Ditch these 5 sweets

Yes, sweets are delicious and tempting but are short term feel-good toward long term disaster. And into your doctor’s office for another lecture. And your body will feel less than good most days.

The life-long repercussions of a diet filled with too much sugar far outweigh the momentary pleasure.

To help you conquer your sugar craving once and for all, I’ve identified 5 sweets you should ditch and a healthy substitute for each.

1. Ditch this Sweet: Candy

Nothing gets refined sugar circulating through your body quicker than a fistful of candy—and if you’re in the habit of eating candy daily, then your body will crave it.

Candy has virtually no nutritional value, other than caloric energy, and will quickly end up stored on your body in the form of unwanted, annoying fat.

Do This: Swap candy out for a handful of unsalted nuts, a few pieces of unsweetened, dried fruit, or a small square of very dark chocolate (at least 72% cocoa content).

2. Ditch this Sweet: Baked Goods

Cake, cookies, brownies, pastries, donuts, and pies contain a lot of sugar. While these may not taste as sweet as candy, the combination of refined sugar and white flour will spike your blood sugar just the same.

Very much like candy, regularly eating baked goods may become a habit. Break yourself of this, and you’ll find the number on your scale going down rather than up.

Do This: Put down the cookie and reach for a piece of fresh, seasonal fruit. Fruit is nature’s candy and is every bit as blissful as a slice of cake. Serving a beautiful fruit platter to guests can be as delightful as any baked treat.

3. Ditch this Sweet: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt

Nothing makes you feel as happy and carefree as a bowl of creamy ice cream…until that ice cream makes its permanent home on your body. Very much like candy, ice cream has few nutritional benefits.

Do This: Mix unsweetened, nonfat Greek yogurt with a scoop of vanilla protein powder and mix in some chopped, fresh fruit. This creamy delight is much lower in sugar than ice cream and tastes amazing!

4. Ditch this Sweet: Soft Drinks

A regular can of soda pop contains the equivalent of 10 packets of sugar. That’s more sugar than you should consume in a full week!

Soft drinks are something that you get into the habit of drinking and then do without thinking. The good news is that a pattern can be broken and then replaced with something healthier.

Do This: Take soda pop out of your diet. Period. There are plenty of other, healthier, beverages available to you. Try the recipes for Spa Water below.

5. Ditch this Sweet: Blended Drinks

Smoothies, blended coffee drinks, and milkshakes are all tempting treats, especially in hot summer months. Don’t give in to the temptation!

These items are even more deadly than most treats since they are consumed through a straw and don’t make you feel satisfied. Let me assure you that although you don’t feel full like you would after a piece of cake, you’re still taking in a bunch of sugary calories.

Do This: Make your own healthy blended drinks at home by using natural sweeteners like stevia, or simply by using fruit. Blend a delicious protein shake with ice, milk and protein powder.

A great thing to remember is that once you’ve fallen out of the habit of eating sugar, your body will no longer crave it.

Each day spent in discipline will bring you closer to the day that sugar no longer has a hold over you. Imagine how much happier and healthier you will be!

Eating healthy is half of the battle when it comes to fitness and wellness. The other, equally important, aside is maintaining a regular, challenging exercise program.

For an exercise program to be challenging it must always be changing. That’s why as a Functional Aging Specialist working with the over 50-year-old body, my workouts are never the same.

Find a Functional Aging Specialist near you …  ​

It’s my goal to get you into the best shape of your life no matter your age. Call or email today to begin your transformation!