reduce sugar intake Archives

July 30, 2025 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Be Sugar Smart: A Simple Shift That Changes Everything

Go Sugar-Free for a Month. Come Back Smarter. It’s not about quitting forever, it’s about learning what your body needs, when it needs it.

You don’t need a crisis to start taking care of your health. Sometimes, all it takes is one small decision, like cutting down the sugar in your chai.

If you’re tired of the energy crashes, the unexplained weight gain, or feeling like you’re always chasing your next meal, chances are sugar has more to do with it than you think.

The GOQii Sugar Smart Challenge, running from 1st to 30th August, is built around one simple idea that small, consistent actions can help you reclaim control of your health without giving up everything you love. And it starts with awareness.

It’s important to know what being Sugar Smart means.

Truth be told, everyone is well aware how sugar has quietly crept into our daily routine, not just in the obvious sweets, but in flavoured yoghurts, breakfast cereals, packaged juices, energy bars, and yes, that chai you can’t live without. We don’t even register it anymore.

Being sugar smart isn’t only about cutting sugar out completely. It’s about learning:

Where it hides
How it affects your blood sugar and insulin
And what you can do instead, without feeling deprived

Especially if you’re managing diabetes, dealing with insulin resistance, or struggling with weight loss, these shifts matter.

Be Sugar Smart: Keep it Simple

To be sugar smart, just turn good intentions into daily actions, through simple tasks that take minutes a day and build real habits over time.

From August 1st to 30th, participate in the challenge and complete sugar-smart activities and also get rewarded

Here are the daily activities you can indulge in and derive benefits from them

Walk 6000+ Steps

- Lowers blood sugar by helping your body use glucose more effectively.
- Boosts insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of insulin resistance.
- Supports heart health and weight management with minimal effort.
- Easy to fit into your day: short walks after meals or during breaks add up.

Post-Meal Walks

- Walking after meals helps lower blood sugar by using glucose for energy before it spikes.
- A 20-minute walk after lunch or dinner is especially helpful for those with insulin resistance or prediabetes.
- Timing matters: Start your walk within 30 minutes of finishing your meal for best results.
- Leads to steadier energy levels and fewer post-meal crashes or cravings.

Eat an Early Breakfast before 9 am

- Helps kickstart your metabolism and supports steady energy throughout the day.
- A balanced breakfast stabilises blood sugar and curbs overeating later.
- Aim to eat within 30 minutes of waking to prevent energy dips and cravings.
- Choose whole grains, protein, and healthy fats over sugary or processed options.

Eat Healthy and log your food
- Food logging increases awareness of what, when, and how much you’re eating, especially sugar intake.
- Tracking meals at least three times a day helps you stay mindful of portion sizes and added sugars.
- Identifying eating patterns can highlight triggers for cravings or blood sugar spikes.
- This insight empowers better choices, making it easier to cut down on sugar and build healthier habits.

Watch and Learn
- Get expert insights by watching videos on managing diabetes, nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle habits.
- Learn at your pace with short, practical videos that fit easily into your day.
- Strengthen your knowledge about sugar control, insulin resistance, and healthy living.
- Stay motivated by watching real coaches share tips, strategies, and science-backed guidance.

Practice Mindfulness
- Just 10 minutes a day can reduce stress, improve sleep, and boost emotional resilience.
- Lower stress means lower cortisol, which helps stabilise blood sugar levels.
- Meditation supports overall health and can help prevent chronic conditions linked to stress.
- Simple practices like mindful breathing in a quiet space can make a noticeable difference.

No Sugar Habit
- Identify your sugar triggers, such as post-meal cravings, stress, or specific times of day.
- Swap sugary snacks with healthier alternatives like fruits, nuts, or yoghurt.
- Manage stress in healthier ways through exercise, meditation, or outdoor time.
- Cut back gradually to let your taste buds adjust and reduce cravings over time.

It takes 21 days to change a habit. With the Sugar Smart Challenge, over 30 days, you’ll build habits that stick, not because they’re forced, but because they fit into your life.

Why Sugar Smart Habits Matter

Here’s what the research tells us:

Over 101 million Indians live with diabetes.
Another 25 million are pre-diabetic.
NFHS-5 reports that 1 in 4 Indian adults is overweight or obese.

High sugar intake, even in “healthy” forms, plays a major role in rising insulin resistance, PCOS, weight gain, and fatigue. But the good news? It’s reversible.

You don’t need extreme diets. You don’t need to give up all your favourites. You just need to know when, how much, and why.

You don’t have to be perfect to feel better. You just need to start noticing. One less sugar-laden drink. One balanced plate. One decision is not to eat on autopilot. Over time, these small wins become your new normal.

Being Sugar Smart is your chance to put knowledge into action and be rewarded for it. Speak to your coach, join the challenge by visiting the Challenge Page on the GOQii app, track your progress, and learn how to live a life where sugar doesn’t control you.

Your body’s not broken. It just needs a little less sugar and a little more support.

Let’s get smart about it.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health. Images shown are for representation purposes only and may not depict the exact recommendations or outcomes.

February 3, 2023 By Poonam Goyal 1 Comment

Sugar Cravings and How to Curb Them

Do you grab a candy bar to cope with your afternoon slump and then reach for a cola to get out of your post-slump slump? Or have you realized that munching sugary snacks makes you crave for more?

Why Should We Reduce Sugar?

Sugar is called an empty calorie, which means it is a calorie without any nutrients.
Health professionals believe that it is one of the main reasons why it can be so hard to stick to a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight.
There is a belief that sugar restriction is only for diabetics but the facts are quite different. Excess sugar can lead to coronary heart disease, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, PCOS, low immunity, cancer, bone issues, etc.
Another effect of excessive sugar intake changes in microbial flora. This can lead to bloating, GI issues, heartburn, etc.

The World Health Organization has recently lowered the recommendation for sugar from 10% to no more than 5% of the total caloric intake. This translates to 4-5 teaspoons a day for a 2000 kcal diet.

You must wonder why we keep talking about excess sugar all the time. This is because sugar is addictive in nature. The more you have, the more you want. The taste of sugar releases endorphins that calm and relax us, offering a natural high.

Causes of sugar cravings

Habitual: Habit can be one of the major causes which are formed deep within our brains
Hard workout: Many people are likely to experience sugar cravings following a workout. As depleted glycogen stores are likely to crave sugar to replenish it.
Your diet is not right: The more you eat these simple sugary things, the more your brain will want them, which can continue the vicious cycle of sugar cravings.
Use of artificial sweetener: The use of these alternative sugars may save on calories but they trick the mind into thinking you ate something that was extremely sweet or far sweeter than sugar. For this reason, the brain will crave for food or beverages that are as sweet as what you had.
Poor sleep quality: The body needs a certain amount of REM and deep sleep as a way to replenish the mind and body. When you have inadequate amount of sleep, the body is susceptible to craving sweets the next day.
Stress: High levels of stress can also cause craving. As stress increases cortisol levels, serotonin, which is a calming and relaxing hormone, is released by sugar.
Meal skipping: Skipping meals can cause you to have sugar cravings due to reduced blood sugar levels.
Boredom: It’s another reason why we end up eating sugar or sugary products.
Sugar is hiding everywhere: Sugar is hiding in many foods you would never think of as sweet from bread to pasta.
Few deficiencies which can cause sugar cravings include:
1. Chromium deficiency can cause intense cravings for sugar.
2. If your body lacks Magnesium, you may have strong cravings for sugar products especially chocolates.
3. Zinc deficiency can result in low insulin levels which may lead to sugar cravings

How to stop sugar Cravings

Give in a little: Eat a bit of what you are craving for. Enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied.
Try to combine foods: When you crave for sweets, try combining it with a healthy option. For instance, strawberry dipped in chocolate sauce.
Grab some gum: If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely try a stick of gum.
Reach for a fruit: Keep fruit handy when a sugar craving hits! Fruits are rich in fibres and nutrients along with some awesome sweetness!
Choose quality over quantity: If you crave for sugar, pick a healthier option but keep it small. For instance, dark chocolate with 70% cocoa.
Eat regularly: Eating meals at regular intervals keeps your blood sugar level stable and help in avoiding irrational eating behavior.
Skip artificial sweeteners: as they tend to increase your cravings
Get support: Stress, depression or anger turns people to eating sweet foods. But food doesn’t solve emotional issues.
Drink a glass of water: Some people say that dehydration can cause sugar cravings
Eat more protein: as proteins increase your satiety level.
Sleep well: It is important for overall health and may help prevent cravings.
Get up and go: When you feel sugar cravings, get up and go for a walk. You can also phone a friend or take a bath to relax.
Avoid certain triggers like places or activities that induce sugar cravings.
Eat more fibers: They help to slow the absorption of the food you eat and also help to curb sugar cravings
Keep and maintain a list of reasons why you want to eat healthy as its hard to remember when you get the cravings.

Few food options to opt for when you get sugar cravings

Fruits: contain sugar along with lots of healthy nutrients
Berries: taste sweet but are high in fibre and low in sugar
Dark Chocolate: swap regular chocolate with dark chocolate
Snack Bars: are made of whole foods and can make a healthy sweet treat
Chia Seeds: are high in soluble fibre so you feel fuller for longer
Cinnamon: because of its sweet taste and it is healthy
Yoghurt: is high in protein and can control appetite and craving
Dates: are very sweet and can fix your cravings
Sweet Potatoes: sweet in taste and give a feeling of fullness
Smoothies: are another healthy nutrient rich option
Prunes: are sweet in taste and good for the stomach
Trail Mix: has the sweetness of dry fruits and nuts with all their benefits

Do Sugar Detox Diets Work?

Sugar Detox Plans urge you to avoid all sweets. That means all fruits, dairy and refined grains. The idea is to purge your system of sugar. Diet changes like this are too drastic to keep up and you will fall back to your old habits. If you make simple changes to your diet, it is easy to keep them up.

Sugar cravings can be a challenging part of your everyday life. When they set in, they can take over your mind in a hurry. Make these small changes which can go a long way and hopefully, they will help you win the battle against your cravings.

We hope this article helps you reduce sugar cravings and make a positive lifestyle change. If this helped, let us know in the comments below. For more on nutrition, click here. If you need help to curb sugar cravings, speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.