"12 Days" Day 2 - How to enjoy Christmas goodies, & still manage sweet cravings and over-indulgence
Sunday, December 21st 2008 @ 11:25 AM
Day 2
How to enjoy Christmas goodies, and still manage sweet cravings and over-indulgence!
Christmas time is full of wonderful goodies such as mince pies, biscuits, nuts and chocolates galore! As a child, I remember this was the one time of year, when big tins of biscuits and assorted chocolates, and boxes of nuts and dried fruits arrived in the post from afar - and were left open for everyone to indulge in and enjoy - which of course we did! But what if, as a adult, you're someone who wants to enjoy these delights, in moderation, but struggle with intense sweet cravings, a "lack of control" around food, and/or rollercoaster energy, mood swings or poor hormonal balance.
Well, fear not, for the Angel of Cravings is upon us, to guide us on our way!
Firstly, remember that sugar cravings are far more to do with mismanaged or uncontrolled blood sugar levels, than they are to do having little or no will power! If your blood sugar levels are behaving like a roller coaster, no amount of will power in the world will stop you diving into the biscuit tin! Start now with the following tips before the mince pies and chocolates hit the scene this Xmas, and you’ll be better in control of cravings and over-indulgence.
* Avoid getting too hungry - this is the number one cause of low blood sugar. Lack of food causes stress hormone levels to rise, leading to blood sugar imbalances, sugar cravings, and fat gain!
* Eat every 2-3 hours, focusing on fresh, whole foods, and drink enough plain water through the day – it is that simple!
* Eating enough "healthy fat" each day from foods such as ½ avocado, a piece of oily fish such as salmon, or a handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or soaked whole almonds. This will help enormously to balance blood sugar levels, and stop you feeling over-hungry.
* Get sufficient protein in the diet! This will ensure you maintain steady blood sugar levels, with the added advantage of maintaining your LEAN muscle and helping to boost your metabolism. Protein-based snacks kill cravings, so choose a handful of nuts or seeds, a few slices of turkey, a pot of plain yogurt, or simply nibble on raw veggies such as carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sugar snap peas, or mange tout.
* Drink plenty of pure, filtered, bottled or spring water throughout the day, between your meals and snacks, and remember to add a slice a lemon or lime. This helps to hydrate and alkalise the body, improves energy, and helps the body to burn body fat. Drink enough until you notice your urine is a pale yellow colour - this means you are fully hydrated!
* On a day-to-day basis, choose fresh colourful, fibre-rich carbohydrates such as courgette, broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, swede, sweet peppers, squash, peas, turnips, carrots and aubergine.
Stay tuned for Day 3 - coming tomorrow!
