4-Step Plan to Stop Sugar Cravings for Good

Here's how to kick your sugar addiction the easy way!

Did you know that health experts are now calling sugar the tobacco of the new century? It’s linked to so many scary diseases, not to mention it wreaks havoc on your waistline. If you can’t seem to quit sugar, you may need a 4-step plan to stop sugar cravings for good.

The average American consumes 82 grams of added sugar per day. To put that into perspective, that’s more than three times the maximum of 25 grams per day recommended for women by the American Heart Association. That’s a big “yikes!”

It’s no secret that a diet high in added sugars isn’t doing your health any good. You put yourself at risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease, along with other conditions and diseases. But sugar addiction can make it really difficult to kick the habit to the curb.

4-Step Plan to Stop Sugar Cravings for Good

So where to start? We’ve got you covered with our 4-step plan that will teach you to that the sweet life doesn’t have to come in the form of added sugar. With time, patience and some knowledge, you can kick that unwanted sugar addiction in no time.

Learn where sugar hides.

4-Step Plan To Stop Sugar Cravings For Good

Just because you don’t put teaspoons of sugar in your coffee, or mindlessly scarf down cookies when that 2pm slump hits, doesn’t mean you’re not victim of consuming sugar in other ways.

Your cereal, your granola bar, even your yogurt can all be chock-full of added sugar. If you’re going to buy pre-packaged snacks and meals, you ought to know what’s in them. Be sure you’re looking at labels religiously.

The first part in the 4-step plan to stop sugar cravings for good is to pinpoint all of sugar’s many names, like: anhydrous dextrose, brown sugar, cane crystals, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, crystal dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose sweetener, fruit juice concentrates, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, liquid fructose, malt syrup, maple syrup, molasses, pancake syrup, raw sugar, sugar, syrup and white sugar.

You’ll never be able to curb your sugar intake if you don’t know cut out the foods that have it.

Curb your cravings.

4-Step Plan To Stop Sugar Cravings For Good

Once you know where sugar hides, the next thing you have to do is cut it out. But that doesn’t mean going cold turkey. There are plenty of ways to have sweetness in your life without subjecting yourself to the processed, bad stuff.

When your craving for sugar hits, know your alternatives. If you love your sugary soda, try replacing it with a naturally flavored soda water. If you love the deliciousness of a chocolaty treat, go for cacao! Most store-bought chocolate is super processed and is rarely real chocolate, but just a bunch of refined sugar.

Choose raw cacao to make a sweet tasting snack or dessert, like these Avocado Vegan Fudge Brownies.

You might love sweetness in your smoothie. Try opting for nature’s candy, like berries and banana instead of tossing in artificial sweeteners. This Skinny Banana Split Protein Smoothie will fill you up and curb your craving for sugar.

If you love the sweetness of a little jam on your toast, try these 5-Berry Sugar-Free Jam Recipes.

Even simpler, try chewing on dried fruits to curb your craving for sugary candy or the need for dessert.

Eat more real food.

4-Step Plan To Stop Sugar Cravings For Good

One you start making these swaps, the next part in the 4-step plan to stop sugar cravings for good is to realize a very important thing: real food is really incredible. It’s delicious, can be naturally sweet, and doesn’t send you into a sugar crash, but actually sustains you all day long.

As you become more accustomed to whole foods, start making more and more swaps. Avoid processed dressings, sauces, and condiments (sugar alert!), and utilize the creaminess of avocado and hummus, the zest of fresh citrus, and the sweetness of raw foods like strawberries in your salad and tomatoes on your sandwich.

If you’re feeling hungry, and sugar is on the brain, eat smart. Grab a quick apple as a sweet and healthy snack, and stock up on slower digesting fuel sources such as proteins to fill up so you won’t find your tummy grumbling and subsequently searching for quick burning sweets.

These Baked Apple Chips are a great healthy sweet snack choice.

Replace food rewards with other pleasures.

4-Step Plan To Stop Sugar Cravings For Good

When a sugar craving hits, realize it’s not about nourishing yourself, because it’s not the same as hunger. In fact, it’s actually your brain craving a release of dopamine in the reward system.

Don’t reward this empty pleasure. Instead, pick healthier, more fulfilling pleasures to make you feel good. What else feels indulgent? Is it a massage? A much needed trip to the nail salon? Perhaps curling up with a good book feels really, really rewarding.

If you need some sort of oral fixation, grab a cup of tea, or sip on some fruit-infused water.

If you feel like your hard workout deserves a reward, think before you eat. Are you hungry, or are you just trying to make yourself feel balanced? Before you reach for the cookie, do something else. Grab a friend to see a movie, plop down in a sun chair on the beach, treat  yourself to that sale you’ve been wanting to check out.

You can’t replace one addiction with another, however, so be sure that whatever you are choosing to reward yourself with isn’t going against your overall desire to lead a healthy lifestyle.

As you can see, this 4-step plan to stop sugar cravings for good is equal parts about food just as much as it is about mind games. Take things slow, don’t be too hard on yourself, and perhaps keep a food diary to see where your biggest triggers are so that you can make the healthy swaps you need.

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SkinnyMs.

The SkinnyMs. team believes that all people, regardless of age, size, and fitness level, have the power to transform their lives — they just need the resources to do so. The SkinnyMs. method promotes healthy living through a combination of clean eating and regular exercise. We offer everything you need to be successful.

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