Everyone, regardless of how disciplined with their diet, may experience cravings for one or more foods from time to time. These cravings are considerably more difficult to deal with for persons who are trying to lose weight than for those who are simply trying to maintain their weight. Whether or not you’re trying to lose weight, cravings might be the catalyst for you to stray from your normal eating habits and consume more calories than you normally would.
Most people are aware that taking some form of exercise and eating nutritious, low-fat foods are essential for optimum health, but with today’s hectic and rushed schedules, eating correctly and getting exercise can be more difficult stated than done. When you have those desires throughout the day, the easiest approach to avoid a food disaster is to prepare ahead and utilize a little technique.
For starters, try to schedule 5 to 6 little meals throughout the day, with one taken every 3 hours or so, and make it a point not to miss any of them. The human body takes an average of 2 12 hours to digest a meal, so by the time you feel a craving building on, it’s almost time for your next meal.
Make a conscious effort to drink plenty of water. Hunger pangs between meals are frequently your body’s way of signaling thirst. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times and take several “sips” during the day to stay hydrated, you will keep hydrated, feel better, and eliminate one common cause for cravings to happen.
Always keep some fresh fruit on hand when you’re at home. Fruit is a better choice than cake or chips if you get a craving. Make a fat-free dip and put some fresh vegetables in the fridge, such as carrots and celery. This will provide you with another quick and healthy snack that you can grab and consume whenever you feel hungry.
On an empty stomach, never attend a party, a meeting, or any other gathering where food will be accessible. This will set you up for overeating when you arrive. Always eat a small meal or at least eat a good, healthy snack before you go as this will help to stop cravings from hitting you while there.
If there are some snack items that you enjoy, don’t try to eliminate them totally. You’ll only overeat them if you can’t stop yourself from eating them afterwards. Plan these snacks into your day, and only eat them once in a while and in little amounts.
It’s important to remember that just because something is fat-free doesn’t imply it’s calorie-free. When choosing fat-free snacks, keep in mind the number of calories per serving and modify your portions accordingly. It’s all too tempting to assume that fat-free foods are “safe” and overindulge in them.
The next time you are hit with cravings, remember these little guidelines and you will be able to deal with them without ruining your efforts to maintain healthy eating habits.
