It’s not just you. Even people with the strongest willpower can be defenseless against one of the most powerful urges we know: the food craving.
By itself, there’s nothing wrong with a food craving and you don’t need to always fight them. But if you’re trying to manage your weight, you’ll notice that your cravings are usually for the sorts of foods that you’re trying to avoid.
That point is part of our first tip for ways to fight food cravings:
- You Crave What You Eat – If you eat lots of salty foods, you will crave salt if you try to reduce it in your diet. If you eat a lot of fatty foods, you will crave fats. Try to identify these trends and focus on them. When you know why you crave a certain food, you can better fight the craving.
- Drink Water – If you have lots of cravings, keep a bottle of water nearby. Not only will you fight the cravings, but it makes it easier to get your recommended eight glasses of water every day.
- Eat Well – Make sure you get enough to eat in a balanced diet. The better you meet your body’s requirements for energy and nutrition, the less your body will crave anything in particular. Misguided tactics like skipping breakfast are an invitation for cravings to ruin your weight management plan.
- Brush Your Teeth – Have you ever eaten something just after you finished brushing? Did it taste good? Didn’t think so. When a craving hits, try brushing your teeth, gargling with mouthwash or chewing some sugar-free gum.
- Measure Your Surrender – If you fight cravings too much, it might result in a major cave-in that can discourage you from your overall weight management program. If that chocolate cake is driving you crazy, have some. But try cutting just a small slice and have it with a handful of unsalted peanuts or almonds. You’ll feed your craving without letting it win.
As with any weight loss effort, fighting food cravings is easier if you enlist the help of those around you. Cravings are hardest to resist when you’re in social settings like at a restaurant or party. Try not to be afraid to let your family and friends know about what you are trying to accomplish. They will admire your effort.
And for more help and support to reduce cravings and to reach your weight loss goals, you can visit or call your local Herbal One Centre where a nutrition and weight loss specialists is ready to answer all your questions and offer advice for the best way to reach your objectives for weight and nutrition.