Stop Those Food Cravings for Good

By making the following tips a habit you’ll kick your “bad for you” food cravings for good.

Get enough sleep
Loss of sleep increases hunger during the day, which leads to cravings. Getting the right amount of shut-eye could stop cravings.

Eat a Healthy Breakfast
For some people, cravings are part of a cycle of blood sugar highs and lows that can be kicked off almost the moment their feet hit the floor in the morning. A breakfast featuring fiber and protein is more likely to control this cycle. Consider a scrambled egg on whole-wheat bread or a turkey sandwich instead of sugary cereal or a Danish.

Eat Meals at Scheduled Times
The secret to stopping cravings is to manage hunger and “only eating at set times — no casual eating.”

Out of Sight – Out of Mind
Make the foods you crave difficult or impossible to get to. No matter how much you love brownies, if you don’t keep any at home or at work, chances are your craving will pass unsatisfied. Instead, make healthy alternatives easy to access in your eating plan and prepare ahead for those times when you’ll need a healthy snack within easy reach, like when you’re on the road.

Find Healthy Alternatives
If you tend to crave sweet treats in the afternoon, having a light yogurt and some fruit on hand could prevent a mad rush to the vending machine for a chocolate bar. In a pinch, you could melt a little chocolate over high-fiber cereal and have it with milk — you get the chocolate taste but with more fiber, says Roberts. If you’re craving salty chips, have some with meals — a whole-wheat sandwich and salad, not chips alone thay way you’re less likely to eat the whole bag.

Keep a Food Journal
This may not totally stop cravings, but it’s a real eye opener. Sometime life is so hectic you don’t even realize what you’re doing when it comes to your eating/snacking throughout the day. If you write it down you have to stop and think about it 🙂

Identify Your Craving Triggers
Emotional eating is a real phenomenon. If you pay attention, you may find that your cravings are worse when you are stressed or depressed. Managing those situations will help stop cravings.

Variety is the Spice of Life
Sticking to the tried-and-true may help you count calories, but it could also leave you feeling unfulfilled. People need variety in their diets, so try new dishes or combinations of foods to stop cravings. Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean it can’t be satisfying.