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You ate a bunch of sugar over the holidays, didn't you? Yeah, I think we all did. Unfortunately, sugar is addictive.
It’s not always easy to make changes in dietary habits, especially when what you want to eat tastes so good! But here are a few tips to make it a little easier to reduce your daily sugar consumption:
Add your own sweetener to foods/beverages like plain yogurt, oatmeal and iced tea. You can add less than pre-sweetened items contain.
Read labels to track grams of sugar and make choices to match your commitment.
Drink more water. Sometimes our body says we’re hungry when we’re actually thirsty.
Take a walk or do a few exercises. Get away from the temptation and release endorphins that can make you feel good.
Eat whole or dried fruit. Even these have sugars, so manage your amounts per day.
Identify triggers for sugar cravings to help you manage the temptation.
Make a list of personal reasons you want to resist excess sugar.
Going cold-turkey, no sugar at all for up to a few weeks, can help reduce your dependence on sugar. How much time it takes depends on how much sugar you used to eat. Once you’re out of the habit, you can enjoy treats periodically.