Written by Jenn Hand, Holistic Nutritionist, Board Certified Health Coach, NBC-HWC
“Why do I binge on sugar!?”
Bingeing on sugar can be incredibly frustrating.
We know we “shouldn’t” eat cookie after cookie, brownie after brownie, but our bodies don’t always follow what our minds are telling us we should do! That can add to the frustration; intellectually we don’t WANT to overeat, but we feel powerless to stop.
When we overeat, we typically do so on sugary foods. Sugar can set us up for a binge because it makes us “feel good”…literally. It triggers the reward circuit in the brain and when we eat sugar, it releases dopamine. That’s the “feel good” chemical, so it can trick our bodies into wanting more so we continue to feel good!
There’s a big debate in the health industry on sugar and how to approach it in the way we eat.
Some people advocate to omit it completely. Others are in the camp of learning how to have a balanced relationship with sugar. Because I’ve now worked with hundreds of women over the years to find food freedom, I believe we can learn how to have a sane relationship to sugar.
It depends on each person’s dieting and emotional eating history, but I firmly believe everyone can find balance in how they approach sweets!
Here are a few tips to help you stop overeating sugar:
1. Add protein anytime you eat
This may be counter intuitive, but even if you eat something with sugar in it, see if you can add protein. It may sound strange to eat a cookie and add some peanut butter or a glass of milk with extra protein, but it helps to cut down on the blood sugar spikes that sugar causes in our bodies. Protein helps you to digest food more slowly and also diminishes sugar-y cravings.
2. Throw out any food where you can’t eat just “one”
I’m all for setting yourself up for “success!” There are enough temptations in the world, so if you feel called to keep your house a “no trigger snack food” zone, do it! I tend to throw out Halloween candy, give extra dessert to neighbors, or find a way to gift (or throw out) something I don’t want in the house. It can make being in the house much easier when the leftover bag of chips aren’t calling your name!
3. Reframe your rules around sugar
When we make a rule, we immediately want to rebel against it. So if we mandate that we “should never eat sugar again,” it’s just not realistic. And we can feel like a rebellious teenager against all the rules we make around food! Can you reframe a rule to something that makes you feel more nourished? An example would be: “I can’t eat dessert today” to “I want to focus on foods that make me feel energized and nourishing.” Explore reframing what you’re telling yourself around how much or how little you’re “allowed” to eat sugar-wise!
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Learn about Binge Eating CoachingAbout the Author:
Jenn Hand has been helping women like you become normal eaters since 2015.
She’s worked with thousands of women, helping them to balance their bodies, end bingeing, stop obsessing over food, and start feeling amazing again. As a board-certified health coach and holistic nutritionist, Jenn knows how to support you in making real positive changes that last.
Her articles have been published on Mind Body Green, Tiny Buddha, Thrive Global and other local and global media platforms. She’s the author of How to Be a Normal Eater and the creator of The Normal Eater’s Club program. Listen to Jenn’s advice and tips on the Cake Doesn’t Count Podcast, or read more of her articles for free on the Food Freedom Blog.
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