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How to Stop Eating Sweets: 8 Effective Tips from a Nutritionist
08.05.2024 23:10
Overeating sweets is a common problem for many people.
How to stop eating them? Here are some tips that may help.
Understand your eating habits
Before you start trying to change your habits drastically, it's important to understand why you're reaching for sweets. Is it a way to cope with stress? Or is it just random snacking throughout the day?
Or maybe your partner buys you a variety of sweets, and you can't resist them. Understanding why you indulge in sweets can help you find a healthier lifestyle.
Set goals
Identify your goals for eating sweets and plan how you want to achieve them.
This could be, for example, limiting sweets to one per day or giving them up completely for a week.
I'll tell you that it's very difficult for me to deny myself something sweet, so I don't fight it, but first eat healthy food from the ordered diet, and then reach for store-bought sweets (if I need them or really want them).
That's my goal: I eat healthy food, I provide myself with the necessary nutrients that I need for health and immunity. And, in turn, I eat things that do not contain any valuable ingredients, but simply taste good and give me pleasure.
This is my balance and also a way to reduce the glycemic load of all food + sweets. The glucose level will not rise as quickly because the fiber, fats and proteins contained in healthy food will prevent this.
Find healthy alternatives
Instead of reaching for sweets, choose healthier options, such as fruits. Fruits will satisfy your need for simple sugars and at the same time provide you with a whole range of valuable substances: vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants.
Choose seasonal fruits, especially berries in summer. A healthier alternative could also be "fit" bars, i.e. with nuts, flaxseed, sweetened with a sugar substitute with fewer calories than pure sucrose.
Simple desserts such as natural yogurt with honey or smoothie with dates and strawberries, and for those who like to experiment in the kitchen, such as sweet potato brownies, will also be the best option.
Avoid temptations
The rule is simple. If you don't buy it, you don't have it. If you don't have it, you don't eat it. So remove sweets from your kitchen and avoid places where there are a lot of them, like pastry shops or grocery stores.
Never go shopping when you're hungry because you'll quickly end up in the candy aisle. Not hungry? Great. But still, avoid the candy aisle because it will tempt you unnecessarily.
Find replacement habits
Instead of reaching for sweets when you're stressed or anxious, find other ways to cope with stress other than eating them.
For example, do some exercise or meditation, drink a glass of water. Scream into a pillow, take a few deep breaths, do 10 squats. It works!
Seek and receive support
Get support from your family and friends who also want to limit their consumption of sweets. If no one in your circle plans to change their habits for the better.
Tell them about your desire to change and ask for their support so that they do not tempt you with sweets. However, if you find support in someone to try to cut down on sweets together, you will be able to motivate each other, praise each other for the smallest successes and keep each other in check.
It wouldn't hurt to have a planner or an app/calendar on your phone where you can record even the smallest reductions in your sweets consumption. However, start with decreasing, cutting down on their consumption, and not completely giving them up, because you will break down at the first unfortunate moment.
Avoid situations that predispose you to eating sweets
For example, if you know you're going to want something sweet when you get home from work, eat an apple and drink a bottle of water on the way back. When you get home, start cooking dinner right away. Don't wait until you're hungry to remember how fantastically delicious sweets are.
Drink lots of water
We often confuse thirst with hunger and eat sweets when in fact we just need to drink water. Remember that sugary drinks do not quench thirst, but only increase it. Drink a glass or two of water.
If your diet has provided you with the necessary portion of dietary fiber throughout the day, then water will additionally make the fiber with its many beneficial properties work and fulfill its role. You can read more about the role of fiber here: Dietary fiber - the basis of a healthy diet
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise will help you stay healthy and feel good, and reduce the temptation to indulge in sweets. Of course, as long as you eat right after your workout and throughout the day.
The energy deficit and at the same time small portions with low fiber content will make you hungry, and the brain will remind you how fantastically delicious your favorite sweets are. Do you know what the anabolic window is?
Did you know that the success of your physique depends primarily on your diet? I invite you to read my other article: Post-Workout Nutrition - Recommendations
Think about the reasons why you eat sweets
Sometimes eating sweets is a way to escape stress or anxiety. This is understandable, after all, your intestines have their own nervous (visceral) system. Make a list of people and things that prevent you from being in a good energy zone. Then think about what you need to do to get rid of the causes of your dissatisfaction.
If you're feeling the urge to eat something, consider whether it's a whim or just hunger. Eat a healthy, well-balanced meal, wait 15 minutes for the satiety hormones to reach your brain, and only then analyze whether you still want dessert.
By following a healthy lifestyle, you will control the abundant release of insulin and ensure stable blood glucose levels.
Try new foods and flavors
By discovering new tastes and foods, you can reduce the temptation to indulge in sweets. The world does not end with the appearance of a chocolate bar. Dietary nutrition will help you get acquainted with healthy tastes and unfamiliar healthy dishes.
Remember that giving up sweets is a process that can take time and patience. Don't criticize yourself if you give in to them. Go back to analyzing the 13 points listed above. Think about what went wrong. Or maybe you managed to eat healthy food and a smaller portion of sweets than usual. That's already a success!
Celebrate even the smallest successes, because this joy will motivate you to do even more.
It's important not to expect too much from yourself or give up when difficulties arise. Instead, focus on your goals and keep working on changing your habits.
If you decide to give up sweets, it is important not to do it too abruptly.
A sudden change in diet can be difficult to maintain and can lead to disappointment and failure. Instead, gradually reduce the amount of sweets in your diet. For example, try to eat them not every day, but once every two days, or only during exercise when you have increased energy expenditure.
Never replace healthy food with sweets. Your pathogenic microbiome will thrive on such choices. Ensure a healthy relationship with food. Limit your consumption of sweets, but not because you want to lose weight. Do it consciously.
Eating a lot of sugar doesn't reduce your risk of many diseases. On the contrary, it makes you more likely to get them.
Remember how many valuable nutrients each cell of your body needs. Combine the composition of store-bought sweets with fruits and vegetables.
Earlier we wrote about how to make hair thick.
