How to stop sugar cravings
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- Most featured running blog, past 6 years
- USATF certified running coach
- Experienced endurance athlete
- 7 marathons
Are you struggling with sugar cravings and you have no idea what to do about it? Today I'm sharing my secrets on how to stay consistent when it comes to a healthy diet that's beneficial for your ultimate fitness goals.
What is sugar and how does it affect us?
A great understanding for how sugar affects our bodies is a great foundation on learning how to control your sugar cravings. It is proven that the longer you stay away from sugar, the easier it is for us to avoid it. Sugar comes in different forms and foods. Sugar can be natural or artificially added. It's good to know that one teaspoon of white sugar has about 16 calories and it provides a quick dose of energy that the body can process faster than complex carbohydrates or proteins. In the case, you‘re eating too much of it the excess energy will be stored fat.How to get rid of sugar cravings?
So how do you get rid of the sugar cravings? How do you stop sugar cravings fast? And also: is there any natural supplement to stop sugar cravings? My body really asks for more chocolate and so on the more often I’m eating it. The longer I haven’t had any sugar, the sweeter tastes a piece of chocolate for me. But don't worry, I will also share my favorite healthy snacks so that you can enjoy something sweet that won't mess with your sugar levels at all.Why do I crave sugar all the time?
Poor diet is one of the most common reasons why we crave sugar. Also, the use of artificial sweetener can lead to fluctuations in our blood sugar levels as well as it causes you to crave more sugar. Really small adjustments to your diet can help you already to stop craving sugar all the time. Craving special foods like candy, burger or pizza are caused by the regions in our brains that are also responsible for our memories, things that pleasure us and reward us. Imbalances within our hormones are oftentimes another reason for sugar cravings. Here are my tips on how to immediately stop your sugar cravings and how to get your diet back to normal again:#1 Brush your teeth to stop sugar cravings
This tip is one of the oldest and you probably have heard of it before: Brushing your teeth immediately helps with your sugar cravings. Why? Once you brush your teeth you’re playing your brain by sending the signal of “Mealtime is over” - and also, the cool, fresh minty flavor in your mouth ruins any taste that could possibly come after it anyways. You would have to wait until your flora in your mouth is back to normal and by then your sugar craving will be gone. Trust me, it works!#2 Eat frozen fruits to help with sugar cravings
I always have a back of frozen berries in my freezer, because I eat them with my overnight oats every morning. When I’m dealing with sugar cravings I’d get a small cup of blueberries for instance and start eating them (frozen). It takes forever to finish them because obviously, they are cold. When I’m done eating, I totally forget about all the chocolate and candy I was craving beforehand. Another great advice is a protein shake that is low in sugar and carbs - they taste like vanilla or chocolate and make you believe you are having something sweet to stop your sugar cravings.#3 Go for a run
Distraction is key here when your body is asking for sugar. When you’re bored on the couch craving sugar, go out and run. The runners high will help you to forget about the sugar cravings for sure.
After a run, I always feel happy, confident and more satisfied with myself. Short-term this feelings with make you crave a salad, or something else healthier than chocolate. It never happened to me before that I came back from a run and wanted chocolate as a post workout snack.
Distracting your brain from your sugar cravings doesn’t just work with running by the way. You could do any kind of activity. Even cleaning the apartment works.
#4 Just don’t buy anything sweet
My number one trick is to not have anything at home that would fulfill my sugar cravings. I always catch myself at my parent's house eating a bunch of chocolate because it’s visible for my eyes. They love to have a small plate of candy on the living room table and here I am eating everything.
So during the holidays that I just spent in Germany, I ate a lot of chocolate only because it was there. Back home I try to not have anything sweet at home, so in case of a sugar cravings emergency, it’s easier for me to resist.
#5 Resist sugar cravings with healthy snacks
If my tip #4 is not for you and you love having at least something to snack from at home try my favorite snacks from Fit Joy.
They have delicious grain-free protein bars that taste just as good as your favorite chocolate bar. My number one go-to is their Cookies and Cream Protein Bars.
The fudgy, chocolate layer with a creamy middle filled with crunchy protein cookie crisps tastes amazing. Like all of their products, this bar is free of gluten, GMOs, maltitol, and artificial flavors and sweeteners! It's the perfect way to snack healthy without the feeling of missing out on something sweet.
