How to Fight Sugar Cravings

Feeling like a slave to the ice cream carton? Do M&M's automatically find themselves into your cart when you're feeling stressed? I will teach you how to reprogram yourself, form new habits, and avoid foods that contribute nothing nutritionally to your diet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Determination
• A mantra... okay, not really, but you need to say to yourself over and over, "I CAN do this" instead of giving yourself permission to fail.

1. Stock your shelves and fridge. If you live with a family, (like me) who loves junk food, you have to have alternatives at the ready when hunger strikes.

2. Make a conscious choice never to pick up a sugar-filled, empty calorie junk food, and of course, to never let it near your mouth. Plan ahead for times when you will be surrounded by sweets, (such as a party) and decide ahead of time what you will eat and what you will not.

3. Try to drink water or a diet soda first, and then, if you still want something, pick up ONE of the items on the list below, and eat it slowly.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember if you eat ONE sugary thing, you will spike your blood sugar, and then it will drop, setting off a cruel cycle of craving and eating badly for days.
• Promise yourself that you will pay attention when times of stress cause you to want to reach for that chocolate bar. Many times we aren't hungry at all, we just find comfort in our food.
• Tell yourself that you will not cheat, even when no one is looking, because the only person you're ultimately hurting is you.
• Healthy alternatives to lil' Debbies that will decrease sugar cravings:
• Cheese sticks
• Pepperoni
• Slim Jims
• A handful of nuts
• A few strawberries
• Peanut butter
• Beef Jerky
• Boiled egg
• 1/2 cup of tuna salad
• Olives
• Pickles
• Sugar Free Hershey's candy bar (these can be addictive, so watch out)
• Diet green tea
• Try to stick with whole, natural food as much as possible. Always check labels for sugar (carbohydrate) content.
• Good Luck!
• Always consult a doctor for advice before beginning any eating plan, for weight loss or otherwise.

[MidniteWriter]

on 1/7/2008 I need this! And yes, diet soda is a vixen in disguise. We need to find some healthier AND satisfying choices.

[alllovedup]

on 9/7/2007 wow thanks 4the tips! ive bin trying 2shift a few pounds 4ages 2trim my stomach nd it isnt working, i always fink that i will just cut out snacks but i don't even consider healthy snack options!

[MissWorld]

on 8/5/2007 Thank you.. This is my main problem.. sugar cravings!

[Shama]

on 6/14/2007 Although i don't always follow my own advice, I try and stick to things with natural sugars, like fruit, dried fruits and nuts and things sweetened with honey instead of refined sugars or corn syrup.

If I'm really feeling a chocolate craving, i'll have a handful (a SMALL handful) of chocolate covered almonds. They're a little more filling than just chocolate so you can feel satisfied with just a small amount. After all, I've never been able to eat just one piece of chocolate and then stop.

[WeeSandy]

on 5/30/2007 The idea behind NEVER drinking a diet soda again is:
1. aspartame, Nutra-Sweet, and other similar sugar substitutes, easily break down at LESS THAN BODY TEMPERATURE into formaldehyde and formic acid. Formaldehyde is poison to humans, and formic acid is the very painful substance secreted by fire ants. Many, many traumatic health concerns are associated with aspartame use.
2. ALL carbonated beverages, whether diet or not, leach calcium from the body. Long-term use is associated with severe dental problems, loss of bone mass, and other calcium-deficiency related disorders

Here are several sites where you can learn more:

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/damage.txt

http://www.sweetpoison.com/articles/0406/aspartames_fda_approval_p.html

http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/nutrasweet_scandal.htm

http://www.lifedynamix.com/articles/Medicine/168.html