Do you constantly crave sweet things?

If i had £1 for every person i had ever spoken to that had brought this exact subject up, i would be a millionaire!

Sugar cravings are a huge factor in people cracking and giving up their diets.

Now, lets be fair, we all like something sweet but there is a big difference from having a little treat every now and then to grabbing the chocolate every night and binging!

So, what can be done?

Lets explain exactly what a sugar craving is and how they come about (in a non scientific way).

Generally a sugar craving arises when your blood sugar levels drop, the body wants energy to level out your blood sugars and the quickest form of energy it can convert is Sugar (Glucose)

The problem arises when we feed the body Sugar.

Refined Sugars found in white flours, white rice, white sugar, and the majority of pastas, breakfast cereals, sweets, Milk/White chocolate, Cakes etc take less time for the body to break them down, therefore leading to a quicker insulin response all around. This may sound good, but in the long run, quick spikes in insulin and glucose can damage your metabolism and lead to insulin resistance and more cravings.

The more refined a food is, the more it’s been stripped of this natural, information-rich fibers, fats, proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants.

At Bootcamp we call this the Biscuit theory. Eat 1 biscuit and put the packet away, NO CHANCE! You will end up craving more Biscuits, i guarantee it!

Now if you can eat 1 Biscuit or a small amount of chocolate and be satisfied, you will not have to worry. However, working with clients for 5 years has shown us that’s extremely hard even with the best willpower in the world.

So how do we stop this happening?

First, we work with clients to remove as much refined sugars from their diets as possible.

We move clients towards more natural sources that do not create such quick spikes in Insulin.

Honey, Maple Syrup and Stevia can all be used as well as a small amount of dark chocolate.

We actually go as far as to providing a clean chocolate recipe to our clients that is made from cocoa powder, honey and coconut oil.

As a result of using more natural sugars, we see less spikes and controlled blood sugars and therefore sweet cravings reduce.

But is this all down to reducing refined sugars and replacing them with natural substitutes.

No.

A Balanced diet also helps in a big way to keep the body satisfied.

 

This is the biggest things we work on with clients.

If you can keep the body satisfied overall, your blood sugars will become more stable and therefore less cravings for refined sugars.

If you regularly suffer with Sugar cravings try initially focussing on the following

• Make sure you are eating enough!

It still amazes me how little people eat on a day to day basis. SOme eat very little because diet culture has led them to believe they need to eat less to weight less (this causes huge problems!), some eat very littl due to hectic lives and food simply becomes less of a priority around other things.

• Focus on Protein

How much Protein are you eating each day?

Proteins are your Meats, Fish, Quorn etc

Your 3 main meals each day should be based around a decent protein hit. Protein helps to keep you full and in turn helps balance your blood sugar levels. If you are generally hungry within 45-60 minutes of eating a main meal, try increasing the amount of protein you have on your plate, it will have a huge effect on keeping you satisfied.

• Eat Less Refined Carbohydrates

Ditch the White Breads, Pasta, White Flours, Cakes, Sweets, Milk Chocolate, Crisps etc and replace with some cleaner carbohydrates.

Using Brown or Basmati Rice, Rice Noodles, Sweet Potato, New Potatoes and Wholemeal Wraps will be much better options and cause less sugar spikes and cravings.

• Introduce some cleaner sweet treats

Its not always about avoiding sugar completely, its about reducing your intake and controlling your cravings.

With clients we introduce a once a day optional treat using natural sugars.

Greek Yoghurt mixed with some berries and drizzled with a little Honey
Our Cean Chocolate Recipe based around cocoa powder, coconut oil and Honey
Clean Hot Chocolate – Almond Milk mixed with cocoa powder and sweetened with Honey if needed

Using these treats you should once again see less cravings as they avoid refined sugars and also hit that sweet spot when you need to.

• Eat Your 5 A Day!

Help keep yourself satisfied by including Fruit and Vegetables with your meals to go alongside your Protein.

This is another area we work hard on with clients to make sure they have healthy balanced recipes to choose from, and a lot of them!

• Keep Hydrated

Another huge factor that most people overlook is the liquid they drink each day.

Drink 1-2 litres of water across the day and you will not only be more satisfied you will notice you feel brighter and more alert as our energy levels level out.

Just watch all those trips to the toilet 🙂

• Monitor your Alcohol Intake

This is a ig one and also a hard one to cover with clients.

Generally most people consume too much alcohol and it has a huge impact on your daily balance.

There is nothing wrong with a drink here and there if you enjoy it however like sweet treats from refined sources, it needs to be regulated.

Alcohol increases cravings due to making you de-hydrated and also causing a hormonal inbalance.

One thing to be aware of is how you feel the following day, not just how you feel during a drink.

Most people make poor choices when it comes to food when thy have a drink or 2 (or more) and this then has an impact on the next day and sometime upto 2-3 days after depending on the amount consumed.

Have a drink by all means but if you cant regulate it, IT WILL BE HAVING AN EFFECT ON YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY.

 

If you work on all of the above i guarantee you will see a huge difference in your sweet cravings reducing.

However, is it all down to your food and drink?

All of the following things below can have a dramatic effect on your Blood Sugars and create sweet cravings

Stress. Any stressful situation can lead to less than optimal eating habits. Stress itself increases cortisol levels, which initially dampen hunger. Once the stress has abated, our hormones of hunger ramp up — “Refuel!” the body cries. This can lead many women with stressful jobs and lifestyles to a pattern of nighttime cravings, over-eating, and unwanted weight gain. Over time, chronic stress can lead to adrenal imbalance, eventually resulting in extreme exhaustion. So many women I see have reached a state of adrenal imbalance, and find the only way to get through the day is by drinking lots of caffeine and consuming sugar for quick energy bursts. But this only sets them up for further cravings and more energy depletion.

Hormonal fluctuations. Just before menstruation, when estrogen is low and progesterone is on its way down, beta-endorphin levels are at their lowest. These fluctuations may explain why many women who experience PMS also have cravings — and the accompanying serotonin–endorphin bursts that high-sugar foods can provide.

Insulin resistance. When you are resistant to insulin (Type 2 Diabetes, which can happen as a result of a long-term diet high in refined carbohydrates and low in micronutrients), glucose is not able to enter your cells and ends up staying in your blood as a result. This means your cells are starved for the fuel they need to operate, and signals are therefore sent to your brain to increase insulin. This results in cravings for sugar because even though you may be eating enough, your cells aren’t able to access the food.

Food sensitivities. Food sensitivities are often the result of a situation known as “leaky gut,” where partially digested food particles can make their way into the bloodstream through a damaged, inflamed mucosal lining in the digestive tract. The body regards these food particles as foreign antigens and mounts an immune response by sending antibodies. Combined antibodies and antigens in your bloodstream, known as immune complexes, can lead to intense cravings.

A lack of sweetness in your life. Many things in life can affect our serotonin and beta-endorphin levels — exercise, balanced nutrition, rewarding work, a positive relationship, even a sunny day. The joy we find in our lives speaks to our biochemistry. So when we are lacking positive energy and happiness, it’s not surprising that we seek to fill that void with sugar.

 

So, hopefully this blog post has given you something to think about when it comes to Sugar and sweet cravings?

Start working on all of the things mentioned and things will improve ina  big way for you and your weight loss journey will become easier.

Remember, change is hard but so worth it once you put the work in.

If you need any help please give me a shout at rossyoungfitness@gmail.com

Take care

 

Ross