Food cravings. We have all been there. The unbeatable urge and desire to gobble up that sweet treat, that juicy burger, that forbidden fruit and so on. Food Cravings is not a new phenomenon by any means, countless people experience food cravings at some point of time in their daily lives. The good news is that food cravings are by no means an incurable disease, many individuals have stopped this craving of theirs and lived to tell the tale. Here we have compiled a few tips and tricks on how to effectively stop those food cravings of yours and prevent yourself from ever taking that route again.
- Eat Healthily.
They say Prevention is better than cure and the best way to manage cravings is to effectively prevent them from happening before they even begin. Many nutritionists’ and fitness gurus hold the view that having the correct healthy nutrition is the best and most effective way to control food cravings. If you aren’t eating healthy and instead of filling up your body with foods high in sugar, glucose and refined starch, they can have a reverse effect on your blood-sugar levels and cause you to have an even more intense craving. Fibre and protein-rich foods are the way to go to prevent such cravings, as they slow down the metabolism process and also in the process keep your tummy full for a longer period of time.
- Beat Down Stress.
The human body benefits very little when it is under stress. When you are under stress or under pressure your body tries everything in its power to beat down stress, it does so by releasing a hormone called cortisol, cortisol is a hormone which directs the brain to search for rewards in order to make us feel good and to block out the stress. Most of us associate rewards with food, so while under stress we naturally gravitate towards food to reward ourselves and thus further aggravating our cravings. Thus having a stress free approach to life is much needed, but stress is stress and it will always stick with us no matter what, so when stress strikes us, using other forms of reward is crucial. One can use soothing music, a cup of green tea or tea, a short period of meditation etc. can go a long way in beating stress.
- Keep Calm and Drink Water.
Many people confuse thirst with hunger. It is a well-known fact that 60% of the human body is water. Our bodies use water for almost all of the vital body functions, which include digestion, respiration, sweating etc. As such it is of great importance to hydrate one’s body so that the body is functioning effectively and efficiently. It is widely suggested to drink at least 2 litres of water in a day, however, depending on your lifestyle and needs, you can make dynamic adjustments to it. To add to the benefits water is easy to get hold of and has no calories. One easy tip to decrease your intake of calories is by drinking a glass or two of water before having your snacks, lunch or dinner as water has a filling effect and will make you feel fuller. Infusing your glass of water with different flavours of basil, mint, cucumber and other herbs can also satisfy a food craving at the cost of little to no calories.
- Get Active and Get Busy.
Adopting an active lifestyle can also beat the cravings out of your system. An active lifestyle does not necessarily revolve around the four walls of a gym. An active lifestyle includes joining a running club, doing yoga, cycling, enrolling in dancing and swimming classes, volunteering for community services and so on. When you adopt an active lifestyle you subconsciously train your body and mind to work more and eat less. Science also tells us that active people have lower appetites than non-active ones. Not only will you get control over your cravings but you are also making yourself a healthier person. The Active lifestyle will automatically keep you busy and engaged in other disciplines, which in turn will effectively suppress your thoughts on food and eating.
Letting go of habits, good or bad is not an easy task and it is always an uphill battle. The biggest battle is always fought within you, and to reach success, it requires sacrifice. Here’s to hoping that we all make the right sacrifices in life and lead a better and healthier life.
