Eating Too Much Sweets? Here are ways to calm the cravings

• Don't Exclude Sweets  --  total elimination of sweets completely to a healthy diet may back fire, what happens is when you exclude sweets in a diet you end up binging in a weak moment then you just feel guilty.

• Balance your Diet --   figure out how sweets can fit into healthy way, women should have no more than 6 teaspoons per day of added sugar, which is 24 grams. Cutting one soda, which is about 35 grams of sugar, saves calories you could be spending on the occasional dessert. Other ways to reduce added sugars: eliminating bottled teas, cutting back on sugary cereals and reading labels on pasta sauces, salad dressings and condiments to find ones with the least amount of added sugar possible.

• Get Sweet on Fruits  --  your taste buds will adjust to the natural sweetness of fruit. Bake apples, pears or bananas and serve with a pinch of nutmeg or no-sugar whipped dairy topping. Grill pineapple or peaches. If you normally add sugar to berries,  you can enjoy them without it. Try to use non-caloric sweeteners. Pungent spices, such as cardamom or ginger, can also give fruit a flavor boost. Add a dash of cinnamon to coffee, sweet potatoes and unsweetened applesauce.

• Know Yourself  --  a package of miniature candies in the house is fine for some people. A little sweet handy for when an urge hits, and you feel better knowing it’s there if you want it. For others, it’s a catastrophe. If you can eat one mini candy bar, that’s great. But if you eat five little candy bars, it’s not the same thing If you know you aren’t going to be able to stop after one treat, don’t keep sweets in the house or in a candy dish on your desk. 

• Wait it Out  --   it’s possible to let a craving pass. Tired, bored or frustrated,  reach for a sweet instead of dealing with that uncomfortable emotion? Try to sit with that feeling for at least 20 minutes and see the cravings dissipate. Or take a walk around the building, play a hand of Solitaire on the computer, go outside, chew sugarless gum or drink some water thirst sometimes masquerades as hunger.

• Eat What You Crave  --  If sweet craving doesn’t diminish, satisfy it with exactly what you want. Allow yourself a small portion instead of eating two or three things you didn’t want.

• Savor the Moment  --   Identify what you want before indulging: Pinpoint what you crave, then have a sensible portion. Sit down and pay attention to how it tastes and how it feels on the tongue. Don’t eat it while you’re at your desk, watching TV or in your car. Be fully mindful of the experience, which allows your body to feel satisfied.

• Share the Treats  --  share desserts or eat half and bring the rest home, when eating out. Plan ahead for a way to share your goodies. Freeze some for later or take some to your neighbors,  or the office. Instead of munching on cookies as they come out of the oven -- or sampling batter along the way -- wait until your baking is done so you can enjoy your efforts by sitting down by and eating a smaller portion, savoring every bite.