Want To Give Up Sugar? Kick The Habit With These Easy Steps

It is rather unfair that something that tastes so delicious could be so unhealthy for us! But, when it comes to sugar, that is the reality. “Sugar provides calories and no other nutrients,” reports the National Institute of Health. While it isn't providing you with any nutrients, it is increasing your risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and tooth decay. Sugar is nearly everywhere and giving it up can seem impossible but before you quit on the idea of quitting, try these 3 tips for cutting your consumption the easy way!

1. Start Slow

Remember, we said this is the easy way to give up sugar. No sense in rushing in and going cold turkey. “It's important to recognize that any change in palate takes time,” says Vandana Sheth, R.D.N., certified diabetes educator and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Being addicted to sugar is a very real problem. Some studies have suggested that a sugar addiction is more powerful than a cocaine addiction! It isn't dangerous for you to go off sugar all at once but it may be difficult for you maintain long term. Sheth suggests you try to wean yourself in a slow and steady fashion. If you typically take your coffee with two sugars, take one and a half for a week and only one the following week. If you usually lounge on the sofa with a bag of cookies, take one cookie and put the bag away. Cutting down in this fashion will prevent you from feeling deprived and give your taste buds the opportunity to adjust. [bctt tweet="Want To Give Up Sugar? Kick The Habit With These Easy Steps"]

2. Keep It Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

The best way to eat less sugar is to make the sugar in your house and/or office hard to find. Put the sugar bowl in the cupboard. Place your sweet foods on the highest shelf. If you walk by a bakery on your way to work, take a different route. Have a candy bowl on your desk? Put it in the break room. If finding your sugar fix requires a few extra steps, you will be giving your brain time to talk yourself out of it!

3. Remember This Calculation

Packaged foods do not provide a daily value (%DV) when it comes to sugars. So, how are we to know how much we are actually eating? What does a gram of sugar even look like? Sheth says to look at it this way, four grams of sugar is equal to one teaspoon of sugar. So, a can of Coke containing 39 grams of sugar has 10 teaspoons of sugar!  Remembering this calculation will help you decide, ‘Is this worth it?’” says Sheth. “It may make you rethink your choice.” Remember this information when considering the Food and Drug Administration's new sugar guidelines. The FDA recommends you get no more than 12.5 teaspoons of sugar a day. Do you really want that Coke now? If you need help ridding yourself of sugar-laden processed foods, our meal plan can help.  The BodyRock Meal Plan, can provide you with  the foundation required for building a balanced, healthy diet for years to come. The Meal Plan covers everyone from meat eaters to vegans and takes virtually all the guess work out of meal prep. We provide you with a weekly grocery list so all you have to do is buy the ingredients and follow along! We are talking 30 days worth of real, whole, exciting, flavorful meals and snacks, that will satisfy your taste buds without pumping you fill of unwanted ingredients! What are you waiting for? Get your Meal Plan here! Have you successfully given up sugar? Share your tips with us! Source: Women's Health