Many years ago, I used to be a yo-yo dieter. I was never overweight or tremendously out of shape, but I wasn’t comfortable in my body either. I rewarded myself with sweet treats like ice cream and reached for my favorite cookies whenever I was feeling sad, bored or stressed out. When severe health issues forced me to cut refined sugars completely out of my diet, I felt angry, sad and afraid all at the same time: angry that these health problems were forcing me to give up on all my favorite treats (why me?), sad that my life was never going to be the same again, and afraid that I was going to go mad in the process. I had known for a long time that sugar and artificial sweeteners were detrimental to my health, yet I couldn’t seem to give up on desserts and sweet snacks.
Nowadays, you can put a plate of cookies, a box of chocolates or a huge ice cream sundae in front of me, and I won’t even feel the temptation to have a small bite. I still enjoy raw vegan sweets and snacks of course, but my cravings for refined sugars have completely disappeared. I am not here to tell you there’s a magic pill that will keep these sugar cravings at bay, because there isn’t. But if you follow these simple tips to quit refined sugars, you will be able to get back in control of your life and change your eating habits forever by starting your personal ‘raw transformation’.
Tip 1: Don’t Keep Any Sweets or Sugary Drinks at Home
Even with all the willpower of the world, you will have great difficulty quitting sugar if you are constantly tempted by chocolate chip cookies or soda pop lurking at you in the cupboard or the refrigerator. You might think you will able to control yourself when a sugar craving pops up, but believe me… When you’re in the middle of ‘sugar detox’, you will do anything to get your hands on something sweet. If you have sugary treats at home, even if they are stored in dark ‘far away’ spot, you will likely eat them sooner or later.
Tip 2: Ditch the Diet Soda
You might think ‘sugar free’ light products sweetened with artificial sweeteners are you good for you, but that misleading diet myth couldn’t be farther from the truth. Aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium and other artificial sweeteners will all increase your sugar cravings and damage your health. By consuming overly sweet ‘sugar free’ foods and beverages, you will crave even more sweet foods. If you truly want to free yourself from sugar cravings once and for all, ditch the diet soda and try this watermelon lemonade or mint raspberry lemonade instead.
Tip 3: Enjoy Plenty of Raw Vegan Desserts & Snacks
When I had to quit sugar in the past, I didn’t know of any healthy alternatives to replace my favorite cookies or ice cream with. Lucky for you, I have created tons of healthy recipes to satisfy your sugar cravings and still lose weight & feel great. By enjoying plenty of raw vegan desserts and snacks, you will be able to slowly transition to a refined sugar free lifestyle without ever feeling deprived or punished. Of course fresh fruits (try banana + almond butter!), green smoothies, green juices and sweet vegetables such as carrots or sweet potato are the healthiest choices to satisfy your sweet tooth. But there are many other raw vegan dessert and snack options to beat stubborn sugar cravings, such as these chocolate chia cookies, this banana almond butter ice cream, this creamy chocolate milkshake, or this delicious apple crumble with freshly whipped cashew cream. You can find more raw vegan recipes right here.
Tip 4: Find Out What Emotions Cause Your Sugar Cravings
If you are in the middle of your raw ‘sugar detox’ transformation, chances are that fears, negative emotions or limiting beliefs will pop up. Often times, we eat sugary treats to numb feelings of sadness, fear or just plain boredom (sugar works like a drug in our brain). Next time you feel like grabbing a sweet snack, think about what you truly need and don’t be afraid to talk about it with a friend. If this doesn’t help, go for a walk or put on your favorite song. Whatever helps you to reconnect with yourself!
Now I would love to hear from you! Have you tried quitting refined sugars before? Share all your tips and stories by leaving a comment down below.
