Are Unhealthy Carbs Calling Your Name?

Low carbohydrate weight-loss diets are doomed to fail for carb cravers, not because of a lack of willpower but, because they suffer from an imbalance of serotonin levels. After several days of cutting back on carbohydrates, the craving increases to a degree that the person eventually succumbs to the food and ends up binging.

• Endorphins: If we start a low-carb diet or lose weight too fast, we will end up with an endorphin rush and head right back to the sugary food.

• Simple sugar foods contribute to the problem: Nutrient-dense whole-grain breads, cereals, and crackers, brown rice, and starchy vegetables do not aggravate endorphin levels or blood sugar yet, still satisfy serotonin needs.

• Drink plenty of water. Cravings for sweets in the evenings may be minimized by drinking one-to-two glasses of water. When people snack on sugary foods their insulin rises and they are more likely to eat more food at their next sitting.

• Stress magnifies food cravings: Try to work on simplifying your life and remaining peaceful.

• Eat fruit and natural sweets instead of glucose or sucrose sweets: They are the key to preventing the blood sugar ups and downs created by most processed sweets. Reports link aspartame-sweetened beverages to increased appetite and cravings. Stick to sweeteners like honey, rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate, maple syrup, etc. Switch from a donut to a cookie sweetened with fruit juice!

• Exercise five times a week. Exercise is a great tool to get an endorphin rush and reduce stress. Exercise when you normally would turn to sweets. It will change your body chemistry for the better.

• You can’t will your cravings away, so work with them. At each meal, make sure you include some foods rich in carbohydrates such as whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, or starchy vegetables. Plan a carbohydrate-rich snack when you are most likely to crave sweets.

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