The Sugar Smart Diet: Stop Cravings and Lose Weight While Still Enjoying the Sweets You Love (24 page)
Authors: Anne Alexander,Julia VanTine
Yoga postures, or asanas, were originally designed to calm the body and quiet the mind, preparing the yogi for meditation. The deepest meditative state, or
yoga nidra,
is known as “sleepless sleep”—where the mind is conscious of its surroundings, but the body is fully relaxed. I don’t expect you to become a yogi, but turning off your mind and powering down your body before bed can lull you into a satisfying sleep. And as you know, people who sleep well lose more weight and don’t get as many cravings.
You can always do our relaxing yoga routine in
Chapter 12
, but when you want a more focused option, dim the lights, hit the carpet, and assume the bridge pose. Lie on your back with knees bent, heels hip-width apart and parallel, close to your butt. Lift your hips up off the floor, pushing your pelvis toward the ceiling. Arch up onto your shoulders, then lace your palms together underneath your body and press your arms into the floor or mat. Hold the pose while taking 10 to 15 long, slow breaths.
Food cravings have a way of hitting when you’re feeling squirrely. Scattered thoughts, overwhelming emotions, or negative chatter inside your head can conspire to make you give in to the siren song of sugar.
But a mindfulness practice called RAIN, developed by Tara Brach, a leading Western teacher of Buddhist meditation, can help you sit with those thoughts and feelings, rather than allow them to propel you toward sugar.
Each letter of RAIN spells out a positive way to engage churning feelings or negative thoughts. Use this technique to respond to cravings in a healthy way, rather than impulsively react to them.
R
is for recognizing your thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the moment. What is happening now, and how can you be open to it? Can you slow down and articulate what you’re thinking or feeling?
A
is for accepting your thoughts and feelings exactly as they are, rather than judging them. When you accept that you are angry or sad or disappointed, those thoughts and emotions don’t make you feel guilty or ashamed—and you don’t have to smother them with food. Ask yourself, “What do these feelings want to tell me?”
I
is for investigating your thoughts and feelings with nonjudgmental curiosity. Soothing self-talk, and tuning in to subtle changes in your body that accompany your thoughts and feelings, can help. (“I’m having the thought that I can’t sit with this urge to eat. I notice that my mouth is watering.”) Talk to yourself with kindness, as you would to a friend, rather than adopt a judgmental “Not again!” attitude.
N
is for
not
identifying with your thoughts or feelings. They’re not who you are. In fact, you’re so much more than the thoughts and feelings that come and go. When you don’t let them overwhelm you, it’s easier to make conscious choices that don’t depend on what you think or how you feel. How would it feel to make a conscious decision to eat, or not eat?
David L. Katz, MD, MPH
MAKE SUGAR DO DOUBLE DUTY.
Enjoy sugar only in foods that really matter to you and that are also nutritious. Dark chocolate is a good example—it’s good for you overall, but it certainly does contain added sugar.
REPROGRAM YOUR TASTE BUDS.
Sweet is the only taste preference we’re born with—it leads us to our mother’s milk. The excess of sugar in modern food is a potent goad to appetite, exploiting this all-but-universal preference. But taste buds can be rehabilitated quite readily. The less sugar you eat in general, the less you need to feel satisfied and the less you tend to want. Simply by removing the Stealth Sugars in foods like jarred pasta sauces and salad dressings, you will likely start to prefer your food less sweet. Once you eliminate foods that contain Stealth Sugars, you can move on to beverages and desserts, where the sugar is more apparent.
FOCUS ON FLAVOR, NOT SWEETNESS.
I prefer my desserts minimally sweetened. For example, when my wife bakes, she uses less than half the sugar a standard recipe calls for. I like dried fruit but not with added sugar. I don’t understand how anyone would even think to sprinkle sugar over berries; they are plenty sweet enough direct from nature.
LEARN TO LOVE FOODS THAT LOVE YOU BACK.
To keep my own sugar intake in check, I eat mostly natural, wholesome foods, getting intrinsic sugar in fruits and dairy foods. I don’t drink soda, and I avoid eating foods that contain those Stealth Sugars. On any given day, I take in around 25 grams of added sugar or less, usually in dark chocolate, breakfast cereal, and, occasionally, my wife’s cookies. We can all learn to love foods that love us back—we just have to get used to them as the norm. My family and I have done just that.
DAVID KATZ, MD,
is the director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center, a clinical instructor in medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, editor-in-chief of the journal
Childhood Obesity
, founder and president of the nonprofit Turn the Tide Foundation, and medical director for the Integrative Medicine Center at Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT. Most recently, he is the author of
Disease Proof: The Remarkable Truth About What Makes Us Well.
Canadian Bacon Apple-Cheddar Melt
Top half a whole wheat English muffin with 2 slices cooked Canadian bacon, half an apple, sliced, and 2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese. Broil in a toaster oven or a regular oven for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly, then top with the other half of the muffin.
Nutrition per serving:
306 calories, 21 g protein, 40 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 15 g total sugar, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 1,055 mg sodium
Layer
1
⁄
3
cup 0% plain Greek yogurt with ½ cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon sliced almonds, and 1 teaspoon honey. Repeat with the same amounts of yogurt, blueberries, almonds, and honey to complete the parfait.
Nutrition per serving:
308 calories, 22 g protein, 37 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 27 g total sugar, 10 g fat, <1 g saturated fat, 64 mg sodium
Top half of a whole wheat bagel or 1 slice whole wheat toast with 2 tablespoons light (or reduced-fat) cream cheese mixed with 1 tablespoon scallions, 2 slices tomato, 2 thin slices red onion, and 2 ounces smoked salmon.
Nutrition per serving:
291 calories, 20 g protein, 35 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 3 g total sugar, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 1,500 mg sodium
Toast 1 slice whole wheat bread. Spread with 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter and 2 teaspoons 100% fruit spread. Serve with a 16-ounce fat-free café au lait (½ fat-free milk or unsweetened soy milk, ½ coffee) or 8 ounces fat-free milk or unsweetened soy milk.
Nutrition per serving:
338 calories, 16 g protein, 46 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 20 g total sugar, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 322 mg sodium
Crunchy Turkey-Pear Salad Sandwich
Mix together 2 tablespoons 0% plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon reduced-fat mayo, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard. Gently toss together 2 ounces cubed roasted turkey or chicken breast, ¼ cup chopped pear, 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion, 1 tablespoon chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, 1 tablespoon finely chopped Brie, and the yogurt mixture. Serve between 2 slices of lightly toasted whole wheat bread.
Nutrition per serving:
410 calories, 23 g protein, 50 g carbs, 10 g fiber, 10 g total sugar, 12 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 359 mg sodium
Stir ¼ teaspoon hot sauce (like Tabasco or Sriracha), ¼ teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon chopped onion into 1 tablespoon 0% plain Greek yogurt. Heat ½ teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup onion and cook for 4 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the skillet. Add another 1 teaspoon olive oil to the skillet. Cook a 4-ounce turkey burger made from lean ground turkey breast for 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Spread the yogurt mixture onto the bottom of a whole wheat hamburger bun and top with the burger, cooked onion, a slice of tomato, and the top of the bun. Serve with 1 cup steamed broccoli tossed with
1
⁄
3
cup cooked wheat berries, 1 teaspoon lemon juice,
1
⁄
8
teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon minced garlic.
Nutrition per serving:
415 calories, 38 g protein, 45 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 6 g total sugar, 12 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 553 mg sodium
Spread 1 slice whole grain rye bread with 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and top with 2 ounces sliced roast beef and 1-ounce slice Swiss cheese. Toss 1 cup arugula with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Place ¼ cup arugula on top of the cheese and top with another slice of bread. Serve the remaining ¾ cup arugula on the side.
Nutrition per serving:
411 calories, 32 g protein, 33 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 3 g total sugar, 16 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 617 mg sodium
Heat 2½ teaspoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 1 cup sliced bell peppers (any color) and
1
⁄
3
cup sliced onion for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add 3 ounces large shrimp and a pinch each of garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, and ground red pepper. Cook for 4 minutes, or until shrimp are pink. Remove from the heat and toss with 2 teaspoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons salsa. Serve over 1 cup brown rice topped with 1 tablespoon fat-free plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon chopped black olives, and 1 tablespoon salsa.
Nutrition per serving:
410 calories, 24 g protein, 49 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 7 g total sugar, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 724 mg sodium
Cut a russet potato into wedges and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and
1
⁄
8
teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Place 4 ounces halibut and 1 cup sliced fennel on a large sheet of foil. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and
1
⁄
8
teaspoon salt. Fold foil over and roll edges to seal the fish and fennel into a packet. Place the packet in the oven with the potatoes for the last 12 minutes of baking. Carefully remove the fish and fennel from the packet and serve with the potatoes.
Nutrition per serving:
420 calories, 27 g protein, 44 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 5 g total sugar, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 825 mg sodium
Toss 1½ cups peeled and cubed butternut squash with 1½ teaspoons olive oil,
1
⁄
8
teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Stir, reduce the oven to 350°F, and add 1½ cups cauliflower florets to the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the squash is soft and golden. Meanwhile, mix together
1
⁄
8
teaspoon each salt, pepper, and garlic powder and 1 teaspoon dried rosemary and rub onto a 3-ounce piece of pork tenderloin. In an ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the pork for 1 minute on each side, then place the skillet in the oven with the veggies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Toss the squash and cauliflower with ½ cup microwaved frozen corn kernels and serve with pork.
Nutrition per serving:
390 calories, 25 g protein, 47 g carbs, 10 g fiber, 11 g total sugar, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 692 mg sodium
Mash
1
⁄
3
avocado and spread onto an 8, whole wheat tortilla. Top with 2 slices deli turkey,
1
⁄
3
cup roughly chopped roasted red pepper, and
1
⁄
3
cup shredded carrot. Roll up and serve alongside ½ cup edamame tossed with 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Nutrition per serving:
409 calories, 32 g protein, 47 g carbs, 12 g fiber, 6 g total sugar, 12 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 421 mg sodium
Serve with a side of 2 cups microwaved frozen or fresh broccoli topped with 1½ tablespoons sliced almonds and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
Nutrition per serving:
468 calories, 30 g protein, 102 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 6 g total sugar, 20 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 619 mg sodium