Insulin resistance, fatigue, cavities and addiction are only a few effects that sugar has on your body. We discuss how to stop the cravings and opt for better options.
Refined sugar can be dangerous.
Kitkat, strawberry shortcake, Mcflurry ice cream, Coca cola…what do these all have in common? (other than the fact they taste so good!) They are all filled with refined sugar.
Unfortunately all of these sweet treats aren’t so sweet on the body – the sugar in these and many other products may make you feel good at the time, but the more you eat the more damage you do.
I’m sure you already know that insulin resistance, fatigue, cavities and addiction are only a few effects that sugar has on your body. Let’s go into a little more detail on how to stop the cravings and opt for better options!
Keep temptation out of the house!
This is probably one of the best ways to avoid caving in and having that chocolate cake you bought just because it was half price.
Whenever we have a not-so-good for us sweet treat in the house we are far more likely to lure ourselves in and indulge.
It doesn’t make it any easier that the supermarkets always have some kind of cheap deal for cakes, donuts, soft drinks, ice creams and more. But keep strong and remind yourself that your health is far more important than 1 minute of sensory satisfaction.
Out of sight, out of mind
If you have a partner or other family members living with you who are still not willing to give up the treats, tell them to put it somewhere out of sight and to not tell you when they have it.
Rally up support
Support from family and friends are a great thing, so try to get them to join you on giving up the sweets and really put in that team effort.
Scientists have proven that sugar is a highly addictive substance and has the same reaction in the brain to cocaine (NYdailynews).
So it won’t be just as simple to give up completely, but there are ways around it!
Distract yourself
Create a short list of a few of your favourite activities and always refer back to this when you feel a craving for sugar coming along. An example of activities could be:
- paint your nails
- go for a bike ride
- clean the house.
Eat (but eat well)
If you feel like you actually are hungry, just eat!
But don’t go for the sugary cereal and milk – eat something with more nutrients and you’ll see you won’t even crave any more sugar once you’re done. If you are still craving, go for a piece of fruit. You wont regret it!
We’ll leave you with a very quick, sweetly satisfying snack to create whenever you feel the cravings coming along!
Enjoy!