Ask Us Anything: Help! I am always craving sugar!

Ask Us Anything!

 
We aren't trying to be Ann Landers over here, but we recently responded to someone asking for advice on dealing with sugar cravings. 

We get asked this question a lot!
(It's especially on everyone's minds after Valentine's Day -are you Team Chocolates or Team Roses?)

Here's our answer to a popular, timeless question.

Question:

How do I manage the terrible sugar cravings I have all the time?

Here's our answer: 

We can offer a few general suggestions, but everyone's situation is different! Remember that what works for someone else might not work for you, and everyone's body is different. Please take what you need and leave what doesn't feel right to you. As always, reach out to your doctor for a referral to a Registered Dietitian to get personalized nutrition recommendations tailored to your specific needs.

1. First, cover your nutrition bases.
Before you try to take anything away from your diet, make sure you are getting what you need. If you are not eating enough, your body will start to ask you for more calories- i.e. craving sugar and other high calorie food like chips, etc! To build balanced meals, try out the plate method. Aim to include around 20 g protein at 3 meals per day and 2 cups of vegetables at 2 meals per day. Snacks between meals are a good idea too, especially if it's going to be more than 4 or 5 hours between meals. Try to include some protein, healthy fats (like peanut butter, hummus, or avocado), and fiber each snack. 

 

2. Get enough sleep.
If you aren't sleeping enough, again, your body is going to "ask" for more energy from something. Sugar is a very quick source of energy. Aim for 8-9 hours per night, or whatever is right for you. Practice sleep hygiene to improve quality of your sleep. 

 

3. Manage stress.
High stress can cause cravings. While humans were evolving, if we were stressed, it probably meant we were getting chased by a saber toothed tiger or something. That meant that stress  = our bodies needed more energy to help us outrun whatever was trying to eat us. This is not a helpful adaption to today's world, (nowadays, running really fast doesn't exactly help us run away from bills, family problems, work piling up, etc) but it's what we're stuck with. Dealing with stress can help prevent cravings. Try yoga, meditation, or talking to a counselor. 

 

4. Remove the Sparkle of Forbidden Foods
Keep yourself from falling into an "all or nothing mindset". Telling ourselves we CAN'T have something or we aren't allowed it makes us want it even more. Restriction feeds cravings. Check out this blog post from the fall about allowing ourselves to have treats from time to time to lessen the power sweets have over us.
(For more, check out intuitive eating  but remember getting started can be challenging, and takes time, support, and practice! Reach out to a professional or certified IE counselor for more support.)

 

5a. Sugar makes you crave more sugar.
Our bodies build up natural tolerance to too much of anything, so the more we eat, the more we crave. It can be hard to go backwards, but as you reduce your sugar intake, it will get easier. Go slowly and be gentle on yourself! 

5b: In the meantime, distract yourself in the moment of a craving.
Lots of times when we are craving a sweet, we are just craving a burst of happiness. Yes, chocolate is a very easy burst of happiness, but other things can make you happy quickly too! Try doing something that makes you truly happy - petting a dog or cat, listening to music, calling a friend to chat, stepping outside, or going for a walk -for a set amount of time, like 20 minutes. You can also drink hot herbal tea or brush your teeth to keep your mouth busy during this time. If you're still craving the sweet after 20 minutes, go ahead and have it. Savor it slowly and enjoy, and try hard not to beat yourself up for having it! Sometimes if you provide yourself with another type of happiness burst, that's what you truly needed in that moment. Sometimes you need the sweet, and THAT'S OKAY TOO!

6. Ride the wave of your craving. 
Practice mindfulness during cravings.
Identify your feelings. Are you hungry, thirsty, bored, lonely, anxious, angry, happy, excited?
Identify any physical sensations.
Name your cravings. Say out loud what you are craving. Identify the strength of a craving on a 1-10 scale, and pay attention to how that number changes as you move forward. 
Practice being nonjudgmental of your feelings and sensations. 

Most importantly!

Cravings are a very normal and human thing. Just because you're having lots of cravings does not mean that you are an unhealthy person, that you have poor self-control, or have no willpower. Cravings are purely biological and have no reflection on your character. You are not a weak person because you are having cravings- we all do, and it's what helped the human race survive!

If any of this leads to more questions, we highly recommend asking your doctor to refer you to a Registered Dietitian who can help you make sure you're well nourished. Not meeting all your needs (nutrition, sleep, stress management, etc) can often lead to cravings so it can be a good idea to do an inventory to find out if other pieces are missing.

Here at LiveWell, we are here to support you in whatever areas you are working on progress!
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