10 Tricks to Beat Sugar Cravings
Why do we all keep going back for more sugar? We make excuses for ourselves as to why we had a slice of cake, ate a bowl of ice cream or another piece of chocolate, or drank another beer/cocktail (yes alcohol is sugar!). Our mind is very powerful. We WILL come up with all kinds of silly reasons why we deserve it. But then the guilt comes in… Why can’t we stay in control of our cravings and be stronger then that sugar craving?
You’re not alone. There’s a reason behind these cravings.
Rat studies have shown that sugar affects your brain and causes worse cravings than cocaine use. Ack! I do not want to get scientific but it’s important to understand the general idea of this. When we eat sugar, a transmitter in the brain called dopamine is released and creates a ‘high’. This makes us feel good. and we crave more fo those good feelings. With sugar, that good feeling goes away quickly. That’s why when we eat something sweet it never is enough. We just want more. If we don’t satisfy that craving we WILL crave it again soon.
When sugar is taken away from you completely or you decide to give it up, such as a ‘diet’, you go through withdrawals & start to become anxious because you just want a little taste of that feel good feeling. Because sugar is addictive you need to take care of this through sheer WILL POWER. As I said, your mind is incredibly powerful, so use it for good!
Here are my tips that I use to help me beat the cravings (especially during contest prep.):
1. Eat protein at every meal so you never go hungry 
2. Make your own baked goodies with oat flour and stevia sweetener
3. Plan a day that you can allow yourself to have a some sweets so you can look forward to them rather than feel deprived from them
4. Brush your teeth
5. Drink hot tea with stevia sweetener it takes a longer time to drink which keeps you busy
6. Drink lots of water and make it sweet if you like with Crystal Light
7. Eat a Quest Bar
8. DON’T BUY IT, if you don’t buy it you won’t eat
9. Blend a protein shake (there’s so many delicious flavors!)
10. Chew mint gum
References: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/132530.php
