Sugar is everywhere. It’s an additive to almost every food, most drinks and of course cakes, cookies and pies. Empower yourself with a few simple rules to help deter your craving and find ways to add the sweetness without the worry to your diet.

Take back the control….

Know all the names for sugar. Read food labels, education is the best way to keep your body healthy and happy. The bad stuff can usually be found in the creams, sauces and condiments.

• Eat fruit. Fruit is nature’s candy. This is a great way to curb cravings.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners. They can leave you wanted more causing you to over eat. Plus they cause overall sugar cravings to increase. Use a natural sugar to help keep you on track.
• Eliminate "the white stuff". This includeswhite flour, white rice, and white potatoes. These have the same affect on blood sugar. These foods do not have sustained energy and leave you falling fast. Stay with the whole wheats, oats, and brans to keep energy high.
• Drink water. Although it may be boring, water can help release fat without the worry of loading on calories. Juices contain many calories from sugar, even if the bottle reads 100% juice.
• Try stevia. This comes from an herb that is very sweet and it can be an ally in regaining control of your diet. Although this herb is hard to bake with, having some in a drink or in coffee can also help kick the habit. Go stock up on it now.
• Learn to use honey. There are more benefits from honey then the basic sugar. If you stick to a teaspoon at most you will stay on track and meet your sweet needs.
• Limit alcohol. Alcohol is made from sugar, plus it slows our basal metabolic rate, making it a bad choice for anyone who is on a diet.
• Bring a low sugar dessert to share.Think of treats more from nature, such as berries and yogurt.
• Keep it out of the house. If you need a treat for the children, go and get it with him or her, making it a special event. Throw out any temptations can save you from making a impulsive food choice.
• Eat sweet potatoes, red potatoes, and brown rice with meals. These are the foods to replace the white foods with to help release energy slower into our blood steam maintaining and stabilizing our blood sugar for longer periods of time.
• If you must eat sweets, eat them after meals. You may see that you don’t need them at all. We crave sugar due to its quick-acting effect on our blood. After meals, our blood sugar normalizes, lessening our need for simple sugars.

Sugar is a hard drug to rid from your system! Sugar cravings can last several days and if you cheat, your withdrawal from sugar carvings can last even longer. Once you rid your system once and for all, the benefits well out way the cost. Your energy level will improve and your body will feel better.

About the Author

Jacqueline Pidanick (NSCA-CSCS, NSCA-CPT, APFA-CPT) has played Division 1 volleyball, danced competitively as a ballroom dancer, and has coached tennis at the collegiate level. Her specialities as a personal trainer include performance enhancement, youth strength development, and special populations. Her new book "Keep It Simple", is a guide to help change readers' eating and exercise habits. For more information, go to www.jakkiepidanick.com

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