NaturalNutritionWorks.com

Diet. Ugh – the 4 letter word that strikes fear into the hearts of even the strongest person. The cravings. The doing-without. The hunger.

But what if there were a way to have your cake and eat it too? What if there were SIX ways?

These 6 sweet secrets will have you cruising through cravings and dancing rather than doing-without in no time!

Sweet Secret #1 – Erythritol
The amazing sweetener with the funny name! Unlike the other sugar-derived sweeteners that have flooded the market today, erythritol does not cause an insulin spike in your blood sugar, due to the way it’s digested.

“In the body, erythritol is absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine, and then for the most part excreted unchanged in the urine. Because erythritol is normally absorbed before it enters the large intestine, it does not normally cause laxative effects as are often experienced after over-consumption of other sugar alcohols (such as xylitol and maltitol) and most people will consume erythritol with no side effects.” (Source: Wikipedia)

Erythritol is the primary sweetener in Vitamin Water 10, can be used instead of refined table sugar in goodies like pecan pie and still satisfies the ol’ sweet tooth.

Sweet Secret #2 – Fruit
Ok, not as much of a secret, but definitely overlooked! Fruit can be used in a wide variety of applications to satisfy your need for sweet without undoing all the hard work you’ve put into losing weight!

Wrap a whole wheat tortilla around a tablespoon of peanut butter and a whole banana for your mid-morning snack (or substitute apple slices for the banana if you don’t like the texture). No refrigeration needed – perfect if you work in an office environment!

Eat an orange rather than have that cup o’ juice with breakfast! The fruit itself contains more fiber and other nutritionally rich bonuses that the juice alone just can’t compete with!

Cherries are a great sweet that won’t cause an insulin spike in proper amount!

Another bonus? Each piece of fruit comes in its own pre-measured serving size by Mother Nature herself!

Sweet Secret #3 – Protein shakes
While a variety of protein shakes exist on the market today, most contain some form of artificial sweetener. However, every once in a while a manufacturer will put out a whey protein shake that actually tastes great without the aftertaste. This author highly recommends Gaspari Nutrition for this one!

Regardless of which brand you choose, a protein shake can give you an energy boost to get through a sluggish afternoon or put pep in your morning’s step and never get boring!

A vanilla shake blended with peaches and strawberries makes a great mix! A chocolate shake mixed with peanut butter can’t be beat when the Sugar Monster attacks!

The combinations are only limited by your imagination! Imagine – a snack you can’t get bored with!

Sweet Secret #4 – Dark Chocolate
OK, sometimes the choco-beastie wins and you just gotta have that hit of the good stuff! If you find yourself in the car at 2am heading towards McArches with a large frothy shake in mind, turn into your local grocery store instead.

Most grocery stores carry some form of dark chocolate on their shelves. Why go dark?

1. It’s heart healthy (packed with antioxidants to combat free radicals!)
2. It stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
3. It contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
4. It contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants (so if you’re going to the store at 2am, keep the intake to a minimum!)

And hello! It’s still CHOCOLATE!

Sweet Secret #5 – NO ALTERNATIVES
Not so much something to eat as it is a rule to live by!

Sounds funny to say, but try NOT to eat “healthy” alternatives to your fav sweet treats. Low-fat and low-calorie versions of the stuff that got you on a diet in the first place don’t break an addiction you may have to the original goodie. Plus they’re usually packed with artificial sweeteners and other junk that still spikes your insulin, making it harder to get the weight off! (See my article Undercover Calories on bodybuilding.com for more on this one!)

Sweet Secret #6 – Give In (Sort of)
Wait, what? That’s right! Give in…IN MODERATION! That doesn’t mean “go whole hog”. It doesn’t mean throw your diet out the window until tomorrow. It doesn’t mean you’re free to eat whatever you want for the next 12 hours.

It means that if you’d sell your oldest child for a candy bar – then have the candy bar. Just throw out the first bite.

A dieter who constantly denies the foods they truly want will wind up binging, going off their diet (97% of the time) and gaining more weight than they did when the diet started.

By throwing out the first bite, you’re psychologically ensuring that you don’t eat the entire candy bar. You’re proving you have the willpower to not gulp down an entire Big Slurp. You’re showing yourself that when the next craving hits, you have the determination to stay on the program you’ve selected!

And you’re also making certain that you stick to your planned weight loss goals by not denying yourself and then waking up surrounded by the fallen soldiers of candy bar wrappers and ice cream containers! Giving in once in a blue moon means a less-likely chance that you’ll binge later!

The Sweetest Secret of All
When it all boils down to it, finding a healthy alternative for the sweets you crave brings you one step closer to achieving your goal of good health.

But here’s the biggest kick of all – the best fat blocker, the best appetite suppressant, the best weight loss pill on the planet rests between your ears.

It’s you. Your mind. Your abilities. Your will to feel better and fit into any pair of jeans you want.

The next time you’re at a business lunch and your partner or client orders a cherry pie for dessert, and the urge is so strong to “just have it this one time” – imagine what you’ll look like once you’ve finished your diet and ask yourself, “Is it worth it?” Chances are, it’s not.

But if it is – make sure you throw out the first bite!