Keeping constant food cravings under control is essential when trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle. If cravings can’t be curbed your evening might just end up in a binge eating frenzy, and we all know that’s not good.
But why do you crave certain foods, mostly junk food, in the first place? Is it because it tastes good? Or just because you’re bored and want to kill time? All those things could definitely play a role, though I think the real answer is to be found inside the body. I’m talking about the blood glucose or blood sugar level. This medical term indicates how much energy you’ve got readily available for use. If your blood sugar is too low, a hunger signal will go to the brain initiating food cravings.
To help keep your blood sugar from dropping to an all time low and prevent huge cravings, I offer you these tips:
1. Do not Starve Yourself
Low blood glucose levels indicate you’re low on energy. Obviously, this happens when you don’t eat enough throughout the day. As a result the body will send out a message saying it needs food, which in turn will trigger the cravings. The lower your blood sugar levels, the more severe your cravings could be.
2. Eat several meals a day
Of course, you can’t just eat something at breakfast and expect to keep your blood sugar level in check all day long. Eat at least 3 meals spread over a whole day. Even better would be to eat up to 6 small meals per day. This way the food energy can be gradually processed, keeping the huge swings of the blood sugar to an absolute minimum.
3. Water as an anti-cravings supplement
It’s probably the cheapest and easiest way to stop cravings, yet it works. I can’t really explain why though. Just try it and you’ll see. Besides, water is essential in a healthy lifestyle anyways, as it’s the oil that keeps our body running smoothly all day long.
4. Low glycemic foods / complex carbohydrates
We love filling up on simple carbohydrates when the cravings kick in. Simple carbohydrates are found in foods such as pizza, pancakes, cakes and high fructose sodas. These simple carbohydrates are very quickly absorbed by the body, causing a blood sugar rush. This rush the high we are looking for when pillaging the refrigerator. We want the simple carbohydrates that quickly supply us with that much craved carb load.
“Yes, I know that, but how does this help me keep my constant cravings under control!?”. Well, the thing is, by avoiding simple carbohydrates in the first place you will prevent cravings. That’s because after the initial High simple carbohydrates give us, the blood sugar will dramatically drop. And as I’ve said before, very low blood sugar levels leads to huge cravings! That’s also the reason why we can eat killer 563 calorie hamburgers and still be hungry, having just finished it.
Incorporating Low Glycemic (complex carbohydrate) foods (eg. oatmeal, brown rice, whole pasta, vegetables and others) into your diet will supply you with slowly absorbed energy and keep your sugar in balance all day long. Not only will this keep cravings away, it will make fat loss a lot easier as well.
5. Include Protein in Your Meals
Studies have shown that eating more protein will make you feel satisfied and full faster.
An additional benefit of eating protein is that it even further lowers the glycemic load of carbohydrates when combined in one meal. However, do not go overboard on the protein thing. Eating to much protein can cause quite a strain on your kidneys. If you have ever experienced any kidney problems, you probably shouldn’t change anything here. You’ll go quite a long way already using the other 4 tips to stop the constant food cravings.
Follow these tips and say goodbye to your cravings … along with some of that unwanted fat you are carrying about.
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