One might have been diagnosed with a life-altering chronic condition and been told to ‘cut out sugar’. Or one might be embarking on a new-and-healthier-you journey and have heard that too much processed sugar can be like poison in one’s diet.
If you have been forced to give up sugar, or need to give up sugar for health and diet reasons, you might feel like you are facing a mountain. Giving up processed sugar is definitely not a challenge for the faint-hearted!
However, many have walked the journey you now face and come out stronger – and sugar-free!
Here are 5 ways to kick a sugar habit, as gently as possible:
1. ‘Just for today’
The famous ‘Just for today’ pledge used by recovering addicts to overcome procrastination towards healing can apply to giving up sugar too. The idea is to commit to changing a behaviour for just one day. Thinking in day-tight compartments can help you overcome the overwhelming feelings and procrastination which might arise if you had to consider giving up sugar forever.
Tell yourself that you are just giving up sugar ‘for today’ and then tomorrow morning when you wake up, tell yourself again that it is ‘just for today’.
2. Find your sweetness
Giving up sugar requires a holistic approach to well-being. This is because craving sugar often has deeper emotional reasons. Perhaps your job is stressful, or you are lonely, or your life is unbalanced.
To give up sugar, you will have to set up other ‘sweet’ things in your life, which can help you when you feel overwhelmed by emotional and physical withdrawal. This might mean joining a dance class at a nearby gym, to lift your mood and make new friends. It might mean starting a daily ‘me time’, during which you journal your thoughts and feelings.
3. Plan for success
There’s the expression, ‘Failing to plan, is planning to fail’. The same is true with nutrition. Unbalanced nutrition can lead to sugar cravings. However, if you plan your meals ahead of time, you can ensure that your daily nutrition is balanced; helping to curb cravings.
Plan to have a healthy breakfast each morning, which will keep your blood sugar levels stable for the morning. Plan to include a healthy snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon, to ward off cravings for unhealthy, sugar-filled drinks and snacks. Also, plan to move your body each day, as exercise is one way to keep stress at bay, and to keep your mind focused as you journey towards a new you.
4. Know which foods counter cravings
Foods which contain fibre and proteins can help to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce sugar cravings. Having a bowl of oats in the morning, for example, is an excellent way of stabilising blood sugar levels for the morning.
Lentils are an excellent source of protein, and can help to curb sugar cravings. Sweet potatoes are also a highly nutritious meal option, which can satisfy sugar cravings by offering an alternative sweet taste. Eggs, trail mix, dates and yoghurt can also be added to the diet to keep blood sugar levels steady and provide support for the body during detoxing.
A well-nourished body is less likely to suffer under the effects of sugar withdrawal.
5. Taper off sugar
Maybe you have tried to be brave and go ‘cold turkey’ on sugar, and failed. If you have been unable to give up sugar, try gradually cutting back on sugar over a period of a few weeks. This will make the detox process less severe. Every step towards health and healing counts, even if you begin taking small steps. The important thing is to keep stepping in the right direction.
Giving up processed sugar is difficult. However, the health benefits are enormous. Many who have given up sugar report less stress, more alertness, more energy and a beautified complexion.
Cutting out sugar can aid in weight management. It can help prevent tooth decay and can improve skin health. It can lower the risk of anxiety and depression. It might also be the step you need to support heart health and lower the risk of chronic conditions and diseases.
Your choice to cut out sugar, either partially or completely, might be one of the best decisions you will ever make.
Author: Lucy Walker
Lucy Walker is a journalist, author and health living enthusiast who has been involved with health writing since 2014.
