Our advice is categorized based on how quickly you can act on your cravings. Obviously you will be tempted to test the fastest ones first. But we encourage you to think about your long-term strategy, try all of these tips over the next few weeks to get more effective results.
Table of Contents
STOP FOOD CRAVINGS IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES
1. DRINK WATER
The easiest thing to do to curb your hunger is to drink a full glass of water and then wait a few minutes. Even if your cravings do not disappear completely, the water will fill your stomach pleasantly and the urge to snack will be less pressing.
2. FIND A DISTRACTION
Who knew playing on your cellphone would help reduce your cravings? Whether you have had a glass of water or not, it is important to think about it for a few minutes. A study found that playing Tetris on your smartphone for just 3 minutes can calm an overwhelming urge to snack. After all, why not give it a try?
3. DRINK COFFEE
Compared to water, coffee seems to have a greater impact on your appetite and your food intake. Although research is still in progress, coffee could change your feeling of fullness. What does that mean? Simply that you are less hungry. Right after drinking a cup of coffee, people seem to have less desire to eat. And even if you end up succumbing to your cravings, you will still be more likely to keep it under control thanks to coffee. Another study found that decaffeinated could help reduce the urge to eat even more.
4. BRUSH YOUR TEETH
This trick uses a double effect. When you brush your teeth, you’re sending your brain the signal that it’s time to eat. And even if your brain is not so easy to fool, the minty taste of toothpaste will ruin all the pleasure of eating. Your square of chocolate will not have the same taste…
5. Sweet cravings
There are different types of cravings: sweet, salty, fatty. But sweet cravings are generally the most difficult to control. In this article we offer additional tips – and also food alternatives – to reduce your sugar cravings!
- A cup filled with good coffee
- AVOIDING FOOD CRAVINGS: MEDIUM-TERM STRATEGIES
- EAT MORE PROTEIN
- Proteins are your allies:
Increasing protein intake can reduce food cravings
Eating more protein helps fight snacking in the evening or at night
Protein increases your feeling of satiety: suddenly you are less tempted to eat
6. PLAY SPORTS, BUT DON’T FORCE YOURSELF
Before you start chaining 100 burgees, think about this: an intense workout can make you hungrier! While a low intensity activity like brisk walking or doing 먹튀검증 body weight exercises at home can have the opposite effect. A study has shown that low intensity exercise could make you consume half as much chocolate! In short, if a cravings attack occurs, do not panic, keep it under control by “making it work”
7. EAT REGULARLY AND CONTROL YOUR HUNGER
The hungrier you are, the more likely you will not be able to resist a cravings. It’s as simple as that! It is really difficult to find effective solutions when hunger devours you. Plan your meals well in advance and make sure you have a healthy snack with you to reduce the risk of snacking.
AVOIDING FOOD CRAVINGS: LONG-TERM STRATEGIES
8. GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Insufficient sleep can affect your appetite and strengthen your cravings. Unfortunately, the benefits of sleeping are often overlooked when it comes to playing sports or losing weight.
The problem is that we very easily get used to sleeping less and that we don’t immediately notice the effect on the body … and also on the mind. We are cranky, constantly hungry, and negative. In general, we start by saying that it is because of work, stress or lack of time. But more often than not, the real reason is lack of sleep! The sleep is very important for our physical and mental health.
9. EAT CONSCIOUSLY
The act of eating consciously (“mindful eating” in English) is related to the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply being there, doing things in the moment, without judgment. This can also apply to food and diet.
An experiment at Indiana State University tested the effect of mini-meditations before eating or during a cravings attack. It is about becoming aware of one’s behavior, beliefs and emotions associated with eating food. The results suggest a positive effect, since the frequency and severity of attacks of food compulsion (bulimia) decrease in the group that practices meditation.
Even if the compulsion and the cravings are very different, they can sometimes coexist. Other more recent studies have explored the potential of meditation to change these eating behaviors.
10. THINK LONG TERM
It would be unrealistic to expect that a cravings could be stopped, simply by thinking about it rationally. But taking a step back and visualizing the long-term consequences can help some people to better control their desires.