Food: Why did I eat that?
Sugar is addictive. It is one of the biggest culprits to weight gain and obesity. Sugar is one of the first things I tell people to stop eating when I am asked my opinion on how to lose weight. So why, knowing all I know about sugar and food start on that train to sugar town? Well it all started about 4 weeks ago when I was going grocery shopping I decided to pick up a bar of dark chocolate while waiting in the checkout line. That dark chocolate then turned into a box of mango vanilla ice pops several days later. Those ice pops then turned into me eating the biggest slice of carrot cake at work. That was when I had to pump the breaks.
I knew where this train was headed. I had been here before. I am thankful that I eat well most of the time, but with the sugar creeping back in I started to notice that my body would crave something sweet after every meal. This is not normal. I had to put a stop to the madness. To add insult to injury the more I would give into my craving the more often it would come back.
Why do we continue to eat things that we know are bad? I know it seems like a rhetorical question but it’s a real. Just look at me, I fell prey to the sugar demon and I am trying to help people become healthier every day. So why did I eat the BIG slice of carrot cake? Because I wanted to. I wanted that tingly satisfying sensation when I enjoyed the delicious cream cheese icing. That’s all. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.
My concern is how to manage the cravings. My older wiser self knows that if I kept giving into the sugar craving then I would be headed toward obesity. I know better. Something that helps me is drinking a cup of tea post meal. I also stocked up on some pineapple, cantaloupes and mangos. I cut the fruit and leave it in my frige to eat if I get a craving.
So have you successfully managed a food craving in your life? Are you battling a sugar demon? Share your thoughts!