5 Ways to Reduce Your Sugar Cravings

5 Ways to Reduce Your Sugar Cravings

Nutrition Education

Let’s face it, sugar cravings are the real deal.

I often hear from women that they feel like they need a “sugar fix” daily, can’t understand how someone can just “stop at one” and are raiding the kitchen cabinet for the sweet stuff after the kids go to bed. 

Sound familiar?

If so, know you’re not alone, and there are several things you can do to help reduce those sugar cravings.

 

But First, Know That Sugar Cravings Are Not Just About Willpower:

We’re often told to just have more willpower to reduce your cravings, but there’s much more to it than that. 

 It’s really about:

  • supporting your biochemistry
  • keeping blood sugars balanced
  • honoring your hunger cues
  • nourishing your body well each day

Letting go of your sugar cravings CAN happen with the right tools, strategies and support. 

For example, a client of mine came to me with intense sugar cravings and had labs showing that she was prediabetic. She was also skipping meals, and ignoring her hunger cues due to a busy work schedule.

Once we started focusing on incorporating regular balanced meals and snacks, improving her sleep routine, and supporting her gut health – her sugar cravings were almost non-existent. 

Know that sugar cravings don’t have to rule your day and there are several ways to conquer them.

What Can Your Sugar Cravings Mean?

Sometimes your cravings are a sign of a deficiency of some sort. 

Here’s some examples:

  • If you’re struggling with cravings at night, it could be a result of not eating enough throughout the day. 
  • If you’re craving chocolate, you might be lacking in magnesium.
  • If you’re craving oily/fried foods, your calcium intake may be low.
  • If you’re craving nut butters, it could be because you’re low on fat.
What your sugar cravings are telling you

Lastly, one of the biggest reasons for cravings that I see with clients is a lack of protein at meals and snacks. 

Protein helps to keep you full longer, and is also a precursor for brain chemicals like dopamine (which is also released when we consume sugar). 

5 Ways to Reduce Your Sugar Cravings:

Beyond looking at deficiencies, there’s several other things you can do to help reduce and prevent your cravings. Here are five common ones I help my clients with:

Focus on Incorporating Balanced Meals:

A balanced meal includes all three macronutrients: protein, nourishing fats, and fibrous carbohydrates.

When you consume more balanced meals, you’re able to have stable blood sugar levels, better energy, support your digestion and brain health, and also help reduce cravings. 

A simple example would be some Spinach & Broccoli Feta Egg Cups topped with avocado slices and served with fruit on the side. 

Paying attention to your hunger cues is a great way to know if your meals are balanced enough. 

For example, if you’re hungry an hour after a meal, you might need to bump up your protein intake or add more nourishing fats.

Don’t Be Scared of Snacks:

I’m definitely pro-snack, and that’s because snacks can help keep your blood sugars balanced throughout the day.

It’s really just about snacking right. 

When you go too long without eating, your blood sugar levels drop. This then causes your body to start to crave foods to help it rise again (that’s where those cravings for carbs and sugary foods often come in).

So if you’re going longer than four hours between meals, I’d suggest adding in a balanced snack (ideally carb + protein) to help keep your blood sugars at bay. 

Some of my favorite examples:

Say Good-Bye to Artificial Sweeteners:

Despite being marketed as “healthy,” artificial sweeteners can be anywhere from 300-600 times sweeter than regular sugar.

Since they’re a lot sweeter, studies have found them to increase sugar cravings (1, 2). 

Plus, they can have a negative impact on gut health, may increase your risk for type 2 diabetes,  and negatively impact heart health (3, 4).

No thanks.

So ditch the diet soda and opt for some sparkling water instead.

Don’t Deprive Yourself Entirely:

The more you tell yourself you can’t have something (such as that donut or piece of cake) – the more you tend to want it even more.

The reality is, depriving yourself entirely of the sweet stuff isn’t the solution. 

That’s why I teach my clients to focus on eating 80/20 (80% for nourishment, and 20% for fun).

When you stop putting sugar on a pedestal and allow yourself to have it once in awhile, you just might not crave it as much.

 

Figure Out The Why Behind the Desire:

Sometimes you might crave sweets (especially at night) out of a habit or boredom, or because of stress.

So if that’s your case, I’d encourage you to take 3 deep breaths when you’re having a craving and focus on the 3-F’s.

  • Feel: What type of feeling are you experiencing? This could be boredom, anxiety, stress, etc.
  • Feed: How does it (sugar) feed that feeling? Would that piece of pie or donut help feed the feeling you’re having?
  • Find: A non-food related behavior to feed the same feeling. What’s a non-food related way to support the feeling you’re having?

The goal is to find a non-food related behavior to fill that void or emotion you’re feeling instead of using food for comfort.

Example: If you’re craving chocolate because you’re feeling stressed

Try: venting to a friend, meditating, doing some yoga, going for a walk, or having a mineral mocktail.

Sugar probably isn’t what your body really needs, but maybe going for a short walk is.

So, Ready to Conquer Those Cravings?

Although these 5 ways to reduce your cravings are a great start, there’s much more to sugar cravings. 

If you’re looking to dip deeper into your sugar cravings and get personalized guidance and support along the way, take your next step and apply for my coaching program HERE. 

You Might Also Like

Add A Comment