Giving up sweets is a real test of willpower. Even those who have endurance and perseverance do not always manage to cope with obsessive thoughts revolving around chocolates, cakes, sweets or a cake with cream. These treats are bad for your figure, skin, teeth and overall health, so we have to work hard to beat the cravings for sweets. Herbalife experts have shared with Woman’s Day tips that are useful for those who have entered into a difficult confrontation with the sugar temptation.
Cut back on sweets gradually
If you are addicted to sugar, do not try to overcome it overnight. Such a rash decision is likely to turn against you: the craving for the “forbidden” will only increase. A sharp rejection of simple carbohydrates will lead to irritability, mood decline and decreased performance, so it is better to defeat the addiction to sweets gradually.
To begin with, replace milk and white chocolate with bitter, every day gradually reduce the portions and bring them to 20-30 g. Try to reduce the use of your favorite treats to 3-4 times a week, a little later – to once a week, and only then give up them at all.
Choose the least harmful of sweets, such as marshmallows or toffee. An excellent option for those with a sweet tooth will be snacks made from dried fruits and nuts, as well as healthy bars. Thus, Herbalife protein bars contain the optimal ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fiber and only 140 kcal, representing a balanced snack.
Avoid stress
Craving for sweets arises not only for physiological reasons, more often psychological factors lead to it. We eat treats to raise our spirits or avoid sad thoughts, and we develop a bad habit of “seizing” worries and resentments.
Try getting serotonin, the hormone of happiness, from other foods like nuts, seeds, dates, and bananas. Natural “antidepressants” that are less dangerous for the figure are bright fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, turkey, salmon and tuna. Magnesium, which can reduce stress, is found in buckwheat, oatmeal, grains, spinach, cashews, and watermelon.
Form new habits
Be sure to have breakfast. This will help maintain satiety in the morning, which is very important, since we often confuse cravings for sweets with ordinary hunger. Remember to eat regularly and eat every 3-4 hours.
Start monitoring your diet and eating a balanced diet. The craving for something sweet is often caused by a lack of protein in the body, so look for protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, cheese, or legumes.
Sometimes a meal can be replaced with a protein shake. Such “food in a glass” saturates for a long time and at the same time has pleasant tastes: vanilla, chocolate, cappuccino, chocolate chip cookies, passion fruit, pina colada.
Fill your life with exciting events
Go for a walk in the park, attend an exhibition, take a trip to nature or get together with friends! To break your addiction, replace sweet foods with pleasurable experiences. Remember that besides eating treats, there are other ways to relax: bubble bath, dancing, chatting with a friend, favorite music, or walking the dog.
Relax and work with pleasure, do what you really like, because when a person does something inspiring and important, his thoughts are less often occupied with food. Fill your life with something new, and then you yourself will not notice how the sweets, which until recently were drawn so strongly, will begin to disappear from your diet.