Happy Halloween! I am excited to dress Maya up in her devil costume and pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters. I’ve always loved dressing up since I was a kid, but my love affair with sugar as changed over the years.
Did you know that sugar can be found in everything from baby food to ketchup? And that the average American eats 130 pounds of sugar per year!
The excess of sugar in the Standard American Diet (SAD) has led to an obesity crisis. But if you are like me, when sugar cravings hit you aren’t thinking about the health consequences or your waistline. It’s almost like someone else takes over your body and drives you to Menchie’s for some ice cream!
Sugar is addictive. The more you eat, the more you crave. And when you give up sugar, you have withdrawal symptoms that can range from headaches to mood swings. Willpower only works to a certain extent because at the end of a stressful day sugar might seem like the perfect cure. Or maybe you find that you didn’t eat enough (whether it was because you were too busy to eat or because you are trying to lose weight), and then the evening hits and so does the sugar craving beast! Cue a sugar and carb binge…followed by the dreadful guilt, shame, and remorse for over doing it yet again!
You are not alone. Many of my clients struggling with sugar cravings. We work together to reduce the cravings using healthy alternatives to sugar (not artificial sweeteners), learning how to eat the perfect balance of carbs, protein and fat to ward off cravings, and by boosting up self-care to combat the emotional reasons we lean on sugar to make us happy.
Tell me…are you tempted by the excess of Halloween candy at the office or your home? If so, don’t worry. Below are a few tips to get you through the sugar party without falling off the wagon.
- Get the candy out of your house, car, etc. If it’s not there, you can’t eat it.
- Be a food detective. Read ingredient labels and choose foods where sugar is not one of the top 3 ingredients.
- Try swapping fruit for sugar for 30 days. Apples, pears, berries, bananas, kiwi…
- Invest in some dark chocolate. Look for 85% cocoa dark chocolate. When extreme cravings hit, have a 1-inch piece, chug a glass of water, then remove yourself from the kitchen.
- Set guidelines for sweets. Do this for special events and holidays too. Are you going to eat 2 pieces of Halloween candy on the 31st then throw out the leftovers? At your friend’s baby shower, are you going to eat ½ a piece of cake and truly enjoy it?
- Most importantly, sit down and eat your treat without distraction! Pay attention to the taste. As your taste buds change, the concentrated sugars in candy, cakes, and brownies won’t have the same appeal. One of my clients told me she would never eat a whole pint of ice cream at the table without distraction but it was easy while watching TV. Ring a bell?
If you need additional support, please reach out. I am currently offering 1-on-1 wellness coaching and we can schedule a complimentary introduction session. Interested? Just drop me an email!
Now tell me, are sweets ruling your life? Or have you conquered the sugar beast? Please share in the comments section below.