7 Ways to Stick to a Sugar-Free Diet for Good

My friend Jess Weaver has had a lot of success losing weight following the plan outlined in the book Trim Healthy Mama Plan, so I asked her to share here tips for dealing with sugar cravings.

A sugar-free diet is something that has become more and more popular in recent years. White cane sugar has been found to be detrimental to your health. Not only does it create many issues including the potential for diabetes, it can be one of the most addictive foods in your diet. For the past 6 months, I have worked super hard to cut out sugar.

When it comes to sugar, I have found that it’s easier for me to say no than to say yes and then no again. Once I let the sugar have a hold on me, it’s so hard to keep it at bay! Over the past 6 months, I have done several things to cut sugar out of my life for good. Sure, I’ve stumbled, but I’m learning along the way! These tips are the result of my goals to have a sugar-free diet on a permanent basis. If this is something you are hoping to do as well, here are 7 Ways to Stick to a Sugar-Free Diet for Good.

7 Ways to Stick to a Sugar-Free Diet for Good

I tell my husband all of the time that I can be my own stumbling block, which is why I stopped buying sugar for the house. I still allow my kids to have sugar from time to time, but you better believe that I do not spend a ton of money buying sugary foods only to bring them home and eat them. I try hard to avoid temptation. There is no point in doing that to myself over and over again!

Prepare for the unexpected. I am always caught off guard when I expect there to be a healthier food option for me someplace, but there’s not. In some situations, if there is nothing healthy to eat, you are forced to eat what they have. Although this may seem a little weird, packing snacks in your bag and pulling them out when you need them is one way to keep sugar out of your life for good.

Some of my favorite snacks to pack with me are bananas, apples, and a little peanut butter on the side. I also like to bring string cheese with me! Some simple reusable snack bags make this super handy. Plus, they aren’t as obvious as a plastic baggie would be to open while in a restaurant or other location.

Know what it does to your body. One of the biggest things that have kept me from indulging in sugar is knowing what it does to my body. Sugar is part glucose and part fructose, which can make your blood sugar soar. To put it nicely, sugar doesn’t do ANYTHING good to your body and does more harm than good. However, do a little research about the effects of sugar on your body and it’ll be a lot easier to never pick up a sugary food again. A sugar-free diet will suddenly be much easier to manage.

Reward yourself. You see, we are so used to rewarding ourselves with food that this concept is weird. Rewarding yourself with food isn’t a good thing. Instead, reward yourself with something else that you love. Buy yourself something nice or do something you love. Reward yourself with something that doesn’t HARM your body! A new nail polish, a fun book to read, a pretty journal, or a special night out are all excellent rewards for sticking to your sugar-free diet.

Find a new solution. I have found that instead of eating a huge piece of chocolate cake, there are other ways I can indulge. Before I eat anything, I always look at the sugar contents. It’s amazing how many sugars are in your favorite foods. The candy bar you’re eating can have up to 25 grams in just one bar. I have found that I love Redi Whip—one gram of sugar! Find a food that you love that doesn’t have sugar galore in it and learn to enjoy it! Fresh fruit is another excellent choice that is healthier and has only natural sugars.

Give yourself grace. One thing I’ve learned over the past 6 months is that grace is what enables you to keep going. You may fail in your sugar-free diet journey and that’s okay. Just remember you don’t have to stay down that path. Try again the next time you are hungry, just follow these tips to make sure you are more prepared.

Know what’s in your food. This whole “cutting sugar out” thing really happens when you decide to look at what’s really in your food. Sugar has many names! You need to find foods that are good for your blood sugar. You may find a sugar substitute that works for you. I’ve used Stevia in the past. There are tons of foods on the shelf that are sweetened with Stevia, instead of sugar. Before you say that Stevia is a fake sugar, it’s a natural sweetener! The best part of choosing a sugar-free diet is that you will learn so much along the way!

Now, if you’re trying to cut out sugar for good and adopting a sugar-free diet, I hope these tips help you! Sugar may taste sweet, but it doesn’t do sweet things to your body! Have you cut sugar out of your life before? I’d love to hear your tips!