Cravings are those pesky feelings telling us to put food into our mouths we know we should not. Cravings are driven by the need for nutrients or minerals we are missing or emotional issues we are trying to cover. I know people crave salty as well as sweet foods. However, for today I will focus on that Sweet Tooth.
According to WebMD, "We love sweets because they not only taste good, but make us feel good. Consuming simple carbohydrates (like sweets) boosts the brain chemical serotonin, which can help improve mood. Stress reduces serotonin levels, which may help explain why some people reach for sweets when they're feeling stressed." From birth we are programmed to desire sweets above all other tastes. So, while completely natural to prefer sugary sweet treats, Americans tend to do everything in excess and it is where we make eating the right thing more difficult on ourselves. On average Americans have 16 tablespoons more sugar in our DAILY diet then recommended! 16!
While quitting cold turkey is ideal, I do know some people who get SO grumpy when their blood sugar drops that you want to stuff a candybar down their throats. Not everyone can quit cold turkey and I hear all the time how "it's just too hard!" And the most irritating "but it tastes good so I am going to eat it"
Really? Then I really don't want to hear you whine that you just can't lose weight! SELF CONTROL. Such a hard concept for some people, but, is absolutely possible! There are some skills you can work on that will help with achieving your goals. Everyone slips from time to time but knowing how to recover before giving up is the key to success.
Got Skills?
You had to take a few shaky steps before you could run, unless you were that rare phenom among us. We have to start with the basics and build from there. Diet changes, excersize and curbing cravings are the same. If you did not have issues then you would not be searching for help right now..... right? I went through 3 months of classes ran by Via Christi hospital before I had surgery because they know how people tick. We say "yeah, yeah, yeah, I know" but, really we don't. We decide we want to make a change and go on these crazy crash diets and fads that we just can not stick with. What we do is give up something and then psych ourselves out because we obsess over that thing we are missing and fixate on how much we miss it. How much we need it. We sabotage ourselves and end up eating the entire bag of chocolates, shoveling it in instead of using our brains and relying on skills to overcome the craving.
Give a Little
If you just can't say "no more" then give yourself a little. Avoid high calorie and high fat options. Give yourself a 100 calorie limit and stick to it.
Go for Quality instead of Quantity
You probably know what your favorite fix is. Chocolate? Try a small piece of dark chocolate you can savor instead of a whole milk chocolate one.
Cold Turkey
I quit soda on August 24th 2012. I had been consuming over 64 ounces of Mt. Dew everyday for over 20 years! But after reading studies and feeling like I had been run over every morning before getting my caffeine surge, I knew cold turkey was the only thing that would work to me. I know I can not have it at all since having surgery but months before my procedure I made the choice and have stuck to it. The experts say the first 48-72 hours after giving up something is the worst has apparently never quit caffeine! It was a week of hell! But, I feel so much better and lost 20 pounds right away!
Substitutions
Okay, if you want to still have your sugar fix, you can still cut out the extra calories. Try looking for sweets made with natural substitutes like Stevia. When making treats at home you can substitute ingredients yourself. You can prepackage the treats and know you are making a difference and you are in control.
Chewing Gum and Eating Regularly
When you are busy and you feel that nagging feeling building up to pull into the dirve through to stuff your face with greasy french fries try popping a piece of gum into your mouth. It helps curb your appetite and those cravings. Another way to help control the monster is to not let yourself get too hungry. We live very busy lives and chewing gum can only hold us over for so long. Try to keep a healthy snack at hand or do not skip meals! When we go too long between meals our blood sugar levels drop causing us to reach for a quick fix and most of those fixes are very poor choices. The poor choices are only a temporary fix. We need complex carbohydrates that level out our blood sugars. Sweets only provide a quick spike then the levels drop just as quick.
Slumps and Afternoon Crash
We all have faced that slump in energy when trying different diets that deprive us of certain foods. We are left tired, worn out and cravings drive us crazy. The afternoon crash is blamed a lot for giving in and eating junk. Try increasing your fiber with fruits and vegetables. This will give you sustained energy through out the day and will satisfy your need for something sweet.
A few other little tips that have helped me along the way:
Portion Control
Do not eat from the bag! Take out a serving and limit it to that serving.
Eat from a small plate - do not eat from the serving bowl or container
No nibbling in front of the TV! Absent minded eating has no purpose! You eat larger quantities and don't have the satisfaction of what you consumed.
Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Savor every bite and enjoy your food by chewing 20-30 times before swallowing.
Avoid triggers to prevent temptation
Get active - before indulging in a cupcake, take a walk, play with your pet, just move.
Drink water. We don't get enough water anyway. So, drink up.
Read. Educate yourself. Experts are always changing their minds so try and keep up.
I think this is good for now..... I will do some more reading myself and let you know what else I come up with.
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