Sigh...I feel like drinking alcohol, but that's not allowed so I want sugar

It's break time so you don't drink a drop for 40 days. Your mind says this is a very good move, but your body wants something else. That first sip of your favorite drink, that feeling when the alcohol slides down your throat, the instant relaxation you experience… you might miss that. Or even better: you even long for it. How do you deal with this craving and the tendency not to succumb to 'comfort food' in the form of snacks full of sugar?

The Great Desire

Cravings – urge, desire, sigh – arise thanks to 'triggers'. These triggers can be, for example, situations where you previously drank an alcoholic drink. It is therefore very important that you recognize 'your triggers', so that you can avoid a craving. And there's even more you can do yourself. We have listed a few tips for you.

1. This craving will also pass

That feeling 'I have to now, because…' is not pleasant. Fortunately, this intense feeling often lasts up to thirty minutes. If you do nothing, there is a good chance that the feeling will decrease sharply within this time. You will also notice that the cravings decrease as your break period continues. Find distraction in that difficult half hour. Go outside, play sports, call a friend, hoe in your garden… anything that even slightly upsets your mind.

1. we do it together

No one is alone and certainly not during IkPas. Talk to family, friends, neighbours, your sports buddy, your card club, your traveling friend, visit our forum, talk to your IkPas coach: all contacts that can help you stay in control of your urges. name you craving and talk about it. It helps, really!

1. train your mind

Despite we all know that a break period is a treat for our bodies, the craving can persist. According to René Kahn, professor of psychiatry at Utrecht University, this is because of our: nucleus accumbens, a part of our brain no bigger than a peanut, that is out for rewards. at a craving keep longing for that reward. The trick is to replace your memory of an alcoholic drink and the pleasant feeling it gives you with a competitive reward image. The competitive image evokes a new expectation of reward and the peanut particle in the brain responds to this. In addition, the new behavior also creates new rewarding memories.

4. How does this work?

Check for yourself when the urge to drink is extra noticeable (your triggers) and then use your competitive reward picture. So when you 'feel a sigh for', put on your hiking boots and stick your nose in the wind. Or you polish your car shiny clean. Or you surprise your partner/family with a homemade meal. It doesn't matter what you do as long as it's something you enjoy. Look for helpful thoughts. Those are thoughts that strengthen you in your feeling that you can handle it. They make you feel good about yourself and what you are trying to achieve. This technique takes time and patience, but can bring you a lot of peace.

Snack Policy

Alcohol is full of sugar. So if you take the alcohol out of a drink, you're left with a certain amount of sugar. In order not to develop a candy, cookie or donut addiction during your break, we looked for a number of healthy yet sweet substitutes for you and you can read what you can do against an instant sugar craving.

1. Fresh does not match with sugar

As soon as you feel the urge to eat an entire bag of wine gums or loot the cookie jar, brush your teeth. A fresh mouth eats a lot less tasty. Chewing gum or other minty foods also work well.

2. Break your routine

We often eat out of boredom. Now that you -temporarily- stop drinking, you may have time to spare in the evening and you may have the urge to eat more. If you find yourself being sensitive to this, try breaking your routine. Eat your dinner at a different time. Take up sports or pay (more) attention to your hobby. So shake up your routine and reduce the chance of snacking.

3. drink something

No, no wine or beerJ. But something that quenches your thirst and keeps your craving for sweets under your thumb. For example, think of low sugar syrups, herbal tea or water with, for example, cucumber, ginger, avocado or orange slices.

4. Natural fruits

Too much sugar causes our sugar level to rise and then crash, so you tend to make up for this 'shortage' with even more sugar. If you're craving 'sugar' and 'sweet', opt for natural sugars. Fruit is a natural sweetener. Pair your fruit with something savory, such as a cracker, cottage cheese, or hummus, and you've got a healthy, filling snack.

5. No more sugar

If a sugar-free existence appeals to you, you could delete all refined sugars from your menu. The first three sugar-free days are characterized by headaches, cravings and fatigue, only to feel invincible afterwards! To get through these first days well, you need to eat a lot of complex carbohydrates: whole-wheat pasta and rice and lean proteins.