Cravings can feel like they’re driving you crazy. Sometimes it’s chocolate, other times fresh baked bread, pasta or a juicy hamburger. When a body craves food, it’s because of a deficiency in a nutrient. Cravings can be triggered by simply looking at food, skipping a meal or being depressed. Cravings can send your diet out the door and your weight loss goals in the trash, if not handled correctly.
If you’re a person that has mild to extreme cravings, you need to figure out what triggers them. It’s a good idea to keep a food journal, that includes the time you’re eating and what you’re eating. Keeping a food journal is helpful with weight loss too. If you notice you’re eating at random or irregularities in your eating pattern, it’s a good idea to begin journaling your feelings around your eating. When you’ve figured out what triggers your cravings, you’ll be able to fix the cravings.
Something you can start today is putting food out of sight. Many people crave foods just because they see them. Put foods out of sight and out of mind. Make use of all the kitchen cupboards, storage places, freezer and refrigerator. Out of sight, out of mind.
Dehydration is a big cause of cravings. Before you eat anything your body is craving, it’s a good idea to drink 8 oz of water. Wait about an hour and see if the craving has passed. It’s a good idea to drink at least 64 oz of water a day, up to half your body weight in ounces of water.
If all the chocolate in the world would not cure your chocolate craving, you’re magnesium deficient. Chocolate has high amounts of magnesium. Magnesium is needed for over 300 bodily functions. Instead of reaching for the chocolate and derailing your weight loss goals, reach for a magnesium supplement. These can be found in your local pharmacy or health food stores. You should be taking 500 to a 1000 mg a day. You can still enjoy the occasional chocolate bar or piece of chocolate cake, you just won’t be craving it.
If you’re always feeling tired and looking for those “quick pick me up” sweets and carbs, you could have a blood sugar imbalance. Mulberry is a natural supplement that can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Mulberry leaf has a natural substance which breaks down sugar to glucose, which slowly enters your blood. This relieves all those spikes and drops in your blood sugar. Leaving you feeling less cravings for sweets and carbs but having energy to get through the day. Mulberry can be found at your local pharmacy or heal food stores.
If you’re always craving ice cream, even on a good day, you’re amino acid deficient. Amino acids are good for emotional healthy, they help with anxiety, depression and emotional eating. Amino acids are helpful in curbing cravings, feelings of over eating and provides an immediate source of energy to your brain. Amino acids can be found by talking to your local pharmacy or health food store clerk. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
Kipping a meal can leave you cleaning out the kitchen later. It’s never a good idea to skip a meal. If you’re in a hurry or just not ready to eat a full meal have a protein based snack. Proteins leave you feeling satisfied, while carbs leave you hungry and craving. If you’re in a hurry, snack on things like celery with peanut butter on it. It’s healthy, filling and will curb your cravings until a meal.
If cravings are a real issue in your life, consider adding vinegar to your diet. Vinegar keeps blood sugar levels under control and at a constant level. This will help with over eating your meal and the cravings between meals. You can get vinegar based salad dressings, as well as taking two tablespoons right before a meal.
Stop your cravings by filling up on fiber rich foods, that won’t fill out your waist line. A diet high in fiber will keep you feeling full and cravings off your mind. An adult should have 30 grams of fiber in their diet each day. Those fibers can come from fruits, vegetables, breads and other fiber rich foods. If you’re having trouble maintaining 30 grams of fiber in your diet each day consider a fiber supplement. Fiber not only helps with cravings but weight loss too.
Figure out your cravings and deal with them. Cravings shouldn’t control your life.
