Do you ever have those moments where you just can’t stop thinking about eating something sweet? Or you reach for the candy in the dish on your co-worker’s desk without thinking twice about it? It’s like you’re constantly looking for just one more sweet treat because you’re never completely satisfied!

While I used to tell people that I really didn’t crave sugar, the fact of the matter is that I was sure eating a lot of it!

When I finally learned WHY I was always reaching for those sweet treats, I was finally able to do something about it. So let’s look at 9 of the most common causes of sugar cravings so that you can start getting rid of them. 

9 Common Causes of Sugar Cravings

Sugar cravings are usually caused by some type of imbalance. 3 common types of imbalances are: nutritional imbalances, imbalances within your body, and lifestyle imbalances.

Nutritional Imbalances

• Not drinking enough water. When you aren’t drinking enough water, your body can crave all sorts of things. One of them just happens to be sugar! 
• A lack of protein. If  you aren’t eating enough protein on a regular basis, your body will crave a quick source of energy. What’s the fastest source of energy for your body? You guessed it…sugar!
• Nutrient deficiencies. If you body becomes deficient in certain nutrients (such as calcium, magnesium, and chromium…just to name a few), your body can respond with a craving for something sweet. Unfortunately, this becomes a vicious cycle because by eating sugar, you deplete your body of a variety of nutrients, which then leads to more cravings.

Imbalances Within Your Body

• Hormones. Your hormones fluctuate for a variety of reasons, including pregnancy, your menstrual cycle, and stress. These fluctuations can trigger cravings.
• Gut health. Your gut is home to literally trillions of bacteria. Ideally, your gut will be comprised of health bacteria strains. However, when the bad bacteria (such as candida) become overgrown within your gut, you may experience more sugar cravings.

Lifestyle Imbalances

• A lack of sleep. When you’re tired, your body craves a quick source of energy as a pick-me-up, which is often sugar. In addition, I think we’ve all experienced how being tired leads us to making not-so-healthy food choices!
• Emotions. Stress, boredom, a lack of job satisfaction, and not feeling fulfilled in life can all contribute to cravings. Many people also turn to sugar when they need comfort, a quick pick-me-up, or even to celebrate an accomplishment.
• Childhood experiences. Our relationship with food is formed in childhood. We can create attachments to certain foods, become used to turning to food for comfort, and so much more. Taking time to reflect on your experiences with food as a child can shed a lot of light onto your relationship with food as an adult.
• Seasonal cravings. It’s also not uncommon to crave certain foods based on the seasons. In the spring, we often desire light and detoxifying foods like salads. In the summer we want cooling foods like fruit and raw foods. The fall brings grounding foods like squash and pumpkins. And with the winter comes warming and comfort foods like soup.

Identify the Cause of Your Sugar Cravings

Take a moment to review all 9 potential causes and identify 2 or 3 that affect you the most. Then, come up with a plan to start addressing them. Some of the causes are fairly simple to address…like drinking more water!

Other causes can be more complicated to deal with on your own. Sometimes, it’s helpful to work with someone who can guide you through the process.

If you’re ready to get to the root of the issue so that you can finally break free from sugar, I invite you to apply for a complimentary discovery session with me. During this session, I’ll help you figure out what you’d like to change about your health and/or weight and what obstacles get in your way. Then, we can figure out if my Sugar Reset coaching program is a good fit for you.

To apply for a complimentary discovery session, simply click here.

And, finally…please know that sugar cravings are not normal! Once you address the areas listed above, your sugar cravings can become a thing of the past. The good news is then you don’t need superhuman amounts of willpower to stick with eating healthy!