151- Curbing Sugar Cravings

This is episode 151 of the Absolute Mind podcasts and today I am covering how to curb those pesky sugar cravings.

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Sugar Cravings

Sugar Sugar Sugar, One of the most highly addictive substances this world has to offer! I myself spent years being addicted to sugar and when I would get a craving no matter what time it was I would get my fix and either get in the car and drive to the shops for some sweet stuff or raid the cupboards and find whatever I could to ease the craving.

Eating sugar and processed foods containing lots of sugar can create a vicious cycle creating that addictive behaviour. Sugar gives that instant feeling of happiness, energy, all the pleasure our bodies crave we can get it too easily nowadays, whereas our predecessors did not have sugar in abundance and they had to work for it, hunt for it. But when we give our bodies that quick instant fix this can, in turn, have a negative impact on the system after that sugar crash that happens, it can leave you feeling tired and irritable.

As hormones change the body attempts to raise levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin, sugar triggers serotonin release which then can cause that sweet craving.

How Can You Curb Those Cravings? 

• Take it slowly - Become aware of what sugars you are eating including the processed foods with added sugars, sweets, chocolate etc and start to gradually reduce these amounts. Reducing them gradually can help with the intense cravings are you are not completely going cold turkey which some people find very difficult. If you can do cold turkey GO FOR IT!
• Have a new mindset - Rather telling yourself all of the things you can no longer eat, think of the things you can eat instead of sugar, make it fun trying new things that are naturally sweet.
• Make your own sweet treats - There are so many ideas out there now on how to make your own sweet treats using dates, avocado and cacao to make brownies, stevia as an added sweetener etc there are so many ideas that you could try out and enjoy making.
• Remind yourself why you want to cut sugar -  With all things like trying to make a difference to your life it's always important to remind yourself why you're doing it, have a goal board look at all the positives and benefits to making this change.
• Don't buy it - Start right! by not having it in you can't mindlessly just grab it from the cupboard! there's a 2 step thought process that has to go into acknowledging the craving then thinking about putting your shoes and coat on getting in the car and driving to the shops and having this 2 step process can allow you to reprocess that initial craving and talk yourself out of it.
• Acknowledge the changes - Acknowledge how good you're beginning to feel after a few weeks of not eating too much sugar.
• Expect to feel moody - As with any addiction, as you begin to cut down its imperative you are aware and expect to feel slightly moody or grumpy as your body adjusts to the lack of sugar.

Take your time in the process and allow for setbacks its really not that bad if you ave a day where you eat more sugar than you had planned, a day in the scheme of things is nothing!