Sugar cravings and habits can be a tricky thing to break. In my past experience, I would do so well for a while, and then somehow find myself back at it, eating large amounts of whatever the sweet food drug of the moment is. It's a slippery slope that's easy go sliding down yet again. For many of us, sugary treats are a comfort. They are a reward after a long day, a way to unwind, a source of what feels like love in a difficult world. Without that comfort, it can feel like you're depriving yourself...and then all you can think about is having something sweet. This presentation offers tips to help stop eating sugar. To get a free mini-course and additional help with breaking sugar habits, visit http://www.bingeeatingbreakthrough.com.

1. 15 Tips To
Stop
Eating
Sugar

2. 01Stop drinking any form of soda
pop and other sweetened
drinks
The amount of sweetener in any type of soft drink is very
high. A 12-ounce can contains about 10 teaspoons of
sugar. If you can drop the soft drinks, you will instantly
reduce your sugar habit significantly.
Another obvious food item to eliminate is candy. (And
don’t go for the “sugar-free” options, unless it is stevia
sweetened, as these sweeteners are toxic in other ways.)

3. 02Don’t eat or buy packaged
foods
Even organic packaged foods often contain significant
amounts of sugar. While many of them are preferable to
their non-organic counterparts, the sugar content is
something to be aware of. Don’t keep these foods at
home, otherwise you may find them to hard to resist.
Make your own snacks at home like homemade popcorn
(not microwave, but stovetop popcorn), or eat fruit or
vegetables for a snack. Eat hot cereal, homemade
muffins, or eggs and toast for breakfast. You will save
money and be healthier!

4. 03Make wise choices when eating
out
That salad you had at the restaurant? The dressing was
full of sugar as well as unhealthy fats. Sugar is hidden in
many dishes at restaurants, and their desserts can be
tempting. If you are eating out, make sure you stick with
dishes like grilled meats and roasted vegetables that
aren’t as likely to be full of sugar.
I often sneak in my own homemade dressing to
restaurants and enjoy a salad, sugar-free. A quick recipe
for salad dressing: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 3/4 cup
extra virgin olive oil, 2-4 teaspoons brown mustard, 1-2
finely minced garlic cloves, 3/4 teaspoon unrefined salt.
Give it a shake in a jar and you are set to go.

5. 04Challenge yourself to go completely
"sugar-free” for two weeks
Sometimes when you simply try to “reduce” your sugar
consumption, you end up eating only slightly less than
where you started.
Go completely sugar-free for two weeks and you will
have started resetting your taste buds and gaining a lot of
self-control. I have found it really helpful to do (especially
after a holiday!).

6. 05 Get a friend who is interested to
join forces with you
It could be a spouse, a walking partner, or a co-worker. If you have someone who has the same goal as you, shares
healthy recipes, and exchanges food/meals, it can make it much more enjoyable and doable. If you can’t find
someone in “real life,” then find an online friend.

7. 06 Grab some gum
If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, says nutrition advisor Dave
Grotto, RD, LDN. "Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings," Grotto says.

8. 07 Reach for fruit
Keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. You'll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up
on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, says certified addiction specialist Judy Chambers, LCSW, CAS. "Have them
handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the old [sugary] something."

9. 08 Get up and go
When a sugar craving hits, walk away. "Take a walk
around the block or [do] something to change the
scenery," to take your mind off the food you’re
craving, Neville suggests.

10. 09 Eat regularly
Waiting too long between meals may set you up to
choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger,
Moores says. Instead, eating every three to five
hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you
"avoid irrational eating behavior," Grotto says.
Your best bets? "Choose protein, fiber-rich foods like
whole grains and produce," Moores says.

11. 10 Eat some cinnamon
Tim Ferriss referred to this in his book, The Four
Hour Body. Cinnamon appears to lower blood sugar
levels. The two most popular forms, Cassia and
Ceylon cinnamon, both seem to have effects with
lowering blood sugar, though Ceylon (usually the
more common one found in stores or your coffee
shop) appears to be slightly safer due to toxicity
levels when consumed in large amounts.
So, no need to go nuts with it, but sprinkling some
cinnamon in your coffee or tea prior to having
sweeter foods can help keep your blood sugar levels
low to avoid the spike that causes you to want more.

12. 11 Try some lemons
Like cinnamon and healthy fats, lemon juice has
been shown to help keep your blood glucose levels
from spiking. You can have a cup of hot tea or glass
of water with fresh lemon squeezed in an hour or so
before you know you’re going to be eating.
This will get into your bloodstream by the time you
sit down to nosh. When your blood sugar is
balanced, you’ll have an easier time knowing when
you’ve had “just enough.”

13. 12 Chew…and Keep Chewing
The more you chew, the better your digestion. The
more you chew, the longer you get to enjoy your
food. The more you chew, the easier it is to notice if
you’ve had enough.
The more you chew, the more you get to taste your
food. The more you chew, the easier it is to be
present.

14. 13 Go have fun!
As long as you have food in your stomach, life is not
all about what you can and cannot eat. Take a walk
and enjoy nature, go to the park with your kids, read
a good book. In other words, enjoy life.
Really, you can enjoy it without sugar. I promise.

15. 14 Enjoy beautiful food without
sugar
Along the same lines, there is no need to mourn the
loss of sweets when there is such beautiful food to
eat. Make hearty stews and soups, roast a chicken,
make a beautiful main dish salad, roast squash, toast
nuts, and enjoy a good unsweetened yogurt.
There are so many amazing foods to enjoy — so
enjoy them. Don’t feel deprived, simply enjoy
different foods.

16. 15 Pass it on to the next generation
Part of the reason adults find it hard to let go of
sugar is because they got addicted and used to it at
an early age.
If you have children, start them on the right food
with a low-sugar diet. They will thank you later.

17. To get a free mini-course and additional help with
breaking sugar habits, visit
http://www.bingeeatingbreakthrough.com.

18. Thanks to WebMD.com (http://www.webmd.com/diet/13-
ways-to-fight-sugar-cravings)
and MNN.com (http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-
eating/blogs/12-tips-for-kicking-the-refined-sugar-habit) for
the information resources used in this presentation.