When you’re on a diet, one of the most annoying things you’re going to come across are cravings.
You don’t want them. They don’t go away or stop occurring.
And worst of all, you don’t understand how to get rid of them.
Well today I am going to change that for you!
I understand the problem first hand and watch cravings stall the progress of many clients I coach on a weekly basis. It can really screw up a solid run on a diet and just when you start to break through the plateaus, the cravings come back along…
You’re walking out the grocery store when you see the culprit of these cravings…
Those damn Girl Scouts, who are way to damn sweet and cute to deny!
You give in and eat that unbelievably delicious Tagalong Girl Scout Cookie, but next thing you know… The ENTIRE box is gone!
It happens to the best of us and I’ve had plenty of people asking me how we can get to the bottom of this, well today I will help you with 10 Ways YOU Can Beat The Craving Battle.
Some of these may sound silly, maybe even ridiculous or embarrassing… but they work!
1.) Add More Fiber To Your Diet. This will make a huge difference; fiber is a very satisfying and hunger-suppressing nutrient that makes you feel more full for longer periods of time. So when picking your fruits, veggies or starchy carbs, go for whole foods that are high in fiber.
2.) Utilize Appetite Suppressants. This is an easy one and can usually fill the gaps between meals to help you stay satisfied and avoid grabbing the sweets or snacks between meals. Things like water, green tea, and black coffee are great beverages to sip on for this. Then you can also choose foods that will help this as well, apples for example are a fruit containing a type of fiber, called apple pectin, that have been proven to suppress hunger more than many other fruits. It helps prevent insulin spikes in blood sugar, which are a culprit of what leaves you craving more food after a meal is finished.
3.) Avoid Trigger Foods. If there is that one thing that makes you go into a binge or that you cannot just have one bite of, eliminate it until you overcome this trigger. Even on your “Cheat-Meals” you should avoid these because you will likely go overboard, so choose an alternative. Stick to foods you can be satisfied with just a little bit of or get creative with the good foods so you can build your cravings towards them!
4.) Destroy Your Trigger Foods. When I say this, I am serious about the word destroy. May sound ridiculous, but studies have shown that throwing it away is one thing but when you destroy it completely, rip it apart, flush it, smash it, burn it, etc. it will give you a sense of victory and allow you to beat the craving battle! This mental win seems to help you avoid coming back to that craving.
5.) Meditate Your Cravings Away. Stress is a HUGE reason for us to go straight for the junk food that we crave and if we can eliminate that stress, we can eliminate the cravings we give in to. Try meditating daily to avoid stressful situations or next time you find yourself stressing and fear you may give in, close your eyes and focus on meditating for 5-20 min. This will calm you down, give you clarity and help you stick to your guns.
6.) Freshen Up Your Mouth! Next time you get a craving try brushing your teeth, chewing some mint gum or rinsing some mouth wash. This is a proven fact and we can all relate to it as well, nobody wants to ruin a fresh clean smile!
7.) Take a Ten. Studies have shown that a craving typically lasts about 10 minutes, so next time you feel that urge coming on… take a walk, distract yourself, start a conversation, or have something near by to take your mind and attention off of that craving for at least 10 minutes.
8.) Plan A Reward Meal. This is like a cheat meal, except much better because you actually deserve it! This is something you will set up every 10-30 days, it will have a 3 hour limit on it, be restricted to an out of the house resource like a restaurant, and you MUST earn it. To earn this means you’ve been compliant with your diet and training leading up to it.
9.) Utilize Earth Grown Nutrients. In a lot of cases cravings can actually be your body crying for a needed nutrient, mineral or vitamin that you’ve been deficient in. Things like chocolate for instance are a great source of antioxidants, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, healthy fat [Referring to Organic Dark Chocolate Here] and Vitamins A, C, D and E. So does this mean you need to eat a massive chocolate bar to fuel your body with nutrients?! NO! It means you could probably use a banana for some potassium and magnesium! So for now on, shoot to consume all the nutrients the earth has to offer and start eating more peppers, onions, blueberries, and all the colorful fruits and veggies to be sure you’re getting the proper micronutrients in your diet.
10.) Write An Affirmation. This is something easy, works great and will make you feel great. Next time you get a craving, try writing yourself a note. Something quick that proves you’re a good person, on the right track and that you deserve to stick to the plan instead of breaking your progress with a craving.
Now all’s there is left to do, is KILL these cravings and WIN the battle!
Take a screen shot, print this out, take your favorite few, or whatever you need to do. But make sure you keep them close and handy to be sure that you know EXACTLY what to do to beat the cravings and stay on track!
The power in within you, it may be hard to overcome and maybe it has been your downfall every time in the past…
But the past is the past, we’re moving Forward and Getting Better every day so that we CAN hit our goals and be the person we desire to be!
Set the goal, stick to the plan, trust the process, and let time show your results come to life.
