To ask how to stop eating sugary snacks?

[roamingcat]

Hi all,

Posting here for traffic as I'm really finding this difficult. I really want to stop eating sugary snacks as I know its not good for me and I feel rubbish afterwards but I just can't. I have a big event in a few weeks that I want to look and feel my best for (both physically and mentally) but even this isn't helping.

I would say I eat a pretty good diet overall, I usually have 2-4 portions of fruit and minimum 1 or 2 veggies (but usually more), but I'm just in a bad habit with mid afternoon chocolate and a sweet treat after dinner. If anyone has any tips or tricks let me know!

First step - don’t have them in the house and don’t go out to buy them.

Step - find a healthier replacement that takes the edge of the cravings. Yoghurt and honey, low cal hot chocolate, sweet rice cakes, fruit platter etc

Whole Almonds, sweet, filling and low calories!

Cut down gradually...have a smaller portion, healthier treat. Like good quality chocolate over nuts instead of a full bar of chocolate.

Just saw you have an event coming up...still do it in stages but faster.

Eat 30-40g of protein for breakfast with berries as only fruit.

your body craves it due to a blood sugar crash, it’s not your fault.

you need to balance your blood sugars in the day and the short term way to do this is to hugely increase your protein particularly in the morning.

also increase the amount of vegetables and always eat nuts or yoghurt alongside fruit

Every time you eat anything you raise your blood sugar when it drops again you feel hunger pangs again. Contrary to the nhs advice eating 5 small meals a day will only help to keep your need for sugar stimulated. Contrary to the nhs advice eating 5 portions of fruit a day is BAD for you, fruit is high in fructose which can cause non alcoholic fatty liver disease, plus it’s a sugar, best thing to do is curb your eating times so you don’t constantly stimulate your need for sugar. Look into intermittent fasting. Cut out all the fruit and just have the one sugary snack after your main meal.

I had a terrible snacking habit. Mainly chocolate and sweet things. I bought some cacao nibs (available from supermarket or health food shops) and have found that a teaspoon satisfies my chocolate craving. They are really quite bitter, but have a chocolatey taste, and no sugar. Probably not to everyone's taste but it has worked for me (so far 🤞)

Hot chocolate instead? A low calorie one

Listen or read Chris van Tullalen's book on ultra processed foods. It'll put you off them (all) once you hear how the manufacturer's are using your own biology against you.

Do not buy it so you don't have it in the house. Chew chewing gum or brush your teeth you get a craving.

Delay don't deny. Distract.

If you have things immediately you get used to giving in and just eat more.

If you get that mid afternoon crave, don't give in. Tell yourself you'll have it later. Then have a cup of herbal tea

I find a square of high % dark chocolate takes the edge off sweet cravings. I have a 70% no added sugar one from Sainsbury’s at the moment and it’s fine.. or a spoon of proper peanut butter
I’ve also been making chia seed pudding with unsweetened cocoa powder which lasts 5 days in the fridge (though I’ve been making smaller batches anyway because I’ve only got a few pots. The texture took some getting used to but the taste is nice. I convince myself it’s fine because of the antioxidants etc 😅

Like any addiction, say no one craving at a time.
One is not enough. One is one too many.

I’d just aim to cut back not out to be honest, people say not to have them in the house but weirdly when I don’t that’s when I go off the rails and head to the shop and get more than I’d have eaten!

Bowl of frozen berries straight from freezer , add a tiny sprinkling of sugar if needed but for me they are ideal as take ages to eat

Try intermittent fasting. Gin stephens book fast feast repeat is fab.

I went cold turkey on sugar a few months ago. Best thing I ever did. I was eating biscuits, cake, ice cream and would eat a family bag of jellies/boiled sweets through the day. I ended up having very painful daily migraines and someone suggested I try cutting it out.

Amazing - migraines have stopped and I sleep better as a nice side effect.
I always have full fat greek yoghurt in the fridge and a small bowl with about 6 walnuts and a drizzle of honey (about a teaspoon full) cuts out cravings.

I tell myself I'm allowed 1 other sweet treat a day so may have 1 choc biscuit but I stopped craving it very quickly. I also have frozen raspberries in the freezer so a few of those as well can be nice. I've also lost a stone at least even though I eat the same main meals.

I'm not one to really think much about eating- if I fancy 'unhealthy' food I eat it and don't do diets but this has made me feel so much better and made me more energetic.

I agree with @0ohLarLar delay don't deny and @stayathomer keep some sweet treat in the house. It's there if you 'need' it.
If I'd been a smoker I think I would have kept a packet of cigarettes in the house as back up if I needed one.

I relapsed last week… but a cup of tea when I want chocolate or dessert. I’d gradually cut out sugar in my tea. Some spices like cinnamon make that easier

I’m a massive chocolate/cake eater and I don’t deny myself it but if I have a mug of herbal tea alongside I eat way less of the sweet stuff.

I also keep decent stuff in the house (home made baked goods, 90% chocolate) so I eat that rather than going to the shop for snacks. There are loads of recipes for ‘healthy’ cakes, brownies etc online - spend some time at the weekend making yourself a batch for the week.

Follow the hacks by Glucose Goddess. (Googlet her and follow on insta).She also has done 2 shows on Ch4. Got me out of the sugar high/crash problem. It's still hard but doable.

I have to taper it off. I find it very addictive.

I slice a banana, put 1/2 teaspoon of Greek yogurt on each piece and a blueberry. Freeze individually on a tray then when frozen put in a container in freezer. I sometimes replace the blueberry with 1/2 teaspoon of melted chocolate or slice of strawberry, 1/2 raspberry. Eaten from frozen as it will stop you picking at other instant sugar filled snacks.

You might try a sugar detox diet short term just to reset. I’m doing one called The Sugar Detox by Brooke Alpert. It’s strict to start with - no carbs at all - but gradually eases up.

The trouble with having a drink instead of snacking is that one of my main triggers for snacking is when I have a drink! I tend to go with the flow of recognising this and have plenty of non-sugary substitutes available, including plain black olives (in brine), cashew nuts, very dark chocolate 75%+, sugar-free popcorn, whole grain crackers, peanut butter and if I’m really craving a sugar hit, I’ll have a couple of Medjool dates or dried figs (which aren’t at all dry!) or some sugar-free jam on a cracker (St.Dalfour do a wide range sweetened with apple juice).
I only have one of these, btw! And only a handful of cashews/couple of crackers with peanut butter/7 or 8 small olives/1 square of choc, etc.

Mash avocado. Add cacao powder and xylitol. Stir. Here’s your chocolate mousse.

freezable. Add berries! And nuts! Or cinnamon. Or vanilla. Or a dash of cognac.