sugar can suppress the stress hormone cortisol and stress
responses in the brain.^26 This can lead to dysregulation of
the body’s natural cortisol ebb and flow, and it highlights
one of the many addictive pathways stoked by sugar
consumption. You should look to reduce cortisol naturally
instead, and morning sunlight exposure, meditation, and
exercise are just a few easy methods to implement.
Curate the Food Environment
If you are prone to overeating or are a sugar addict, you
will probably notice that controlling your food choices is
much easier when you are solely in charge. Controlling
what you eat at home can be done by tailoring your grocery
shopping and stocking your fridge and pantry with whole,
healthy, low-carbohydrate foods. Remember: if it’s in your
shopping cart, it’s as good as in your body.
Of course, we can’t control every situation. Walking into
the office and seeing free cupcakes throws off your
carefully constructed environment and likely is when you
will most need to use your willpower. It helps to be able to
play a mental game, like imagining the food in question as
what it is: not food. Or try defusing social pressure with
positivity. When being offered junk food by a friend or a
colleague that will derail your diet, one strategy is to frame
your dismissal in a positive message. Simply saying “I’m
good!” and smiling is likely to be more effective than “I’d
love to eat that, but I can’t” while grimacing. The former
sends the message that you are already “whole” and do not
need to consume something unhealthy. The latter reads,
“I’m struggling through a diet, but if you give me a pass, I