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Increase your activity level to burn off sugar before it has a chance to permanently store in your hips.
Eat a handful of nuts or other protein sources (e.g., beans) with any sugary food to slow digestion and the body’s absorption rate.
Drink green tea with lemon to help clear sugar from your bloodstream faster and prevent it from staying in your kidneys and liver.
Eat a high-protein, low-carb breakfast to boost your metabolism for the day. Protein in the first meal of the day promotes the burning of sugars to get you going before protein begins to provide morning energy.
Drink a smoothie made mostly of vegetables (low in sugar) with a little fruit to provide the sweetness you crave. It’s filling, satisfying, and nutritious without a crash later.
Step-by-Step Recovery
Eating too much sugar? Help yourself kick the habit:
Remove sugary snacks and artificial sweeteners from your pantry.
Be kind to yourself. Understand the root of your addiction and the chemistry behind it. Don’t feel guilty: instead, make conscious choices to feel better in the long run.
With a decrease in sugar intake, your brain won’t produce as much dopamine. Do other things that will improve your mood that don’t involve food, like spending time with friends.
Replace sugary treats with foods that make you feel good without the sugar. For example, raw cacao contains phytochemicals that increase feel-good hormones. Eggs, fermented dairy, cruciferous and leafy green vegetables, beans, spinach, corn, fish, and poultry contain nutrients that stimulate neurotransmitters, including dopamine. Drink plenty of filtered water. Not only will this help flush out excess sugar, but dehydration can lead to sugar cravings.
Maintain stable blood sugar levels by snacking on healthy foods throughout the day. Sugar spikes and crashes make you crave more sugar.
Green and sea vegetables provide minerals that are often depleted with excess sugar and give you the energy boost you’re looking for, without the sugar.
Probiotics will help your digestive system process sugar and rebalance your gut flora: kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, and miso are all great sources.
Use peppermint oil to ease withdrawal symptoms, either in a diffuser or by applying it topically to your temples and the inside of your wrists.
Chromium helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. Eat more chromium-rich foods: seafood, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, garlic, grapes, beef, and turkey.
Remember: the less sugar you eat, the sweeter real foods taste. By reducing your sugar intake, you’ll feel better and live longer.
