6 Surprisingly Easy Ways to Cut Sugar Out of Your Life
Sugar is everywhere! Use my six tips to cut sugar out of your life for good in a smart, sustainable way.
Learn how to reduce your sugar intake through practical ideas and healthy swaps. You can implement these ideas gradually over a few days so you aren’t going cold turkey.
I promise you can shake your sweet tooth with the right tools!
1. Drink More Water Every Day
When you’re dehydrated, the body often confuses this with hunger, which makes you more likely to overeat or reach for unhealthy food choices. If you’re having a sudden unhealthy craving or pang of hunger, you may just be thirsty!
Use these tips to drink more water to feel full and flush out excess sugar from your body, plus, keep hunger cravings at bay.
2. Eat More Satisfying Foods to Stay Full
If your meals are satisfying, you will be less likely to feel the need for the sweet stuff. Eat healthier foods that make you feel full and satisfied when you’re finished.
Great examples are baked potatoes, beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, whole fruits and vegetables, eggs, nuts, lean meats, poultry and fish, plus, high-fiber foods.
You’ll notice less cravings, and better control over your willpower.
3. Look for Hidden Sugars Under Misleading Names
While cake and ice cream are obvious sugar offenders, you may be missing plenty of other sugary culprits. Just because the packaging says it’s “healthy,” doesn’t mean it is!
Don’t believe me? Foods like pop tarts and breakfast cereals have been banned in European countries, yet get marketed as healthy choices here in the United States.
You should also be a nutrition label investigator! If you read words like evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, glucose, and sucrose, you’ll know there are sneaky sugar ingredients included.
4. Look for Sugar in Your Drinks
Don’t forget about liquid sugars! Sweetened waters, fizzy sodas, fruit juice, or dessert-like coffee beverages, will raise your blood sugar levels and then trigger your brain to crave even more sugar.
I prefer to mix up my water intake with sparkling water, homemade fruit-infused waters, or healthy tea.
5. Avoid Sugary Snack Sabotage
Don’t let the afternoon pick me up craving ruin your healthy day. Your body is telling you it needs an energy boost, but unhealthy sugary snack isn’t the way to go. Instead, focus on a healthy snack option like fresh fruit, dark chocolate, homemade snack bars, or a smoothie.
6. Avoid Simple Carbs
Simple carbohydrates serve as sugar for the body. You should first identify all the refined foods in your diet (think about pastas, breads, and chips) and then try to eliminate and replace them with a better alternative.
You can try swapping pasta with zucchini noodles, or sandwiches for lettuce wraps.
Additional Tips For Your Sugar Detox
While you’re on your sugar-detox journey, keep these additional tips in mind!
- Mindset is key. Quitting takes time because you need a few days to adjust, crave less sugar, and develop healthy habits. Give yourself grace! No one is perfect, and it’s OK to slip up.
- Keep yourself distracted. Do something new or fun on the days you plan to reduce sugar. Swap in a new workout or activity to keep yourself busy and moving.
- Reward yourself. Find a reward that’s not food related, like a self care reward you can look forward to!
- Make food at home whenever possible. Making your own food is the easiest way to control the quality of the ingredients. Avoid those extra processed sugars by cooking at home instead.
Remember, a sugar detox is more than just quitting sugar cold turkey! It’s about learning what causes your body to crave sugar in the first place and incorporating healthy habits for long-lasting change.