The Sugar Struggle Is Real

The Sugar Struggle Is Real

How to reduce sugar cravings for good

Sugar, is in everything!

It’s in cough drops, vitamins, “healthy” packaged foods, protein powders, and of course in all of those really cute halloween treats that are now all over the office.

Sugar is so addicting because it’s sweet and our body loves sweetness. As soon as a baby is given something sweet, it will crave sugar for the rest of it’s life. Crazy right?

Why? Because as soon as we eat sugar, dopamine, “the feel good vibe” in our brain, is released and we feel very happy. BUT each time we have sugar we need more of it to release the same amount of dopamine in order to feel the same amount of happy. This is why one Snickers bar is never enough.

But then we crash and we crash hard… and that is exhausting!

Plus, sugar creates havoc on our hormones which is one of the many reasons we have intense mood swings, breakouts and feel bloated.

Now is the time to put a stop to those sugar cravings. I personally believe the holidays start the day after Halloween because we start to eat more sweets in the next two months than we do in all other months combined.

If you are ready to have more energy, think more clearly and even lose a few sugar pounds, here are five ways you can stop those sugar cravings for good.

 

 

Be Smarter Than The Marketer!

 

I used to work in marketing and I can totally see through most of the “healthy” marketing! They are putting “healthy” food in green, tan and orange packages and labeling it “healthy” and “fresh.” But that doesn’t mean anything! Please read labels, especially when a package is green, tan or orange and has those false “healthy” and “fresh” labels on it. If sugar is in this product, put it down! It’s better to add your own sweetness with berries or other fruit than it is to have sweetness already in your food. if anything ends in -ose or -ol, it’s sugar.

 

Meal Combos

 

Most of the time we end up craving sweet foods because we are not getting the right amount of nutrients into our body. Try combining healthy fats like avocados, with healthy carbs like quinoa with healthy proteins like beans or chicken at every single meal. The more that you body is nourished, the less often your body will crave sugar.

 

Kitchen Cabinet Makeover

 

Take a few minutes to look through your kitchen cabinets, fridge and freezer and see what is hiding out in there. Read the labels, and toss anything that has artificial flavors or sweeteners in them as those will make the foods even more addicting to your body. Check your condiments especially! There is usually high fructose corn syrup in ketchup and other things you might be using on a daily basis. The less you have of these added sugars, the less your body will crave sugar. Here is our guide on how to revamp your pantry and fridge!

 

Eat The Good Stuff

 

I LOVE chocolate and I eat it every single day. I put raw cacao in my smoothies and use it for baking, as well as making some avocado pudding. The more I have this type of healthy chocolate, the less my body craves chocolate in the form of M&M’s or Hershey Kisses. Why? Because most of the time our body is craving chocolate when it’s really craving iron and magnesium. When we get stressed out, the first thing our body wants is iron and magnesium to help keep our body calm. Our body knows to eat chocolate, we are just usually feeding it with Reeses’s and Snickers instead of what it’s really looking for. So it craves it more and more!

You can also use Natural Vitality Calm at night, which will help replenish your magnesium levels to help you sleep more and keep your stress levels down. I do this every single night and both me and my clients have really felt the difference.

 

Change Up The Diet

 

I know this sounds easier than it is, but try to eat more greens. If you are not having greens at least once a day, have them at least once. If you already do, then eat greens twice a day and then eventually at every meal. Greens cleanse the body and change your taste buds so you no longer crave sugar as much. Also double your water intake, even if you think you are drinking enough water. If you are craving sugar or salt, please drink more. Also, add some more sweet veggies and nuts into your diet like carrots, sweet potatoes and almonds. The more natural sweetness you eat, the more your body feels nourished and the less it will crave sweets.

 

Be Kind To YOU!

 

 

Please take some deep long breaths You have probably been craving sugar for years now and this change might be gradual and feel a little uncomfortable when you start. Don’t feel guilty for not always making the “healthy” decision. To be honest, you can stop craving sugar as much as soon as you start being kinder and more gentle to you. What is one small thing you can do today to treat yourself like you would treat your BFF? Maybe it’s going to sleep earlier, taking a long walk, having a dance party in your bedroom or giving yourself a big hug. Whatever it is, do it!