Cooler weather is a trigger. At least, for my sweet tooth. Sure, it exists year-round, but something about the fall and winter seasons makes me yearn for decadent baked goods. Is it just that sweets are more prevalent? Spring and summer offer delicious naturally sweet fruits, maybe it ‘s the pies and candies that come with certain winter holidays that are to blame. We can always blame advertisers: Some of you may have seem my tweet about Candy Corn Oreos last week. Is this really necessary? *I must admit I’m biased, as I don’t even like candy corn. Whatever the case may be, I have found a few ways to keep my sweet tooth at bay. Even when I have a kitchen full of these Maple-Bacon Pancake Cookies:

1. Walk it out

When I was baking all those treats I found myself unable to stop “taste testing,” so I took a 10 min walk. Unbelievably, it worked!

2. Freshen your breath

Get the taste out of your mouth – have a mint, gum, or just go brush your teeth. You won’t want to mar the minty freshness with more food.

3. Drink water

Are you really hungry, or just have the munchies? Chug a glass of water and see! The body can’t distinguish between thirst and hunger, and ad after a 16 oz glass of water, you’ll probably feel too full to eat that break room cookie.

4. Try an alternative

If you really are hungry and your body wants something sweet, try a piece of fruit or a “treat” sweetened with a natural sugar-alternative like stevia or xylitol. I like to keep my Granola Cookies (ahem… only 74 cals and 3g sugar) or Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (100 cals and 2g sugar) on hand in the freezer for a dessert-emergency.

5. Stop and think

The first bite of that treat is going to taste the exact same as the last bite. So… do you really need more than one bite? By: Growing Guru Laura Hall of Sprint 2 the Table