2853: How to Stop your Sugar Cravings by Chalene Johnson on Balancing Blood Sugar and Creating Healthier Habits

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[00:00:29] Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep.

[00:00:54] So, press play on Good Sleep tonight, because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep. Just search for Good Sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily. This is Optimal Health Daily, How to Stop Your Sugar Cravings, by Shaleen Johnson of shaleenjohnson.com. And I'm Dr. Neil.

[00:01:17] Welcome back to Optimal Health Daily, or welcome for the first time if you're new here. This is the podcast where I act as your very own personal narrator and read to you from some of the most popular health and fitness blogs online. Now, stopping sugar cravings is a question I get a lot, but I'm eager to read Shaleen's take on this, and I'll provide my commentary as usual at the end. So for now, let's get right to it and start optimizing your life.

[00:01:45] How to Stop Your Sugar Cravings, by Shaleen Johnson of shaleenjohnson.com. Have you ever had an awesome day in regards to your nutrition? You're denying junk food left and right. You're making all the right choices. You're feeling motivated. You're feeling strong. You're putting all the right things into your body. Then, all of a sudden, 8 p.m. rolls around. Panic sets in as the irresistible cravings start to sneak up. You start to make your way to the cupboard.

[00:02:13] Cookies, candy, popcorn, whatever it is, you must have it right now. You start to justify it or convince yourself that you deserve it. Well, I ate so great today, I can have a treat. I deserve it. I only had salad and I deserve to treat myself every once in a while. We always seem to find a way. You black out a little. You eat it somewhat mindlessly. Then, find yourself overwhelmed with guilt after swallowing the last bite. Maybe your mind even goes to, I don't deserve to be healthy.

[00:02:43] Why do I even try? Just eat whatever you want. So, you end up going back for more. The sweets have joined you in your pity party on the couch and there's no turning back now. It's all downhill. We all do it. We like to pretend that we don't, but we've all fallen victim to the late night cravings. So, bottom line is, you're normal. The more important part is figuring out how to keep you from falling into this trap habitually. First, I want to tell you that you are worthy of health.

[00:03:13] Your definition of health. Not Shaped Magazine's definition. Your definition. That means you need to get a few things right with yourself before moving forward. You are beautiful. Even you, men. You are unique. Your health journey is your own. Therefore, it should not be compared to anyone else's. I hope that the tips I'm about to read to you will help you kick those sugar cravings. They're some of the hardest to overcome, but I have faith and I know you can do it. Number one.

[00:03:42] Remove forbidden items from your brain. Yes, it's great to remove unhealthy food from the fridge and pantry. However, I also want you to make a conscious decision to not make any food forbidden. When we make food forbidden, there is a mental shift in how we view it. That mental shift then makes you desire that food even more. However, if you give yourself permission to consume that food when you want it, you then take back control. Number two.

[00:04:11] Eat regularly and balanced. If you struggle with sugar cravings, make sure you're eating balanced meals every few hours or so. Meals that contain carbs, proteins, and fats. This helps stabilize your blood sugar. Stick to lean proteins, complex carbs with fiber, and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods. They're packed with chemicals and artificial ingredients that can actually increase cravings. Number three. Keep healthy options handy.

[00:04:40] One of the best things I started doing was washing and prepping all of my fruits and veggies right when I got home from the store. I unload all the groceries, rinse them, then display them in the fridge at eye level in clear containers. That way, when I open the fridge, strawberries, raspberries, apples, carrots, etc. are staring me right in the face. So I'm more motivated to grab them. Number four. Don't eat when you're emotional. If you are in the midst of an emotional tornado, don't eat.

[00:05:09] Allow your emotions to calm before putting food in your mouth. If we eat when we're emotional, we train our brain to then crave food when we are affected emotionally. Number five. Stay away from artificial sweeteners. Eating simple carbs without the addition of proteins and fats will give you a quick energy boost, but will leave you craving more. Consider other all-natural alternatives like stevia. Number six. Understand your personal food boundaries.

[00:05:37] When dealing with cravings, there's not just one approach. In my opinion, everyone should approach a craving differently. For example, one person might be able to eat a little bit of what they're craving and that satisfies them. They're able to consume a reasonable portion and don't feel restricted. However, someone else might not be able to use this approach. On the alternative, one bite might send them over the edge and the floodgates open. They lose control and end up overindulging in their craving. Everyone is different.

[00:06:07] Know your body. Know your boundaries. And lastly, number seven. Stay hydrated. Drink up. Sometimes when you think you're craving sugar, you're actually just dehydrated. You just listened to the post titled, How to Stop Your Sugar Craving by Chalene Johnson of chalenejohnson.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Dr. Neil here for my commentary.

[00:06:33] I completely agree with Chalene when she mentioned dehydration. Sometimes we misinterpret our cravings for food when we really should be just adding water to our diets. Our brains can mix up the thirst and hunger signals. So sometimes we just need a glass of water and we actually will find that the craving goes away. I also like that she mentioned balanced meals. If you find that you crave sugar quite often, one of the easiest things you can do is anytime you have a carbohydrate,

[00:07:03] especially if it's a simpler carbohydrate, one that doesn't have a whole lot of fiber in it. When you consume those foods, go ahead and add some protein to it. So let's say you get hungry for some crackers. Well, be sure you have some mixed nuts or a string cheese or something with it. Something that's pretty rich in protein. What that'll do is it'll help balance your blood sugar levels. So you don't get that super high spike in blood sugar immediately.

[00:07:28] And then what happens after is you crash and your blood sugar can actually go below what's normal. And when your sugar gets below what's considered normal, that's when your body's going to start to want more sugar to bring you back up to normal. So that's why these spikes, these ups and downs in blood sugar isn't really a great thing. But to level that out, yes, eating fiber will help. But if you don't have a high fiber snack, just add some protein with it. And I love, love, love the idea of prepping your veggies,

[00:07:57] prepping your fresh foods in advance and keeping them at eye level. If you listen to this show for any period of time, you know that that's one of the techniques I like to use personally and it works. Think about it. When you get home from the grocery store and you bought all those vegetables because maybe you've been listening to this podcast and we've talked about vegetables and how great they are. You get excited. You buy them. But then what happens when you get home? You stuff them down in the bottom of the crisper drawer in your fridge and then forget about it. So you've just bought them.

[00:08:26] You're excited. Let's go ahead and go with that excitement. Wash, prep, chop them. And yes, put them in clear containers so that they're always visible to you and a constant reminder every time you open your fridge. All right, that's enough out of me for today. Thank you for listening. I'll be back here tomorrow as usual. So I'll see you there where your optimal life awaits.