Written by Liv Kaplan
Sugar is addictive. There’s no doubt about it. The interesting question is, why do we all still eat it, knowing it’s not exactly the best choice for our health? While it’s all well and good to make the decision to eat well, when it comes to sugar, it’s a little more complicated because of its addictive nature and our emotional connection to it. If you feel like a failure for caving into that delicious muffin while you are getting your morning almond latte, or for diving into the ice cream in your freezer after a tough Tuesday at work, it’s not all your fault! This is sugar addiction at play. Did you know that when we eat sugar, brain scans show that reward signals in the form of the hormone dopamine flood into the brain. This is why it feels so good!
As a nutritionist, I want you to feel good! But I know for a fact you don’t feel that great after one too many sugar indulgences. So without further ado, here are 3 things you can do that will prevent you from eating something you don’t actually want.
Image by @nitsanraiter
1. Habit Hacking
A lot of the time, our eating habits are actually just a product of our habits. If you know what the trigger is, maybe it’s a particular time of day, or a particular type of event or a person you are with, you can actually prepare and change the habit. What can you do instead? Maybe it’s a cup of tea, or a swim in the ocean or a dance alone in your bedroom to get some of those endorphins going. It sounds crazy but if you can replace the action of eating sugar with something else, eventually you will override the habit!
2. Eat Protein
If you are hungry, you will definitely crave sugar. Protein is the most satisfying macronutrient so make sure you have at least 20g in each meal to keep you nice and satisfied and give you stable energy levels throughout the day.
3. Indulge!
Not in sugar that is, but there is so much delicious food you can enjoy that doesn’t contain processed sugar! Think of all the fresh fruit and dark chocolate and sugar-free desserts you can enjoy. I always say that when it comes to health it’s not about what you can’t have, it’s about what you can have. So flip your mind from negative to positive and smile and express gratitude knowing how beautiful it is that you have access to amazing nourishing tasty food that your body loves.
For more tips and plenty of indulgent sugar-free recipes, come hang out with me on Instagram and check out my website for more.
GET IN TOUCH WITH LIV
instagram | @liv.kaplan
website | https://www.livkaplan.com/