How to Curb Sugar Cravings

How to Curb Sugar Cravings!

Sugar is something we have all craved before, at least a couple of times in our lifetime. WHY? A ton of research shows that sugar is an addictive substance, so eating sugar will cause your body to crave sugar! The more you eat, the more you will crave! If you are stuck in the sugar craving cycle, don’t get down on yourself, it happens to everyone! Just know there is a way out! Sometimes, it can be hard, especially if you have a sweet tooth! Check out my tips and tricks to help make the process easier and get rid of that pesky craving for sugar!

1. Preparation

Preparation is one thing I have definitely mentioned a ton of times before! It may sound like something so simple, but being prepared will make all the difference when trying to curb your sugar cravings. If you know you are going to be put in a situation where there is a ton of sugary treats around, prepare yourself! Eat something healthy before hand, bring a healthy snack with you, or simply take note of where the sugary treats are located and try your best to stay away from that area!

Another part of being prepared is removing yourself completely if possible from that situation before it happens! A good example of this is at home treats: You can completely avoid giving into a sugar craving simply by:

1. Not buying them (LEANNEST OPTION) when you are shopping, and

2. Removing whatever you already have from your cupboards!

   INSTEAD, prepare yourself with healthy snacks, such as my no bake protein balls or my berry lean yogurt bars!

2. Will Power

This one may seem obvious, but having WILL POWER is super important! No matter what at some point in time, you are going to be faced with situations where there is sugar around, no matter what tips and tricks you follow, you are going to have to use will power to help keep yourself from indulging and eating too much sugar! When I am in a situation where I need some will power, I like to follow a couple of steps to help make it through!

First, I make sure to remind myself how sugar makes me feel. At first of course, we think to ourselves, “YES, this Whoopsie is going to taste so good” But then think about how you will feel after the fact: bloated, tired, low energy, and maybe even an upset stomach. Not to mention, the fact that eating that bit of sugar will leave you craving even MORE sugar once you are done!

Next, I like to ask myself, “is it worth it?” and 9 out of 10 times, the answer is NO!

Of course, there are DEFINITELY times to Whoopsie and enjoy yourself, but make sure it is WORTH it!!

If you are prepared, using will power but you are still craving sugar, here are some healthy alternatives to sugary foods that can help you keep those cravings at bay.

A. 0 Calorie flavoured water

If you are someone who craves sugary pops, a great alternative for you is flat or sparkling flavoured water! 0 calorie flavoured waters are usually made with artificial sweeteners. Since artificial sweeteners are “sweeter” than sugar, you need LESS to get that sweetness you are craving! Sparkling water has the extra benefit of helping you feel full too! So you can fill your sweet tooth and not feel hungry afterwards. Another trick you can try is making popsicles out of flavoured sparkling water by adding sparkling water into a popsicle tray and simply freezing it like that! (That was a lean tip from a Squadie: @Nieuwy09)

B. Frozen Fruit

A great healthy alternative to sugary treats are frozen fruits, specifically grapes and blueberries. Although fruits are high in sugar, eating fruits is much better for you then snacking on a snack containing processed sugars.

C. Make your own healthy snacks!

As you may know, I LOVE making low sugar sweet snacks! I have a ton of recipes on my blog, such as chocolatey peanut butter bites, cookies and cream frozen lean treat, or flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies! In these recipes, I use artificial sweeteners such as Walden Farms Maple syrup or erythritol. I Prefer to use artificial sweeteners because having a little bit of artificial sweetener will go a long way, and it is a lot better for you then the TON of sugar you would need to have the same amount of sweetness! I also like to use ingredients that are naturally sweet, such as dark chocolate chips and peanut butter. Combining these 2 things will definitely help you avoid sugars and crave less!

Overall, the most important thing to remember is that a sugar craving isn’t going to disappear overnight! The longer you avoid it, the easier it will get! Although the process of getting rid of that pesky sugar craving can be a long and daunting one, your body will thank you in the long run!