How To Crush Cravings Once And For All
Cravings are hard to deal with, yet they always happen. They tend to happen at specific parts during the day (usually around 3pm) and for some reason, we never seem to crave for a carrot stick. It always has to be a packet of crisp or a chocolate bar or something else that will do our body absolutely no good. Cravings happen because our body starts to feel tired, and we look for a quick fix to this. Unfortunately, for many of us, a quick fix means something fatty or sugary, which may help in the short run in terms of giving us energy, but actually works against us in the long run, because any real rush is always followed by a crash. In other words, we end up more tired than we were just by giving in to the cravings. We all know this, but how do we combat it? Just because we know we shouldn’t have a craving doesn’t mean they will suddenly go away after all.
1 – Understand the Difference Between an Urge and a Craving
It is very important to understand the difference between an urge and a craving. Both, if given into, have the same result: you eat something you shouldn’t. However, what lies at the heart of urges and cravings is actually very different.
“Typically, a craving is for certain, favorite foods that you truly enjoy. Cravings are triggered internally and are most likely included in the answers to the “What” question above. Conversely, an urge is typically the desire to eat triggered by a specific external situation or circumstance.” – weightwatchers.com
2 – Understand the 5 D’s
The 5 D’s have been developed by Linda Crawford, who is an eating behavior specialist. She believes that being aware of an implementing the 5 Ds, anybody should be able to crush those cravings. The 5 Ds are Delay (wait at least 15 minutes before you give in to your craving), Distract (think about other things), Distance (move away from the snack machine!), Determine (how strong is your craving, why is it there, what is your body really trying to tell you?) and Decide (how much should you have after your 15 minutes are up and if you still want some?).
3 – Crush Your Appetite with Good Food
Sometimes, we simply have to eat. However, why not choose to eat something that is good for you and that will crush the craving? There are lots of foods to choose from, with one of the best ones being the apple.
“Soluble fiber in apples, called pectin, reduces the amount of sugar and calories that’s absorbed into the bloodstream after a meal. That’s good news for folks who want to prevent type 2 diabetes, but it also makes apples one of the best snacks for dieters. Apple pectin prevents spikes in blood sugar that lead to increased fat storage. It will help you avoid the blood sugar “crash” that leaves you craving more food.” – doctoroz.com
In fact, a single apple will keep you full for around two hours.
