Do you feel over powered by your sweet tooth? We all have moments where nothing will do like a chocolate bar (and those are not to be ignored!), but the trick to staying in shape is to recognize and treat your cravings smart. Using portion control and tricky techniques, giving in to your temptations won’t curb your diet.
One interesting tip I picked up from this article, is to head to vegetables when your sweet tooth speaks up. Sounds strange, but by adding a semi-sugary taste to your meals, you become less likely to crave an after dinner candy bar. Vegetables like cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, squash and beets all have a light sugary taste. Incorporating a little sweet with your dinner in a healthy way will definitely keep you on track with fitness.
Don’t try to ignore or fight your cravings. Often, trying to keep to a very strict diet ends up in a nasty back-fire. Recognize what you’re craving and try to find alternative ways to treat it, or treat it smartly with small portions. Be prepared ahead of time for cravings to strike. Life is far too short to imprison ourselves, not allowing certain foods in. Be smart about what you’re eating when you eat it and you’ll inevitably save yourself from a sweets attack later on.
Portion control. I’ve talked about this before. Stuffing a whole candy bar down your throat is worse for you than you may think. Check the nutrition facts (and serving amount) listed on the back and you’ll be overwhelmed to see what you’re putting in your body. If you’re prone to sweet attacks, look up a simple semi-healthy sweet recipe you can make.
Cut the servings down small. You can still get the sweets you crave if you are smart about servings. Need ice cream? Try filling a small cup with a scoop. Pre-package candy or cookies into smaller containers when you buy them. Don’t stand in the kitchen, next to the cookie cabinet while eating your sweets, if makes going back for seconds much easier than if you took a cookie on the go with you, or sat down with a book and ate it slowly. I’ve also found if you eat sweets with enough liquid, it helps break down the taste left in your mouth afterwards that begs for another.
Sometimes our snack attacks are far past grabbing a piece of fruit or a yogurt. When they are, teach yourself to feel OK about giving in by doing so appropriately. What are your sugar weaknesses? How do you control your intake?
