Whether your goals are to increase your energy, find a healthy weight, get rid of cravings or that 3pm energy slump and improve your skin or gut health, quitting sugar can have a positive impact on achieving these health goals. When you first quit sugar it takes time for your body to adjust and cravings can be a challenge. Naturopath and nutritionist Casey-Lee Lyons from Live Love Nourish shares with us how to successfully beat sugar cravings with these simple and practical tips.
Using these simple strategies below that I share in the 8 Weeks To Healthy and Happy Online Program, you can successfully beat sugar cravings and regain your vitality.
- Ensure your diet is nutritionally balanced with key nutrients. Include good quality sources of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats in your diet. Well balanced meals supports stable blood sugar levels and consistent energy levels. I teach you how to make balanced meals with ease in my program.
- Aim to include a source of good quality protein and healthy fat in each meal. This will make your meal satiating and help to keep cravings at bay.
- Make sure you include plenty of fresh vegetables (especially lots of greens and low starch veggies) in your main meals. The fibre in vegetables helps to promote balanced blood sugar levels.
- Set up your kitchen for success. Clean out your pantry, remove any temptation and replace with healthier alternatives that will support your health goals.
- When cravings kick in take your focus away from food and instead go for a walk outdoors, read a book, get some fresh air or catch up with a friend for a good laugh.
- Ensure you are eating enough good fats from sources such as avocado, nuts, seeds, coconut, tahini and extra virgin olive oil. Don't be afraid of healthy fats, they are really important in achieving your health goals.
- Make sure you're drinking plenty of water. Dehydration can often be confused with hunger or even cravings.
- Cravings can be much worse when you are stressed. Find ways that support you to reduce and to manage stress. Have a bath, get outdoors, go for a walk or do some gentle exercise to help.
- Make sure you are getting plenty of good quality sleep. Poor sleep increases the hunger hormone Ghrelin making you more likely to reach for quick energy such as sweet treats or energy rich snacks.
- Boost your meals with fresh, natural flavours such as fresh herbs, spices, fresh lemon or lime juice or chilli to help satisfy your palate without adding sweetness or sugar.
- Love savoury foods! The more sweet foods you eat, the more your palate will look for them.
-
Add cinnamon to your meals and snacks. Cinnamon is known to help balance sugar levels and reduce sugar cravings. Cinnamon, as well as vanilla also gives a natural sweetness to recipes.
- Approach quitting sugar holistically and being to look at what might be triggering your sugar habit. For example, does stress, boredom, emotions, your cycle or fatigue trigger cravings? Consider what other areas of your lifestyle might be impacting why you reach for sugar. It is so much more than willpower.
- Quit sugar with purpose by giving yourself a vision of why you want to quit sugar and remind yourself of this goal when cravings kick in. Reminding yourself of this will help you to rise above them and look at the bigger picture and make choices in line with your health goals.
I hope these tips help!
If you are looking for extra support to quit sugar with ease check out the 8 Weeks To Healthy and Happy Online Program.
About Casey-Lee
Casey-Lee Lyons is a naturopath, nutritionist, recipe developer and founder of Live Love Nourish, a refreshing online wellness resource for living your healthiest and best self.
She is passionate about inspiring health and happiness through easy-to-understand nutritional and lifestyle advice and loves to share simple real food recipes free from gluten, dairy and sugar.
Casey-Lee's refreshing approach to nutrition has helped many people improve their health, increase energy, find their natural weight, improve gut and digestive health, balance hormones, heal cravings and more via her website, recipe books and the Live Love Nourish signature 8- Weeks To Healthy and Happy Online Program.
Her mission is to educate and inspire others to love and nourish their body from the inside out to achieve health and happiness.
To download her free e-book or to find out more about Casey-Lee visit her website or follow Live Love Nourish on social media:
www.livelovenourish.com.au
Instagram @livelovenourishaus
Facebook @livelovenourish
