How To Prevent Cravings For Good
Are you trying desperately to snack less, stop cravings, and prevent overeating?
Are you constantly reaching for snack after snack? Does an intense hankering for something sweet or sugary hit you out of nowhere? Is it your daily ritual around 3PM in the afternoon to take a peak in the pantry?
You’re not alone!
Cravings - especially for sugar - typically happen because of blood sugar imbalance. When we eat too many refined carbohydrates (think: white bread, baked goods, sweets, etc.) and not enough protein, healthy fats, and fiber, our blood sugar spikes and cascades into a domino effect of craving more and more sugar.
So what can you do to stop the craving madness?
Load up on specific foods at every main meal that will help you feel satisfied, balance your blood sugar, and prevent cravings for good day in and day out.
Lean protein
Pasture-raised chicken, tofu, legumes, grass-fed meat, eggs
Healthy fats
Wild-caught salmon, tuna, mackerel, avocados, extra virgin olive oil
Fiber-rich vegetables
Leafy greens, brussels sprouts, green beans, bell peppers, beets
Low glycemic-index fruit
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango, apple, grapefruit
Magnesium-rich foods: especially if you crave a lot of chocolate
Seaweed, beans, nuts, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame seeds
The best way to prevent cravings is to get ahead of them. Setting yourself up for success at every main meal - ESPECIALLY breakfast - will balance your blood sugar, keep you feeling full, and nourish your body for hours in between meals. You won’t feel those physical, intense, even primal cravings for chocolate or processed food!
Willpower isn’t enough to get you through those “oh shit I NEED a cookie right now or else…” because by then, it’s too late. It’s on a physiological level, and no amount of determination or positive thinking will always help you get to the other side of it (most often).
If you find yourself experiencing a craving, what do you do?
Get quiet, slow down, and tune in to your mind and body. Be curious - what’s going on in my body right now? Don’t distract yourself. Are you really hungry? Is this something that once you eat it, you'll feel good about that decision? If it is, then eat it! And don't feel guilty about it.
If it isn't, is there something that you can replace it with? Focusing on balancing your Primary and Secondary Food while crowding out less healthy foods with more nutritious ones will put *you* in control of your wellbeing. Not your cravings.
When you're struggling with hormone health, cravings can feel especially overpowering. Building your plate to focus on high quality protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates will ensure less cravings and more balance throughout the day.
Need additional support to work through your cravings? Book a free 15-minute consultation and we’ll talk through strategies that will actually help you!
