5 Tips to Kick Your After Meal Sugar Cravings

I know I'm not alone with the post-meal sugar cravings. I personally don't crave much sugary things (unless I'm crazy tired) but I do often get a little hankering for something after a meal. Sometimes I allow myself to have a little treat if I have the macros for it. However, most the time I try to avoid eating something more post meal. If you think about it, having even just a "little" treat after each meal can really add up. Take just 10 M&M's. Let's say you have a small handful, or 10 M&M's after lunch and dinner each day. That's 20 M&M's a day. 7 days in a row and that's 819 calories, 42 grams of fat, 98 carbs and 84 grams of sugar! Point is, YES, I'm all for encouraging flexible eating and enjoying what you want in moderation. BUT, it's best to keep things in check and keep those sugar cravings down by monitoring your daily post meal "treats".

Here's a few tips on how to do that.

1.  Brush your teeth immediately after your meal.  I know that this might not be possible for when you’re out to eat but you can always bring along mouth wash or one of those travel toothbrushes.  I would suggest chewing gum but that can also add to those sugar cravings since most gums have sugar substitutes or actual sugar in them.  Not to mention a slew of other unhealthy ingredients….

2. Eat a small piece of fruit with or just after your meal.  I feel like this is the perfect way to cleanse my pallet and get rid of the savory taste in my mouth.  For some reason it’s much more pleasant for me to have the tastes of apple lingering on my tongue than fish tacos.

3.  Drink a sparkling water with lime/lemon or a sugar free flavored water with and post meal.  Not only will this help fill you up it assists in satisfying that sweet tooth with the natural flavors that are in the water.  Just be cautious of what’s in the water.  Some will disguise sugar with tricky names like Sucralose or dextrose.

4.  Drink a hot cup of herbal tea or decaf coffee.  Unless you’re drinking it with breakfast you probably don’t want to overdo it on the caffeine.  So try sticking with something caffeine free like herbal teas.  My favorites are Rooibos and Peppermint which both have a natural sweetness too them to quench my need for sweet.

5. Go for a walk or do something active shortly after eating.  I don’t mean head to the gym for cardio.  I mean do something that’s going to get your mind off of snacking on treats.  Head outdoors for a short brisk walk or to a park to play with your kids and you’ll forget about that sugar monster in no time!

While enjoying a little something sweet after meals isn't always a bad thing. NEEDING a sugary snack or "treat' after meals can really derail your health goals. So keep those sugar cravings in check by using these strategies!