4 ways to fight your sugar addiction

1. Sub whole fruit for sweets

Fruit contains fructose, which is metabolized differently than gummi bears — and it's still a satisfying treat. But be careful to restrict your intake to a few servings a day. Eating too much has been linked to increased belly fat, which increases your chance of type 2 diabetes. Also, go easy on grapes or cherries, which have high sugar content, says Bartolotto. Some patients can't stop popping them, she says.

2. Ditch artificial sweeteners

Although diet soda or sugar-free gum has been known to help many dieters get through a rough patch, Bartolotto advises cutting out aspartame, sucralose, saccharine — even stevia — since large amounts can make you desire sweet food. "It actually changes your palate, so you need more and more to feel satisfied," she says. Perhaps that's why this Purdue study found a link between increased consumption of the fake stuff and weight gain.

3. Clean house

That means getting rid of any sugary temptations at home and work (including that old Halloween candy). "We can't control all the environments we're in, but we want to control the ones we can," explains Adam Gilbert, a weight loss coach who founded the program My Body Tutor. "We don't get bonus points for using hero-like willpower."

4. Create a backup plan

If sugar cravings feel uncontrollable, think proactively about what kind of distraction will help you overcome them. "Eat a piece of fruit. Go for a walk. Listen to some music. Call or text a friend. Read a fun article," offers Gilbert. "Knowing what we're going to do ahead of time is what makes all the difference."

5. Manage your magnesium levels

Craving chocolate in particular? Research shows this reaction may be particularly common among people deficient in the mineral magnesium (ask your doctor to check your levels). Head off cravings by eating plenty of magnesium-rich dark leafy greens, tofu, legumes and nuts. (Check out this list.)

You know what ultimately helped me? Actually eating the chocolate I was craving. Yep, I resorted to one of the oldest dieting tricks out there: Indulging in a square of super dark chocolate. By the third day, the cravings had stopped, and I enjoyed the food on my program — including a decadent fresh peach — rather than wishing for a processed sugar bomb. I also had more energy and didn't struggle as much through my yoga class. As for my next cheat day... I resolved that it would be sugar-free.

I feel like some chocolate