How to effectively give up sweets? They are unhealthy, hinder weight loss, disrupt metabolism. And although we know all this, the fight against sweet addiction is especially difficult.
Why do we want to eat sweets?
We are often aware of the harmful effects of sweets, but we eat them anyway. Why? Because we treat it as a reward. Not only do they taste good, but they are also associated with pleasure. Even as adults, we reward ourselves with cake, chocolate, and a chocolate bar. They're uplifting, they're just convenient, and the sugary taste usually makes them "even if they're bad, they're still good."
Why are sweets bad for us?
There are a lot of reasons, and they are all quite serious:
They contain two very undesirable ingredients - simple sugars and trans fats. These substances not only do not nourish our body properly but can also effectively impair its functioning.
They simulate the feeling of satiety - when we are tired, weary, the bar is a quick energy charge that makes us feel better. It is more convenient to eat than a salad, a meal like chicken with rice. Especially if the meal requires preparation. A candy bar or bun is three bites and that's it. The problem is that it's a short-lived feeling of fullness. This is how simple sugars work. They quickly raise blood sugar levels, which fall just as quickly. And after half an hour there is no sign of satiety. And the calories have been delivered.
They provide many calories but few nutrients. They are certainly not a good source of minerals and vitamins. And let's face it - if a bar or cookie is fruit-flavored, it doesn't change anything. It's still just a bar or a cookie. If we are looking for sweets with any good properties, let's choose dark chocolate - it is a rich source of magnesium and potassium with a comparatively small amount of sugar.
Let's not forget about tooth decay, which develops thanks to the sugars accumulated in the mouth.
I'm skinny, can I eat sweets?
Definitely not. Perhaps you are not at risk of becoming overweight in the near future, but all the other negative effects of eating sweets, such as insulin resistance, body weakness, organ dysfunction, are. You don't provide yourself with good ingredients, you stuff yourself with sweets, it will be difficult to achieve good results in sports or build a muscular figure.
How to give up sweets?
Step 1 - Become aware of why they are harmful.
Read the above information, think about how often and in what quantities you eat sweets, and you could eat something much more valuable. Don't cheat yourself. A small chocolate or one piece of candy is also sweet. Think about how many meals during the day are dominated by a sweet taste - yoghurts, sweetened oatmeal, milk desserts, drinks? If you have a sweet practically every day, you should definitely change it.
Step 2 - Just put it down.
Easy to say, harder to do? Not this time. If you try to replace all sugary meals with sugar-free ones, you'll quickly find out that it wasn't all that difficult. Good advice: do not stock up on substitute products sweetened with aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. That's not the point. It is important that your body "forgets" the sweet taste. After a few days, the craving will dissipate and then it depends only on you whether you persevere and not be tempted to eat sweets.
Step 3 - rethink your temptation strategy.
Sweets are especially "social", so quite soon there will be an occasion when someone will treat us with a cake, chocolate, or a piece of cake. Or over a nice coffee with friends, we'll be told to order dessert when others are ordering. Somehow you must deal with it. Remember that if you eat a small piece of cake once every few days, nothing terrible will happen Just don't eat sweets at home, and when you're visiting guests, don't take second helpings, don't overeat, etc.
In the end…
Remember that addiction to sweets is really an addiction as serious as craving for alcohol or craving for nicotine. If you want to deal with this problem, do not underestimate it.