Our modern lifestyle often includes processed foods, irregular sleep schedules, artificial light, and inactivity. These factors all contribute to sugar cravings, weight gain, and mood problems.
Yes, I am addicted to sugar. It became obvious after eating not a healthy food lunch last week. I felt hunger for something sweet after my lunch and I supplemented it with four bars of chocolate snack. That made me realize that sugar controls me.
I am writing this post to help me go back to eating food that supports weigh lose and overall health.
Craving sugar when I do not need to eat can be controlled. I know I can override it. It will help me to physically and mentally feel better. I will be able to handle stress and overcome daily challenges more effectively. And I do not want to hunger for something sweet half an hour after my lunch or dinner every day.
The answer lies in my choice of foods at main meals and generally resuming the eating style that helped me lose 91 pounds in the past. One of the pillars on my method was not allowing myself to become hungry. That is what I will focus on to help me move away from craving sugar.
Giving up sugar can feel unpleasant. Getting there will be tough and fighting off the cravings will be a constant battle.
I don’t want my next blood test to show that I am close to pre-diabetic, or worse yet, already in that level. That fear will be my best motivator.
It’s important to realize that a craving is not the same as hunger. Cravings are driven by your brain’s need for a “reward” — not your body’s need for food and they are often the result of conditioning over time. In other words, it's a habit. You've got a stimulus, a behavior, and a reward. In the case of a sugar craving, the stimulus could be finishing dinner, the behavior is eating the sweets, and the reward is how you feel—in this case, good.
ReplyDeleteI'm a sugar addict too. I can go several weeks feeling in control of my diet, then one day, it just falls apart. I haven't been able to identify what causes it to fall apart. I have self-control, and then suddenly I don't. I always feel better, sleep better, stress less, when my diet excludes sugar. But it's not something I've been able to control long-term. It's a constant battle.
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