Strategies In Coping With Food Cravings When Dieting

By Doyle Christensen

Dieting is very challenging to many individuals wanting to lose weight. Many are tempted to cheat while on a diet even if they are very much determined to shed off excess pounds. They give in to their food cravings and go against their diet. These cravings just come suddenly and take one out of the right track. It is part of a weight management plan to battle these cravings and with the right strategies, you can win this battle and resist your urge to crave for unhealthy foods.

One of the strategies to cope with food cravings is to drink at least 8 tall glasses of water daily. In a day, an adult should drink around 64 oz of water. When you are dehydrated, you will definitely feel hungry. Drinking water will temper those hunger pangs.

Your kitchen should be packed with healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, low-fat dairy, lean meat and other slimming foods that are indicated in a healthy diet. Do not put foods in the fridge that are loaded with calories and bad fat so that you would not be tempted to pig out and cheat on your diet. The body craves for carbohydrates thus instead of eating unhealthy carbs, go for the healthy ones which are the food indicated above.

Consume healthy foods satisfying your craving. For example, if you wish to eat something sweet, go for an apple or a banana instead of a cookie or a chocolate. Eat a handful of unsalted peanuts instead of a hamburger during snack time.

Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, go for 5 to 6 small meals. When you consume small portions of food in a regular manner throughout the day, your blood sugar would be maintained thus your hunger sensations would decrease. In addition, never skip a meal, especially breakfast. Eat healthily during this time, moderately at lunch and very little during dinner. When you eat a full meal during the day, you would be less hungry in the evening.

Have a journal to jot down your food cravings and your emotions. Note the time when you feel these cravings, the kind of food you want and the amount of food you ate. Having a journal will guide you in your weight loss plan.

Know what the foods that you crave for are when you feel negative emotions. These include stress, anxiety, anger or sadness. Refrain from allowing these emotions to dictate the time and the food you consume. When food cravings arise due to emotions, tell yourself that you are not really starving.

Be active always and get involved in activities you enjoy. During your spare time, concentrate on your hobby so that you would not get bored. Usually you crave for food out of boredom. You can also exercise as it curbs the appetite when dieting.

When you wish to lose weight, ask for support from those near you. Tell your partner or anybody close to you to call or speak to you every time food cravings strike. It pays to have a support system in your weight loss journey.

These are the strategies to remember when dieting to avoid food cravings.

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