How To Deal With Caffeine and Sugar Withdrawal
Caffeine and sugar are both addictive substances that can take roughly 3-5 days to adjust to and overcome symptoms if we eliminate them from our diet.
Typical symptoms include:
Lightheadedness
Fatigue
Low in energy
Binging
Caffeine
Caffeine has a half-life of 3-5 hours. This means if you regularly consume coffee throughout the day you may be used to feeling more alert. If you often consume it in the late afternoon this may also affect your sleep and you may find that sleeping becomes easier without caffeine once you overcome the slump with these top tips:
Keep hydrated - aim to drink 2-3 litres of water per day, this will reduce fatigue and lightheadedness
Herbal teas - You can wean off the caffeine by drinking herbal teas as they have a much lower dosage of caffeine or none at all without the extra calories
Exercise - releases endorphins and dopamine which can help you overcome the fatigue and naturally make you more energetic for the rest of the day.
Sugar
Sometimes we are unaware of how much sugar we are consuming due to ‘hidden sugars’. A lot of foods that you may think are healthy, such as low fat products, can contain a lot of sugar that when cut out can lead to unexpected sugar cravings.
Top tips
Consume adequate proteins and fats - this will keep you fuller for longer and prevent that spike in sugar that can come from eating carbohydrates alone
Keep a healthy meal on hand - when the sugar craving hits you are prepared and less likely to binge and eat the most convenient food available.
Keep a diary - tracking your food during the day and recording when you feel yourself craving sugars can help you determine if you are eating enough protein and fats
Supplementation - taking Chromium and Berberine supplements can help reduce sugar cravings as it helps your body transport glucose more efficiently and metabolise carbohydrates and fats.
Keep hydrated - sometimes we can confuse dehydration for hunger. If you are feeling peckish make sure you drink some water before finding food as this may be the real source of your hunger.
Eat Fruit - fruit is a natural sugar if you have chosen this in your 4 meals aim to consume this meal when you are most likely to get a sugar craving.