Go natural
Replace foods that
have lots of added
sugar (such as sweets
or muins) with ones
that are high in natural
sugar (eg apples and
dates) which ofer a
hit of sweetness thatâs
lower in calories and
higher in nutrients.
âSweet fruits and
vegetables might not
seem as appealing
as a cupcake but
theyâll satisfy your
physiological need for
sugar and make those
intense cravings fade
awayâ says Gradney.
Make a
sweet deal
âEarningâ your sweet
treat can also help
curb cravings
suggests researcher
Brian Wansink author
of Slim by Design
(William Morrow).
âYou impose a
trade-of so that
youâre not saying no to
something but you do
make it harder to getâ
he says. Want ice
cream after lunch?
Earn it by completing
a chore youâve been
dreading or taking
the stairs instead
of the lift. These
negotiations cut down
on impulse eating by
delaying gratiication.
They can also replace
your craving with self-
satisfaction â youâre so
pleased you cleaned
out the garage that
you no longer need
biscuits to celebrate.
Dilute it
Mix the sugary stuf
with something that
is much better for you.
Combine cranberry
juice with soda water
mix hot cocoa with
unsweetened cofee
swirl a scoop of ice
cream into an equal
quantity of berries
and mix your honey-
coated granola with
Shredded Wheat
(which contains
almost no sugar per
serving). âYou lower
the overall sugar
content but donât end
up feeling deprivedâ
says Gradney.Portion it out
Choosing single-
serving packages
of ice cream and
biscuits can enforce a
healthy-portion habit
and keep you from
devouring that entire
pack of Hobnobs. One
2012 study published
in Health Psychology
found that people who
snacked on portioned
crisps ate 50 per cent
less (translating to
250 fewer calories).
Just be sure to read
the labels because
some packaging
contains more than
one serving. And keep
your cache of treats
out of view says
Gradney so you arenât
tempted to reach for
seconds...or thirds.Time your
treats
Runners do get two
short windows of
sugar-immunity:
during and then
immediately after a
workout when the
body metabolises
sugar for fuel and
replenishes muscle
glycogen for recovery.And all other times?
âThe sugar that you
eat when youâre
sedentary is more
likely to go to stored
fat once glycogen
stores are fullâ says
Pritchett. And yes
you will get more
nutritional value from
eating pineapple or
chocolate milk but if
doughnuts are your
guilty pleasure it may
be better to have that
type of occasional
indulgence within
about 30 minutes of
inishing a workout.Savour avour
Studies have found
that the irst bite of
any food yields the
most pleasure â and
that people who
eat large servings
of indulgent foods
actually feel less
satisied than those
consuming smaller
portions. When you
do crave something
sweet try taking just
a taste. âWeâve found
that total deprivation
just isnât sustainable
because many people
may fall of the wagon
and give up hope for
healthier eatingâ says
Wansink. By granting
yourself the licence to
enjoy one or two bites
of your favourite treat
youâll get maximum
enjoyment for minimal
damage. And thatâs
especially true when
itâs a high-quality
food: one square of
high-cocoa content
dark chocolate can
often deliver far
more satisfaction
than an entire bar of
poor-quality stuf.Runners should eat no more than 25g
of added sugar a day. Processed foods
crack that ceiling quickly. Check out
the estimated grams in the examples
below. Just one can of fizzy drink can
blow your quota for the day.21.7
25
35
11
BY GRANTING YOURSELF THE LICENCE TO ENJOY ONE
OR TWO BITES OF YOUR FAVOURITE TREAT YOU GET
MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT FOR MINIMAL DAMAGE
SUGAR
SHOCKERS
KELLOGG'S CRUNCHY NUT
CEREAL (30G SERVING)SNICKERS BARSTARBUCKS TALL
CARAMEL MACCHIATOCOCA-COLA (330ML CAN)FUEL
JUNE 2018 RUNNERSWORLD.CO.UK 073