Reducing Sugar – 13 Ways To Eat Less Sugar Every Day
Interested in reducing sugar in your life? Let us show you 13 simple ways to eat less sugar every day and how it’s easy to do so!
Let’s chat for a moment about reducing sugar.
Reducing sugar in your life – is it possible?
Yes it is! Here we will show you 13 simple ways to eat less sugar every day and how it’s easy to do so!
Not many people know this but a few years ago I was completely sugar free for a full 18 months.
I stopped having sugar one day after watching That Sugar Film (a life-changing documentary for me).
I just decided NOPE, NO MORE CRAPPY SUGAR FOR ME (chocolate was my downfall when it came to sweets).
During those 18 months I lost a ton of weight without even trying and felt BETTER THAN EVER.
Always energetic, never tired and I completely forgot what it was like to suffer from a post-sugar-high-slump.
My impressive stint ended one Halloween (what a surprise) when I saw a Ferrero Roche and thought “I’ll just have one. I mean, what harm can one little ball really cause me?”
The answer is: a relapse into another full-blown sugar addiction; thanks for that Mr. Seemingly Harmless Ferrero Roche ball).
Now I know I’m not alone with loving sweets.
Americans consume between 100-125 pounds of sugar each year.
That’s roughly a quarter of a pound every day.
It’s no wonder that diseases such as obesity and diabetes run rampant.
I have personally cut back on sugar in my life since my relapse a few years ago.
I call it a relapse because hey, sugar addiction is a very real addiction.
My goal is to ditch it altogether again in the near future (when I do this I will let you know!)
So why cut back on sugar…
Obviously it’s because cutting back on sweets can help protect you from some serious health conditions and may help you lose weight.
Even if you have a sweet tooth, these tips will make it easy to eat healthier.
Understand the Reasons for Cutting Back on Sugar
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 1 – Learn the new guidelines.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released guidelines for healthy sugar intake.
While the average American is now eating about 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, AHA suggests cutting back to 5 for women, 9 for men, and 3 for kids.
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 2 – Avoid empty calories.
The population started getting heavier at the same time we began eating increased amounts of refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.
It’s hard to maintain a healthy weight if soft drinks and donuts are crowding out the broccoli and whole grains.
Remember when your body is hungry; it wants nutrients, not calories.
The obese are eating the worst diet in the country if you define worse as ratio of calories to essential micronutrients. They’re just eating empty calories. Bruce Ames
It’s not volume, nor is it calories that we biologically hunger for. It’s micronutrients. And until we receive enough, the hunger signal will continually urge us to eat. Thankfully, there’s a simple fix: nutrient-dense food. Brendan Brazier
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 3 – Know the research concerning other health risks.
Experts agree that sugar causes tooth decay and contributes to weight problems.
These weight problems lead to diseases like diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer, among other things.
Sugar is the new cigarettes! Sugar increases insulin. Insulin increases fat storage and it’s addictive. 93% of lab rates chose sugar water over cocaine. The movie FED UP
Sugar is eight times as addictive as cocaine. And what’s interesting is that while cocaine and heroin activate only one spot for pleasure in the brain, sugar lights up the brain like a pinball machine. Mark Hyman
Easy Ways to Reduce Your Sugar Consumption:
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 4 – Avoid soda.
Soft drinks are the worst offenders by far.
A typical 12-ounce soda contains at least 8 teaspoons of added sugar, which alone is more than the daily recommendation for women and kids.
Drink more water instead. That is such a simple solution and alternative to soda.
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 5 – Limit processed foods.
Candy, cakes and cookies account for a significant amount of our sugar intake, but so do some foods you might not suspect.
Sugar is added to everything from whole wheat bread to peanut butter. Assume if it’s processed it probably has sugar in it (not always but often).
Sugar is the sociopath of foods. It acts sweets…but it’s really poison. Karen Salmansohn
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 6 – Make Sure to Read labels.
If the first ingredients listed are added sweeteners like sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, you may want to find something more nutritious to eat.
Check the total grams of sugar, but keep in mind that will include both added sugars and the less worrisome naturally occurring sugars.
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 7- Make healthy substitutions.
You can eat delicious meals if you make smart substitutions.
Switch to a breakfast cereal that’s unsweetened like rolled oats.
Add a little vanilla extract to plain yogurt and skip the fake raspberry flavors.
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 8 – Prepare more foods from scratch.
Using fresh ingredients gives you more control over hidden sugars.
Make your own salad dressing with olive oil, vinegar and garlic.
It will also taste better and cost less than the sweetened supermarket brands.
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 9 – Proceed gradually.
It’s easy to get conditioned to sugar.
Wean yourself in baby steps.
It’s normal to get sugar-withdrawal migraines in the first few days of ditching sugar so be prepared to wait for them to pass.
If you want to reduce your sugar slowly, start by putting half as much sugar in your coffee or switch to a natural product like stevia that has no calories.
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 10 – Prioritize.
If you’re a woman, figure out how you want to use your recommended 5 teaspoons of sugar a day.
The sugar you eliminate from your peanut butter may mean you can have that small homemade cookie after dinner instead.
Oh and just so you know there are so many great sugar-free recipes on the internet – yes even for sweets!
Go and search them out.
You shouldn’t have to feel totally deprived when you are consciously trying to reduce the sugar in your life.
But from experience your desire for sugar sort of disappears when you eat less of it.
Cheese and crackers suddenly become so much more desirable but you only need smaller amounts to satisfy you.
No more eating an entire block of chocolate if you have ever done that before (who me?)
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 11 – Reduce portion sizes.
Moderation is the key.
If you simply want to REDUCE sugar in your life rather than ditching it altogether you can still enjoy your favorite desserts but simply reduce the portion size.
You don’t have to have the whole big slice of cake (along with seconds) when you would be just as satisfied with a sliver of cake.
You also don’t need to eat the whole block when you could savor just a few squares of that rich chocolate.
Your eyes are often hungrier than your stomach!
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 12 – Address emotional eating.
You might sometimes reach for sweets when you’re feeling stressed because they help you feel better by boosting your serotonin levels.
If emotional eating is an issue for you, seek more constructive ways to relax, like having a bath, reading a book or listening to music.
REDUCING SUGAR
TIP # 13 – Exercise more.
On the other side of the equation, you can afford to eat more if you burn more calories.
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise on most days in order to get your body moving.
All in all, you can easily replace the empty calories from sugar with healthier treats and a more nutritious diet in your life. If I can do it – an ex-massive-sugar lover – then anyone can!
Here’s a list of some great low-sugar or completely sugar-free foods:
- All vegetables
- Meat
- Seafood
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Legumes and Beans
- Eggs
- Butter
- Wholegrains like brown rice, quinoa, barley etc.
- Whole wheat bread
- Plain yoghurt
- Note: Fruit is fine in moderation – maximum two pieces a day. It has fructose in its natural state so okay in moderation.
You will honestly be surprised at how easy it is to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet.
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I’m Frances Vidakovic – a mindset & action coach for quietly ambitious women who want to stop overthinking and finally take aligned action. I help women achieve their goals and follow through on what matters, without sacrificing their sanity or soul.