5 Simple Ways To Deal With Cravings

Dec 5

It’s common to experience food cravings when dieting down to lose body fat and weight especially when you’re doing it for the first time, it can be physically and mentally challenging to deal with hunger and the urge to eat, then again, it’s normal to feel such way as it is part of the process of losing body fat and weight.

So here are 5 simple ways that can help you manage your food cravings while adhering to your dietary plan;

Treat yourself, donut (don’t) cheat yourself.
If you crave a certain type of food, go ahead with it and enjoy the meal as long as the portion size is not out of control. Moderation is key.
Plan your meals.
Knowing what you’ll be having for breakfast, lunch, and dinner enables you to have a routine to follow and also eliminates the idea of spontaneity which reduces the likelihood of you being tempted with food ideas and cravings.

If possible, try planning a day in advance or even a week ahead, and in doing so, will not only give you better control over your dietary habits but also allow you to fit in your “treat meals”.
Maintain a balanced diet.
Another way you can reduce your cravings and hunger is to not eliminate an entire food group/macronutrients from your diet. Every macronutrient (carbs, protein, fats, fiber) plays an essential role in providing nutrients and supporting our health and well-being.

Eat foods that are least processed, higher in volume, and high in nutrients such as fibrous and leafy greens, minimally processed starch, leaner cuts of meat and poultry, etc. to help maximize your nutrient intake.
Stay physically active.
No, I’m not referring to your workout duration or frequency in a week but to stay physically active throughout the day via NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) such as walking/steps, sweeping or mopping the floor, vacuuming, doing the dishes, laundry, etc.

The easiest way is to accumulate your steps throughout the day and keep yourself busy with tasks and chores so you don’t think about food all day when you’re bored.
Getting enough sleep.
Sleep plays a huge role when it comes to managing hunger levels and cravings, especially when dieting down for body weight and fat loss. The reason being is because your appetite and hunger level are largely affected by the hormones your body produces throughout the day; ghrelin and leptin - the hunger and satiety hormone.

Thus getting that 7-8 hours of uninterrupted restful sleep daily is crucial to help minimize cravings especially when you’re already on a calorie deficit diet.

I hope you’ve found these 5 tips of value to you in helping you manage your cravings and hunger. As long as you’re eating on a deficit consistently, one happy meal or two to satisfy your cravings will not harm your fat and weight loss progress.

The objective is to manage your hunger and cravings around your dietary needs whilst being as consistent as you can in the state of calorie deficit without restricting your dietary choices.