Every year, the average American woman consumes a staggering 48 pounds of added sugar. Incredibly, that’s four pounds a month! Whilst sugar is bad for our teeth and increases the chances of cavities, it’s not all that we need to be concerned about.
In fact, having too much sugar in your diet raises your risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. According to a 2014 study, those who exceed the amount of recommended daily sugar intake increase their risk of heart disease by at least 30%.
We’re not sure about you, ladies, but that definitely makes us want to evaluate our relationship with sugar. But how do you give up sugar when those cravings can be intense? Well, the first step to cutting back on sugary foods and regaining your power is understanding why we crave them.
There are several reasons we might find ourselves craving sugar, from our hormones to habits. The desire for sugar is innate and drilled into us from an early age. Scientists believe that our preference for sugar comes from humans needing to be able to identify sources of digestible carbohydrates and glucose-based energy.
Also Read: Here’s how to keep junk food cravings at bay
Knowing all of that helps, but sugar is such a big part of our diet, and it’s hard to cut it out completely, so how can you swerve those cravings? Well, read on to find out more.
Eight tips for cutting out your sugar cravings
Figure out what your body needs
Sometimes you might be craving sugar or want something sweet, but take a minute to figure out what’s going on in your body, do you feel stressed? Do you have a headache? Are you hungry? Are you bored? Are you low on energy? Or do you want something sweet?
Pause before you react
If you have a craving for something sweet, try drinking a glass of water, taking some deep breaths, or going for a short walk. If you’re hungry, it’s ok to have a snack. In fact, your best bet for cutting off a craving is to have a snack packed with protein or healthy fats. Plus, prepping your own at the start of the week will help you to be prepared for cravings and avoid trips to the vending machine.
Pay attention to your patterns
If you’re finding that you’re craving something sugary around 3-4pm every day, that’s probably a good sign that you should add in a protein-packed snack to help you power through the afternoon. This will help you to feel better, as well as set you up for a better evening.
Balanced meals
Make sure you’re eating three meals a day, they’re well balanced with protein, vegetables, healthy fats or carbs. Not only will this keep you fuller for longer, but it’ll keep your blood sugar stable too.
Eat to feel satisfied
How satisfying you find your meals will make you feel better about eating healthily. If you’re feeling constantly deprived, then you’ll find those cravings shout louder than ever.
Also Read: Can you lose weight and still eat cheese?
So, work out what you love to eat, what’s tasty and makes you feel satisfied, this way you won’t feel so restricted.
Spice up your life
Often, when we’re craving sugar, it’s not really about sugar but craving something flavored. By using spices when you’re swapping out sugar, you’ll still eat plenty of flavorful food but just no sugar! Plus, spices work great to give your body what it needs. For example, craving something sweet for breakfast? A pinch of cinnamon on your oatmeal can sweeten it up without needing sugar.
Get creative
By mixing up your recipes and getting curious with your cooking, you might find that you’re not only having fun, but you’re getting to create delicious new recipes with new ingredients that you’ve never tried before.
Avoid sugar-pushers
Most people will support your healthy mission but when it interferes with their plans, you might find those same people trying to push you towards breaking your no sugar rule. For example, your mom might try to get you to have dessert, your partner wants to try a new buffet pasta restaurant, or your friends want you to join in with a cocktail.
Also Read: Is walking enough to support your weight loss goals?
These are the moments where you need to stand firm and remind them that you’ve got goals that you’d like to stick to. Stay strong!
Use PhenGold
Need a hand staying strong and fighting back against sugar cravings? Did you know that PhenGold doesn’t just boost your motivation and reduce your appetite? It can help you to suppress those cravings too!
Easy food swaps to curb those cravings
Fancy something sweet? Try these instead:
- Apple slices with peanut butter
- Fresh berries with a handful of mixed nuts
- Baked cherries with whipped ricotta
- Baked apple slices dusted with cinnamon
- Sweet herbal teas, like rooibos with vanilla
Fancy something salty? Try these instead:
- Guacamole and cucumber
- Fresh veggies or crackers with hummus
- A handful of seeds or nuts
- A hardboiled egg with everything seasoning
If you need some support to reach your healthy living goals, smash through your targets and curb those cravings, then PhenGold is here to support you!
Our 100% natural formula allows you to maximize your fat loss! As well as reducing your appetite and helping you to STOP the cravings – goodbye sugar! – our powerful ingredients tell your body to burn more calories whilst giving you more energy!
