7 Tips for Killing those Crazy Cravings …

7 Tips for Killing those Crazy Cravings …

Everybody craves some kind of food sometime. Not to be too TMI-licious, but there are certain times of the month when I crave chocolate and salt at the same time, and must have it or I will die. Well … or everyone around me probably wishes they would, actually. Anyway! Food cravings are awful, because you know you’ll never be satisfied unless you fulfill them – right? Maybe … but before I say another word, here are some tips for killing those crazy cravings before they completely do you in.

1. Let It Pass

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Sometimes, the best tip for killing those crazy cravings is not to do anything about them. Just let them pass by on their own. I know that sounds easier in theory than it could ever be in practice, but it does work. You just have to remember that when a craving starts, especially if it’s a craving for something sweet, it will pass quickly. Cravings are kind of like tantrums. If you get your mind off of it by doing something else, then you won’t even notice it’s there gnawing at you.

2. Don’t Forbid Yourself

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Speaking from painful, awful, miserable experience, the worst thing you can do to yourself is cut something out of your diet. Cut out carbs, you’re going to start craving bread. Cut out sugar, you’re going to be a raging lunatic until you get some chocolate or candy or something. Tell yourself you absolutely cannot have potato chips ever in life, and you’ll probably go on a Lays-stealing rampage. What you have to do instead is learn how to…

3. Moderate Yourself

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The best tip for killing those crazy cravings is to learn moderation. You can have an ice cream sundae now and then. You can eat your Pringles. You can even have a Big Mac or a Whopper every so often if you want to, you just have to remember not to overindulge. When you start thinking it’s okay to have cookies, a piece of pie, or an order of lovely, greasy fries every day, that’s when you’re in trouble. Treating yourself once in a while isn’t going to hurt you, though.

4. Stay Away from Sugary Substitutes

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I know that a lot of my cravings are geared toward sweet, sugary things. If you’re then same way, then the worst thing you can do is turn to sugar substitutes instead. There are dozens of problems associated with these, and the fact is that they won’t really curb your cravings. On the contrary, your craving will just come back with a raging vengeance in a little while. It’s far better to…

5. Eat a Healthier Alternative

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Instead, you need to find healthy alternatives for your favorite vice foods. If you crave sweet things, there are lots of fruits that are just as sweet as candy. If you like potato chips, even, you’ve got some leeway there. Trust me, when I’m having those salty cravings, I used to reach right for the greasy potato chips, but lately I’ve substituted them with healthier alternatives. Baked chips are better, for instance, and I’m a sucker for Sun Chips – both of which are fine as long as you remember moderation!

6. Exercise

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Without question, the best tip for killing those crazy cravings is to exercise. This is one of the many things that will take your mind off your craving. Besides, when you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which will not only make you feel great, they will also curb your appetite – and kill your craving for junk foods.

7. Relax

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A lot of people eat when they are stressed out, emotional, sad, and so on – and they tend to reach for the junk food first. As a recovering emotional eater myself, I can testify to this. You know what it’s like, you get stressed out and automatically reach for something that tastes wonderful and overflows with calories, and it does make you feel better … for about five minutes. Rather than simply covering up your feelings with bad foods, try to relax more, whether that means exercising, taking a nap, taking a bath, or reading a book.

I don’t know about you, but I found a lot of these tips for killing those crazy cravings quite helpful. Hopefully, there as easy to put into practice as they are to understand, though. What do you do when you’re having raging food cravings?