In
the last week, you've had 17 sugar cookies, six candy canes, an entire
bag of gumdrops, and a (chocolate) partridge in a pear tree. As you can
probably attest, all that sugar makes your mood and energy levels more
random than the words coming out of Aunt Edna's mouth. And don't even
get us started on the weight-gain side of things. Why wait
until January 1 to get back on track? Here are six tips to level out
your blood sugar, manage your sugar cravings, and set yourself up for
New Year's diet resolution success before 2015 even starts.
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Go Cold Turkey
"The
holidays a offer unique opportunity in that you've eaten so many sweets
that you're quite frankly just done with them," says Patricia Farris,
MD, coauthor of The Sugar Detox.
So take advantage of your "I can't even look at another piece of
toffee" attitude to kick the sweet stuff outright. It's the most
effective approach, says coauthor Brooke Alpert, RD. Weaning yourself
can backfire, as even a little bit of added sugar can make you crave
more. It should only take three days for you to start feeling like
yourself again.
Scan for "-Ose"
There's no need to swear off all
sugar—just added sugar, which includes table sugar and lurks in most
packaged foods (even salty-tasting ones), says dietitian René Ficek, RD,
lead nutrition expert at Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating. Before buying any packaged food, read the label and look for any ingredients that end in "-ose" (code for sugar).
[post_ads_2]Get Moving
Burn
calories, regulate your blood sugar—it's a pretty sweet deal. "Your
muscles use sugar as a source of energy, thereby lowering your blood
sugar," Farris says. Don't have time for a full workout? Little bursts
of activity may do even more good. One 2014 study out of New Zealand
found that performing 12-minute "exercise snacks" before each meal
improves blood sugar control better than single, longer workouts.
Drink More Water
"When
your body is dehydrated it actually craves sweets, so by drinking a lot
of water during the day you can decrease your sugar cravings and give
your body more energy," Ficek says. While you're coming down from your
sugar high, she recommends drinking at least one large glass of water
each hour of the workday.
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Curb Cravings with Fruit
"The
natural sugars and fiber in whole fruits will provide the sweetness you
crave without the blood sugar spike, keeping your energy and mood
lifted," Ficek says. Plus, since added sugar can desensitize your taste
buds, cutting them out will make natural sugars actually seem sweeter,
Farris says. "Many of our dieters say an apple never tasted so sweet."
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Go Green
"Adding
greens to your diet is one of the best ways to keep energy levels up
and eliminate those sweet cravings," Ficek says. Green veggies like
spinach, kale, and broccoli are great sources of iron and vitamin B-6,
both of which can keep you from "needing" a sugar boost. "Try having a
green smoothie for breakfast, a big salad for lunch, and a green veggie
stir-fry for dinner. These meals will make you feel so good; you won't
dare go back to those sweet treats," she says.
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