Don't let your sweet tooth think for your whole body

Were your Christmas holidays filled with the usual array of delectable goodies?

Did your New Year's Eve celebration include homemade caramels? Did January bring hot fudge brownies in celebration of a friend's birthday?

Of course, we all know February, Valentine's Day, and chocolates are synonymous.

Let's face it, the whole year will be filled with sweets. We all have tried different tactics to curb our craving for sweets. Here are a few suggestions that hopefully will work for you.

1. Stop yourself from mindlessly putting sweets in your mouth by writing down every bite of sweets you take. If you eat it, you own it.

2. Discard those sweet temptations. Don't buy your favorite cookies or ice creams saying that your family members will enjoy them. You know who will be eating your favorites first.

3. Use fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth. Prepare the fruit for eating. If the fruit isn't ready to go, you probably will grab a cookie or piece of candy instead.

4. Avoid the kitchen, where the ice cream and other sweet treats reside.

5. Keep your hands busy. Start a new hobby or project. Try reading a new book to keep your mind off food.

6. Try a dessert-flavored sugar-free gum. How about strawberry shortcake, apple pie or key lime pie? Chewing gum will give that little bit of sweet that finishes off a meal, without the extra calories.

7. Drink water with lemons or other fruit in it, iced tea, or low-calorie beverages between meals. Often, we are thirsty rather than hungry.

8. Make a plan for how often you will have a sweet treat. Once or twice a week is reasonable, but some people find they do better if they don't have any sweets at all.

9. Finally, be positive about your progress and your control over eating sweets.

Jan Hadley is a registered dietitian at Sutter Gould Medical Foundation.