Hi darlings!
So I’ve got a little bit of a problem… You remember how about a week ago I said that I wanted to do a small detox? Well, I’m failing at it… And my biggest problem is cutting down on sugar!
You see, the last two-three weeks of February are normally super intense and stressful in the industry I work in. When I am stressed, I tend to crave sweets. The more sweets I eat, the more I crave them. As you can imagine, it becomes somewhat of a crazy cycle.
As if it wasn’t bad enough, I decided to share some extra sugary truth with you. *BOOM! Just because I can! Haha!*
To top it off, sugar:
- is guilty of the creation of dental plaque & cavities;
- triggers weight gain;
- feeds cancer cells;
- promotes premature aging, etc.
According to The Telegraph, you’re addicted to sugar if you answer ‘yes’ to one of the following questions:
1. Do you struggle to walk past a sugary treat without taking ‘just one’?
2. Do you have routines around sugar consumption – for example, always having pudding, or needing a piece of chocolate to relax in front of the television?
3. Are there times when you feel as if you cannot go on without a sugar hit?
4. If you are forced to go without sugar for 24 hours, do you develop headaches and mood swings?
Fortunately, I am a kind of person who stops craving sweets all at once if I don’t have any of them for about a week or so. Thus, the hardest step for me is pretty much to lower the consumption of sugar, and it’s an easy ride from there on.
*So dramatic! Hahaha!*
There are a few ways to curb the craving. Here are some of them:
- MAKE A DECISION TO CUT BACK ON SUGAR *I mean, you gotta be committed! and mentally prepared for the challenge!*
- Limit the amount of sugar you put in tea and coffee;
- Substitute juice for water;
- Watch out for ‘fat-free’ snacks;
- Start reading labels;
- Beware not only of artificial sweeteners but also ‘healthy’ sugar options *it still sends the same signal to your brain = I WANT SOMETHING SWEET!!!*;
- Don’t overdo on fruit consumption;
- No soft drinks *DUH!*;
- Give preference to plain yogurt;
- Swap sugar for cinnamon *This is genius!*;
- OH, AND STAY AWAY FROM THE SWEETS AT THE STORE!!! *Oh, you knew I wouldn’t forget this one!*
Now, share your secrets with me! What is your biggest sweet addiction? What works for you when you try to cut down on sugar?
xoxo
Olena
candies & crunches 
I definitely crave savory more than sweet, I have a deliciousness addiction rather than a sugar addiction 😉 I use a teaspoon of “healthy sugar” in my morning coffee and that’s pretty much it for the day. If I get in the mood to make baked goods, like I do once every couple months, I eat the whole darn thing and just move along. I don’t want treats for a WHILE after I have something sweet, probably because I’ll eat a bunch of it and get the cravings out and then I’m good for another 2 months!
Lucky you!
When I have an intense craving for something with sugar in it, I will usually try and drink a big glass of water and if its still there in 20 mins, I allow myself a small bite of something and then that is it. More often than not, it works. I’m a big believer in everything in moderation, so a little sugar won’t kill all the hard work I put in daily.
I’ll have to give it a try! However, I am not sure if I can have that much will power when I really crave something lol! xoxo
i KNOW i have a sugar addiction..or shall i say a sweetener addiction. you see, my issue is not so much white sugar or brown sugar, but rather maple syrup, honey, dates, chocolate, etc..i know i need to eliminate it ALL from my diet..yet sometimes, i just want it SO bad…
woody harrelson recently said that “sugar was the hardest drug I ever quit.”
I can understand why.
You are so funny! Sugar is definitely a drug! xoxo
arg I love sugar, like Maria said I crave the natural sugars like honey and maple syrup but they’re still sugar and should be taken in doses (that’s the hard part) Generally,I crave sugar after dinner but lately I’ve taken to drinking herbal teas, my favourite are the fruity ones.
I love jasmine tea! Yumm!
I too love sugar and crave it. I was just chatting about this topic with my husband. I was telling him that I think true sugar addicts don’t even realize where all that sugar is hiding. Great post.
Thank you, Sarah! xoxo
I find it truly disturbing the massive quantities of sugar that are in some foods. Soda? It’s crazy, and juice usually isn’t better. Lately I’ve been pretty good about my sugar intake but I have to exercise some serious self control if I’m around a lot of sweets.
Aren’t we all?! Haha! I’m in your camp! xoxo
I was a huge sugar junkie before now and I’ve spent literally the last year easing myself out of sugar. I used to go for those froo-froo lattes and capuchinos etc. My reg was a 16oz mocha. In summer it was a 16oz Java Mocha Chip Frap. Goodness. Now I have plain coffee with some raw sugar.
My go-to sugars are 1tsp raw sugar in coffee (once a day, no more), drizzled honey, or 1 Chips Ahoy cookie a day.
When I mess up and have sugary soda or tea, I always get this nasty aftertaste in my mouth about 30 minutes later. It’s as if the sugar in my body is being secreted through my saliva or something. It’s totally gross. So I’ve ditched all those drinks and haven’t looked back.
I know what you mean, I gave up sweets for Lent last year and felt amazing. Even fruits tasted sweeter than they normally do. I’m not a huge fan of those fancy drinks. I might get a hot chocolate a couple of times per year and I’m good for the rest of it, so it shouldn’t be too bad 🙂
I love dark chocolate!
Mmmm! Good choice! 😀
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I am addicted to sugar too. I’m winning the very hard battle though and it helps to read posts like yours. Thanks.
I think I’m not a huge sugar person because I don’t like chocolate or cereal or sweets yet I keep finding foods that sugar is in. So maybe I am one. These days its like you need to know everything about everything you put in your mouth. ARGH!
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