Any diet will begin with simple advice: cut back on sugary snacks.
Unfortunately that's easier said than done.
That's because a diet can actually trigger more sugar cravings than usual.
When we are hungry (which usually happens when we are cutting back on calories) the body tends to reach for simple carbohydrates, which quickly satisfy hunger and provide a fast but short-lived energy boost.
Yet, here's the problem: simple carbohydrates satisfy hunger faster, but not longer.
Eat something sweet and within a few hours you are famished.
This leads to a sugar craving cycle: binge, starve, binge, starve.
A lot of people also miss the "psychological" benefits of sugar.
Carbohydrates release serotonin, which makes us feel happy, and endorphins, which calm and relax us.
Thus, a sugar craving feeds (no pun intended) on how much we miss both the flavor and the feeling it provides.
Yet, there are ways to beat the sugar craving and stay on a diet.
Try these! 1.
Know your sweets.
Sugar isn't just in cakes and ice creams, but processed foods like breads, yogurt, juices, and sauces.
In fact the American Heart Association says that most people average 22 teaspoons of "hidden sugar" a day.
2.
Satisfy your craving reasonably.
Completely denying yourself sugar can make you feel deprived and resentful.
The trick is to give in -a little bit.
For example, take a small cookie or a thinner slice of cake.
3.
Combine something sweet with something healthy.
Instead of eating a whole box of chocolate, try dipping banana in chocolates.
Or, mix a few chocolate chips into a filling and vitamin-filled bowl of granola mix.
4.
Ride the first 3 days.
Some brave souls can quit sugar cold turkey.
Just remember that the first 72 hours are the worst-so avoid temptation.
Clean out the pantry and refrigerator of all snacks so it's extra difficult to satisfy that sugar craving.
Bring food to the office and eat at your desk so you don't have to go to a restaurant and look away when the dessert trolley comes by your table.
5.
Carry sugar-free gum.
Research shows that chewing gum can reduce food cravings.
It also fools the body into thinking that you're "already eating".
6.
Walk off the sugar craving.
Exercise also releases endorphins and serotonin, so you feel happy and energetic (with the bonus of burning calories instead of consuming them).
Even leisurely walking where you won't break into a sweat-say, a little stroll around your office, chatting with your co-workers at their cubicles-helps alleviate the sugar craving because it distracts you and takes your mind off food.
7.
Take smaller but more frequent meals.
Don't wait until you are starving to take your next meal.
When you're hungry, say many diet experts, you're more likely to take anything in front of you, and to eat far more than you actually need.
Small and frequent meals will keep your stomach full and your head clear so you can make smarter, more controlled food choices.
It also keeps your blood sugar stable.
Choose foods that are rich in fiber and protein, like whole grains and vegetables.
8.
You may want/need to find the right Vitamin/mineral supplement that will help the body satisfy the sugar cravings or even stop the cravings.
This will also help to balance the metabolism of the body.
A good vitamin/mineral supplement should be at the center of all our diets to supply us with the nutrients we lack in our daily intake through food.