Did you know that the average American woman consumes a staggering 48 pounds of added sugar every year? That’s an astounding four pounds a month.
It’s not just our teeth we need to worry about with sugar; 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 recommended daily sugar intake limit increase their risk of heart disease by at least 30%.
Now we’re not sure about you, ladies, but those statistics are mind-blowing, and they make us want to quit sugar asap! But sugar cravings can be intense, and putting an end to them and cutting back on added sugar is hard. We’re sure that sugar can actually speak sometimes, whether that’s whispering at you to come down the snack aisle at the grocery store, to grab some ice cream from the freezer, or to have another cookie.
Why do we crave sugary foods?
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 crave sugar, from our hormones to habits to the smell of a decadent doughnut. The desire for sugar is innate and drilled into us from an early age.
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Scientists believe that our preference for sugar comes from sweet tastes exist as a way for us to identify sources of digestible carbohydrates and glucose-based energy. Sugar is such a big part of our diet, and it’s hard to cut it out completely.
How to stop sugar cravings
Listen to your body and figure out what it needs
Sometimes you might be craving sugar or want something sweet, but that doesn’t mean that you must reach for the ice cream. 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? Feeling bored? Are you low on energy? Or do you want something sweet?
Slow things down
If you have a craving, try drinking a glass of water, taking some deep breaths, or going for a short walk, these might distract you or satisfy your cravings. If you’re actually hungry, it’s ok to reach for a snack.
In fact, your best bet for cutting off a craving at its root might be 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 every day at 3pm without fail, you’re craving something sugary, that’s probably a good sign that you should add in a protein-packed snack to help you power through the afternoon.
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This will help you to feel better, as well as set you up for a better evening.
Balanced meals
Ensure that all of your meals are well balanced with protein, vegetables, healthy fats or carbs. Not only will this keep you fuller for longer, but it’ll stabilize your blood sugar too.
Eat to feel satisfied
How satisfying you find your meals will help you feel better about eating healthily. If you constantly feel deprived, then you’ll find those cravings shout louder than ever.
So, work out what you love to eat and make you feel satisfied, and this way you won’t feel so restricted.
Use some spices
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 less sugar!
Craving something sweet? Eat something with cinnamon; for example, 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 experience new fruits and vegetables that you’ve never tried before.
Plus, there’s so much creativity in cooking you might find yourself getting excited about creating something healthy for dinner.
Avoid sugar-pushers
Most people will support your healthy mission until it interferes with their plans, for example, your mom trying to get you to have dessert, your partner wanting to go out for pasta, or your friends pushing you towards cocktails.
These are the moments where you need to stand firm and remember that pushing you towards breaking your goal isn’t about you but them. Stay strong!
Use Trimtone
Need a hand curbing those cravings? Did you know that Trimtone doesn’t just boost your motivation and reduce your appetite? It can help you to suppress those sugar cravings too!
Curb those cravings with these foods
Fancy something sweet? Try these instead:
- Apple slices with nut butter
- Berries with a handful of mixed nuts
- Whipped ricotta with cherries
- Baked apples dusted with cinnamon
- Sweet herbal teas, like rooibos with vanilla
Fancy something salty? Try these instead:
- Guacamole and cucumber coins
- 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 Trimtone 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 – curbing the urge to snack – our powerful ingredients tell your body to burn more calories whilst giving you more energy!