Are you craving sugar? Gobbling chocolate and munching on Haribo? Welcome to the sweet-toothed phase of your sobriety journey. Many of us find that after cutting out alcohol, our sugar cravings really come into a life of their own. Sugar causes dopamine to be released by the brain, the very same hormone that’s released when you drink alcohol. Sugar activates the same reward pathways in the brain as alcohol, and this is why you can find yourself using it as a feel-good substitute. First things first, although we all know that sugar isn’t exactly a health food, it’s a far sight better than the damage you’d be doing to your body by consuming alcohol instead. So please don’t start feeling guilty if you’re eating a slab of Dairy Milk a day. A lot of us start off our sober life by not only cutting out alcohol, but also committing to new diets and workout regimes in a real health kick. Then we slip and we beat ourselves up. So, my first advice is to commit to giving up alcohol and working on that first, working on your triggers and reasons for drinking.
Try to add IN healthy foods rather than focussing on cutting things out, and you’ll be much more likely to stay the course. Giving up alcohol can be tricky for a lot of people; don’t go making life harder for yourself than you need to. But let’s say you’re at the point where you’re ready to cut down on the sweet treats. What’s the best way to do this? When you first quit drinking, your body can have a hard time regulating your blood sugar levels, so give it a hand. Eating a savoury breakfast full of veggies and protein will help to keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel and keep you fuller for longer. And if you do fancy something sweet, eat it at the end of a meal. This will all help prevent your blood sugar from spiking and crashing and causing cravings. But let’s say you’re at the point where you’re ready to cut down on the sweet treats. What’s the best way to do this? When you first quit drinking, your body can have a hard time regulating your blood sugar levels, so give it a hand. Eating a savoury breakfast full of veggies and protein will help to keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel and keep you fuller for longer. And if you do fancy something sweet, eat it at the end of a meal.
