Ways to Beat Food Cravings

If you are trying to stay fit or lose weight your food cravings can really do you in!  Many people who first embark on a fitness program have genuine cravings that are the result of changing long-term eating habits. Many are caused by genuine cravings for a nutrient but mostly there is a psychological component.  People who are addicted to sugar will have very strong cravings for sweets that are almost as hard to beat as alcoholic cravings for booze.  That is why it is so important to stay away from sugar. It is completely addictive, can change your mood and you can develop a real physical dependency on it.

If you do feel a craving coming on it helps to change your surroundings.  If you are not triggered by familiar circumstances, like being inside a McDonald’s, then you will not feel like indulging in that food. If you know your weakness is for Chinese food, then be sure to stay away from your local Chinatown strip or the food court in your mall.

If you do find yourself craving food it also helps to go for a short run or job. This focuses your mind and body on something besides food.

You can also fool your taste buds by substituting the taste you are craving for something similar. For instance if you craving salt, try something more low calorie and spicy instead.

If you use food as a reward then take a warm bath or watch your favorite television show instead.  Give yourself a different type of reward for the craving.

Some people use food as a substitute for affection. Food is a reward and “a friend.” If this is you then you should not isolate. You should get out with friends and do things that have nothing to do with eating foods.

Sometimes cravings for foods can indicate that you are missing a nutrient. For instance, if you are craving cheese it could be that your body is craving calcium.  Eat foods that are rich in calcium like oysters, broccoli or Swiss chard. Drinking a glass of  skim milk can also help balance your cravings.

Be careful too not to starve yourself. Going without a meal for too long can cause you to be vulnerable to cravings because your blood sugar lowers to a point where you will want to gobble up everything that you see. Also the lower your blood sugar falls the more likely you are to crave something that is bad for you.