10 Tips to Cut Sugar Cravings

Wanna cut your sugar cravings for good? Follow these 10 tips to help you cut your cravings!

1) Fiber will keep you full and give you more energy without raising your blood sugar so there’s no [hangry] crash afterward. Choose fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

2) High-protein foods digest more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer.

3) Protein doesn't make your blood sugar spike the way sugars do. Pick proteins like nuts, or beans, or lean meats, yogurt or eggs.

4) Drink plenty of water. Sometimes sweets cravings, are actually a sign of dehydration. Before you go for the sweet snack, have a glass of water and wait a few minutes.

5) Fruit and sweet vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, turnips) are naturally sweet, have tons of nutrition, and are quite delicious. The more you eat, the less you crave sugar.

6) Spices can naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings. Coriander, cumin, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom will add flavor without calories.

7) Scout Out hidden sugar. Sugar can hide in foods where you least expect it. Although they don't seem sweet, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and pasta sauce have loads of sugar. So do reduced-fat salad dressings, bread, baked beans, and some flavored coffees. Get in the habit of reading labels. Filter out high-sugar foods before they hit your shopping cart.

8) Get physically active. Being active helps balance blood sugar levels, boosts energy, and reduces tension which will eliminate the need to self-medicate with sugar! Exercise can help wipe out those sugar cravings and change the way you eat in general. You will start to feel better and want healthier foods. Do what you like whether it’s walking, riding your bike, swimming or hitting the gym. Start out slow, and work toward at least 30 minutes at a time, 5 days a week.

9) Get more sleep, rest, and relaxation. Simple carbs such as sugar are the most readily usable forms of energy for an exhausted body and mind. If you are in chronic state of stress and/or sleep deprivation, your body will crave the quickest form of energy there is - sugar.

10) Slow down and find sweetness in non-food ways. Every craving is NOT a signal that your body biologically requires sugar. Cravings often have a psychological component. By identifying the causes of food cravings and substituting lifestyle and relationship adjustments accordingly, you can begin to find balance and take charge of your health.

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! 

5 Reason to Cook At Home

It can be very tempting to order out, head to a restaurant, or get frozen packaged food when you’re short on time. Trust me, even I fall prey to this sometimes. Because I just don't want to cook. Why bother? There are so many reasons! (being pregnant and having no energy is my current complaint!) 

But by making your own meals, you know exactly what you are putting into your body. That includes salt, and sugar. Which are used too much in fast foods, packaged frozen foods and even at restaurants. 

1. COST

For starters, cooking at home is way cheaper. If you find a few recipes that appeal to you, make a list, and buy only what you need, you can make a week's worth of dinners for about the same amount of money you'd spend in a mid-range restaurant for two or three meals. Check out a restaurant menu online and add up the costs: entree, drink, tip. Times two. See what I mean??

2. HEALTH
Another reason, it’s generally healthier. You can control the amounts of fat, sugar, sodium, and other ingredients. You can also control the portion size of your food. Portion control is as easy as deciding how much food to put on your plate, eliminating the temptation to eat all those fries that came with your restaurant burger. Or to chow down on that entire Chipotle burrito bowl!

3. LEFTOVERS
If planned right, you don’t need to cook every day. You can cook in large batches and have some food for the next day, making your life a little simpler. This is one of my favorite ways to “meal prep”. I cook extra on one night and heat it up (possibly add a few more ingredients) to eat the next night. Simple dinner on a busy weeknight! 

I know a lot of people do not like leftovers. But it is a great way to help save money and make your week of cooking a lot easier. I didn't like leftovers in the beginning either. It just isn't as good the second time around, but there are many dishes, like soups or stews that are much better after they sit for awhile. Start small. With one leftover a week and increase from there! 

4. FIT FAMILY
It can be a great way to get the family together to help! Getting your kids involved in the kitchen will teach them valuable life skills. Plus, you can pass on important nutritional information while making it fun. My boys LOVE to be my little helpers and they are more likely to eat healthy foods if they were involved in the preparation. Especially Mason. Now that he really wants to help! 

5. TIME
Finally, cooking at home can be faster than going out. Add up the time spent driving to a restaurant, waiting to be seated, waiting to be served, eating, paying, then driving home again. You could have fixed something simple and tasty much faster and been more comfortable in the process. You can cook and eat in your pajamas or workout clothes if you want to! 

BONUS: 

Cook for your taste buds- When you cook at home, you can control the amount of each flavor is in the food. Creating the perfect taste for you. I don't add salt to my foods and often when we eat out, most foods taste too salty to me. Or if I want to spice up my Mexican Foods, I can do that more easily in my own kitchen. 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! 

Drawbacks To Eating Sugar During Pregnancy

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Ok mom's, who has thought this while you were/are pregnant? "YAY! I'm pregnant, I can finally eat whatever I want!" (raise hand here!) Honestly when I was first married, I started to eat whatever I wanted, and I started gaining weight because of it but my excuse was, "It doesn't matter. I'm just going to get pregnant and then breastfeeding will make me lose all the weight!" WRONG! Not only did it take us 9 years to get a baby, but Breastfeeding did not help me lose ANY WEIGHT! Not 1 single pound.

Being pregnant is the last reason to start gorging on foods, candies and sweets and treats. That is the time you want to buckle down and eat a good whole food diet filled with nutrients that will not only keep you healthy but help support the growth of the new life in your body. Too many times, pregnant mom's give in to cravings while pregnant. I will admit it first, that I did! I gained 55 pounds with Mason, the last 2 months I was drinking a super thick chocolate shake at least 3 times a week. With Collin it was Oreos for the last month. And I gained 20 pounds with him. But I probably could have saved myself 5 pounds if I didn't. This pregnancy I am determined to eat more healthy and not give into my sugar cravings. Thankfully so far the baby is craving VEGGIES! The last thing I thought I would ever crave. So.... Is it safe to eat sugar during pregnancy? 

Here are some drawbacks to eating sugar while pregnant. 

Make your pregnancy symptoms worse. 

Eating too much sugar can actually make your pregnancy symptoms worse. Add more heartburn, more sick to your stomach feel if you are eating too much sugar at once. And of course make you even more moody especially if you aren't getting the sugar that your body is demanding for!

Increases in Exhaustion

It is commonplace among pregnant women to feel lethargic and lack energy at all times. Eating too much sugar can only heighten this feeling. Sugary drinks and foods generally contain sucrose, which causes blood glucose level surge followed by a fall in energy. And it can also make you more susceptible to be diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. 

It Can Make Baby Craving For Sugar:

Research has shown women who crave for sugary foods in pregnancy, have kids who grow up as sugar cravers too. This actually paves way for obesity and related ailments in the long run. And as we can see from all around us, there are too many obese children out there. And as a mother, that is the last thing that I want my children to deal with.

Weight Gain:

Eating sugar during pregnancy causes weight gain.While all women gain some amount of weight during pregnancy, those who intake, excess sugar put on more weight than usual. They also find it harder to shed the excess flab after childbirth. (um, yes!) 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! 

Addictiveness Of Sugar: Cut Your Cravings!

This week I am all about educating myself, my family and friends about the addictiveness of sugar. Yesterday morning Mason woke me up, not with a "Good morning mom!" or "How are you mom!" No. He said, "I WANT CANDY!" Broke my heart. My oldest who I denied sugar, sweets or anything artificial for his entire first year is already addicted to sugar. He is refusing to eat the food I make, yet he will eat french fries, hot dogs, sweets, crackers, and other crap.

I am seriously kicking myself. Maybe I gave in too quickly to give him sugar? Maybe I bribed him too much to get him to eat something? Maybe I ate too much sugar in front of him and shared?  Heck, I know how great candy and sugars are. I have been addicted for years. It wasn't until I started drinking Shakeology daily that I didn't "have to" have my sugar fix. And I am so thankful for that. Do I still eat sugar? Yes. Because I enjoy it. But no where near what I used to eat. And when I do eat sugar, I do my best to keep it "clean" and avoid treats that have any Artificial Ingredients, Additives, Preservative, etc. There are thousands of additives out there. These are a few of the top, scary ones to watch out for:

- MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) – it is a neurotoxin and used as a flavor enhancer...found in many canned, frozen, processed and fast foods (also in many foods in Asian restaurants – particularly soups…Ask the waiter/waitress). Also be on the lookout for the following additives, which always contain MSG: textured protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed protein, plant protein, oat flour and vegetable protein, sodium and calcium caseinate, and yeast extract. Reactions to MSG include weight gain, heart problems, headaches, ADD, asthma, and headaches.

- Food Dyes – derived from coal tar and petroleum, and can be found in many baked goods, beverages, candies, ice cream, cereals, cosmetics, etc. They have been linked to tumors, as well as, hyperactivity and behavioral effects in children. NOTE – natural and safe food colorings include paprika, turmeric, and beet juice.

- Artificial Sweeteners - aspartame (Nutrasweet & Equal) accounts for the most adverse reactions to food and food additives combines. These reactions include headaches, dizziness, rashes, vision problems, slurred speech, and can trigger or worsen chronic illnesses such as MS, fibromyalgia, birth defects, and Parkinson’s disease.

-Sucralose (Splenda) can cause gastrointestinal problems, slurred speech, mood swings, blood sugar increase, and weight gain. Yep, weight gain. Studies show these artificial sweeteners stimulate your appetite, increase (bad) carbohydrate cravings, stimulate fat storage and weight gain

- High Fructose Corn Syrup (Iso-glucose, glucose-fructose syrup, corn syrup, fruit fructose) – made from GMO corn through a chemical brewing process. The consumer is exposed to mercury and side effects include, liver damage, hypertension, elevated “bad” cholesterol levels, weight gain, and risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Products that may contain HFCS include various processed foods, yogurt, applesauce, soft drinks, children’s vitamins, jellies and jams, and even ketchup. HFCS is also found in many fast foods.

In the end, it's best to avoid highly processed sugars, candy, treats, and candy bars as they are filled with any number of preservatives. Stick with the ingredients you know and understand. Make your own sweets from howe. That way you know exactly what you are putting into your body. Your body will thank you for it and you will be closer to reaching your goals!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey! 

AMAZING 3 Day Refresh Results

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS!?! My fellow coach and good friend Susan ROCKED her results with the 3 Day Refresh. In just 3 days she lost 7.8 pounds, and 5.5 inches! OH MY GOSH! She is a ROCKSTAR! Way to go Susan! Next up, she is going right into and rocking 21 Day Fix and getting even more leaned and toned! She kickstarted her progress in an amazing way! Want to try 3 Day Refresh? Click here to learn more! 

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!