“Public enemy #1”

We all know the story of why sugar sucks. It decreases insulin sensitivity which can lead to anything from fat gain to eventually chronic illnesses such as diabetes.  According to Susan says Susan Moores, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant in St. Paul, Minn. Americans over consume sugar, averaging about 22 teaspoons of added sugars per day, according to the American Heart Association, which recommends limiting added sugars to anywhere from 6 to 9 teaspoons per day. But so what? You’ve heard all of this before. What’s a practical way to put this information in action and actually cut down on sugar cravings? Here are 5 ways that should turn your sugar craving into a quiet whisper.

Out of sight out of mind

Don’t buy foods that contain processed sugars and plenty of additives. Keep your kitchen stocked with whole, healthy foods you actually want in your diet. Sounds simple, I know. Make out a grocery list with the things you want and leave a couple extra dollars for cheating (ex. all fruit snacks, veggie sticks, etc.) Even if you “cheat”, make it something that’s fairly healthy.

Eat satiating foods

We know that $12 salad filled with leafy greens and fruit is not going to keep you. That’s when you’re going to depend on the vending machine to fill the void instead of forking over another $5 dollars for that yogurt cup. Why not throw some animal fat and nuts in that salad?  eating foods rich in protein or fibrous carbs like steak,nuts, oats, and oranges are healthy as well as keep you full for a longer duration.

Drink water

Sometimes we think we’re hungry when we’re actually dehydrated. Try having a glass of water next time you feel that “I could eat” craving and see if it’s actually hunger. Water has zero calories so you really have nothing to lose.

Get lots of sleep

You have no idea how many times I’ve heard “I need the sugar to keep me awake.” For one you can always get a shot of espresso black, instead of downing 12 oz of sugary sludge. The second point is shouldn’t sleep be doing this for you? If you get a significant amount of sleep at night you’re less likely to crave sugar during the day. Sleep deprivation also leads to higher levels of cortisol which can put your hormones in an uproar and pack on the fat. Whatever’s keeping you up at night, knock it off until the morning.

Chill

Whether it’s through, yoga, a walk in the park, tai chi, chanting, mindfulness is a great way to get rid of stress. Stress builds up overtime and can eventually lead to higher cortisol levels which in turn increases blood sugar levels. Find your chill and try to practice it 3x per week.

Well there you have it, 5 practical ways to reduce sugar cravings starting today. The key is to organically incorporate these into your day until you form good habits. Once that’s done, the rest is a piece of cake…well, you know what we meant.

Unlike the previous 21 days, it’s not believed that it takes 66 days to form a habit. So try these suggestions for the next 3 months for a lifetime of change. Hit us up in the comments section below.