How to Stop Overeating Sugar

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Woman peeking into an open door with the words: "Me looking at the cookies in the pantry after I said I would eat healthy."

If this is you, here’s my advice:

🍪 Stop telling yourself you can’t have something you really want. (You’ll only want it more!) What we resist persists. Give yourself full permission to eat it and it will lose its power over you. Food freedom and a healthy relationship with eating may take a little time but you will get there.

🍪 Make sure you nourish your body with nutritious, wholesome, satiating foods FIRST. It’s crucial that you take care of yourself with the right foods so you’ll be satisfied with a moderate portion of a treat AFTER. When you’re truly hungry, going for the cookies straight away is likely going to lead to overeating them and not feeling so great.

🍪 Examine your definition of the word healthy. Individual foods are not healthy or unhealthy. Not eating a cookie doesn’t make you healthy just as eating a cookie does not make you unhealthy. Health is about much more than what you eat. Look at the bigger picture and how that cookie fits into your diet and life as a whole.

🍪 Ask yourself if you really want them! Sometimes we tend to eat something just because it’s there. It will be there tomorrow too. Remind yourself of this. If you really want it, pause and ask yourself how much of it you need to feel satisfied. Make a mindful decision, enjoy your choice, feel good about it and carry on with your day.

 

If sugar feels addictive, there is usually something else going on: Read about it here.

You don’t need to eliminate every gram of sugar in your diet to reach your health goals, however there are guidelines for how much added sugar you should be eating: Check out it here.

 

Cookies with the quote: The best way to stop craving sugar is to stop telling yourself you can't have sugar.

 

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Motivational quote: Let go of the idea that something is wrong with you.

How Your Thoughts Affect Your Results

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motivational quote: Let go of the idea that something is wrong with you.

Feeling stuck by not taking action or by taking actions that aren’t supporting your goals? 😠

 Look at your THOUGHTS.

What are you telling yourself about yourself?

Your self-identity (how you think of yourself) has a BIG impact on your behavior!

If your habits aren’t moving you in the direction you want to be heading, take a peek at what’s going on in your head. 🤯

Here’s how it works:
Thoughts ➡️ Feelings ➡️ Actions

Your thoughts create your feelings, which drive your actions.

And your actions, of course, determine the results you’re getting/not getting.

 

It all starts with what you are thinking about yourself.

Most people aren’t even aware of their thoughts because they happen automatically.

UNTIL you notice them and change them!

So, the first thing to do is: Generate self-awareness.

Pay attention to your opinion of yourself.

Your opinion of yourself determines how you feel about yourself.

How you feel determines what you do.

What you do determines your results.

The results you’re getting or not getting directly stem from your thoughts and beliefs.

 

Limiting beliefs (ex. I’m not good enough) are NOT helpful for getting you to take the actions you’re trying to take.

Those thoughts make you feel like 💩.
And when you feel like 💩, it affects how you live your life.

This is how the connection between thoughts and results works:

Depiction of the connection between thoughts, feelings and behavior.

You want to work (it takes practice!) on catching your unhelpful thoughts and replacing them with thoughts that will help create the feelings you want to feel. Anything we want, we want because of how it will make us feel (or how we think it will make us feel). Take weight loss for example– You don’t want the weight loss for the sake of weight loss. You want it because you think it will make you feel more confident, energetic, self-accepting, etc. Are thoughts like “I’m so fat” giving your those feelings? Of course not. And so you’re likely not going to live your life doing the things you need to do to lose weight.

It may not be as easy as simply changing those thoughts if they have been on repeat for years.

So, here’s a suggestion for improving how you think of yourself–

Instead of lying to yourself with positive affirmations (which can be 💪🏻powerful💪🏻 for changing your mindset IF you believe them)…

Try using to phrase “May I_______” instead of “I am______”

Use “May I” until you begin to believe “I am!”

Examples:
🌟 May I be strong today.
🌟 May I radiate self-confidence.
🌟 May I have the energy to do this.
🌟 May I forgive myself and move on.
🌟 May I breathe in positivity.
🌟 May I inspire others with my kind words and actions.
🌟 May I love and accept myself.
🌟 May I be the change I want to see in the world! 💗

 

It’s actually pretty incredible if you think about this:

You can think WHATEVER you want.

You have a CHOICE to think kind and positive thoughts about yourself and nobody can tell you that you’re wrong.

The truth is: There is nothing wrong with you.
Free yourself of this belief and your world opens up to change.

avocado looking in the mirror telling himself "You're fat, but you're GOOD fat."

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12 Body Image Healing Tools (Printable!)

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Body image is something a huge number of my clients struggle with.

And because I have been there too, I can empathize.🤗

I’m living proof that it is possible to go from loathing your body to actually loving it! 💗

Believe me, life is so much better when you’re not fighting yourself or food anymore.

I used to think I had no choice about having a negative body image; that was just the way it was and it wouldn’t change unless my body changed. Not true.

Body image isn’t about how your body looks.

It’s about how you feel about your body.

And no, you don’t need to have a different body to feel better about it.

While you may not have much control over your physical traits, you have every bit of authority over your brain and what goes on in there.

Yes, you have much more say in this matter than you thought!

Often, a negative body image has become a habit. In order to learn how to change how you think & feel about your body, you’re likely going to benefit from some tools. These tools are behavior changes & mindset shifts designed to challenge your current thoughts & beliefs about your body that are holding you back.

I’ve put together this handout of 12 tools that have helped me heal my negative body image. You may find certain ones resonate while others don’t. Take what you need. Like learning anything new, you will need to practice at reinventing your body image. Know that it can be done once you decide you want a more positive, kind and compassionate mindset and a more peaceful life. ✌🏻

It is not about changing your body.
It’s about changing your attitude & beliefs about your body.

12 body image healing tools page one12 body image healing tools page 2

Print your free 12 Body Image Healing Tools here!

✌🏻

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Bento box with carrots, blueberries, cottage cheese, turkey, banana, wrap and lara bar.

Bento Box Cheat Sheet: Printable!

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Lunch idea! 😃➡️ Make a BENTO BOX!

Bento box with carrots, blueberries, cottage cheese, turkey, banana, wrap and lara bar.

Bento Box with baby carrots, everything but the bagel cottage cheese, turkey slices, blueberries, banana, PB&J in sprouted grain wrap and a Lara Bar

Bento Box Cheat Sheet

Aim for variety & balance, not perfection:

🍎🥕🍍🥦 FRUIT AND/OR VEGGIE
(carrots, celery, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, jicama, cucumber, tomatoes, radish, strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, pineapple, grapes, melon, mango, apple, orange, peach, plum, cherries, figs, dates, raisins, apricots)

🥚🥑🥜🧀 PROTEIN & FAT
(cheese, nuts/nut butters, tuna, chicken, turkey, tofu, tempeh, avocado, yogurt, cottage cheese, hard boiled egg, jerky, edamame)

🥪🍚🍿🫓 CARBOHYDRATE
(tortilla/wrap, whole-grain bread, popcorn, beans/bean salad, pasta/pasta salad, crackers, hummus, rice, potatoes, granola)

🍫🍪🍵 😁 ANYTHING ELSE THAT BRINGS YOU JOY!

Soooo many great possible combos…

Here are a few of my lunch boxes that I remembered to snap a photo of–

There is a bit of overlap. 😅 You’ll notice I have my go-tos :

 

 Chicken, cheese, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, dried apricots, carrots, celery, Tahini Medjool Date Cookies & an apple:

Bento box with tahini medjool date cookies, turkey, cheese, macadamia nuts, carrots, celery, dried apricots and an apple. 

 

Beef jerky, Laughing Cow Cheese, mixed nuts/seeds/coconut, apple, peanut butter, peppers, cucumbers & a couple of chocolates:

Bento box with cucumber, peppers, apples, peanut butter, cheese, beef jerky, trail mix and chocolate.

 

Turkey, Mary’s Gone Crackers, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, celery & peanut butter:

Bento box with turkey, crackers, peanut butter, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots and celery.

 

Chomps meat stick, grapes, Babybel cheese, walnuts, wasabi almonds, Mary’s Gone Crackers, carrots, celery & peanut butter:

Bento box with meat stick, cheese, grapes, crackers, carrots, celery, nuts and peanut butter.

 

Tuna salad wrap, Babybel cheese, blueberries, blackberries, carrots, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts & dates:

Bento box with tuna wrap, blueberries, blackberries, carrots, cheese, dates and nuts.

 

Tempeh and guacamole in sprouted grain wrap, apple, carrots, cottage cheese, dried apricots & brazil nuts:

Bento box with cottage cheese, tempeh and avocado wrap, apples, carrots and brazil nuts.

 

Cottage cheese, grapes, carrots, celery, apples, oranges, Crunchmasters crackers, peanut butter & a TRUBAR & banana that I had for an afternoon snack:

bento box full of veggies, fruits, cottage cheese, peanut butter, crackers, protein bar and banana

 

Peanut butter, jelly and arugula in whole grain tortilla, orange, grapes, carrots & Babybel cheese:

Bento box with peanut butter and jelly wrap, cheese, carrot, grapes and orange slices.

Once you know the basic combo of foods to include for balance, you can easily build yourself a tasty, nutritious bento box from foods you (hopefully) have in your kitchen. Most require little to no prep time.

Remember: Fruit/Veg, Protein/Fat, Carbohydrate & anything else you love that makes you look forward to lunchtime. 💗

Print your Bento Box Cheat Sheet here!

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Explanation of NEAT. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis.

NEAT: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

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People expending energy going about their day.

Have you got your diet, exercise, hydration, sleep and stress management dialed in…

but you’re still struggling to lose weight?

 Take a close look at how you spend the rest of your hours.

What we eat and what we do for exercise are often the focus when trying to lose weight– and yes, they are biggies! But one often overlooked factor is NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis).

Here is how our daily total energy expenditure (how we burn calories) breaks down:
💥BMR (basal metabolic rate) ~60%
💥TEF (thermic effect of food= digestion and absorption of food) ~8-15%
💥EAT (exercise-related activity thermogenesis) which can be as much as 15-30% for habitual exercisers or as low as 1-2% for minimal exercisers. Most people fall into the lower percentage.
💥NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) which is highly variable as well, however it accounts for MORE energy expenditure than EAT when measured over the course of the day.

NEAT can have a significant effect on body weight. 😲

Doing some structured exercise and then being sedentary for the rest of the day could be related to why your weight won’t budge.

Yes, we all need to rest and relax! 📖
Reading a book or just chilling can be a very good thing! 🥰

But take an honest look at how much you sit during your day.

Is your job sedentary or are you on your feet and moving often?
How much leisure time do you spend on the computer or watching tv vs playing with you pets, doing yard work or cleaning your house?

All the seemingly insignificant things you do during your day add up.

Think about all the NEAT ways you can add more movement into your day! 😃🚶‍♀️

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A man and a woman unhappy with how they see their bodies.

Body Image

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Your body image is the way you PERCEIVE your body (not how your body actually looks).

While your body may not change much day-to-day, your experience of your body can change drastically. 

ALL body types/shapes/sizes/weights struggle with this. 

Get curious about why your feelings towards it may change depending on your current circumstances, thoughts, beliefs, emotions, mood, attitude, etc. 

Is something going on that is manifesting as the belief that your body isn’t good enough?

A negative body image can act as a symbolic substitute for something deeper. Your focus goes on the body as a distraction. For example, feeling insecure can translate into ‘I feel so fat’. Or feeling depressed can show up as ‘I hate my stomach’. When you’re feeling more self-confident, negative body image can shift to feeling more positive or accepting of your body.

Your perception of how you look can change depending on how you are feeling emotionally. 

Distinguish between having negative body image thoughts and identifying with them as your core self. You aren’t your thoughts.  When you can notice that you are having these thoughts– and that you are not the thoughts- this can create a sense of separation from them. 

When you can unhook from your thoughts, you have more control over changing them.

Repeat negative thoughts and they will become stronger. Practice kinder, accepting thought and they will become stronger. Think of it like going to the gym to build muscle. It takes consistency, repetition and time.

Woman looking in mirror. Understanding bad body image days happen and to be kind to yourself.

A healthy body image is a journey. Healing can only happen when you replace cruelty with compassion. 💞

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Motivational quote: Anytime you start a sentence with I AM, you are creating what you are and what you want to be.

I AM __________

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Anytime you start a sentence with I AM, motivational quote by Wayne Dyer.

What are you saying to yourself about yourself?

“I AM _____________”

Whether we think it or say it…

“I AM” influences how we feel and behave.

What we tell ourselves about ourselves affects how we FEEL.

And the way we FEEL drives our ACTIONS.

Thought ➡️ Feeling ➡️ Behavior.

Tell yourself “I am lazy” or “I am not going to be able to do this” and guess how you’re going to act? 😟

Instead, say to yourself how you want your life to be using “I AM.”

😜 It may sound goofy, but if you’re skeptical, just try it!

Examples of positive I am statements:

😎 I am going to have a good day
🙏🏻 I am grateful
🌈 I am beautiful
🧠 I am smart
🏃🏻‍♂️ I am capable
🦁 I am brave
🥰 I am compassionate
💓 I am kind
😄 I am excited to be here
💪🏻 I am strong

(see more examples here)

I am going to accomplish my nutrition goals today! 😀

Make it about who you want to be, not who you don’t want to be.

Whether we think it or say it…
“I AM” influences how we feel and behave.

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Bowl of caramel popcorn with the question: Are you a food addict?

Food Addiction?

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Bowl of popcorn.

Food addiction is a highly controversial topic.

Can you really be addicted to a specific food??
🤔🍰🍪🍫

🥨 Yes, food can FEEL addictive for many people.

It’s easy to believe food can be addictive because it actually can activate our ‘feel-good’ brain receptors…

🎵🐶🚲🌞 But so can many other pleasant things in life like:

Music, massage, exercise, being out in the sunlight and fresh air, looking at your dog or planning a fun weekend.

🤗 Food is actually supposed to make us feel good!

So why can it feel like an addiction?

➡️ Restriction and/or not allowing yourself to get pleasure from food. (aka Dieting!) 😵‍💫

Inadequate intake of carbohydrates, protein or fats can leave you with seriously intense food cravings.

Addictive behaviors like binges occur as a result of deprivation.

How to overcome these feelings of addiction?

🍴 Stay nourished. This means ensuring you are eating ADEQUATE calories, a VARIETY of calories and a BALANCE of calories. Have a registered dietitian review your diet. You may need to establish a new routine of eating and/or change the types of foods you’re eating.

🫤 Stop telling yourself you’re an addict. You’re only reinforcing your behavior when you take on a victim mentality. Instead, get curious. See yourself as someone who is learning how to eat in a healthier way. Look for the message and opportunity for change that’s behind your unwanted eating habits.

😍 Normalize instead of moralize. Normalize the food you feel addicted to. Fit that food right into your day of balanced eating. See that food as neutral and not ‘bad’. Allow it! Give yourself permission to get enjoyment from it. It may mean incorporating those chips into a balanced lunch or having that cookie as dessert after a balanced dinner. Work towards seeing the addictive food as just another food choice in your diet.

You CAN learn how to eat and enjoy the foods you feel addicted to in a way that you feel good about! 💞

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Weekday foods and cheat day foods.

Why You Don’t Need a Cheat Day

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Weekday foods and cheat day foods.

🚩 Needing a cheat day is a red flag that your diet isn’t working for you.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t feel the need to cheat on it. 🤯

When you’re satisfied with what you’re eating day-to-day, you’re much less likely to feel the need to overindulge. 😊

 

The big problem with cheat days:

They perpetuate a binge/restrict cycle & not a healthy relationship with food & eating.

‘Cheat’ implies you’re doing something bad or wrong. 

You’re not cheating on anything.  You’re just EATING.

Monday- Saturday:
🥗🍋🥦🍎🥚🍓🥒🫑🥬🥕🍵

Sunday (cheat day):
🍕🍔🍟🌭🍩🍰🍦🧁🍭🍺🍷🍹

 

🍩 If you’re really craving a donut, eat one– Don’t wait for a cheat day and eat six. And then a whole pizza. 🍕 And then a pint of ice cream. 🍨 All because it’s your one day to eat whatever you want since you’re going to go back to restricting tomorrow. 😕

Tips:

💖 Switch from an all-or-nothing mindset to one of balance. I personally love the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time choose wholesome, nutrient-dense foods and 20% of the time allow yourself to enjoy other foods. Or maybe you feel more comfortable with 90/10 or 70/30. Do what feels right to YOU to support your physical and mental health.

💖 Drop the good/bad food mentality. Food has no moral value. You’re not a good person for eating “good” food and you’re not a bad person for eating “bad” food. See all foods as deserving a place in your diet if you enjoy them. Foods differ in their nutritional value, but it’s what your diet looks like as a whole that matters. Variety is a healthy thing for getting the wide range of nutrients you need plus the pleasure and satisfaction you crave.

💖 Build trust with your body and around food. It makes sense that you feel no control and want to binge on foods you restrict. The way to break this is to begin to allow them back into you diet. Knowing that you can have that chocolate again tomorrow or another time takes away the urgency to eat it all right now. Once you realize that you can have anything you want, those foods lose their allure and power.

💖 Figure out the reasons why your current diet feels limiting. Why do you feel you need a cheat day? Where can you fit in any favorite foods you’re avoiding?

Honor your cravings.

Enjoy food mindfully and with self-awareness.

And without guilt or shame.

Notice what feels good to your body and what doesn’t.

Give yourself permission to incorporate those cheat day foods sensibly into your diet!

If this sounds scary, but you want to get there… I can help you.

All👏🏻foods👏🏻can👏🏻fit!!

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