Food cravings affect everyone, but there are plenty of ways to fight them.
Food cravings happen to the best of us, especially those of us who identify as female. Not only do we have to deal with food cravings once a month, but also when we are pregnant, stressed, pregnant and stressed, or dealing with family, whether during the holidays or otherwise.
Unfortunately, if you are trying to lose weight or stay fit, food cravings can be the bane of your existence. The more you know you aren’t supposed to indulge, the more you want to. The second you do, all of the work you have done on your body goes out the window (mentally), and before you know if you are buried in a box of Krispy Kreme donuts re-examining your life choices in shame.
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Food cravings are no walk in the park, and they normally occur as a result of some kind of stress. They can come on as a result of obesity, sugar or fructose addiction, low blood sugar, lack of sleep, genetics, or simple hunger.
Hormone changes and mood swings can also trigger cravings, and since we sometimes develop emotional attachments to food, cravings can sometimes be unstoppable. So here are a few ways to fight them.
Get enough sleep and work out. Giving your body adequate exercise and time to rest are very important to fighting stress, and also cravings.
Eat every 3-4 hours. Setting yourself up on a regular meal schedule will help keep your blood sugar regular.
Eat fiber and protein. Try and add fiber and protein to every meal, as they will keep your metabolism going, and reduce spikes in blood sugar.
Prepare healthy snacks. Having something healthy to munch on within arms reach, like nuts, berries, fresh fruit or yogurt will definitely help you make healthy choices when the craves do hit.
Indulge. If you constantly fight your cravings and never give in, you might eventually crash and give up. Indulge yourself with some dark chocolate once in a while, but keep the portions tiny.
Drink lots of water. A lot of the time when you think you are hungry you are actually just thirsty. Any time you feel a food craving drink a full glass of water. You would be surprised at how many times simple water can save the day.