* Get rid of all the sugar in your house (apartment). It's easier to avoid temptation when it's not available.
* Sugar is an all or nothing deal. If you keep a little bit in your system, you will continue to want it. Take a few days to wean yourself off and then avoid it like you would a disease.
* Just say "No". The more you say no to eating sugar the easier it will become.
* Find a friend who will do this with you. Preferably someone much more disciplined than yourself.
* Pay attention to foods that contain added sugars such as tomato sauce, bbq sauce, teriyaki sauce, bread, cereal, muffins, etc.. ALWAYS check the nutrition label. ALWAYS.
*Put up signs in your room, sticky notes on the fridge, a reminder in your phone...the greater your resolve is to not eat sugar, the greater your chances are of kicking the habit.
*From all my research (and my own experience) it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months to get your body completely sugar free. Take it one day at a time and rejoice in each small victory (you turned down Coldstone or you refused those homemade cookies).
*On average, when you are eating sugar, it should be no more than 15 grams a day. This will feel like a lot when you've been off sugar for several weeks. If you choose to include sugar back into your diet, be sure to take it slow. Try not eating it until after dinner. If you consume it in the morning, the greater your chances are of eating it more throughout the day. If you restrict yourself to something small after dinner, you have all day to look forward to it and are less likely to indulge.
*This is not easy. You aren't doing it because it's easy, you're doing it because you want to look better and feel awesome. Tell yourself this often.
I recommend:
"Cinch!" by Cynthia Sass - great book for helping you understand how cravings work and why sugar shouldn't be a daily thing
"I quit sugar" by Sarah Wilson - really helpful two month plan to get excessive sugar out of your diet
Don't be like everyone else! Do something different! Do something crazy! Quit sugar!
I found that following the glycemic index was the most helpful tool toward weight loss and curbing sugar cravings. So continue with small frequent meals but be conscience of their glycemic index. Like fruit and veggies- some are high on the index and will cause an insulin spike. Good examples are - berries, apples, oranges, broccoli, peppers, squash, asparagus. Bad examples- bananas, pineapple, tomatoes, carrots. By choosing a low glycemic produce with a lean protein (turkey, fish, cottage cheese, yogurt, chicken, beans) your insulin won't spike and it keeps your metabolism burning higher and more efficiently. Examples of quick meals - apple with string cheese, celery with peanut butter, almonds with berries, cottage cheese with bell peppers, low cal granola bar with yogurt, black beans and eggs. Just watch your portions and calories. I have had my most successful weight loss by following the glycemic index with moderate exercise. I lost over 60 pounds down to a 18% body fat. I had never been that lean in my life. It was very hard to maintain though, I know how to do it, just keeping myself motivated to keep doing it was my downfall. It required constant determination.
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