Part 3: Fight Back During Cravings!
Today, we’ve got the final installment of our three-part series about cravings. (You can check here for Part 1 and here for Part 2 if you missed them!)
Planning for cravings is good and essential for success, but there are actions you can take during cravings to help yourself overcome them and stick with your diet. Ready to learn how to face cravings head on and fight back?
Look for the Source
Remember how most cravings are caused by stress, loneliness, and other emotions? During a craving, one of the most powerful things you can do is look for the source of the craving. If you’re bored, find a way to stimulate yourself. If you’re lonely, call a friend you can connect with. By dealing with the root cause of the craving, you’ll find you have a lot more power to control it.
Can It Wait 20 Minutes?
Most cravings only last between 5 and 20 minutes. This is true whether you have cravings for a cigarette or a hamburger. The craving sure feels like it’s lasting longer at the time, but studies have shown time and time again the worst part of the craving is usually gone within a few minutes. This means if you remind yourself you only have to last a few minutes, you can make it!
Relax, Man
Are you stressed? As it turns out, stress can be a powerful emotional trigger for our cravings. According to Dr. Adam Drewnoski, a renowned researcher, “Food cravings arise to satisfy emotional needs, such as calming stress and reducing anxiety.”
Removing stress from our lives makes it easier to face challenges and overcome them. We also don’t subconsciously turn to food or other substances for emotional release. This makes both avoiding and overcoming cravings much simpler.
If you find yourself stressed and craving food, here’s a simple technique to relieve the stress and regain control:
- Let your eyes rest closed–don’t squint (remember to only do this if you are in a place where it’s safe to close your eyes!)
- Begin breathing slowly through your mouth, taking slow, deep breaths
- Clear your mind by trying to focus on the sound and feeling of your breathing
- Slowly breath in and out, feeling the stress flow away
- Continue this for anywhere between 30 seconds and 10 minutes, depending on how often you meditate and how much time you have
Drink Some Nuts
This may seem unusual, but eating a handful of nuts and drinking a glass of water when you feel hunger pangs can be enough to keep you cool until you get to your next meal. If you’re currently taking HCG, you can substitute celery or a piece of melba toast instead of the nuts (since nuts aren’t on the list of approved HCG diet foods). These foods make you feel more full than you really are, making it easy to overcome that craving.
After the Craving
Once the craving is over, make sure to take time to analyze the craving, what you did, and why you were or were not successful in overcoming it. You may need to have one of your kids hide those chocolate covered almonds! Taking time after a craving to examine it–even just for a few seconds–can boost your resolve and motivation to keep overcoming cravings in the future.
You Can Do It!
Cravings are the worst part of a diet, but with these secrets about the TRUE cause of cravings, you can do it! Don’t give up! Apply these tips and beat your craving at its root!
