How it works: Dehydration or thirst often masks itself as hunger – particularly in the form of sugar cravings. By staying hydrated, you can therefore remove a potential driving factor behind your cravings. “You should aim to drink 6-8 glasses of (ideally sugar and caffeine-free) fluids a day,” Ludlam-Raine explains.

My experience: To put this intervention to the test, I make sure to have a glass of water by my side throughout the working day and make a mental note to take a few sips every time I look up from my laptop. By the end of the morning, I’ve gone through three glasses and I’m feeling great. In fact, I don’t have or crave any processed sugar at all, although there are some natural sugars in the almond butter I have on toast for breakfast.

After lunch, staying hydrated stops working so well. I have a chicken bagel to ensure I’m getting plenty of protein (which, Ludlam-Raine explains, is key for keeping blood sugar levels stable), but I end up reaching for some chocolate soon after. Perhaps that’s linked to the fact that bagels are made from highly refined flour (they’re a go-to breakfast for long-distance runners thanks to their easy sugar release). Equally, I always fancy something sweet after lunch, so I knew this time of the day would be hard – but on my good sugar craving days I often manage to have some fruit or nuts instead. Obviously, today is not that day. However, I continue drinking water throughout the afternoon and evening and find that I don’t get any more super strong cravings throughout the rest of the day.

“I tried 5 ways to curb sugar cravings and stabilise my energy levels – here’s what worked”