5 Simple swaps to reduce sugar cravings and lose weight
When trying to lose weight or eat more healthily it is so hard to keep off the sugar, isn’t it? If you feel like you have tackled everything regarding your food but still get cravings for sugar it could be one of two things.
One is that you are not actually craving sugar and are actually craving the psychological effects you feel sugar gives you. The other is that you are being given the cravings by something unexpected.
If you reduce sugar cravings it isn’t guaranteed to make you lose weight but can’t hurt and eating less sugar is likely to help!
If it is the former and you are eating your emotions then this is something you can address and I have written about that before. If you are sure that isn’t the case then maybe subconsciously you are being encouraged to need sugar.
Here are 9 things you may not have considered that could be giving you that extra push to crave sugar and how simple swaps could prevent that and help you reduce sugar cravings.
1. The supermarket makes you crave sugar
When you go shopping have you ever noticed the smell of baking? It is well known that they actually pump in the baking smells sometimes or certainly don’t do anything to expel them deliberately. Not only that but seeing sweet foods makes you crave sugar too.
Obviously avoiding the sweet aisles can really help, if you don’t see the sweet stuff you won’t crave it as much. A more drastic suggestion would also be to put a bit of Vaporub under your nose before you head to the supermarket. All the way around the shop you will only smell that which will help a little too.
2. Cleaning makes you crave sugar
I know this sounds crazy but hear me out! If your cleaning products smell of vanilla or lemon then this could be a problem.
Whilst you are cleaning and smelling them you are subconsciously being subjected to smells that are similar to lemon muffins, vanilla cookies etc.
That accompanied by the fact you are burning calories by cleaning means you will inevitably be attracted to those very things as a snack.
The solution, unfortunately, isn’t to stop cleaning, though I guess that is one option. Another option is to change the products you use to ones scented of things like lavender or ocean scents.
3. Perfumes make you crave sugar
Have you noticed that most ladies’ perfume smells quite sweet and has vanilla notes? If your’s is a berry or vanilla-scented perfume or body spray then the smell of this on you all day might be doing you more harm than good so to speak. Could it be making you crave sugar? It is possible!
The alternative is hard because we all have preferences when it comes to scents to wear but perhaps a change would do you good? Worth a thought if nothing else as it could help you reduce sugar cravings.
4. Candles and Air Fresheners make you crave sugar
If you use scented candles and air fresheners then these could easily be giving you that constant sweet smell encouraging you that you need sugar.
Do you have vanilla, salted caramel, or berry-scented candles? They are good aren’t they, but they do smell sweet and this can easily make you crave sugar.
Air fresheners, particularly plug-ins or similar that offer a constant scent are terrible for this. We have all been there, a week after changing the scent we are sure we can not even really smell it anymore.
It has not run out that quickly, the truth is we are used to the smell. That means we are smelling the sweet scent so much that we don’t even think we notice it anymore. This doesn’t mean your brain isn’t noticing it though!
Like with cleaning products the best way to prevent this is to use woodland scents, ocean scents and similar. Anything really that doesn’t make you think of food!
5. Lip Balms and other cosmetics make you crave sugar
Do you find that your lips often get dry? I know mine do so I often use lip balm, my current favourite being a coconut oil one. In fact, that was the inspiration for this post!
It smells lovely and even tastes nice. That however makes you more likely to lick your lips and lick it off. Then you reapply and the cycle continues.
Whilst the calories in the lip balm are probably extremely minimal, let’s face it you are not eating it! The sweetness does give you the sugar craving.
Next time you are choosing a lip balm try one that is unscented and has no taste to reduce sugar cravings. Not only will you be surprised how long it lasts because you are not subconsciously licking it off but also how much the sweet ones made you crave more sugar!
What makes you crave sugar? Do you think you have some of these influences without even realising it? Do you have a perfume that isn’t sweet-smelling that you can recommend to anyone looking for a change? I hope these tips help you to reduce sugar cravings you may struggle with.
