Food cravings are your diet’s worst enemy. Sometimes these cravings are hard to ignore. If you’re also experiencing the same, then read on to know “Effective ways to deal with food cravings”.
As the New year 2023 starts, we promised ourselves to start afresh especially when it comes to our diet. Many people took a resolution which is also a very famous resolution “I will get fit or I will lose weight this year” to fulfil this promise they join the gym, yoga classes, and start dieting to lose weight or to maintain their health. But in most cases, nothing works. Most of the diet resolutions crashed after a week or two.
Food cravings are one of the biggest reasons why people can’t lose weight. This is your worst enemy and sometimes it’s hard to resist. What we would suggest is first set smaller goals for yourself and stick to them. Always remember “the 1st step is an important step”. Set some small achievable goals and made them into regular habits. Take a 21 days challenge to make that your habit and if you continue that for 3 months then it will become your lifestyle.
Here we tell you about 5 effective ways to curb food cravings:
Try to Plan your Meals
There should be a decent time gap between breakfast and lunch, and include veggie salad in your diet
Try to plan your meals for the day or the upcoming week and planning a healthy meal isn’t tough. Just always remember this rule “Having breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.” It means starting your day in a good mood eat a nutritious breakfast because it is the most important meal of the day. Having a healthy or nutritious breakfast keeps you energetic throughout the day and also helps to boost your metabolism. Lunch like a prince means there should be a decent time gap between breakfast and lunch. Lunch should be lighter than breakfast and heavier than dinner. A dinner like a beggar means trying to consume fewer calories at night. And include a fresh veggie salad in your lunch and dinner. And drink enough water also helps to control food cravings.
Increase Protein Intake
Avoid staying hungry for too long as it is one of the reasons for experiencing cravings
Eating more protein makes you feel full for a long period and it may help you to curb your food cravings and help you not overeat. Avoid staying hungry for too long as it is one of the reasons for experiencing cravings. You can either choose non-vegetarian or vegetarian protein sources. Eat your meals on time to avoid hunger pangs. And also be attentive while eating. Avoid using smartphones, watching TV, or any kind of distraction while having a meal.
Choose Healthy Alternatives
Eating low-carb food that is high in added sugar can reduce food cravings
Try to eat less highly refined carbs may combat your food cravings because highly refined foods, significantly affect your blood sugar levels and may trigger brain responses that drive food cravings. Eating low-carb food that is high in added sugar can reduce food cravings. Low-fat food or fat-free foods like fruits, yoghurt, buttermilk, etc.
Manage Stress
To minimize your stress start meditating
Stress is the biggest enemy of your body & brain. And the study proves that chronic stress directly affects your food cravings and makes you overweight. To minimize your stress start meditating and if you had a bad day and you’re thinking to eat junk food. So, help yourself at that moment and try these things instead of ordering unhealthy food: you can go for a 15-minute walk, listen to music or you can talk to your friend or colleague.
Get Enough Sleep and Exercise Daily
A study showed an association between sleep deprivation and food cravings
Many people control their food cravings throughout the day but failed at night. The reason could be poor sleep quality. A study showed an association between sleep deprivation and food cravings. Sleep deprivation can affect your brain’s frontal cortex and amygdala, which can reach your desire for calorie rich-food. To avoid food cravings, fix your sleep cycle by going to bed and waking up on time, minimising screen time before sleeping, having dinner 2 hours before going to bed, and a brisk walk after dinner. Do Exercise daily which makes you active, lower your food cravings and makes you fit.
