5 Tips To Control Cravings

Food cravings can ruin even the slightest exertion of dieting. It is then very useful to apply some strategies to control them.

Food cravings are the biggest obstacle in dieting to losing weight. Even if you improve the quality of your meals, eating poorly between meals will prevent you from achieving satisfactory results.

Many of us do not give enough importance to this situation and ignore that food cravings bring unnecessary calories to the body.

In addition, many people think that eating more vegetables is enough to improve the quality of their diet.

With cravings, the metabolism slows down, making it difficult for the body to shed excess fat. It can even lead to a state of depression or frustration, due to the lack of results.

Food cravings are linked to many physical, psychological and environmental factors. In most cases, insatiable hunger is the result of low self-esteem.

The person tries, in a certain way, to cover his lacks by the feeling of well-being that the food gives him.

So, before applying any tips to control cravings, it is essential to analyze your emotional health and self-esteem. If something is preventing us from feeling happy, we must fight it effectively.

The advice you will find here has a dual function :

• controlling cravings by prolonging the feeling of fullness
• promote general well-being

Discover 5 tips for controlling cravings here. Put them into practice!

1. Control cravings by eating 5 meals a day

Most healthy eating programs suggest five to six meals a day to maintain a stable weight.

Even though it means eating more, it’s actually an effective tactic for supporting metabolism and controlling cravings.

Eating a small meal every three to four hours stabilizes glucose and decreases feelings of hunger. In addition, it optimizes the digestion process and helps maintain optimal physical and mental performance.

2. Get enough fluids

Water, herbal teas and broths are great allies in controlling cravings. Not only do these options keep the body hydrated, but they also encourage the proper functioning of the body’s metabolism and cleansing process.

These two characteristics promote weight loss and digestive health. These are also two key elements to ensure good blood circulation and good protection of muscle mass.

3. Eat more fiber 

Foods high in fiber contain complex carbohydrates, which serve as the body’s main source of energy. But the main quality of fiber is to control cravings.

Fiber prolongs the feeling of satiety between meals and thus prevents us from taking additional calories. They promote the breakdown of bad cholesterol (LDL) and help prevent digestive problems such as constipation.

We recommend the following options:

• Whole grains
• dried fruits and seeds
• green vegetables
• fruits with skin
• vegetable milks

4. Consume sources of tryptophan

The tryptophan   plays a leading role at the time of control cravings: This essential amino acid involved in complex metabolic cycles that turn into serotonin.

Thus, once assimilated by the body, it influences the control of appetite and anxiety. In general, it improves mood and reduces depressive behavior.

You will find tryphtophan in the following foods:

• protein of animal origin (meat, fish or eggs)
• dairy products
• pineapple
• dried fruits

5. Eat slowly and chew well

We always live in a rush and often ignore the importance of eating slowly without distraction. Consequence of this: once the meal is finished, the feeling of hunger reappears faster than expected.

The brain then does not activate the satiety signal in time. In addition, it affects the digestion process: when you do not chew well, the stomach is overloaded and then takes longer to process food.

To control cravings, you should:

• do a breathing exercise before each meal
• look at your dish to be aware of what you are eating
• eat slowly, take your time to chew
• place the cutlery between bites

Are your food cravings preventing you from losing weight? Are you hungry all the time? Put these tips into practice. Although these are basic measures, they are effective in curbing cravings.