Posted by Healthy Bitch Daily on Dec 5, 2012
Many people think the holidays give you license to eat your seasonal sorrow.
After all, it can be a stressful time of year. You didn't get a holiday bonus, your kids are acting like spoiled brats, Mr. Right turned out to be Mr. Wrong—blah, blah, blah.
Buck up, cookie.
Keep it up and you'll end up trading in that sexy Mrs. Clause suit for your hubby’s flannel pants. Not so cute.
Even if you’re good all year, it's easy to gorge yourself at the holiday table. But your New Year’s resolution doesn’t have to be “losing my holiday cellulite," so put down the sugar plums and listen up.
The Secret to Sugar Cravings
Here’s the simple secret that will turn off your sugar cravings: eat more root vegetables. When you pass on dessert, you won’t even feel deprived. You literally just won't feel like eating cookies, cake or candy.
How can this be, you ask?
If your body’s nutritional needs are not met, it will tell you to keep eating until you have all the glucose (energy), vitamins and minerals you need. That’s why cravings are actually a good thing. They are your body’s way of telling you what it needs, and believe me, they are never wrong.
Unfortunately, in this day and age, our brain often gets confused thanks to a barrage of food advertising and the abundance of crap we eat. So, now, when your body sends out the signal, “I need sweet food,” your brain can easily interpret it as, “Get me a platter of cookies,” instead of what your body is actually looking for, which is the energy, vitamins and minerals that come from root vegetables. Both are sweet, but definitely not equal in nutritional profile. Root veggies help to satisfy cravings and they don't leave you with that spacey, sluggish feeling a normal sugar binge brings on. Your cells gets the energy boost they want, and your taste buds are happy.
Load Up Your Plate
So, if you give your body what it needs, you won’t even want the sweet imposters. Try eating more sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, parsnips, yucca, beets, rutabaga, turnips, jicama and butternut squash. Eat a hearty root vegetable dish before a holiday party and you’ll be able to stand in front of the dessert table for hours without drooling.
Of course, a few nibbles of holiday treats won’t kill you, so by all means, enjoy a taste. Life is no fun without cake, but remember, it’s no fun with a big belly, either, so use this secret to be satisfied with one slice—not the whole damn thing, darlin'.
What's your favorite root veggie? Do you find they keep your sugar cravings in check? Let us know in the comments below.
Maria Guadagno, Certified Health Coach
Maria is the founder of The Bombshell Blueprint, a 6-month, one-on-one coaching program designed specifically for women to help them achieve ultimate wellness and beauty. Clients receive a personally tailored diet and manageable steps to help them lose weight, get glowing skin, and improve their overall health, for good! Maria is trained in raw and natural food preparation from the Natural Gourmet Institute, and in holistic nutrition from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. So, she loves to explain why you are what you eat. Find her on: Facebook: The Bombshell Blueprint, Twitter: @MariaGuadagno, Blog: www.thebombshelldiet.com
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