10 ways to fend off your food cravings
Whenever you think of the weight loss, food cravings become an inherent part of the process. Both factors seemingly depend upon each other.
Food cravings don’t let you focus, you forget your goal, and end up breaking your diet regime. Luckily, there are ways to fend off this nuisance. We have assembled some ways for you here:
NOTE YOUR TIME
You don’t have to remain without food for more than five hours, as it makes your blood sugar level drop, marking the beginning of your cravings. Simply pick any food item which is low in fat and calories or any snack which can get rid of your cravings and devour it after regular 5-hour intervals.
You can take four to five pretzels, more than a single cup of light heated popcorn, peach, and some grapes.
EAT AS MUCH PROTEIN AS YOU CAN
It is considered an effectual method to include protein in each meal as it reduces food cravings. You can have turkey, eggs, cheese (low-fat) and skinless chicken as an excellent source of protein.
Those foods which contain protein can also help you to feel stuffed as they stimulate the production of cholecystokinin (CKK) which suppresses the diet by working as a suppressing agent. It is easier to put a cap on these calories by picking out these lean protein sources.
DRINK EXCESS AMOUNT OF WATER
Dehydration leads craving for salty food. You just have to ensure that you drink water in an excess amount. Even an 8-ounce glass of water will refresh you and also make you feel stuffed.
Not only this, it will also take your mind off your cravings. You can get away with your food cravings by quenching your thirst.
DISTRACT YOURSELF
You have to learn the art of finding distractions at the time of need. Whenever food cravings hit you, just neglect them.
You can neglect them by diverting away your attention from them. You can talk to a friend, play some games, go for window shopping or watch your favorite program on TV.
ENJOY CHEWING GUMS
It has been said that chewing gums play a vital role in reducing your weight. But before you reach for a chewing gum, make sure that it’s sugar-free with no calories. You can assort as many flavors as you desire.
However, you have to be a bit cautious; in sugar-free gums, there are some sugar alcohols which are likely to induce some gastric distress in those who chew gums in an excessive amount.
DIG OUT PLEASURE
Another way through which you can beat your food cravings is by digging out pleasure from the core of your heart. You have to take note of your own psychological fallacies so that you can easily replace your eating with your favorite activity so that it satisfies your emotions and give your pleasure.
FLOSS YOUR TEETH
Stop eyeing a bag of your favorite snacks. Out-space your craving for a caramel bar of candy which is too sticky. I can bet you are enjoying the taste in your mouth. It’s high time to get up, go to the washroom, and floss the teeth by swishing with minty toothpaste.
Then give it a final touch by applying some peppermint lip balm. Once your teeth are fresh and clean, you won’t feel the urge to taste that sticky caramel bar, or any other snack.
TIME TO JOG
Feel like you can gulp-up an ice cream carton just in a single swoop? Dying to head towards the freezer to grab a pack of ice cream? You have to stop. You can’t go that way as that is not your path. Remember your goal? Head to the main door, and go out for some exercise and jog.
The exercise and air will calm your nerves, diminish all your mental distress, and make you stress-free. Let’s teach a good lesson to your food cravings this time, so that they never block your way. Make sure you burn calories instead of piling them up.
DO AWAY WITH REFINED FOODS
Research has shown that people easily get addicted to a variety of refined foods, including white sugar, white pasta, and white bread. It is quite evident that the more you take up food, the more your food cravings increase. You have to mark an end to this never-ending cycle.
Take some major steps to refine the diet simply by substituting the refined foods with fiber and grains. Take handful of beans, nuts, vegetables, legumes, wheat foods, and fruits. Fiber is always there to help you with digestion problems, so you don’t have to worry.
NEVER PICK HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
While scaling back on a variety of concentrated sugars, you have to ensure to quarry this syrup which works as a sweetening agent in a plethora of food, starting from white bread to all the frozen dinners because it’s readily available. Some researchers have proved that high fructose corn syrup triggers the desire of food in all animals. Even after having its smaller amount, they will crave for more and more food.
Follow these 10 steps and see how effectively you defeat your cravings!
About the author: Fizza Abbas is an aspiring medical writer and poet, who loves to explore the world with visionary eyes. Her writings have been published in many online publications, including Technology Times Pakistan, Eye On Life, Read Fingers, and ScreechOwl.
