Sweet_tooth

Jeff Green | Dec 15, 2005

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TOPS: four tips to tame a sweet tooth

Many people will admit to having a "sweet tooth." But this inborn preference for sweets doesn't have to be the downfall of your diet. The trick is to take it into account when building and maintaining a sensible eating plan.

Calories count, no matter where they come from. Sometimes people focus too much on whether a food is high fat or low fat, and they forget that excess sugar is also a concentrated source of calories. To succeed, you need to find wholesome ways to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Four tips that will help you cut down your overall intake of sugar:

1. Reduce consumption of soft drinks: Water, low-fat milk, and iced tea are a few good alternatives.

2. Buy fewer foods containing refined sugars. If these foods aren't handy, you're less likely to reach for them as snacks or desserts.

3. Buy non-sweetened items for snacks, including unsweetened cereals, crisp vegetables, fresh fruits, and whole-grain crackers or bread.

4. Don't use sweets as rewards or bribes for children or yourself. Find other ways to reinforce positive behaviors.

In weekly meetings at TOPS chapters, members often trade tips like these, encouraging one another in their shared goal of losing weight sensibly and maintaining the loss for a lifetime.

To learn more about the Sharbot Lake TOPS chapter, call Christine at 375-8174. To inquire about chapters near you, call toll-free 1-800-932-8677 or log on to www.tops.org.