Fighting Food Cravings When You’re Trying To Be Good
While we all deserve – and should have – a little indulgence once in a while, we can all accept that if we ate what we wanted at all times, it wouldn’t work out well for us. Therefore, from time to time it’s important to strengthen our resolve and ensure that we do the right things for our health, which can mean facing down food cravings even when we really want to give in.
There are any number of mantras we can keep repeating to ourselves in order to step away from poor dietary decisions. These include reminding ourselves that takeout is an unnecessary financial outlay, that we’ll regret the indulgence tomorrow, or that there’s plenty of tasty, nourishing food in the house which we should eat instead. Sometimes, however, in the face of cravings, logic is about as strong a weapon as a bucket of water against an inferno. Sometimes, you need to bring in the heavier artillery, so below we go into a few ideas for practical things you can do to keep the cravings in the background where they belong.
Drink more water, eat more protein
You’re more likely to get cravings when you’re already hungry, and a lot more likely to give in to them, because it seems so reasonable. If you’re going to eat, you might as well make it something you’ll enjoy, right? What you may find, though, is that a regimen of drinking water regularly really helps dampen cravings. Often, we feel thirsty but mistake it for hunger, so staying hydrated can really help. In addition, keep your diet filled with protein; you’ll be amazed by how long you can keep hunger at bay if you have oily fish, eggs and tofu in your diet.
Keep chewing
It’s worth knowing that people who have something to chew – but not eat – just after lunch will go on to feel fewer cravings in the afternoon, and will be able to stay away from snacks until it’s time for dinner. If you have a couple of pieces of Bazooka Joe or similar ready to go for those periods between meals, then you can really reduce your caloric intake and keep to a well-regulated diet. Sometimes, we simply want to eat for the taste of it and if you replace food with gum, the benefits for your diet will be unmistakable.
Focus on your sleep
Taking a holistic approach to your well-being is always advisable; the simple truth is that if you’re not getting what you need in one area of your wellness routine, you’ll see problems elsewhere. This is particularly true of sleep: one night of sleep deprivation can send your appetite off the scale, and can also increase the levels of stress hormones in your body. Feeling stressed is a trigger for cravings and poor impulse control, so do what you can to ensure a good night’s sleep each night.
It’s fine to treat yourself every once in a while, but if it becomes too frequent they stop being treats and start being bad habits. By following the above advice, you can ensure you stick to a healthy diet.
