How to get rid of those pesky sugar cravings 🍭

It's mid-afternoon, and the thought of indulging in something sugary just won't leave your mind 🍭 🍩 🍫 

You search through the drawers in your office desk for those chocolates you stashed there for emergencies like this.

One chocolate is nice but 2 is even better.

These cravings, that insistent urge to consume something you know might not be the best choice, are familiar to us all.

So, what causes food cravings – and more importantly how can you take control of them, especially when you find that they are interfering with your health goals or weight loss plan.

Why do we get sugar cravings?

While some of us may encounter cravings due to nutritional deficiencies, more often than not, cravings stem from learned behaviours where the brain is conditioned to crave a particular taste or flavor.

The brain has learnt this over time due to repeated behaviours.

Take the instance of craving sweets post-dinner.

After consistently indulging in a dessert following your evening meal for several days, it's probable that your brain will persist in seeking out this flavour around the same time each day.

Food cravings could also hint at potential hormonal imbalances.

People with insulin resistance or difficulties in glucose regulation might notice an inclination towards sweet cravings post-meal.

This can arise due to challenges in effectively transporting glucose to the body's cells, prompting the desire for sugary foods.

Food cravings can surface when your diet lacks balance.

For example, consuming meals rich in carbohydrates, such as bread, rice, and pasta, without sufficient lean protein and vegetables, can trigger a desire for sweet foods.

This can lead to cravings and excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates and processed sugars, perpetuating the cycle.

We all know there are food cravings associated with the changes in hormones during menses and pregnancy however recent research has found that cravings increase during menopause.

Menopause and sugar cravings

The 2nd female transformation, menopause, brings many surprises and some women find themselves craving sugary foods more than ever before!

So why does this happen?

Hormonal Changes: Menopause is a big change in a woman's life.

Her body goes through lots of ups and downs, and many notice an increased craving for sweet things at certain times in the day.

Why? Well, when “estrogen” takes a vacation during menopause, it messes with our body's insulin response.

Insulin is like a traffic cop for sugar in our blood.

When it doesn't work well, we start wanting more sugar.

It's like our taste buds are saying, "Hey, give us more of the sweet stuff!" 🍬

Emotional Roller Coaster: Menopause can be like a wild roller coaster ride. Sometimes we feel happy, other times we're grumpy.

When we're feeling down, our brain wants a quick pick-me-up. Guess what? Sugar is like a little happiness button for our brain! 🧠 

So, we reach for that chocolate bar or cupcake to feel better, even if it's just for a little while.

Metabolism slowdown due to loss of muscle mass: Our body's engine slows down during menopause as a result of reduced muscle mass and increased fat mass.

It's like our car went from zoom-zoom to slow-mo.

To keep our energy up, our body craves quick fuel ”sugar”!

It's like saying, "Hey, give me something sweet to keep me going!" 🚗

How to stop those cravings

Make sure your blood sugar is kept in check 

🍲 This means eating a balanced meals throughout the day made up of lean or plant protein, good fats and fiber.

🥦 Where possible stick to carbohydrates that have a lower glycaemic response, as they get absorbed into your blood stream slowly.

Think high fiber carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, brown rice, quinoa and fibrous vegetables plus legumes.

🍗 Choose snacks with quality protein over a sugary treat.

 🥄 Take 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar in a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal to help manage blood glucose levels.

♻️ Macro sequencing where possible to help curb the cravings. Consider starting your meals with vegetables and salad, followed by protein, and then carbohydrates where possible.

This sequence not only assists in controlling blood glucose levels but also serves as a reminder to prioritize balanced meals and snacks throughout the day for optimal nutrition.

🏃‍♀️ Move Your Body: Exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity for better blood sugar control

😴 Catch Some Zzz's: Good sleep is like magic for our hormones. It helps us resist those late-night cookie urges. Did you know that a poor sleep can create havoc for your blood glucose health.

Reprogramming set behaviours

🍩 If you consistently find yourself indulging in sweet or salty treats as a reward when feeling tired, stressed, or post-meal, breaking this cycle will mainly involve reprogramming your behaviour.

📗 Keep a dairy of the time and what you are doing and how you feel. What is the trigger? Aim to replace this behaviour with another behaviour.

🌳 Often changing your environment can help like going for a walk after dinner instead of siting down to watch TV with a treat.

💦 Drinking 2 glasses of water or making green tea

🧀 Replace your sugary treat with a healthier alternative such as wholegrain cracker and cheese, blueberries and low fat greek yoghurt or 2 squares of dark chocolate.

😈 Remove the temptation from the house

One of the biggest predictors of eating discretionary or 'junk' food is availability. This means if there are chips, chocolate and ice cream in the house, you will eat them.

The best thing to do is not buy them and not have them in the house.

🧰 Some of my clients dip into the little treats for kids lunch boxes. If you are going to have some treats for the kids then put them in a closed container tucked away in the pantry with a sign saying “kids only”.

This will help train your brain to know they are not yours but they are for the kids.

🩺 There is a difference between a random food craving and finding yourself constantly searching for sweet foods and feeling unsatisfied, even after eating.

It may be time to recheck with your doctor or dietitian to establish what could be going on for you.

Ready to Change the Things You Can Change?

So, its mid-afternoon and you are looking for that sugary treat to keep you going for the rest of the day.

You have trained your brain to want sweet foods around 3pm.

It gives you an endorphin boost and added energy. This has been going on for a while.

What behaviours can you change?

I recently had a craving around 3pm and decided to grab 3 wholegrain crackers and cheese and I didn’t need the sugar hit.

The next day, the same thing happened, and I had greek yoghurt and blueberries.

I continued to do this over and over and I no longer crave sweet foods at 3pm!

Reflection

You are in control of your next move… you have the power to change behaviours 👊

The Team At Bolder Women