I hope you’re feeling inspired to take on more healthy habits today!

What positive changes have you made so far? I’d love to hear about them.

Today, I’d like you to think about what drives your sugar cravings.

When I ask my clients this, top culprits include the hectic morning rush hour and looming afternoon deadlines, prompting sugary coffee drinks and spiraling blood sugar levels. Sugar has a temporary mood lifting effect on the brain, leading to a serious crash soon after. Not exactly the best situation when you’re stressed.

What else causes you to crave?

Aside from daily stress that spurs sugar cravings, I encourage you to consider how other components of your life may be affecting what you eat.

Think back to a time when you had just fell in love with someone. Your partner’s affection replaced sugar, making you feel satisfied and appreciated. Many people crave sweets when they are lacking supportive relationships. Take a look at the people you surround yourself with – is it time for a change?

I regularly tell my clients that while what is on their plate is important, healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career, and a spiritual practice can fill your soul and satisfy your real hunger for life. When these areas of your life – your primary foods – are balanced, your life feeds you, making what you eat secondary.

Healthy you homework:

The next time you find yourself with a craving for sweets, focus on the root of these urges.

Look at these primary foods:
*Relationships
*Career
*Physical Activity
*Spirituality

Give each one a rating from 1-10 as you see them in your life right now (10 being satisfied and 1 being dissatisfied).

Be honest with yourself. It’s okay to be dissatisfied some some or all of your primary foods – you are now one step closer to deconstructing your cravings once and for all.

Now that you’ve taken some steps toward achieving life balance, consider other ways you can reward yourself. Make a list of sugar-free treats to call upon when your primary foods get unbalanced. We’ll be discussing this more tomorrow.