There is an old saying: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” This old adage definitely applies to just about any weight loss program. The more you spend your energy looking for healthy changes to make in your life, the more you are going to experience cravings for those sweets and poor habits that caused you to gain weight in the first place.

This is the way that it goes with sugar consumption. As soon as you begin to cut out those sweets that you are so used to, your body is likely to react and cause you to experience severe cravings for sugar. Resisting those initial cravings is the key to saying goodbye to sugar altogether.

Sugar and your Health

Sugar consumption in the United States is out of control. The average US citizen eats 88 grams of added sugar every single day. This is almost three times the recommended daily limit of sugar consumption for both men and women, and that alone sheds some light on the reasons as to why so many people struggle with being overweight. Sugar is just about everywhere, which makes it a difficult thing to give up even if you are actively watching for it.

The biggest problem with giving up sugar is that when you begin to cut it out, your body is likely to react and cause you to crave it—a lot. Regular sugar consumption can cause chronic inflammation, spikes in blood pressure, headaches and a long list of obesity-related diseases like diabetes. There is even a rising body of research indicating that Alzheimer’s disease may be linked to sugar consumption, and may be altogether more closely related to diabetes than originally understood.

The more often you eat sugar, the more likely you are to crave sugar. In fact, the more sugar you eat, the more likely you are to eat in general. Sugar has a way of playing tricks on the body. Eating too much sugar causes the pancreas to produce extra insulin, which sends messages to the brain that you are hungry. Cutting out sugar altogether after weight loss surgery is a great way to support your healthy eating goals as you embark on an overall healthier lifestyle.

If you are thinking of cutting out sugar altogether, talk to your weight loss surgeon about healthy alternatives that can help you satisfy your sweet tooth. Sometimes, making the switch to healthy fruits and vegetables is a great way to keep your mind satisfied as you keep your stomach healthy.