COMBAT YOUR CRAVINGS

It is completely normal to experience cravings, with most of us having craved a specific food at some point. Whether it’s a Snickers chocolate bar, a Domino’s pizza or a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, our cravings tend to be high calorie, sugary and fatty foods. We will always get cravings; however, by following a lower sugar diet you can train your body to reduce the intensity and learn to limit the amount of times we ‘give in’ to those cravings. Craving or hunger?
We know cravings exist, however we sometimes confuse them with hunger. If you feel like you want to eat a specific food, it is most likely a craving. On the other hand, if you just want to eat anything, you are probably experiencing hunger. If you struggle to differentiate between the two, try the ’20-minute rule’. When the craving hits, do not give in straight away; allow yourself 20 minutes to combat it. Try occupying your mind with something else. Have a drink of water, listen to some music, make a phone call... whatever works. After 20 minutes, if you are still hungry but do not necessarily want that ‘burger’ you were craving earlier, it was probably not a craving. Choose to go for a healthy balanced meal instead.

Protein intake Ensure to start your day with a high protein breakfast. This could be a breakfast smoothie with added protein powder or some poached eggs with smoked salmon and avocado, whatever floats your boat. Research suggests that having a higher protein breakfast can reduce food cravings throughout the day. We should also be having protein with every meal throughout the day as it not only helps to refuel muscles after exercise, but it also increases satiety. The science shows that protein helps to suppress specific receptors and hormones that trigger hunger. Some classic options for added protein include eggs, yoghurt, fish, lean meat, nuts and beans.

Timing your workouts Regular exercise is imperative for a healthy lifestyle although it does command an increase in food consumption. This is due to the fact that increased physical activity requires more food for it to be sustainable. It is important not to allow this to have an effect on cravings and unhealthy eating. Research suggests that working out in the morning increases physical activity throughout the day, without an increase in food consumption. This is great to take into consideration particularly for healthy weight loss.

Meal prep Preparing your meals in advance is a popular practice, particularly when following specific diet plans. Meal prep helps to eradicate any spontaneity and ambiguity about what you are going to eat each day. This is perfect for combating cravings as you will not have to think about you are going to eat and you will not be tempted by any unhealthy foods.