8 Simple Tips For Avoiding Sugar - Part 2

Hello, and welcome back to our blog! Last time we talked about three ways you can reduce sugar in your diet. It’s never easy to change your diet, however, with a few helpful tips and the will to succeed, you can turn your unhealthy habits around. In our last blog, we covered how to avoid sugary drinks like soda, how to snack properly, and how to use spices to liven up your daily meals. This time, we’re going to talk about five more ways you can avoid sugar and ideally, become a better advocate for a sugar-free diet in your own life.

Realize the importance

If you’re reading this blog, you likely already know that it’s important to avoid sugar. However, the more you recognize what’s at stake, the more likely you will be motivated to take the steps necessary to avoid sugar. So, let’s break it down a little bit: sugar is a major cause of obesity in the United States, but that’s not the only downside of it. Sugar has been proven to increase blood-pressure, create premature aging, and trigger weight gain and can lead to things like heart disease. Now, ask yourself this question: is it really worth contributing to these issues just so you can drink a soda, sugary coffee, or fruit juice everyday?

Make reminders

Like anything that’s important in your life, you may need to set reminders to keep yourself on track to reaching your goals. Avoiding sugar is a time-sensitive issue, so if you want to actually see the notes before the damage is done, you’re going to have to place your reminders strategically. If you make your own lunch, put reminders in a place that you’ll have to look at before you go to work, like on your car keys or wallet. If you eat out, keep a note on your computer at the office or set an alarm on your phone. Tell yourself to avoid sugar-filled drinks like soda, donuts, candy, or anything else you may be tempted to snack on throughout the day. If you haven’t read part one of this blog, read it to learn more about good habits you should follow for snacking.

Talk to your doctor

If you are in a rut and find yourself falling into the same routine by consuming too much sugar, you should talk to a doctor about it. Many food cravings are caused by nutrient deficiencies, and if you talk to your doctor, he/she may be able to help you determine how to best handle this. Although magnesium helps regulate insulin, glucose, and dopamine, having too much in your body can cause unwanted food cravings and other issues. Supplements like L-Glutamine can help you manage your cravings and inevitably, lead to an all-around healthier diet.

Eat more protein and healthy fats

Proteins and healthy fats are a great way to manage your blood sugar by preventing it from getting too low or too high. What this means is you’ll feel fuller for longer and as a result, be less likely to chow down on that last donut after you’re done with lunch. Some great healthy fats you should be consuming are avocados, olive oil, and nuts. Another way to get more protein is to make protein shakes. These taste great and they’re something simple to make as a snack throughout the day. Just make sure you understand what’s in your protein powder so you don’t consume anything harmful or unhealthy.

Have a plan

Like a wise man once said, “it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you have a plan.” Okay, maybe that’s not the best advice, but without a plan, your sugar-reducing goals are useless! So how can you formulate a plan for reducing sugar in your diet? A great place to start would be determining where most of the sugar in your diet is coming from and what’s causing the problem. Knowing this information is helpful in determining a plan for you because everyone’s situation is different. Once you’re done with this, you should try to make a list of steps you will take to alleviate this and get you back on track. As is with most things in life, it won’t come easy, so don’t expect to fix your issue within a couple days or weeks. Encourage friends to motivate you through this process or ask them to remind you about staying on track to reach your goals.

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