Question: Bodybuilding FAQ - Is There A Way To Deal With Sugar Cravings?
Is there a way to deal with sugar cravings? I seem to be able to follow a good bodybuilding diet for 5 days but by the sixth day I am craving all sorts of sweets. Is there anything that can be done to take these cravings away?
Answer: I have found that with the right bodybuilding diet, real physical sugar cravings can be minimized and eliminated for the most part except when you are extremely low in body fat (as in below 6%).
If you follow the correct bodybuilding diet as well as the recommendations below, you will see how your cravings will practically go away:
The above will take care of real physical cravings. Psychological cravings (those created by TV commercials or the smell of some forbidden food at a restaurant) are dealt with by visualizing the way that you want to look and also visualizing how you would look if you lived your life eating "forbidden foods".
About The Author
Hugo Rivera, About.com's Bodybuilding Guide and ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, is a nationally-known best-selling author of over 8 books on bodybuilding, weight loss and fitness, including "The Body Sculpting Bible for Men", "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women", "The Hardgainer's Bodybuilding Handbook", and his successful, self published e-book, "Body Re-Engineering". Hugo is also a national level NPC natural bodybuilding champion. Learn more about Hugo Rivera.
If you follow the correct bodybuilding diet as well as the recommendations below, you will see how your cravings will practically go away:
- Make liberal use of vegetables throughout the day. Vegetables provide fiber, which not only helps with digestion, but also increases your metabolism and provides a feeling of fullness. I eat as much as 1 bag in some of the later meals of the day.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water not only provides a feeling of being full, but at times, cravings are caused by slight dehydration. So keep the water intake steady.
- If you crave some chocolate, prepare a chocolate protein pudding. This is an awesome way to have something sweet and not break your diet. Try doing 1 scoop of a good chocolate flavored protein powder with 2 tsp of flax oil mixed in 4 ounces of water. This will make a nice and thick pudding that will take care of the craving. As soon as you are done, chase it with 8-10 ounces of water and after 10 minutes you will notice that you are full.
- Eat as much real food as possible. Protein shakes are super convenient but they do not provide the fullness that real food does. I have a much easier time handling cravings when I eat real food all day long than when I include protein shakes. As a bonus, real food increases your metabolism more than a protein drink as the body has to work harder to digest it.
- Stay away from high fructose corn syrup. Certainly stay away from sauces that have high fructose corn syrup (like ketchup for instance). High fructose corn syrup neutralizes the enzyme that indicates to your brain that you are full. Therefore, it contributes to all sorts of cravings and you will have an artificially high appetite all day long.
- Supplement your diet with glucose control agents. Supplements like chromium picolinate, alpha lipoic acid and even flax seed oil all play a role in controlling blood sugar as they help increase the body's sensitivity to insulin and also help to stabilize blood sugar levels. I recommend 200 mcg of chromium in Meal 1, 100-300 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid on Meals 1, 3, and 5 and 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil per day.
The above will take care of real physical cravings. Psychological cravings (those created by TV commercials or the smell of some forbidden food at a restaurant) are dealt with by visualizing the way that you want to look and also visualizing how you would look if you lived your life eating "forbidden foods".
About The Author
Hugo Rivera, About.com's Bodybuilding Guide and ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, is a nationally-known best-selling author of over 8 books on bodybuilding, weight loss and fitness, including "The Body Sculpting Bible for Men", "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women", "The Hardgainer's Bodybuilding Handbook", and his successful, self published e-book, "Body Re-Engineering". Hugo is also a national level NPC natural bodybuilding champion. Learn more about Hugo Rivera.
