7 Ways To Outsmart Your Food Cravings

So, how do you learn to deal with these stubborn urges without giving in to their every demand? As we continue to celebrate Nutrition Month, I’m sharing the different ways I have found to be an effective way to outsmart your food cravings.

7 Ways To Address Food Cravings

When it comes to food cravings, you can try to outsmart your body with one of two methods. One is to try and prevent cravings from happening in the first place. And the other is to find smart ways to satisfy your cravings when they do show up.

Here are a few of my go-to tips.

1) Reach for a glass of water when you feel hungry.

When you get a craving for food, it could actually be your body telling you that you’re thirsty. Instead of feeding into your craving immediately, try reaching for a glass of water and see if you’re still hungry in 20–30 minutes.

2) Don’t start eating right when a craving strikes.

Sometimes, a good way of controlling your cravings is to just ignore them. When they’re out of sight and out of mind, you could find that you were never really hungry to begin with.

3) Make sure you’re eating before working out.

It's best to never work out on an empty stomach. When you eat before you work out, it can actually help your body suppress hunger pangs - so you’re less likely to get cravings later in the day.

4) Keep healthy snacks within reach.

You may be craving something sugary or unhealthy, but indulging in a candy bar or bag of chips isn’t going to satisfy you in the long term. Instead of giving into your cravings, try to trick your body with something healthy. I recommend keeping some tasty, but healthy, snacks in your desk, purse, or car for when cravings strike. Small bags of raw almonds or dried fruit can go a long way to curb cravings, and are a healthier option than chips or candy.

5) Stop looking at food images.

We’ve all seen the creative Instagram accounts or Pinterest posts filled with ooey, gooey deliciousness. But pictures like these trigger the “hunger hormone” ghrelin, telling your brain to signal a food craving.

6) Go for a five-minute walk.

You can sometimes outsmart your cravings just by distracting yourself. The next time one hits, try going for a quick walk around the block to get your mind off the craving. Hopefully, it’ll be gone by the time you return.

7) Start eating healthy foods more often - and see what you start to crave.

It's interesting that for some people who are following a healthy diet, their cravings are less for unhealthy foods and more for healthy ones. So give it a try! Replace your cravings with some fresh veggies or a piece of fruit, and see if this doesn't change your cravings down the road!

Let's live EVER BETTER™ - together!!
Denise