7 Ways to Control Your Cravings ...

7. Exercise Instead of Eating

Go for a jog instead of snarfing down that chocolate bar. Take a walk to keep your hand out of the popcorn tin you got for Christmas. Exercise in any way to keep your mind off of eating.

6. Keep Busy

The more things I can find to do, the less time I have to give in to cravings. Read a book, go for a walk, work in the garden, call a friend, crochet a scarf, finish a scrapbook page, or whatever you can find to do that is enjoyable.

5. Don't Starve Yourself

Depriving yourself of food will only make the cravings much worse. Eat a good meal at scheduled times and don’t try to go on a crash diet to lose a few pounds. Starving yourself to lose weight tends to cause people to have even more cravings then before they decide to go on a diet.

4. Include Plenty of Fiber and Protein in Your Diet

Fiber and protein take a lot longer for the body to digest than most other types of food products. If your body is working hard to digest a previous meal, then the cravings should be a lot less severe. Calories that are easily digested and that don’t stick with you very long only leave more room in your stomach to be filled by junk food.

3. Eat Regularly Scheduled Meals

When your body can depend on food at certain times throughout the day, you are less likely to crave food that is quick and unhealthy for you. The human body is designed to store enough fat to tide a person over in case of a famine. If you are able to eat at the same times each day, then you won’t get the urge to eat all sorts of random things that will only be stored as fat by your body.

2. Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Vitamins and Minerals

Supplements can help you get the vitamins and minerals that are lacking from your daily diet. There are a lot of cravings that derive from the need for additional minerals or vitamins in a person’s nutritional intake. Sometimes there is something in the food you are craving that can easily be found in a supplement that will ultimately be much healthier for you.

1. Give in a Little Every Now and then

It doesn’t hurt to give into a craving from time to time. If you crave chocolate, eat a couple of pieces; not the entire bar. If you have the sudden urge to eat potato chips, then pour some in a small cereal bowl and put the rest of the bag in the pantry. Depriving yourself completely can make you snap and you just might give in to all your cravings at once.

I hope these 7 ways to control your cravings will help you curb your desire to eat unhealthy things at the drop of a hat. I know how strong the urge can be when a craving sets in. What methods do you use to control your cravings?

Top Photo Credit: Initiales JB