Slim Tip: How to Curb Sugar Cravings
I don't know about you, but whenever Halloween rolls around and all the candy bowls come out, my sugar addiction kicks into full gear. This sucrose coma typically continues through the end of the year thanks to the tasty treats that come with holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Not this year though. While I have a penchant for sweets, I am going to try my best to curb my sugar cravings and only indulge here and there (instead of every time I pass the candy dish in my office). I figured that many of you might find yourselves on this slippery candy-coated slope so I am going to share a few tips I learned about how you can curb your candy cravings (just in time for Halloween and the holiday season)...
Step 1: Understand your cravings.
Often times, we crave sweets because our bodies are lacking in an important nutrient. Instead of reaching your paws into the candy bowl, try satiating your sweet tooth with a handful of raspberries, fresh fruit, or even a sweet potato. In a way, you will be retraining your taste buds.
Step 2: Walk it off.
Sometimes eating sweets is just part of an existing habit. Let's say you crave chocolate every day around 4pm. Instead of gobbling down that chocolate truffle (like you always do), take a quick 10-minute walk. I can almost guarantee that you won't be craving that truffle when you get back. (And if you do, try Step 1 or Step 3 and then reevaluate.)
Step 3: Go for gum or brush your teeth.
Since chewing gum can reduce food cravings, it makes sense that it can also help stave off sugary cravings. Try chewing sugar-free gum. Also, peppermint tends to deter cravings as well, so if you're at home, try brushing your teeth.
Step 4: Give in sometimes.
It's okay to indulge here and there, but in moderation. Be smart about how much you treat yourself to. If you are craving a cookie, have a mini one; if you want ice cream, have a child-size frozen yogurt with fruit instead of your usual chocolate chips.
Step 5: Go cold turkey (and tell people).
If all else fails, cut out sugar all together. Some of us are all-or-nothing type of people. And for a select few, cutting sugar entirely may be the best route (although the first 48 to 72 hours will be very tough—trust me). Additionally if you tell people that you are quitting sugar for a while, they will hold you accountable. Plus you will be less likely to break your commitment when you have people watching you and encouraging you.
I hope you found these tips helpful! Another thing I like to do when I am craving candy or sweets is to have a big cup of warm green tea with a little honey. For some reason, green tea reminds me of being healthy (so I don't want to eat brownies) and the honey quenches my craving for something sweet.
How do you overcome your sugar cravings?
For more tips on keeping your waistline in check throughout the holiday season, check out my post about surviving the holidays without gaining weight.
XO Lauren
Photo: LaurenConrad.com
Sources: Science Daily, WebMD, The Telegraph
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99 comments
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I heard that gum actually makes you hungry because the chewing makes your brain assume food is on it's way so it signals your mouth to salivate and your stomach to prepare to digest. -
These are great tips! I've also noticed that filling up on fruit or drinking mint tea reduces my sugar cravings.
For more awesome tips check out:
http://www.liveitmag.com/ -
Another great way to curb your chocolate cravings is to eat a small handful of almonds! They make your brain think you've had what it needs! :) -
I am a huge sugar, baked goods, and junk food addict. I recently went cold turkey and the first week was really difficult. There were days where I couldn't get out of bed and felt really weak and tired throughout the day. Those days eventually passed and the cravings aren't as strong, but they're still there. To help myself from falling back into that addiction I wrote a list of why eating healthy is good for me (beautiful skin, hair, and body) and taped that list to my refrigerator. -
love the gum tip!! here are some other slim tips that happen to allow for deliciousness too! http://nourishandbenourished.com/2012/11/09/a-blueberry-a-day/ -
Fifty Shades of Grey - Book Review:
http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2012/11/50-shades-of-grey-book-review.html -
Great ideas! I use most of them usually so I'll stay on track with my diet, I mostly chew a gum or just drink water! -
Really good ideas(:
I try to drink a cup of water and distract myself like listening to music -
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Opt for natural gum. Gum base which is a common ingredient used in 99% gums is toxic. Great tips!
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I used to like eating sweets then once I went off to college I had less access to them. Eventually my cravings just went away. Sugar is really interesting like that. When you don't have it the cravings disappear on their own. I do enjoy a candy every now and then but I couldn't see myself eating a sundae or multiple cookies. Maybe just half.
http://thebuscas.com/2012/11/02/business-casual-friday-1/
Happy Casual Friday! -
Holiday time is definately a celebratory time but I just try and keep in moderation and then fall back into healthy habits!
xo Emilie @ http://www.hungrydelights.com/ -
Haha this is definitely something I need to follow...especially now that halloween has passed and Thanksgiving is just around the corner...and then Christmas...and then New Year's...that's like 30 extra pounds haha. Oh well. Thanks for the great tips!
Love,
Czeena
<a href="www.cupofvintage.com"> Cup of Vintage </a> -
great ideas to fight these sweet cravings...since there is a long way until Christmas & we all want to look great in our new outfits...
definitely, I am going to try them...
xo, Violeta
http://www.shoegaloutintheworld.com/ -
I heard that a craving for sweets usually stems from two things:
A lack of fats in your diet, against which eating veggies with good olive or nut-oil would help.
Or it's your blood sugar level, against which eating a lot of whole-wheat and a little more protein helps, because it helps even out your blood sugar level, and you will not get tired so quickly and not crave a quick sugar fix. Getting a quick sugar-fix like that will just make you tired again and in need of another one, and is potentially dangerous, as it can lead to diabetes. -
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Step 1 is a really good idea. Just replace the candy with healthier things that happen to be sweet!
http://alittleglitzneverhurts.blogspot.com -
I need to try this. I have such a HUGE sweet tooth! I sit at my desk all day and evetually start to crave sugar. I like the chewing gum or having tea ideA since I cannot always walk away from my desk to take a walk. -
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Haha, i saw this post just as I was going to town on a bag of sweet trail mix, my latest guilty pleasure. Because of the hurricane (though it didn't hit my area that badly) I've been mostly inside and turned to sweets, but just like #2, hopefully since I am increasing my exercise I'll be craving healthy proteins rather than sugar.
http://stephaniein-nh.blogspot.com -
I'm the latter type - all or nothing! I do treat myself once or week or so to a sugary treat, but now I don't eat it every day, find I need a lot less sugar to satisfy my sweet-tooth. Great tips though!
My blog, Bombay Rose, consists of lots of beauty, fashion and lifestyle (including weight loss!) tips, and I think LC fans will love it! Please have a read, and follow me on Twitter/'like' the Facebook page if you enjoy what you see (links on the blog!?)
www.bombayrose.co.uk
Thanks :-) xo -
Great tips! I like to go or a short walk whenever my cravings get too bad! (:
fithealthyandhappy.wordpress.com/ -
I use that "telling people" tip all the time. I tell people I run daily, and it actually makes me do it!
xo Dina
http://www.sweetestsomethings.com -
It is a matter of willpower!
I am lucky, I only sometimes crave sugar. Maybe once a week. I try to eat fruit or vegetables (yup, some of them have sugar in them). Sometimes it means for me my brains needs the energy (sugar=main (only) energy source for the brain).
But going cold turkey is hard! -
The candy bowl in my office sits on my desk since I'm the first person people see. I've gotten pretty good at keeping my fingers out of the candy but baked goods are another story.
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