That donut looks so good! You know you shouldn’t eat it but having just one really won’t matter, right?
Even those concerned about eating healthy have sugar cravings so strong, that they give in. Once the temporary pleasure from eating the sweet is gone, guilt or unhappiness may set in. Why is this temptation so difficult to ignore?
Eating sweets releases serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters that make us feel good. We log into our memory banks that good feeling and associate the donut or other sweets with that positive feeling. Our memories are powerful connectors. So, does this mean you are stuck here? Absolutely not!
The most important thing that you can do to prevent a sugar craving from attacking is eating regular meals. Going too long in between allows your blood sugar to dip, causing you to choose unwisely. Be sure to eat protein and fiber with each meal and if you will be late for your next meal, plan a healthy snack.
When those sugar cravings hit you hard, you can either eat a small amount of the desired food or if you think you will have difficulty stopping at the precise moment you choose, try these tips:
1) Distract yourself, because if you can get through the next 15 minutes, the craving will pass. Have a “Distraction List” prepared for these times- call a good friend, take a bath, go for a walk, listen to some upbeat music…
2) Substitute something healthy and sweet, such as orange slices and strawberries dipped in yogurt or peanut butter and fruit spread on whole wheat toast.
3) Notice your trigger for sweets- every night watching TV, each morning at 10 am and change up your routine. Your patterns are habits or learned behavior, so break the pattern. Don’t watch TV at that time, or sit in a different place. If you have coffee every morning at 10, have tea.
Eating to feel good is such a short-term solution. What really is the problem and how can you better solve it? Once you can put a name on the feeling, you can fix it… maybe with the help of a health coach in Albany.