda for a glass of water, or each time you reach out for a candy bar, have an apple instead.
Increase the lean protein consumption-high-protein foods digest more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer. Pick proteins like lean chicken, eggs, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or beans.
Fill up on fiber -high-fiber foods give you more energy. Because they don’t raise your blood sugar, there’s no crash after. Experiment with fiber from -greens, fruits, oats, chia seeds.
Get outside time– spending some time outdoors gives the same ‘feel good’ as sugar does.
Stay away from artificial sweeteners-they leave you craving for more sugar, and don’t help in retraining the taste buds.
Look out for the hidden sugar -and learn the different names of sugar. You don’t always see the word “sugar” on a food label. It can still be hiding inside the package under another name. Some names sugar goes by:
- Sorghum syrup
- Sucrose
- Brown rice syrup
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Dextrose
- Evaporated cane juice
- Glucose
- Lactose
- Malt syrup
Find another way to add ‘sweetness’ to your life – look for fulfilment in your relationships and lifestyle, tap into your creativity, learn something new, try doing one thing every day that gives you happiness and is not part of routine!
When life becomes sweet enough itself, no additives are needed.
If you need support kicking the sugar habit- drop me a line.