Food Cravings: How Not to Give In

Are cravings sabotaging your weight-loss success? Strong desires for specific foods are one of the things that threaten the achievement of long-term weight loss. For some people, it may be helpful to identify food cravings in order to control them.

Tips to beat food cravings

Eat small and frequent meals to prevent spikes in hunger.

Following a consistent eating pattern with emphasis on protein will keep you feeling full, making it easier to beat those late night cravings.

Consume plenty of fiber.

Fiber containing foods create bulk and leave you feeling satiated for a long period of time. Choose high fiber snacks with protein to get the most bang for your calorie buck.

Check out these tips on how to get more fiber in your diet.

Don’t keep trigger foods in the house.

Out of sight, out of mind! Give your kitchen a makeover and only keep healthy snacks around. In the event a food craving comes along, there will only be healthy options to choose from.

Keep yourself busy.

A change in routine can help to ward off cravings. Switch it up! Ditch the TV remote and try something new and meaningful. Join a book club, sign up for yoga classes, catch up on emails, start a blog or do a home workout video to keep occupied and focused on things other than food.

If possible, use the DVR on your television.

Pre-record your favorite shows so that you can fast forward through commercials and avoid on-screen food temptations.

Create non-food rewards for eating healthy.

Rather than treating yourself to a bowl of your favorite ice cream, indulge in a mani-pedi, massage, or new workout top on days where you worked hard and deserve a little treat. Other less expensive options include a free fitness class, walk around the neighborhood, or bubble bath.

When in doubt, give in to a healthy snack.

While many food cravings result from environmental stimuli, some might be derived from true hunger. Part of living a healthy lifestyle is being able to listen to your body. If your body is telling you that it’s hungry and needs fuel, don’t ignore it.

Make sure to choose a high protein snack to prevent additional cravings and always drink plenty of water to prevent from overindulging late night.

How do you control your cravings?

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