How To Kick The Sugar Habit

One of the best ways to beat sugar cravings is to start your day with a nourishing breakfast. "Eating breakfast can help you make better dietary decisions throughout the day." Says exercise nutrtionist Bob Green in his book Bob Greene's Total Body makeover.

Starting your day off with ample protein, fiber and fat from a nutritious breakfast will keep blood sugar levels stable by controlling the release of hormones such as insulin and glucagon. The complex healthy carbohydrates you start the day off with are converted to blood sugar which supplies the brain with a steady and stable source of the fuel it needs (glucose).

A vegetable omlette, a bowl of whole grain steel cut oats with chopped almonds and a whole fresh orange is an excellent breakfast choice which will give your brain the fuel it needs allowing you to think clearer and faster, remember more, react quicker and be mentally sharp throughout the day.

"Physical exercise combats sugar cravings, makes you less prone to binging, gives you a pleasurable endorphin rush and reduces stess," says "nutritionist to the stars" Dr. Oz Garcia, Ph.D., author of Look and Feel Fabulous Forever.

As you cut down on sweets, you'll use up your body's glycogen stores, which help maintain healthy blood sugar balance. When your bodies blood sugar is better maintined, you'll have fewer cravings, which of course, makes it easier for you to kick the sugar habit.

Even as little as 15 minutes a day improves your body's ability to uptake glucose and use it for fuel. The body is not secreting as much insulin when you are exercising.

One of the best forms of exercise for all around conditioning is yoga. Not only does yoga improve strength, flexibility and stamina, it also improves the mind body connection which enables you to make healthier food choices. An excellent source of information on yoga with fabulous DVDs can be found at: Lotus Petal Yoga

Results are not guaranteed, but specialists suggest a number of supplements that they believe can help ward off intense sugar cravings. (Make sure to pick supplements that contain no sweeteners because some companies add sugars as fillers!) bear in mind that the supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

L - glutamine is one of the supplements most often linked to cutting sugar cravings. Cravings will go away in about 10 minutes if you take 1,000 mg of L-glutamine.

Chromium is another oft-cited supplement. Taking 200 mg a day before each meal could really help keep blood sugar stable so it wont spike and crash. Cromium is essential for the production of insulin and the uptake of glucose into the cells.

High quality, clean fish oil and ground flax oil one gram or teaspoon per meal. These essential fatty acids also help balance blood sugar.

Your well meaning coworker keeps asking if you want a donut, and you're close to caving in. Yes, you want one now! Acknowledge and own up to the feeling says Connie Bennett, author of the excellent book Sugar Shock! How simple carbs can derail your life-and how you can get back on track Then, let the "Six Ds" come to the rescue.

Delay!: Drink a glass of water and then delay for 15 minutes. Then delay for 30 minutes. Chances are the craving will subside.
Distance!: Make an escape. Shun your favorite bagel shop, pizza parlor, candy store even supermarket when you are in the throes of craving.
Distract!: Do something else. take a walk, practice some yoga, simply focus on your breath throw yourself into a project.
Decode! : Now is the time to figure out what is going on. In other words, decode your cravings. Determine why you're so sugar obsessed right now.
Decide!: Make the decision to respect yourself. Run through a movie in your mind of how giving in will affect you and decide you don't want to go there.
Delight!: Rejoice in the fact that you said no! Take pride in the control you have over your destructive eating habits

Bear in mind that reduction and finally elimination of sugar from your diet is a way of life, it will take time and you may slip up. If at some point you still choose to have a dessert food, pick a small, polite portion and eat it ONLY AFTER consuming healthy foods such as rainbow colored vegetables, lean meats, healthy fats and low sugar fruits. Remember to drink plenty of water to flush out toxins, carry nutrients to our body's cells, metabolize fat, and perform various other vital functions.

Honor, respect, and treasure your mistakes so you can shed light on them. This way, you'll be more likely to stay on the sugar free path in the future.