Mind Over Matter: Mindfulness Techniques to Stop Sugar Cravings

Ever feel like your sugar cravings are totally running the show? 🙋‍♀️ You're not alone. Our brains are practically wired to crave that sweet stuff, making it tough to break free. But what if you could outsmart those cravings with a little mindfulness magic? ✨

In this blog post, I'm sharing some surprisingly simple techniques to help you tune into your body, understand your triggers, and finally feel in control around food.

With mindfulness training, you can become more conscious of your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations related to sugar cravings. It can help you make more smart choices and support weight loss.

By being more aware of your cravings and how you feel, you can start managing them better. This can help you stop your sugar cravings and make healthier choices. In this blog, I am going to share some amazing mindfulness techniques that can help you stop sugar cravings.

Sugar cravings happen because our brain’s basic food is glucose; the scientific name for sugar. However, most of the sugars we consume are highly processed versions of glucose which may take longer for the body to break down and use to provide you with the energy you need to go about life.

Natural sugars in whole foods don’t make us crave as much because the way the body processes it is slower, yielding more sustained energy through time in your body.

When you become a sugar addict, you’re desensitized to it making it harder to enjoy blender tastes. In order to be able to enjoy them again, you need to slowly wean off sugar. You can learn more about this in my Habit Change for Weight Loss ebook where I dive into how to make this happen in a way that you can tailor to your specific needs. It comes with a habit tracker and health tips to make your journey make sense to you.

Sugar cravings have both psychological and physiological effects. They affect the mind-body connection differently. Natural chemicals like neurotransmitters and dopamine get activated by eating sugar, making eating high-energy foods feel pleasurable. Quitting added sugar is tricky because of these effects.

Also Read: Exercise & Physical Activity to Stop Sugar Addiction

Mindfulness, the practice of being aware and present without judgment, can help us curb sugar cravings. It comes from Buddhist meditation and has been practiced for centuries. By understanding our bodies, we can make deliberate choices in the moment. Mindfulness is a tool for managing cravings.

Buddhist practices brought to the Western world offer countless ways to treat anxiety, stress, and addictions. Mindfulness therapy helps us in many ways. It makes us more conscious of our thoughts, emotions, and choices about what we eat.

My favorite mindfulness technique for foods is leaning into intuitive eating. Intuitive eating is learning to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues so you can eat exactly the amount of food your body needs. In my 90-day kick the sugar habit program, we work on developing that intuitive eating habit.

Now, let’s discuss a few techniques that can help you to stop your sugar craving easily.

When you feel a food craving, ask if you really need it or not. Sugar gives a quick energy boost and lifts mood. However, this signals the brain's reward system. Find other ways to get this response.

Instead of eating sugar, try drinking water, checking for nutritional deficiency, or getting fresh air.

Even closing your eyes for a 10-minute nap can help. Don't use sugar as the main source of dopamine. Try a workout class, talk to a friend, or listen to your favorite music while doing the walk.

Download My Craving Management 101 Guide to learn how to effectively do this yourself.

Craving is the bane of our existence, tugging us more and more away from mindfulness. Tempting us to succumb to short-term pleasure, craving may become an addiction if unchecked. To break free from this never-ending cycle, mindfulness techniques can be of great help.

Disconnecting us from the craving and connecting us with something else in its place is essential - imagine it like putting out a raging fire with mindfulness practices instead of simply playing Whack-A-Mole! As wise people say that mindfulness practice leads to inner peace, it's time we all practiced mindfulness regularly, allowing ourselves to detach from any craving and focus on something else.

Think about getting some dark chocolate. After enjoying the first piece, you might want another. The first bite was delicious, but sometimes, just a little bit of sweetness is enough. Instead of having more, try to appreciate the taste of that one piece. If you're not really hungry, choose a healthy snack like nuts or fresh fruit. This way, you can enjoy your treat without the guilt.

Remember: If you have it in the cupboard, it’s easier to fall into temptation. Start by clearing the cupboard from excess sugary foods. If it’s not accessible, you’re can follow-though easily.

Also Read: Hormonal Changes That Affect Sugar Cravings & How to Manage

Another technique is to focus only on eating.

Dive into the experience of fully enjoying every bite and taking in every flavor your food offers.

It’s important when you are consuming sugar. Don’t eat a protein bar while answering texts or emails. Instead, savor the taste and visually notice what you’ve eaten and what’s left. You won’t wish for another as much.

Digestion involves the stomach and mind. Seeing, smelling, and tasting food is crucial. When you don’t eat mindfully, you will have more cravings, and you won’t feel satisfied with just one bar.

Also Read: Sleep Deprivation: Sleep's Role in Curbing Sugar Cravings

Mindful drinking can reduce calorie intake and increase hydration awareness. Drink water throughout the day and pay attention when you feel like having something sweet. At that moment, try to drink water first; sometimes, our body confuses thirst with hunger. This can help you prevent the overconsumption of sugary drinks. Stay hydrated by drinking water, and keep a water bottle with you to track daily water intake.

Make healthy substitutions for sugary foods if you are looking for an easy way to stop sugar cravings. Try to eat dark chocolate, and you can also eat fresh fruit or bake something healthy like banana bread, date muffins, carrot cake, etc. Avoiding sugary foods is a challenging decision but an important one. Choose to make your body and mind healthy by eliminating added sugars and focusing on a healthy lifestyle.

Also Read: Mood Swings: The Connection Between Emotions and Sugar Cravings

Sugar cravings are very common. But if we want to live a healthy and happy life, we should stop eating sugar and replace it with better alternatives that are healthy for our health. Mindfulness can be used for people with an addiction to any addictive substance. Now that you understand a little bit more about sugar cravings, try following these tips the next time you have one.

The habit of eating sugar is difficult to break, but mindfulness in curbing sugar cravings. By practicing mindfulness, we can better manage sugar cravings and improve our overall health. It may be difficult at first, but resist the urge to indulge in sugary snacks and drinks – your body will thank you later.

If you need help achieving your health goals, you can join my program, and it will help you live your life the way you always believed you could!

With Love,

Pempi 💖