Are you considering entering rehab for sugar? Good thought though. Here’s how you can tackle this impossible task.
If you believe that you can’t get enough of sugar, it is about time to restart your brain back before its sugar overload state. Although it is not easy to resettle your palate as well as get rid of your cravings, it is possible. Instead of quitting just like that, why not try this five-phase strategy that was derived from Nicole Avena, Ph.D.’s Why Diet
Fail: Because You’re Addicted to Sugar.
Phase 1: Get rid of sugary beverages.
If you’re like other girls out there you are most likely slurping down 40 pounds or 70,000 calories worth of liquid sugar annually. Sipping beverages that are sweet and fiberless like sweetened water, soft drinks, and coffee drinks can cause your insulin levels to spike which in turn makes you crave for more. You should cut all sweetened beverages from your diet for two weeks. If drinking water is becoming a bore, alternate it with unsweetened coffee or tea or seltzer water.
Phase 2: Quit Eating Sugary Junk Foods
Ditch candy bars, cakes, and cookies. You should also put a halt to eating sweetened granola bars. Go for fresh food instead of processed snacks because 80 percent of the latter actually has plenty of sugar. First, find out which foods are hardest to avoid then start quitting one at a time. In the following weeks, remove all sugary junk food and replace them with fruits whenever your cravings start.
Phase 3: Lower Simple Carbohydrates
Right now you have probably reduced weight after halving your dependence on sugar. The next step would be to tackle the simplest carbs which can also act like sugar in your system. Create a list of common refined foods that you eat such as white pastas, crackers, and white bread and then reduce your consumption slowly within the next two weeks. Start with the pasta where, instead of making two cups go for a cup of spaghetti only then place some lean meat on top for added protein. The next time you eat, go for spaghetti squash.
Phase 4: Find the Hidden Sugars
This is a bit tricky and can actually take a few weeks before you can master it. Since hidden sugars are basically hidden, so to speak, you might still be ingesting them. What you should do is to keep a sharo eye on the labels of salad dressings, sauces, and condiments which may contain sugar. Beware of those that say that they are “sugar free” since they may be packed with carbs instead.
Phase 5: Keep At It
There is nothing wrong with indulging yourself once in a while but make sure that you pay attention to what you are craving. There are some who are satisfied with just a slice of cake while others may become addicted. If sugar snack makes you want to eat more then you know you’re vulnerable to the lure of the sugary stuff. On the bright side, if you’ve managed to retrain your taste buds back to the way they were before, fruits will actually taste better and be more satisfying compared to an overdose of sugary products that will just become sickeningly sweet to your senses.
