I can safely say I’m not the only person that gets sugar cravings, in fact, its perfectly normal for our bodies to crave sugar. Science is like a double ended sword, it can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. My coaching style is science based, sustainable and educational for all my clients in order to help develop a better understanding of their nutrition and relationship with food. A lot of my clients will always ask me, why do I crave sugar? Craving sugar is a natural process, it’s not something we can turn on and off manually. When your body is attempting to raise levels of the feel-good hormone Serotonin, and since sugar triggers a Serotonin release, this can cause you to crave sweet things. So it is no wonder why we like sugar so much, blame it on science right? Keep reading, to get an insight on tips I provide my clients when it comes to curbing sugar cravings.
1. Sugar free options. This applies to drinks, syrups, jelly etc. There are so many products out there that can give you the “sugar hit” that your body is craving without the actual sugar. So next time you are craving a sugary treat opt for a sugar free and lower calorie option.
2. Balanced diet. I structure all my clients diets on flexibility and sustainability. With an IIFYM (if it fits your macros) approach, this allows me to help people develop a healthy relationship with food! This doesn't mean I eat junk food all day, it simply means that I don't restrict the variety of foods that I eat. I count all my macronutrients and calories, so I can still fit in my favourite ice-cream or a treat at any time. By following this style of dieting, I crave sweets less often and also never feel the temptation or urge to binge.
3. Eat a variety of nutritious whole foods. If your diet consists of a lot of sugary foods then it is more likely that you are not going to stay full for long. As a general rule, I would suggest eating nutritious and caloric dense whole foods for the most part of your diet. Allocating a percentage to nutritious, micro and macro friendly foods, for example, vegetables, salads, fibre dense foods etc.
4. Stay hydrated. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to stay hydrated. Dehydration is linked directly to food cravings. Aim to drink 3-4L of water per day.
Dieting is hard, but with the right advice you can take out the guess work. I have been dieting for years, and have tried a lot of ways to help curb sugar cravings. My biggest motivation is setting a goal, this helps motivate and discipline me. Structure is important, so take a good look at your diet and goals. Go easy on yourself, it may take time to get a handle on your sugar cravings, but the important thing is realising there is a problem, but there is a also a solution. For any questions, please email me at [email protected]