Health

Goodbye Sugar Cravings… Hello Healthy Eating!

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I can’t remember the last time I ate an “unhealthy” dessert. No, I’m not kidding. I’m not perfect. And I’m not exaggerating. When I was little I was actually a big fan of cupcakes, cookies and candy. I had a SERIOUS sweet tooth. I used to eat processed candy bars, sugary granola bars, packaged cereals, and all things “unnaturally sweet.” But all of that changed about 2 years ago. So… how did I get rid of my sugar cravings once and for all? Here are my top 5 tips:

  1. EAT MEALS. Yep, that’s right. Start with a nourishing breakfast, be sure to have yourself a balanced lunch, and then enjoy a satisfying dinner. I used to think the only thing that mattered was how many calories I was taking in. I’ve since learned that balanced meals that include lean protein, energizing carbohydrates, and healthy fats do three important things. They keep me fuller longer, they stabilize my blood sugar, and they drastically reduce sugar cravings.
  2. EAT THE RIGHT KIND OF SWEETS. Hello fresh fruit! I LOVE fruit (especially this time of year!) and while it does contain natural sugars, I don’t worry about those. The fructose in fruit is balanced out by the high quantity of fiber. Fresh fruit is really hard to “over-do” because it’s quite filling, naturally.
  3. EAT WHOLE FOODS. Skip the processed junk and opt for real, fresh, nourishing foods instead. Often times processed food is loaded with hidden sugars. Traditional foods like yogurts, juices, granola bars, ketchup, sauces, and even peanut butter, very often contain sugar. My advice? Break up with processed food. Let it go and you’ll find that REAL food is SO much more satisfying!
  4. TREAT YOURSELF. This is huge! When I lost weight 4 years ago, I did it while eating ice cream every.single.night. My friends were all shocked! How could you possibly lose weight eating a treat every day? Here’s how, just knowing that I can enjoy a treat after eating well each day prevents the feeling of deprivation (which often leads to over-doing it later). Teaching my body to eat one small treat after dinner (when my blood sugar is stabilized) has retrained my brain to really only crave that one special treat. These days I stick with one serving of dark chocolate! SO satisfying and loaded with healthy fats.
  5. BALANCE. When I look at my diet these days, I can honestly say it’s 100% healthy, but that wasn’t always the case. My advice? Take the road of BALANCE and see where it leads you. I didn’t go from eating processed junk to eating clean overnight, I took baby steps and that has made ALL the difference. If you try to ‘will’ yourself into eating the “perfect diet” you NEVER will. You’ll feel deprived, you’ll obsess over food, and you’ll end up over dosing on all those junk foods you were avoiding (I’ve been there).

So, focus on positive steps, eating better, and taking the slow road. You’ll find that you no longer crave processed sugar or packaged junk foods! HELLO HEALTHY EATING!

xoxo Cailee!

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15 Comments

  • Reply Kristy from Southern In Law

    I totally agree with you on all of these points! Especially treating yourself in moderation – healthy eating is all about balance!

    June 11, 2016 at 8:38 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thank girl! Glad you agree! Yay for balance!

      June 19, 2016 at 8:42 pm
  • Reply Miss Polkadot

    Yes to this! It’s funny because reading what you wrote I saw myself, my own [food] journey. While I probably eat a bit more sugar – not a ton: I don’t stress about it in sticking to my one daily treat; if my family has something intriguing I’ll have a nibble here and there – we’re very similar. Thinking about it I used to eat a lot more less nutritious foods but these days – while having a sweet tooth – most often crave whole foods. My carrot addiction is no joke.
    Long story short: I think there’s an adaptation period where eating less sweets and more fruit, vegetables and other whole foods is hard but then it becomes natural.

    June 11, 2016 at 9:36 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      I couldn’t agree more! I DEFINITELY takes time… I didn’t go from sugar loving to ‘I’m fine with my dark chocolate’ over night… it took baby steps, and like you said, at the end of the day it’s all about balance!

      June 19, 2016 at 8:43 pm
  • Reply kat

    LOVE this post!! So many great ideas. I definitely still have the craving for sweets, but I can easily make healthy swaps. When I crave ice cream, banana ice cream works just fine. And homemade PB cups over the fake, sugary store bought ones all day every day! The only sub I haven’t seem to be able to make is my obsession with nachos. Nothing like the real thing! 😉

    June 13, 2016 at 1:18 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Then you go for the real thing girl!! Plus nachos are g.free, just like you! And oh my gosh Kat, you make the best healthy treats!! Every time I see your pix on IG I’m like… I NEED that!! YUM!

      June 19, 2016 at 8:45 pm
  • Reply Claire at My Pink & Green Life

    These are all so true! And treating yourself in moderation is key for any healthy diet, I think. I usually have a square or two of dark chocolate per day, just like you! It makes eating healthy feel less like a diet and more like a lifestyle change, which is really what it should be.

    June 13, 2016 at 6:38 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      YESSSS! I’m so glad that you agree Claire! Yay for healthy lifestyle choices that are ENJOYABLE and maintainable! Balance, right?!

      June 19, 2016 at 9:09 pm
  • Reply Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness

    Yesss I love these tips! I eat a ton of fruit and definitely think it helps to balance out my sweet tooth 🙂

    June 13, 2016 at 8:43 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thanks Nicole! Fresh/ frozen fruit is so sweet… naturally!! 🙂

      June 19, 2016 at 8:41 pm
  • Reply Evi @ greenevi

    Such a great post again! Luckily I never had a huge sweet tooth, even as a kid I preferred savoury snacks over sweets, but I would lie if I’d say I don’t eat sugary stuffs every now and then. But I noticed that after a delicious piece of fruit the cravings have not much power anymore 😀

    June 14, 2016 at 11:09 am
    • Reply Cailee

      Fruit is SO good! Besides fruit or my daily dark chocolate, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth anymore… eating real food makes such a difference! And it’s all about balance, right?!

      June 19, 2016 at 8:41 pm
  • Reply Rach @ This Italian Family

    Yeah, girl! Love this! Eating real food makes such a huge difference!

    June 14, 2016 at 3:10 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      SUCH a difference! Yay for real food! So nourishing and tasty!

      June 19, 2016 at 8:40 pm
  • Reply Kirsten

    It definitely takes time! I still crave sweets, but I’ve learned to let myself “cheat” once a week (well except my family vacation in on right now) for a sweet treat and I’m slowly learning not to over do it each week!! The only thing I can’t give up is peanut butter 😁 It’s all about that BALANCE!

    June 29, 2016 at 9:09 pm
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