Prepare for the shortest how-to advice ever. How can you stop that feeling of needing sweets after a meal to feel fully satisfied? Follow these simple steps:
- Eat Real Food
There isn’t any other secret. No joke.
Before I started eating local, organic, real food, I never felt satisfied after a meal without dessert. In fact, the guy behind the counter at Dunkin Donuts began to recognize me as “that guy who comes in around 7 and orders a Glazed Stick (or Cruller as it’s called in some regions) with no bag”. I’d eat it on the way home, and feel satisfied.
Since changing what I eat (no more processed, boxed foods), I’ve slowly (and unintentionally) weaned myself from this need. I say unintentionally because frankly, dessert is awesome. Who wants to give that up? Unless you have serious weight issues, you shouldn’t have to.
But imagine not needing it anymore? I now eat dessert as a special treat, not as a necessary end to every meal.
How did this happen? Well, processed foods are filled with sugar, and sugar is essentially empty calories. Not only that, but sugar is addictive. It isn’t surprising that many meals are not satisfying, and leave you craving more sugar. Have you seen Super Size Me? Several days into a McDonalds only diet, Morgan Spurlock finds himself obsessively craving the food. Even though it appears that he is eating normal food, by the end of the month, he averaged over a pound of sugar per day!
Conclusion? Eat dessert once in a while because it’s a tasty, decadent treat - not because you need it.
It’s liberating - trust me.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I quite enjoyed Super Size Me. I found it really interesting. I totally agree with the real food thing. I don’t exactly follow it, but I agree. Given the choice between real and processed, I’ll choose real if I can. It’s not always within our budget or our schedule to do so though
I totally agree with you. When dessert is a once in a while treat, the taste is amazing.
For me, if I eat it everyday, the specialness goes by the wayside………..:)
I found your blog through the video of the talk you made at Ignite Boulder and I have to say that you cover lots of interesting topics.