7 Ways to Curb Your Cravings

by | Mar 24, 2017 | Exercise, General Health, Healthy Eating, Helps, Lifestyle

Seven is such a good number!  It seems to be my ‘number’ because I use it a lot!  Today I have seven suggestions for curbing your cravings.  But first, let’s clarify what we are talking about and WHY we need to ‘curb’ them!

You hear a lot about cravings and what causes them, some information is research based and some is based on good old ‘wives’ tales’.  Sometimes we have a craving, or strong desire for, a certain food or taste.  Some research suggests that these can be caused by something lacking in your system, that you aren’t getting from your normal diet. These are specific and few, and you can use good old Google or WebMd to find more information about your specific and persistent craving. On the other hand, most cravings are emotionally based and these are more of a concern and sometimes harder to pin down and change. It takes a mixture of willpower and environment.  If what you crave is not good for you (which is the case most of the time), then don’t put it in your grocery cart or on your plate.  If it isn’t available then your will doesn’t have to work so hard to refrain from it.

Now the Why.  Why do we need to control our cravings?  As I mentioned, most of us only struggle with or recognize ‘negative’ or unhealthy choices as cravings.  If you are thinking all morning about having that apple in your lunch bag, you don’t typically view it as or call it a craving, do you? Me neither.

Most of us worry about our cravings. When I talk with new clients about goals, 9 out of 10 list cravings as a concern and something they want to overcome.  My view is, that unless you binge constantly on whatever you are craving, it may not be the enemy that you think it is.  However, the process of addressing the food(s) that you categorize as cravings and gaining control over when, how, and how much of them you eat is a very empowering process and one of the first victories many of my clients achieve.  This paves that way for continued success and the ability to identify and celebrate these (often overlooked) victories that motivate us to keep pushing forward.

Here are seven suggestions of activities you can implement when you are experiencing a craving:

  1. Chew gum-give your mouth something to do and taste; sugar free if you are ok with that, low sugar if your aren’t. It doesn’t amount to much sugar either way.
  2. Brush your teeth-Cleanse your palate, and the craving may disappear, or if you are like me, I hate to eat and make them dirty again right away, so I do #3 instead-
  3. Drink water-remember, you need to drink ½ your weight in ounces anyway, so drink 8 oz. and wait at least 10 min. to decide if you really are (or should be) hungry. Also remember, you should eat every 4 hours or so; 3 meals, 2 snacks per day.
  4. Take a walk/exercise-give your body and mind something else to do and think about. Besides, it is

    A walk outside is a great Craving Crusher!

    proven that your body releases hormones when you are active, and these impact your mood and motivation as well as build a stronger body with more muscle than fat, which is a great thing!

  5. Substitute-I like when my clients track their food for a week or two and we can see the trends in their eating and identify cravings, including some they weren’t aware of. Then, we can talk about possible healthy substitutions.  For example, fruit instead of cookies, Quinoa instead of potatoes or rice, dark chocolate for milk chocolate.
  6. Call a friend-Whether your friend is part of your support system and knows about your health goals or is completely unaware. Calling and talking with someone you care about –even to just catch up-will provide you with something else to do and think about, and surprisingly, all those smiles you will experience-they cause the same hormonal reaction as exercise! How awesome is that!
  7. Get busy-If all else fails, tackle that TO DO list! Just pick some other activity and get busy.  For me, the trick is to find something to do for SOMEONE ELSE-then it doesn’t feel like a burden. It feels GOOD-which of course, motivates me to move in the right direction even more!  If I don’t take care of myself, I am not much good to anyone else!

    Spaghetti Squash is a great substitute for regular pasta-top with marinara, or your own, homemade toppings, like sauted veggies!

 

Thanks for hanging out with me for a few minutes and letting me share some tricks that have worked for me and many clients when trying to tackle those annoying cravings!

Take care, and Be well-YourBff