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That piece of cake may taste delicious when it is fresh off the fork, but it can do serious damage to your waistline.

Whether you're a comfort eater or reach for convenience snacks in the middle of your busy day, indulging in a sugar-laden diet can result in any number of unwanted health problems. Mental and physical laziness, pre-diabetes, and a "spare tire" are but a few responses you body may make when fed a diet of simple sugars and over-processed food.

The good news? It's not too late to wean yourself off sweets and begin making healthier choices that will result in a healthier body, more energy, and a slimmer waistline. Some tricks to a successful change are to keep your energy levels stable and retrain your sluggish digestive system, while providing yourself with positive opportunities to "cheat".

The first step is to remove unnecessary processed sugar from your daily diet - and it's often hiding in the most unsuspecting places. Check the labels of your food for telltale signs - glucose, fructose and sucrose are all pseudonyms of sugar, and they all have the same results. Another easy way to cut out sugar is to drink only water - whether you're eliminating your morning glass of juice, the sugar from your coffee, or your daily soda, drinking plain water will help to flush out your system and allows you to avoid unnecessary sources of sweetness.

One of the main reasons that people cheat when they diet is because their body has a physical craving for sugar - in most circumstances, their blood sugar has dropped substantially and they need a "quick fix" in order to get it back up to its former level. The problem with reaching for a candy bar? Your blood sugar will spike, but will soon come crashing back down again - an endless cycle that results in unnecessary hormone fluctuations and a constant need to feed the cravings.

The solution to this problem is simple - keep your blood sugar as regulated as possible. For most, this means filling your meals with high fibre, complex carbohydrates and high protein choices like lean meats, leafy vegetables and whole grains. The proper balance of "good" carbs with "good" fats will ensure that your blood sugar levels taper off gradually, eliminating the sudden drop caused by the simple sugars found in candy and convenience snacks. Also, once you are getting the right balance of nutrients, your cravings will all but disappear. A high-quality multivitamin will usually do the trick.

The second trick to kicking your sugar habit is to allow yourself to "cheat" on occasion; by giving yourself the opportunity to indulge a little, you can avoid those moments when you're tempted to eat the whole box of doughnuts. However, instead of focusing on your favourite type of dessert, replace those snacks with a healthier option whenever possible - the natural sugars found in most fruits are balanced by the fibre they also contain, making a snack like berries and yogurt an ideal way to satisfy your sweet tooth. When you do need to grab a bite of chocolate, aim for high quality - you'll need a lot less to get the same satisfaction.

Cutting out the sugar habit is not an easy decision to make, and the first few weeks can be very difficult to endure. The payback, however, is a life of energy and power - two perks that are much more meaningful than a slice of cherry pie.

Learn more about this author, Kalyn Cybulski.
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