We’ve all experienced food cravings at some point in our lives. You know that feeling when you can’t stop thinking about a particular type of food and experience an uncontrollable desire to eat it? Yep. That’s what we’re talking about here.
Unfortunately, most of these cravings are for junk food. More specifically, we tend to experience cravings for salty, sugary, or greasy foods. And if you’ve been practicing intermittent fasting, you’re more likely to experience and succumb to these food cravings, undoing your progress and going against your diet plan.
Here’s how you can manage unhealthy food cravings.
Drink Water
Many times, our body confuses thirst for hunger. Both sensations produce similar cravings, misleading people into thinking they need to eat when they’re actually just dehydrated. In fact, staying hydrated throughout the day can reduce the chances of craving specific foods all of a sudden.
The next time you feel the urge to eat a particular unhealthy food item, have a glass of water instead. You’ll notice the craving fades away shortly afterwards. Don’t want a boring glass of water? Add a slice of lemon or cucumber to it to make it fancy. You can even sip some herbal or iced tea without sugar.
Plan Your Meals
Another thing you can do to prevent food cravings is to plan your meals. This is particularly important if you’re practicing intermittent fasting, as it helps you avoid binge-eating during mealtimes. Instead, you can have proper meal portions and eat foods that complement your diet plan.
Meal planning also eliminates the uncertainty of what you’re going to eat. Since you already know what you’ll be eatingand take the required measures to prepare your food, you’re less likely to experience sudden food cravings. Make sure you have proper meals and monitor your nutrient intake.You can also plan for healthy snacks in case you feel hungry between meals.
Snack on Tree Nuts
Finally, keep a few packages of tree nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, or walnuts, to help with food cravings. These items don’t have too many calories, which makes them suitable for controlling food urges. The flavors and sensations released by chewing nuts also help resolve cravings, preventing unhealthy eating.
That said, don’t resort to these options too frequently. Save them for when your cravings are especially hard to control.
Need help planning your diet? Love This Diet helps individuals follow the right diet plans. Get in touch with our online health coach Kansas City today for more information about what we do.
