Managing your sugar
You have now learnt which of the foods that you consume daily are high in sugar. You are also familiar with the role that sugar plays in your body and the risks associated with high sugar consumption.
You are able to quantify the amount of sugar that you eat and know why it’s so difficult to reduce your sugar intake. You can also distinguish between sugar alternatives and use them wisely.
This knowledge enables you to manage your sugar consumption!
Do you feel that you need to reduce your sugar intake?
Not? Then the best case scenario is that you don’t need to because you’re already eating healthy and exercising enough: Congratulations!
Or maybe you lack incentives? Maybe you can be motivated by the benefits, such as the good looks and increased performance resulting from lower sugar consumption, or the risks associated with higher sugar consumption, such as arteriosclerosis and diabetes.
What’s important, is that you’re doing it for YOU. You are worth it!
Yes, you would like to reduce your sugar intake?
In that case, there are two important things you should do:
- Check your critical foods. What do you eat?
- Check your critical situations. Why do you eat?
1. Dealing with critical foods:
“Quantity makes the poison.”
Consider how you can really appreciate sweets by eating them in the right quantities. Take time to appreciate them using all your senses, for example by doing the enjoyment test with one piece of chocolate.
“The secret lies in the combination.”
It’s always good to consume sugar together with other food so that your blood sugar level doesn’t fluctuate so much and you don’t get hungry again as quickly.
“Alternatives”
Maybe you can satisfy your sweet tooth with an apple? Is sugar in coffee your thing? Could you have less sugar or maybe replace it with a sugar substitute like erythritol or xylitol?
Be creative and try to find the solution that works for you.
2. Dealing with critical situations:
Think about which situations cause you to eat more than you would like. What triggers this behaviour?
Is it to reward yourself?
Then try to find other things to reward yourself with. How does a hot bath sound, for example? A walk, calling a friend?
Do you eat because you’re stressed? Would relaxation exercises help?
Is it your environment that drives you to sweets?
Is there a bowl with candy at work? Can you put a bowl with fruit next to it? Or maybe replace the candy bowl with the fruit bowl? We often think we must eat what others eat to be nice.
Tell the people that are leading you into temptation about your sugar management. Most people respect and understand that. If you do get some spiteful comments, they’ll probably be from envious people who don’t have the same willpower.
Remember that changing your eating habits is always a process. It’s human to have little “slip-ups”. Don’t throw in the towel, just keep on pursuing your goal!