7 Ways to Say No to Sugar to Lose Weight ...

1. Eat More Healthy Fat

Healthy fats are one of the best ways to say no to sugar. Eat foods like nuts, avocados, 100% dark cacao or raw cacao, coconut butter, coconut oil, coconut, seeds like almond, flax and hemp, sunflower, pumpkin, etc. These foods tell your brain you are satisfied, and send just enough dopamine to your brain, along with tons of nourishing vitamins, minerals, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. They also won’t cause weight gain so long as you keep them in moderate serving sizes.

2. Eat More Leafy Greens

Greens are one of the most balancing foods you can eat for your entire body, and we aren’t eating enough of them! They are rich in magnesium, which is your best bet to beat dopamine addiction. Magnesium calms the body the exact same way dopamine does, but without the “high” like effect. This sends your nervous system into a state of peace, relaxation, and magnesium also helps lower your blood sugar. Leafy greens are one of the best sources of magnesium to eat. Also, because they are high in chlorophyll, they help alkalize the body, which naturally makes your cells crave less sugar for energy. Eat 4-5 cups a day, either in entrées, smoothies, salads, soups, or however else you can think of.

3. Try Crio Bru

I’m going to tell you about a product I love that I am not affiliated with, nor do I make any money off telling you this, but I use it every single day. Crio Bru is a product that I discovered this last year, and I drink it every single morning. It is made of 100% roasted cocoa beans, that you brew just like coffee. It is caffeine-free, fat-free, sugar-free, gluten-free and only has 10 calories, but that’s not the reason to love it. I add almond milk and stevia, just like I do coffee, and it is incredibly satisfying and makes me crave less sugar, even more so than coffee. Because it only contains 100% cocoa beans, it is one of the most natural caffeine-beverages that you can put in your body that decrease sugar cravings. In fact, researchers have found that hot cocoa can help lower sugar cravings and it definitely works for me!

4. Add Cinnamon

Ten years ago, when I gave up sugar, I added lots of cinnamon to my diet. Cinnamon is a spice to love ladies! It is commonly used by diabetics to ward off sugar cravings, and it really does work! I love adding it to everything from smoothies, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, grain-free muffins, hot cocoa, tea, coffee, and even baked fish! Don’t knock it til you try it, ok? It takes away the need to eat something sweet so long as you get enough calories from healthy foods.

5. Increase Protein a Little

I don’t think we all need to be overdosing on protein like many sugar-free diets suggest, but I have found by eating high quality protein (not powders with tons of additives and chemicals), that I don’t crave sugar at all. Protein sends a high sense of satiety to the body and blood stream. It also promotes serotonin production through your body. Serotonin offers the same calm, relaxed state as dopamine does, but without the addictive properties. Try adding wild fish, plain Greek yogurt, organic or pastured eggs, vegan raw protein powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds and coconut flour, which is high in protein, to your diet. You’ll crave less sugar in no time!

6. Plain Greek Yogurt

Many people love Greek-yogurt, but many also buy the flavored kinds, which are so high in sugar! One of those tiny 6 ounce flavored Greek yogurts have almost 20 grams of sugar, which is more than some candy bars! We just don’t need all that sugar in a healthy food like Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt, when bought plain, is so great for your blood sugar. It only contains 6 grams of natural sugars from the milk, which are actually less than that because of the probiotics, which consume most of those sugars for “food” when yogurt is cultured. Yogurt is high in protein, calcium, B vitamins and magnesium. It has just enough carbohydrates to satisfy you, while being rich in nutrients that lower blood sugar. It is one of the most calming foods you can eat to knock out sugar cravings fast.

7. Add Fiber

Any form of natural fiber helps to fight sugar cravings in minutes. Fiber bulks up in your body and slows down your blood sugar. Some forms can make you uncomfortable and bloated, which we definitely don’t want. To avoid this, avoid cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts, unless they’re cooked really well. Eat more insoluble fiber from lettuces, carrots, celery, coconut flour, psyllium husks, flax seeds, and soluble fiber from chia seeds, pumpkin , winter squash, sweet potatoes and beets. These foods all slow down your digestion, promote satiety and excrete sugar out of the cells through the digestive tract so they can be eliminated.

If you’ve ever tried to give up sugar and failed, maybe this can provide some reasons why it is so hard. I’ve been there myself. I overcame a true addiction to sugar that led to seizures when I was 14. I ate nothing but high glycemic foods for years, until I discovered my seizures could be affected by glycemic index. I found a treatment that was all natural and would require me to give up sugar and high glycemic foods to stop the deathly seizures, and it worked. I”m proud to say I’ve been seizure free and sugar-free for 10 years and running. I wouldn’t look back, no matter how hard it was. It was worth every benefit I’ve received, not to mention I don’t suffer depression, acne and sugar cravings any longer. Have you ever suffered from extreme sugar addiction that led to weight gain? What’s your biggest struggle?

Sources: soulfulspoon.com, huffingtonpost.com