How to Stop Sugar Cravings When Candy Is in the House
If there's Halloween candy in your house this week, or a bowl of it on a desk at work, here's how I stop sugar cravings. Never tell yourself you can't have it. Give yourself something sweet you actually enjoy, like a yogurt bowl before bed. And when a craving hits, go for a walk.
When I started my weight loss journey, one of my biggest mistakes was labeling food as good or bad. The more I told myself I couldn't have the "bad" food, the more I wanted it. I'd always cave in, and then I'd be disappointed in myself for not sticking to the plan.
My 3 tricks to stop sugar cravings
I never tell myself I can't have it. Instead I tell myself, "I can have it later if I really want it. Right now, I'm going to wait and keep doing what I'm doing." I never use the word "can't."
I remember I can buy it any time. If I'm craving a donut, there's a donut shop on almost every corner. That donut isn't going anywhere, and I can have it if I really want it.
Cravings are thoughts. The more you think about a food, the more you crave it. So I go for a walk and clear my mind, and that has helped me.
What changed for me
It was never about what I could or couldn't have. It was about how much I was having in my day. I let myself have the "bad" foods in moderation, and once I started doing that, I stopped craving them. Now I can keep them in the house without an issue.
My sweet tooth fix: a yogurt bowl before bed
A late night sweet tooth used to be a big problem for me. My fix is a pre bed meal: a yogurt bowl with fruit and chocolate. It satisfies my sweet tooth, and it's filling, so it takes away that constant hunger for a snack. And no, eating past 6 pm doesn't make you gain weight.
Here are two ways I make it:
The 1 minute version: put frozen blueberries in the microwave for about a minute, add your yogurt, then add mini chocolate chips. The mini ones are my favorite.
The salted caramel version: I buy plain Greek yogurt from Costco because it's cheaper. I sweeten it with a little sugar free salted caramel syrup, just enough to make it sweet, and add Lily's salted caramel chocolate chips.
When you really want ice cream
You don't have to skip it. At Baskin Robbins you can order a kid's scoop, which cuts the portion about in half. Depending on the flavor, that's a scoop of ice cream for under 200 calories. Mine was about 150.
One of my clients used the same idea on vacation:
“small ice cream instead of all or nothing mentality!”
Maria, client
If a late night sweet tooth is the hardest part of your day right now, I'd love to help you with it. Cravings are something I work on with my A Cup of Fitness clients every week, all online. Apply for my coaching program here.
