Decrease Cravings with These Tips -- By Holly Little, Certified Personal Trainer

After indulging for the past 3 months on foods that you would normally “restrict” your consumption of, you might be having a hard time kicking the habit of giving in to your sweet tooth. From the leftover Halloween candy to the chocolate overload on Christmas night, the cravings have been constant and hard to ignore. Like any other addiction, sugar intake can be a tough one to kick. It seems like the more sugar and desserts you have, the more you are waiting for the next hit. Where does the battle end?

I am not sure that I have the easy, cure-all answer, but here are a few tips that might help you pull your own sweet tooth.

• Try to find a substitute. Generally, you tend to crave sweets after a meal or in the late afternoon. It might be helpful to have something else there and ready to fight off those cravings. For example, peppermint tea might work in the evening, a box of raisins in the afternoon, a piece of fruit, or anything else that you can think of that would be somewhat nutritious and easy to keep with you.
• Wait out the craving. Most experts say the cravings you experience will only last a couple of minutes and if you can wait it out, they will pass and you will be better for it. Try to occupy yourself for a good 10 minutes when you get a craving and if it lasts longer, then it might be time to indulge in something.
• Set daily goals and reward yourself for meeting them. To a sugar addict, nothing is tougher than getting through the day without any type of sugary treat. The longer you can hold out, the easier it will become, so try to find a reward that would be worth holding out for. I did this about a year ago and gave myself a dollar for every day that I did not indulge and at the end of the month or however long it was, I would go get a manicure or buy myself something nice.
• Recruit someone to do it with you. If you are married or have a family, this would be a healthy habit for everyone to adopt. Clean out the cupboards and refrigerator of all bad foods and make the effort a team effort. Hold each other accountable and support one another through the tough times.
• Put yourself in good situations. If you are one who loves to use the vending machines at work or will drive through the local gas station to fill up on snacks, try to do things to prevent you from continuing on with these habits. Clean out all of the change and single dollar bills in your wallet. Make sure you fill up on gas when someone is with you. Go grocery shopping after a meal, so you don’t load up on bad food.

As hard as it might be to believe, you CAN quit this evil thing called sugar and you will be a better person for it. Not only will you probably lose some weight, but you will feel better and more energetic. Good luck!