You know you are addicted to something when you have an uncontrollable urge to consume it.

Our bodies need sugar for energy.

In fact on a busy day where you even forget to eat, when you start to feel faint and tired, grabbing a quick soda can boost your energy levels and revive you almost immediately.

Craving sugar may not be a bad thing all the time.

However, if you start to feel like it is more of an addiction than a need for a quick energy boost then there is a need for checks and balances.

Why is too much sugar bad?

Sugar has been linked to many health complications like obesity, tooth decay, diabetes, and heart disease.

Artificial sugars like those added in soft drinks like soda have high levels of fructose.

Fructose increases your desire for sugar and yet it does not curb your hunger.

When you look at most of the foods that have high sugar content, they do not have much nutritive value.

That means you are eating stuff that is not helping your body in any way other than making you fat, and you are eating lots of it.

All the extra food you eat will go into storage hence the weight gain.

Eating too much sugar leads to fat deposits around your heart which clogs your arteries leading to heart complications.

When you consume too many drinks with added sugar, you increase your recommended daily intake of sugar and whatever the body does not use it converts into fat and stores it.

Some of that fat is deposited around your heart and when your blood vessels narrow it puts a strain on your heart which may give way causing you to have a heart attack.

It increases your risk of diabetes

Consumption of higher than required levels of sugar makes the body resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar.

When blood sugar levels are not regulated then a person is at a high risk of getting diabetes.

When you eat sugar, the bacteria in your mouth want in on the fun too and as they feed on the sugar, they erode your enamel which causes your teeth to decay.

How can one know that they are addicted to sugar?

When you can’t control yourself around sugary foods, you eat them to the point where you feel sick, then you might have an addiction.

If you crave sugar even when you are not hungry, then you need to check yourself.

Do you eat stuff without much thought to it, you don’t quite enjoy it but you are helpless to stop yourself?

That is a warning bell for addiction.

Manufacturers of foods with added sugars are deliberate in making them addictive so that you can keep buying more and more, so do not feel too bad if you cannot stop yourself.

However, you can also make deliberate efforts to make sure you don’t fall prey to their clever schemes.

Here’s how you can beat the system.

1. Plan your meals in advance

If you know what you are going to eat all day or all week then you should go ahead and shop for healthy stuff and prepare a menu in advance.

It takes away the element of surprise that makes you look at unhealthy options when you can’t decide what to eat.

This way you can always be deliberate about choosing healthy nutritious foods as opposed to the empty calories from the sugary stuff.

2. Edit your pantry

Since we are making deliberate choices how about getting rid of all that unhealthy stuff in your pantry?

If it is not easily accessible, you will not crave it because of all the trouble you will have to go through to get it.

That means you will revert to healthy choices instead.

Even when doing your shopping, make deliberate choices and this way you will kick sugar addiction to the curb.

3. Add flavor to your food

When many people think about healthy food they think of bland boring food.

However, there are lots of herbs and spices that you can use on your food to make it more exciting and that way you will not crave the unhealthy stuff.

4. Look out for hidden sugars

Sugars are not always obvious like on glazed donuts or a bottle of your favorite fizzy drinks.

Sugar can be found in sauces, canned foods, and even some condiments.

There are lots of other foods too that are packed with bad sugars labeled as something else.

Here are a few ingredients to look out for, molasses, rice syrup, crystallized fructose, beet sugar, fruit juice concentrate, and barley malt.

All that is added sugar going by an alias and should be consumed in moderation.

5. Stay hydrated

Sometimes, we are not even hungry but just thirsty.

Many times when the body is craving for water, it can be confused for a sugar craving.

Making sure that you drink enough water is a sure way of keeping your addiction at bay.

Add some fruit to your water or some slices of lemon and a little stevia to satisfy your mouth’s need for a sweet taste.

6. Meditate to avoid stress

Stress has been linked to increased sugar cravings.

When you meditate, it reduces your stress levels and meditation can also help to ward off the withdrawal symptoms of cutting sugar out of your diet.

It increases your will power and helps you focus on other things.

7. Eat more protein

Include high protein foods and foods rich in fibers in your diet.

These foods keep you feeling full for a lot longer and help keep the cravings at bay.

Stock up on eggs, beef, chicken and healthy fats from nuts and avocados.

Go for fruits instead of fruit juices.

8. Have a positive mindset

All the information about addiction out there can make you feel like a failure before you even start.

Because they talk about how it is hard to beat, how the withdrawal symptoms can take you to the edge of insanity and all other sorts of things.

However, it is important that before you embark on this journey you harness the power of your mind.

Believe you can do it and you will.

Let all the other nonsense be secondary to your desire to beat this.

Even when you cave in, do not lose focus or give up but instead, think of all the benefits you are going to gain when you succeed.

Weight loss, more energy, reduced risk of health complications, longer life.

The rewards are immense.

Trying to beat an addiction is not easy.

Pace yourself and do not try to set unrealistic goals for yourself.

While there are a few people who can just wake up one morning and decide to quit, the vast majority struggle and if you fall into this category, you don’t have to feel discouraged.

Rome was not built in a day and with consistency and the right mindset, you can be able to conquer anything you set your mind to.

Most people’s New Year resolutions include joining the gym and kicking out that extra weight.

However, the struggle can be painful and time-consuming that some people even decide to quit altogether.

Losing weight is not just about a solid exercise regimen, healthy eating, or taking nutritional supplements.

In fact, there’s no shortcut to cutting that extra pound.

Thankfully, there’s a new-kid-on-the-block that has powerful medical properties to help out with your weight-loss plan – essential oils!

All over the world essential oils are popularly known for their healing and therapeutic properties.

They can be extracted from seeds, roots, bark, leaves, flowers, or even fruits.

So whether you want to fight those constant cravings, fatigue, low moods, or sluggish metabolism, essential oils should be your go-to option.

To help you out, here are the 5 best essential oils for weight loss and rejuvenation.

Let’s get started!

1. Peppermint oil

For centuries now, peppermint oil has been known to be a popular remedy for indigestion, especially when mixed with caraway oil.

This combination is good for relaxing stomach muscles and decreasing bloating.

In addition, the cooling medicinal compound (menthol) in peppermint oil can influence your neurosensory perceptions, hence changing how you taste and smell food.

This prevents food cravings, especially for sugary foods, hence helping you curb overeating. 

You can use peppermint oil via the following ways:

• Drinking – Just add one or two drops to your regular glass of water.

Make sure you do this before meals as it acts as an appetite suppressant.

• Inhaling – You can directly inhale peppermint oil by taking a deep whiff from a peppermint oil cotton-Soaked ball or directly from the bottle.

You can also do this right before eating to prevent overeating.

• Diffuse – You can add a few drops to your diffuser.

This will help you get energized and motivated for your routine workout.

2. Grapefruit oil

Consuming grapefruit essential oil is the surest way of activating your body enzymes responsible for breaking down the brown body fat.

In fact, eating grapefruits is well known to help with weight loss.

That aside, grapefruit essential oil is extracted from grapefruit peel, which is rich in compounds such as D-limonene.

This compound promotes weight loss as well as being useful in the treatment of other ailments such as cancer and bronchitis.

When small amounts of this oil are applied to the skin, it becomes an excellent lymphatic and diuretic stimulant.

This is the main reason why you’ll find it included in most cellulite creams and blends.

A mixture with patchouli oil is also good for lowering cravings and hunger.

Here’s how to use grapefruit oil:

• Massage it onto your chest, temples, or wrists in case cravings strike

• Drinking – Add one or two drops to your drinking water and drink it every morning on an empty stomach.

This routine can increase fat-loss, improve metabolism, and detoxify the body.

• Inhaling – As soon as you have a sudden craving, just inhale this oil either from a cotton ball or directly from the bottle. 

• Diffuse – Add a few drops to your diffuser to curb cravings.

You want to refrain from that late-night snacking, right?

Well, there you go!

3. Lemon oil

One thing that all the essential oils in this list have in common is reducing hunger and cravings.

To begin with, lemon oil has the D-limonene compound just like grapefruit oil.

This compound is popular for its fat burning properties.

When it comes to its mood-boosting properties, this essential oil will not only make you feel happier but also increase your overall energy levels.

Its common sense that if you’re happy, you’ll definitely move more, thus shedding off a few pounds much faster.

It doesn’t stop there.

This essential oil also has excellent pain-relieving properties when used for massage.

It can also greatly reduce cellulite appearance.

Use it with either grapefruit or peppermint oil for the best results.

Here’s how you can use lemon essential oil:

• Drinking – Mix one or two drops with a glass of water and drink it in the morning to help with detoxification and digestion.

• Massage – Blend it with moringa oil or coconut oil and massage it on spots with cellulite build-up. 

• Inhaling – You can inhale it from a cotton ball or directly from the bottle to curb food cravings.

4. Cinnamon oil

This is arguably the best essential oil you can get out there to support your weight-loss journey.

With that being said, cinnamon oil will help you balance blood sugar levels and curb cravings.

When you have unstable blood sugar levels, you might become prone to overeating, and the end result is none other than increased weight.

Another thing with unstable blood sugar levels is low energy, hence you can’t exercise properly.

All said and done, using cinnamon oil will help you reverse these issues and, as an added bonus, it reduces the risk of contracting heart disease and inflammation.

This is because it can also act as a cardio-protective agent.

You can use cinnamon essential oil in different ways, including:

• Drinking – Add one or two drops to a cup of tea with raw honey.

Do this before meals or when you get those annoying late-night cravings.

• Inhaling – You can sniff it directly from the bottle or use a cotton ball before meals to prevent overeating and boost your overall mood.

• Diffuse – Add a few drops to your diffuser to curb cravings.

You might also end up liking how your house smells.

• Massaging – Mix a few drops with a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba oil and massage it on your chest and wrists.

5. Ginger oil

Ginger essential oil has many benefits apart from just helping you lose weight.

It can help reduce inflammation as well as support digestion and absorption of vital nutrients.

It does this effectively thanks to the compound called gingerols.

In short, ginger oil will help you lose weight by helping your body absorb all the nutrients needed to boost your overall energy levels.

It’s also an effective suppressant of cortisol hormone which can interfere with your body’s metabolism.

So if you’re struggling with belly fat, the ginger essential oil is your solution.

Here’s how to use ginger essential oil:

• Drinking – Add one or two drops to warm water glass.

Add in some fresh lemon juice as well as raw honey.

• Inhaling – You can directly inhale its spicy aroma from the bottle.

Final words

Drawing a proper weight-loss plan is very important for you to get back in shape.

You have to eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and as we’ve discussed, use some of these essential oils.

However, your doctor should have the last say on the kind of essential oil to use, since your body might react differently to some of them.

Let’s face it – thigh fat can be one of the most troublesome areas on our body to get rid of (not to mention one of the most embarrassing, too).

Thankfully, if you’re wondering how to quickly lose fat from your thighs, you should know that there are ways to eliminate it quickly and safely.

It just takes a little bit of work and some willpower on your end to make it happen!

So, what’s the best way to lose thigh fat?

Here is a few ways on how to quickly lose fat from your thighs and get them back into the shape you’ve always wanted them to be in!

So, how to quickly lose fat from your thighs?

You have to control what you eat and avoid eating fast food and deep fried food.

This is important because you don’t want to give your body more fat that will build up in your body.

Instead of eating fast food and junk food, you should eat green leafy vegetables and unprocessed food.

Exercises that require your feet to move often

The best way to start burning fat in your thigh is by doing exercise that requires your feet to move often.

Exercise like walking and running is very effective in burning fat.

So, I suggest that you run 30 minutes a day or walk 45 minutes a day to start burning some fat.

Squats

If you can, go to the gym and do some squats.

Squats is the ultimate workout to train your thigh.

Be careful not to make the weight too heavy to prevent yourself from getting injured and ask your trainer to keep an eye on you in case you require some help.

Get Those Legs Pumping Now

Many people believe that in order to eliminate fat from specific parts of your body, you need to perform isolated exercises on just that body part alone.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t equate to eliminating the fat from that specific area, leaving many people confused and disappointed.

Instead, here’s what you need to do to get fat off of your thighs – cardio.

And, not just any cardio, but high-intensity cardio exercise.

Why cardio?

Cardio burns calories, which helps you lose body fat overall, thus helping reduce the fat on your thighs.

Only after you lose enough fat should you start isolated training to help tone up any specific muscle group.

You Need to Eat Right, Too

Exercise is only half the battle.

If you’re not willing to eat clean and healthy, you might as well just quit while you’re ahead.

Exercise without a diet nearly defeats the purpose, especially if you’re trying to trim that fat on your thighs.

What can you do instead?

Stick to a clean, healthy diet.

Spread out your eating times, so you’re always eating, but just in smaller doses (thus reducing in-between hunger meals).

Skip the sugary drinks (such as soda) and opt for water instead.

You’ll be stunned when you see how much of a difference this makes AND how fast that thigh fat will melt away from your bones!

Do you want to try a popular diet like the Atkins?

Well, my view is that you don’t need to follow any strict dieting plan that involves cutting out one thing or another.

All you need to focus on is your calorie intake.

You see, the only reason a lot of these diets such as the Atkins tell you to banish carbohydrates from your diet is because of their high energy and calorie levels.

On the other hand, the Atkins diet has a point by saying that carbohydrates can and will make you fat if they’re overly consumed.

However, this is no reason to remove them from your diet altogether.

In fact, if you do get rid of them entirely you’re really not going to like the results.

Carbohydrates

Since carbohydrates are a key energy source.

By removing them from your diet you’re inevitably going to be feeling ill and tired.

This is why it’s much better to keep eating them but in moderation.

Calories

So, why do I think counting calories is the best way to help lose fat thighs and chubby bellies?

Well, every person has a required amount of calories they need to consume each day.

As an example, the average woman needs around 2,000 calories to be at “maintenance level”.

The reason so many people get overweight is that they consume more energy than they need.

So let’s say this woman eats 2,250 calories per day when she only needs 2,000.

Naturally, this is over her maintenance level, meaning that there is leftover energy that won’t be used by her body.

So what happens to this energy?

You got it; it becomes fat.

This is what I believe is so important and really simplifies the whole idea of weight loss.

Let’s now say that this woman eats just 1,500 calories per day for a few weeks.

Naturally, because the body isn’t getting all the energy it needs from food, it will then go into the stores of energy and essentially burn that excess fat.

This means that you can easily begin losing thigh fat without the need to even think about some fancy diet.

On the downside, there is a lot of hassle in counting your calories of everything you eat, but it can be really easy to make the change.

One idea is simply to reduce the size of your portions at mealtimes.

You see, although some people do eat quite healthily and never snack, they can still end up overweight due to the size of their meals equating to energy levels that are way more than necessary.

However, if you have the motivation to burn that fat, the process of checking your meal’s calorie content is hardly a huge time constraint and should become second nature.

With this low-calorie mindset, it should only be a few weeks before you can actually see some visible differences in your size, so take control of your portion sizes today and enjoy the fastest route to weight loss.

By keeping your calories on close watch, you can make sure that you’re consuming less than your body needs and consequently bringing about a much faster fat burn.

So if you’re looking for the most effective way to start losing fat thighs and getting rid of that belly, buy fresh clean ingredients and watch those portions and you’ll be shedding that weight in no time

Encountering a plateau in weight loss is disheartening to anyone on a fitness journey.

In the beginning, people see fast changes and are excited about the momentum.

However, quickly progress slows, stops, and leaves people feeling disappointed and unmotivated.

Thankfully, there are tools and steps you can take to break through a plateau and continue your journey to a healthier life.

1. Consider the plateau a new beginning

Remember the beginning of your weight loss journey?

It started by assessing your current physique and diet, which helped you set your primary goals based on your weight loss desires.

You saw a lot of success in the beginning and your body quickly lost the weight.

Now that time has passed, your body has changed.

The dietary needs of your new, smaller body are different from the ones you started with.

Your body needs less energy to function.

Think of it like this – one simple way to measure weight loss is by looking at clothing sizes.

Your jeans from last year are too loose and don’t fit anymore.

Therefore, you wear smaller jeans that fit your smaller body.

The same idea applies to the calories you consume.

Not sure where to start?

Find out the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) of your current weight.

This will give an accurate picture of the energy needs you need to begin losing weight steadily again.

2. Be honest with food tracking

There’s no specific diet that is best for everyone.

All reduction diets are based on one principle – burning more calories than you consume.

Your diet should be chosen based on your needs and preferences.

They all work if you maintain a calorie deficit and are honest about tracking.

It’s easy to disregard the small things – the few nuts taken from your co worker’s desk, the teriyaki chicken sample at the mall, the sweet hazelnut creamer in your coffee, and even that 15-calorie breath mint.

Independently, these aren’t a lot of calories.

However, over the course of the day or week, tiny calories add up to a significant amount.

Try to measure everything that goes into your mouth.

Also, make sure your portion sizes are accurate, especially with calorie-dense foods.

One tablespoon of olive oil is 120 calories.

Olive oil is a great source of healthy fats, but the calories can add up quickly if you disregard accurate measurements.

Consider buying a food scale for the best accuracy.

Leveling off your measuring utensils works great too.

3. Learn about stress and how to manage it

Stress affects body weight more than most consider.

It triggers the release of large amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which is known to increase the appetite for highly-palatable junk foods.

Knowing this information before entering stressful times can prevent weight gain later on.

Some symptoms of stress include sleeping problems, low energy, irritability, aches, and pains.

Stress can be brought on by a variety of factors – problems at work, problems in your relationship, and major life changes.

It’s normal for people to encounter stress every once in a while, but the reaction to stress is the most important part of managing it.

Make sure you get enough sleep and exercise in a way that makes you feel good.

If stress problems persist, consider talking to a professional about receiving medication or counseling.

4. Use more than a scale to track your progress

Fat loss isn’t the only element that affects the number on the scale.

People who weigh frequently complain of daily shifts in weight – most of which can be attributed to water retention, food mass within the body, and clothing worn during the weigh-in.

Many people use to measure themselves using a tape measure to combat this problem.

Fluctuations in inches are less frequent than fluctuations in pounds.

However, it’s still important to measure yourself in the same conditions every time.

Most consider it best to measure themselves without clothing when they wake up in the morning.

Others take progress pictures.

Taking daily or weekly photos gives a visual on your progress without stressing numbers.

Also, it’s a great way to monitor weight changes in places we don’t think about – like the face or back.

If you can’t ditch the scale, try weighing less frequently and watching for trends.

Consider weighing yourself weekly or even monthly.

If you stick to your weight-loss plan, the reward during a weekly or monthly weigh-in is much greater than stressing about minuscule movements.

5. Try strength training

Muscle is much denser than fat.

It takes up less space but weighs more.

If you’ve been consistently strength training, the built muscle may be causing the scale to stay still.

This isn’t a bad thing though – through strength training, people can lose fat while gaining muscle in a process called body re-composition.

In order to ensure muscle growth and fat loss, we recommend eating a moderate number of calories while prioritizing protein.

The U.S. government recommends an intake of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to maintain muscle per day.

If you are cutting calories for fat loss, increase your protein intake.

Finally, devise your workouts with an emphasis on strength training for muscle growth and moderate amounts of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for fat loss.

Beyond fat loss, strength training offers a plethora of other benefits.

Strength training increases metabolism – the body is constantly trying to repair muscle fibers, a process that creates muscle growth.

Also, strength training helps maintain bone health and minimizes stress fractures.

Weight-bearing exercises also counteract aging factors by increasing mobility and helping manage chronic pain.

No matter the place in your weight loss journey, a plateau can be discouraging.

Ultimately, the success you earn is determined by the work and willingness you have to try something new.

Getting out of your comfort zone isn’t easy, but the rewards that come with time are well worth the sacrifice.

You were able to start the process and get this far – we know you can achieve your fitness goals with the right information.