How To Stop Any Craving In Its Tracks

Battling your cravings is one of the hardest parts of undertaking any diet. While you might start your healthy eating plan off with the best of intentions, before long, you can find your tummy rumbling, your mind wandering and your hand reaching for the cookie jar. Overcoming a sudden craving for something unhealthy can seem like the hardest thing to do and yet, battling your thought processes might not be as hard as you first thought. Cravings can test even the strongest of healthy eaters but by changing your eating approach and reassessing your relationship with food, you can arm yourself with the best defences against any snack. When it comes to your food, you’re the boss.

1. Fill Up On Protein

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When it comes to feeling fuller for longer, few foods do it quite as well as protein. High protein snacks can help to healthily fill you up, making it much easier for you to make balanced eating choices down the line. If you feel the sudden craving for something salty or sweet, try grabbing a handful of nuts or filling up a small bowl with Greek yogurt. By the time it takes your body to begin digesting the food, your food cravings will all but have disappeared and you will end up feeling all the healthier for it!

2. Think About How You Will Feel Afterwards

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More often than not, food cravings can hit us like a ton of bricks and instead of really thinking about how our bodies feel, we hunt for the nearest snack, doing anything to nip the sensation in the bud. If you take a little time to think about how you will feel after eating, however, you might just find it easier to change your mind. If you’re trying to stick to a healthy diet, think about what eating a plateful of unhealthy food will do to your morale and your stomach. If you feel bad about the whole thing, it might be worth reaching for a healthier option instead.

3. Treat Yourself Another Way

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Being hit with the sudden urge to eat something unhealthy is usually about so much more than hunger. Often, our cravings stem from boredom or restlessness and by indulging in something that is not good for our bodies, we simply give our minds something to do to use up the time. The next time you really fancy something that won’t do you any good, try treating yourself without the food. Stretching your body, going for a walk or simply getting up and moving can work wonders on your mood and will also prevent you from making a bad eating choice, too.

4. Taste A Little Bit

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Feelings of hunger are about so much more than fuel and when we feed our bodies, we often do significant change to our minds, too. By telling yourself that you’re not “allowed” to eat a certain type of food, you will only up your body’s cravings and increase your chances of slipping later down the line. If you allow yourself a little taste, however, you can get your foodie fill and stop yourself from going overboard. Sometimes, it’s just about moderation.

5. Breathe Deeply

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There’s a reason why mindful meditation has become so popular. Deep breathing exercises can work wonders on our bodies, helping to boost our mood and change our perspective in one fell swoop. It’s the case when it comes to cravings, too. By taking three deep breaths when you feel a craving coming on, you give yourself the time to really think about your eating choices and understand if it really is hunger calling or if your sudden pangs are just a sign that there is an emotional issue at bay. Breathing helps you to get grounded, making you more aware of your eating habits and less likely to make any irrational decisions.