6 Ways to Minimize Cravings
Ever find yourself having significant cravings throughout the day? Maybe you just finished a meal, and you feel like your starving ten minutes later? That is what I like to call "the bottomless pit" feeling. Yes, that feeling sucks. Below are some helpful tips to minimize unwanted cravings and help you gain your power back. Everyone craves different things. Most people tend to either crave sugar or salt. So you might be chasing after the chips and nuts or the candy and cake. You may just like both and go HAM on the trail mix. Either way, I got you!
1.) Try adding in more whole, nutrient-dense food
I suggest changing your focus from removing certain things to adding in healthier items. As humans, if we are told that we can't have something, we only want it more. If you crave sweets, try adding in sweet vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, tomatoes, carrots, squash, bell peppers, and parsnips. Fruit is another great option to add-in daily. If you're consistently eating processed foods that are highly palatable, you're going to keep having cravings. Companies are smart, and they hire scientists whose job is to figure out what ingredients spark our palate. Have you ever heard of the phrase, "You can't just have one?" Whole foods do not have any synthetic ingredients or preservatives and doesn't contain anything addictive, unlike processed foods.
2.) Use the hand method
People tend to get discouraged and diet too hard. Cutting too many calories out at once can lead to significant food cravings, binging, and a bad relationship with food. If you keep your protein, carbs, and fat balanced, you will most likely see long term sustainable results. If you eat a meal and if not too long after, you are feeling hungry again, that is your body signaling you that something was missing from that meal. I like using the hand method with my clients.
• Palm or hand=vegetables.
• Palm= Starchy vegetables, complex carb, or fruit. • Palm plus=protein.
• Thumb=fat.
Again, this all varies from person to person, but this is a great basic template I learned in my Precision nutrition course that works. I don't think people realize how much nutrient-dense food they can eat, yet still see and feel amazing results.
3.) Reduce stress levels.
It's crucial to minimize stress as much as possible. During times of stress, your adrenal glands respond by releasing two hormones: cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are part of your "fight or flight response." Stress and anxiety can stem from lack of sleep, environmental toxins, work-life, family, and more. Ways to minimize stress would be through sleep, meditation, exercise, and eating slowly.
4.) Take care of your gut microbiome.
Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microscopic living things are referred to as microorganisms, or gut microbes, for short. Trillions of these microorganisms exist mainly inside your intestines and on your skin. Most of the microorganisms in your intestines are found in a "pocket" of your large intestine. They are referred to as the gut microbiome (also known as your second brain). There are roughly 40 trillion bacterial cells in your body, and only 30 trillion human cells. These live bacteria are in control of multiple systems throughout the body. Side effects of gut imbalances include IBS, constipation, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, brain fog, sugar cravings, Auto-immune disease, skin issues, and anxiety. An overload of harmful bacteria can cause a whole host of health issues. You must have enough good bacteria to thrive in your gut microbiome. It is crucial to get a diverse amount of probiotics and prebiotics daily through your food intake. If need be, you can also supplement.
5.) Stop tempting yourself
I have three key words for you: STOP BUYING IT. Going grocery shopping on an empty stomach is setting yourself up for failure. If you don't have control over a particular food item, keep it out of the house. It's unfair for you to be tempted continuously in your own home. If, for any reason, you have to keep it in the house. Put it in a place where you can't visually see it every single time you open your cabinet or fridge. Another good option is to have exactly what you want, why deny yourself? Just make a healthier version. Craving wings? Bake them at home. Want pizza? Try making it with a cauliflower crust. Want those Dorito's? Find a cleaner brand(Seite is my favorite)or eat the serving size. I doubt a serving size of ice cream a few times a week won't damage your health or your waistline, but feeling deprived and then binging could create a bad relationship with food.
6.) Check-in and be honest with yourself.
Are you truly hungry? Or are you dehydrated, bored, tired, stressed, or lonely? It can be difficult to deal with our own shit and to dig deep and feel painful emotions. But being honest with yourself and finding peace is the only way—work from the inside out. We all have different coping mechanisms. Yours might be food. I am a huge advocate for therapy. If you are need of helpful resources, please reach out to me, and I am happy to provide that.