While deciding to eat less sugar is an amazing goal, if you don’t have a solid plan, then the likelihood that you will be able to follow through is low. As Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “A goal without a plan is a wish.”
Wishing you wouldn’t eat so much sugar isn’t enough. Because if you are eating too much sugar whether it is in drinks, chips, granola bars, protein bars, bread or candy, then you are likely stuck in The Chronic Stress Loop and you need to find a healthy replacement habit that will help YOU specifically break out of this pattern.
Step 1: Determine the Stressor that Triggers Snacking 
What causes you to eat too much sugar?
- Are you worried about something at work?
- Are you bored, lonely or tired?
- Are you eating because you always eat at this time of day?
- Are you eating a snack because you won’t take the time to eat a proper meal?
The best way to determine the answer to this question is to track your emotions and hunger level when the desire to have a snack arises. By determining the trigger for wanting a snack, you will have a better idea of how to break out of this pattern.
Step 2: Pick a Healthy Replacement Habit
Once you know your personal trigger for eating too many snacks, then you need to pick a healthy replacement habit that addresses your specific trigger.
Let’s say you eat a lot of snack food because you don’t take the time to eat a proper meal. Then a new healthy habit they could put into place is meal planning. By taking the time to plan and prepare what you will eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you are more likely to follow through because the easier choice is also the healthiest choice. (For meal planning inspiration go here.)
Let’s say you head to the kitchen for a snack because you are feeling bored. Brainstorm a list of activities that you enjoy doing that you can do instead of eating when you are bored.
- working on a puzzle
- going for a run or hike
- reading
- taking pictures
- knitting
- listening to podcast
Then when the desire to snack to relieve boredom arises, you will have a go-to replacement activity that is much healthier.
Step 3: Quiet the Cravings
While finding a healthy replacement habit to snacking is the key to long term success, sometimes we need help to quiet the craving. No matter what triggers your cravings for your favorite snacks, The Sandwich Technique, a form of The Emotional Freedom Technique, is an amazing tool that can help decrease sugar cravings. If you are in public, you can visualize yourself tapping rather than actually tapping on the points.
Step 1: Rate the intensity of the stressor on a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high).
Step 2: Create a Setup Statement. Repeat 3 times while tapping on the karate chop point.
Even though I am really craving __________, I fully and completely accept myself anyway.
Step 3: Tap through the 8 points three times.
Round 1 Phrase: I really want to eat __________.
Round 2 Phrase: Alternate between these two statements.
I am really craving __________.
I choose to relax and release this craving.
Round 3 Phrase: I am relaxed and calm.
Step 4: Check back in with the intensity of the craving. Hopefully, it has decreased and you are feeling more at ease. If not, do another round
Eating less sugar is a great goal but having the desire to do something is not enough. When stress arises, no matter how much you WANT to eat less sugar, if your default habit to soothe the stressors in your life is sugar, then no amount of willpower will work. You need to have a clear plan.
If you love the framework but would like some more guidance implementing the three steps, then join my FREE Crush Cravings Challenge HERE where I will lead you through this process.