- Learn to recognize sugar in all its forms. Sugar is not just the sweeter in your tea. Sweet cravings are caused by the artificial sugary substances we eat and drink. Check labels for words like corn syrup, fructose, glucose and sucrose. These are all sugar substances that can be found in almost all packaged foods, soda and other beverages. Even some waters are flavored with one of these substances. You can think you have cut sugar out of your diet but if you aren’t avoiding these substances as well, you are just creating more cravings.
- Stop eating sweets. Believe it or not, the more sugary substances you ingest, the more you crave it. In order to stop your cravings your best bet is to get the sugar out of your system for good. The first three to five days will be difficult as your body starts to feel the effects of withdrawal. In many ways sugar is like a drug and your body must recover from years of dependence.
- Drink water. Show your craving you’re in control by gulping water whenever you feel the urge to splurge on sugar. The water is an attempt to distract you from your cravings but it also helps flush the old sugar residue out of your system.
- Eat regular meals. Cravings are often strongest when you are at your weakest point. They come at you late in the afternoon when it’s been too long since lunch and dinner is still hours away. By eating regular, small meals every three to four hours, you can keep cravings down.
- Get your sugar naturally with fruits and vegetables. Quench a thirst for sugar by getting a little natural sweetness into your system. The sweet taste of fruits and some vegetables is not the same high concentration as fructose and corn syrup so your body doesn’t experience the rush that satisfies the cravings for sugar. Still get your body used to eating raw fruit when it craves sweets and you can replace your sweet cravings with healthier ones.
- Take a stroll for distraction. Sometimes all you can do is distract yourself from the craving until it goes away. If none of the other steps works when a craving strikes, remove yourself from any access to sweets. Then head outside for a walk. Wander at any pace; just get moving and get away from the stressor and any temptation you feel to indulge in sweets.
Remember that putting an end to cravings is a process. If you fall back into the sugar habit your cravings will resurface. If that happens, just get back on track.
