12 Incredibly Easy Tips to Quit Sugar…Or Just Eat A Lot Less

I confess, I’m a sugar lover.

I’ve even written a whole post about being a sugar free failure.

And you know what, I finally realized that I’m just fine being not sugar free! Athletes inherently burn a little more sugar and I do think endurance running gives me a little more carb cravings.

But that doesn’t mean, I can’t always be a little more aware of ways to keep myself from getting in to a cycle where I’m eating too much sugar. Because my bigger goal is a healthy body, which means preventing heart disease and yes from a vanity stand point means my skin looks great!

Easy Tips to Quit Sugar

How does one stop sugar cravings without doing some crazy sugar free challenge, which seems to make us want more? Some of you will rock a cold turkey quit situation.

BUT a lot more of you are like me and that “I can no longer have any sugar” test, turns back around and I want it more than ever because my brain hates being deprived.

This is the question that I wanted to better understand and find doable solutions we could use.

Thanks to help from some great RD’s, I’ve come up with a list of ideas. Check them out to see which one feels like it’s best for you.

Thanks to Lindsey of The Lean Green Bean for many of these.

1) Start by cutting back.

I know there are a lot of people out there who believe in quitting cold turkey with a detox, Whole 30, etc. If that works for you, great…but in my experience that often makes people crave sugar even more.

When I started really watching my sugar intake after I graduated from college, I did it in small steps.

So what does that mean?

• If you’re eating two sugary snacks a day, cut back to one.
• If you put three packets of sugar in your coffee each morning, cut back to two, then one.
• If you like juice, start mixing in sparkling water and reducing the amount of juice.
• Can you switch to extra dark chocolate and really savor a few bites, instead of fun size bar.
• Can you ask the co-worker with the massive jar of candy to fill it less often? Or put it out of eyesight?

I had to remind myself that it would still be there later. So I could start with that smaller serving and if I just really wanted more later, go back.

How much sugar are you really eating when the label says a serving contains 6 grams?

To give you a visual, 4 grams = 1 teaspoon of sugar.

If your muffin has 6g of sugar, visualize the 1.5 teaspoons of sugar that’s inside it.

As your taste buds adjust to lower amounts of sugar, you’ll probably find that if you return to your original eating habits, things will taste overly sweet!

2) Find the hidden culprits.

Sugar is hidden in so many foods. It often replaces fat in low-fat/fat-free foods and you’ll find it in things that can really be made from just a few ingredients like nut butters, breads and salad dressings.

For example, there are many brands of peanut butter that are made with added sugar, when in reality all you really need to make peanut butter is one ingredient- peanuts.  High Protein Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

We know that a candy bar likely has a lot of sugar, but many of the sauces, dressing and condiments are equally high, which often shocks us. It’s another reason to check the label or decide if you can make it yourself.

A great easy place to start is oatmeal!

Those packets often have tons of added sugars.

Try making high protein overnight oats and you’ll save money, sugar and get in more protein to make them keep you full longer!! Notice this protein trend?? It really helps with cravings!

3) Eat real, whole foods.

If you have a sweet tooth, try satisfying your cravings with sweet foods like fruit.

When you do eat packaged foods, check the ingredient list and know the various names for sugar. I know there has been a lot of talk of coconut sugar lately, but it’s still sugar. Just another form.

Remember that low fat/fat-free often means high in artificial sweeteners or natural sugars to create taste.

How to reduce, not eliminate, sugar and still get all the health benefits! #eatclean via @runtothefinish Click To Tweet

4) Savor and enjoy!

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a sweet treat occasionally…but perhaps you could eat it more frequently if you learned to be satisfied with a smaller amount.

Do you really need that gigantic piece of carrot cake all in one sitting? Probably not. Split it into smaller pieces and enjoy a few bites each night of the week. (No joke I did this with my birthday cake and it was so much more satisfying.)

Eat it slowly and really enjoy it.

5) Cut back when baking.

A lot of baked goods are made with large amounts of added white sugar.

Try cutting back the sugar in your favorite cookies, muffins, etc by 1/4, then by 1/2 the original amount. You probably won’t even notice the difference in a lot of cases.

You can also try sweetening baked goods with fruits like bananas, date or applesauce or even maple syrup. Just keep in mind that even though these are natural sources of sugar, they’re still sugar. {Protein Pancakes are super easy, more filling and will help stabilize blood sugar levels.}

6) Increase Your Protein

As runners we’re often very focused on eating enough carbs to provide our muscles with energy.

But a diet that’s too low in fat or protein is going to ramp up our sugar cravings.

In fact, in our 30 Day Runner Nutrition Course we talk A LOT about protein.

• It helps us to maintain muscles mass
• It helps to feel full when we eat
• It really helps to drop those cravings which are often the body saying it needs FOOD and NUTRIENTS

For distance runners an easy rule of thumb is often aiming for 100 grams of protein per day. If that sounds high, just think you’re aiming for roughly 30 grams of protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This was the tip that did the most for me personally. Once my protein intake increased, I noticed immediately I was craving less sugar…but that lead to the final point.

7) Think Through Your Craving

Is it actually a craving or is it a habit?

If you are low in calories it could 100% be a craving. Your body is smart and it wants to fuel you, so when you aren’t getting enough nutrients for the workload it will try to find any means necessary to encourage eating.

And sugar is one of the easiest ways to get you to eat because of that dopamine reward!

BUT it’s also important to ask yourself do I even want this food? Why do I want this food?

Many of us have an immediate need for something sweet after lunch or dinner. Not because we’re still hungry, but because that’s what we learned as kids, right?

Finish your meal and you get a treat!!! Now it’s a habit and you’re consuming excess refined sugar without really thinking about it.

• Am I hungry? If you’d eat an apple then yup probably hungry and you should get food, not a treat.
• Is this a snack? Have you ever noticed “snacks” are usually just carbs? If you’re really looking to snack to fill a need for food can it be a combo of that sweet treat plus something like string cheese or almonds to balance blood sugar and keep you from craving more soon.
• Is this a habit? I’ve just had a great filling dinner…do I actually want chocolate or just grab it because I always do?
• Would a smaller portion satisfy me?

It’s ok to ask yourself questions! Don’t just blindly keep doing what you’ve done.

Especially if it’s not working for you!

5 More Quit Sugar Resources

• Sugar Detox Series: Why, how, obstacles, cravings and more
• How to fuel your runs with whole foods (nix the gels)
• 11 Low to No Sugar Snack Ideas for Work
• Understanding Your Personality to Make Quitting Easier (scroll half way down for my sugar story!)

Do you find it easy to pass on the sugar?

What’s helped you cut back?

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