5 Steps to eat less sugar & bull; hello healthy

If you've ever tried a sugar diet, you probably realize how hard it is to stop snacking on anything sweet. For some people, maybe a sugar diet is completely impossible because sugar and sugary foods are very tempting dishes.

Based on the results of research in 2011, daily sugar intake, including sugar sucrose, glucose, fructose, and lactose contributed more than 10% of total calories. The average sugar intake of the Indonesian population reaches 15.7 grams per person per day. If accumulated, this figure has skyrocketed beyond the WHO recommended threshold, which is only 5% of the total number of calories obtained from food each day.

Actually, what causes sugar cravings?

Robert H. Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist, said eating sweet foods causes the release of insulin which makes the brain produce so much dopamine throughout the body at one time. Dopamine is a chemical compound that is responsible for affecting the system reward-behavior and improve mood. Yes, sugar and all kinds junkfood make you happy.

Often eating sweet foods, especially in large portions, causes dopamine receptors to begin to break down and regulate themselves. Now the dopamine receptors in your body have decreased a lot. As a result, the next time you eat a sweet snack, the effects of dopamine will not be as effective as they used to be. This is where addiction starts to emerge. Automatically, you will eat more sugar to get to the same level of pleasure and happiness as before.

Furthermore, when you feel hungry, your instincts will send a signal for your body to start looking for food. And usually, any high calorie food will be the main target. Cravings are the desires of the heart, not impulses from the body. Cravings are more aimed at specific foods that are familiar with a sense of comfort or nostalgia. In other words, foods that can increase dopamine levels in the body.

Psychologist Elissa S. Eppel argues that sugar and junkfood , due to its strong effect on the center reward brain, has an addictive role such as drug abuse like cocaine and nicotine.

Here are 5 easy ways to start eating sugar. You can do one, or better yet, all of them.

1. When hungry, eat right away

It is important for you to be able to tell which hunger is really hungry or hungry due to cravings. When you are hungry and also have a craving for something, don't look for snacks to prop your growling stomach. Quickly look for (or make) a filling meal that's rich in nutrients. Heart calls may want you to eat chocolate cake, but brace yourself for cravings and finish your lunch even if the menu doesn't look appetizing

2. Take a hot shower

It might seem extreme, but don't panic just yet. For some people, taking a hot shower is a fairly effective way of stopping violent cravings. The secret is, the water has to be hot but not so hot that it burns your skin. Set your water heater until it's hot enough to cause a slightly uncomfortable sting.

Let sit for 10-15 minutes in the hot shower. After showering, you will feel stiflingly hot, just like when you finished your sauna.

Your cravings will stop in an instant.

3. On foot

Go outside, take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the warm sun that will make you feel energized again.

If you like running, all the better.

Running will keep you from the food you desire. When you exercise, your body will release endorphins, chemicals that make you happy; neglect cravings.

If you can't go outside, do some exercise in the TV room or your room. Light exercises such as squats, push-ups, or burpees are just as good at distracting you from cravings.

4. Train yourself not to do "stress eating"

A possible, and usually, scenario is: when you are sad, angry, or stressed, you would prefer to go to the nearest supermarket and indulge in a variety of chocolate, candy, or potato chips.

You can refrain from this habit of running away to sugar.

The trick, put yourself around good food (snacks and junkfood) when you are calm and relaxed.

This exercise is a cognitive-behavioral approach that can teach you not to start "stress eating," says Holly Lofton. Lofton is the director of the Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Medical Center.

Pick a time when you are relaxed and calm, then head to the nearest supermarket or canteen. Don't buy anything, or if you want, just buy a bottle of water. It seems impossible, but according to Lofton, “Your body will get used to the routine of walking to the snack bar and going home without buying anything. You can build a new mindset that leads to new behaviors as well."

5. The label "Diet Food" is not necessarily good

Diet foods are great for helping your healthy diet. Maybe you have come across a great recipe for vegetarian snacks that are not only eye-catching, but also appetizing. After all, your instincts are used to compensating you accordingly reward for the body after successful eating healthy foods.

You've managed to eat a plate of salad. Then comes a kind of "obligation" to reward yourself with a slice of cheesecake after the hard work of your new diet.

All the motivation and willpower you have won't help if you are always surrounded by sugary snacks and junkfood, or if you have no other choice to eat other than a snack. Make your home or office drawer full of healthy, ready-to-eat foods and don't keep stocks of high-fat and sugar snacks. If you are obliged to put in extra effort and expenses every time to get a snack, such as having to leave the house and go to the supermarket, then your cravings will gradually subside.