5 Smart Ways to Stop Food Cravings

Rebecca Lewis September 15, 2014

Cravings – it’s your number one enemy when you’re trying to lose weight. The more you suppress it, the more it gets powerful. And before you know it, you’ve already consumed two big bags of cookies, a few slices of chocolate cake, several scoops of ice cream and half a box of donuts. But the good news is that food cravings can be reduced to the extent that they no longer sap your energy and make you feel hopeless.

Here are great ways to resist food cravings:

Keep your tummy full.

Food cravings are most powerful when you are hungry. So make sure you satiate yourself properly. Nutritionists recommend eating smaller amounts of food every after two hours or light snacking in between regular meals. When you are full, your brain is less likely to be tempted to binge eat on your favourite calorie-dense treats. However, be cautious about your food choices. If you want to stay fuller for longer, eat meals that are high in protein and monounsaturated fats – not sugar and saturated fats. This means you must eat more of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and some lean meat.

Stop feeling guilty.

It’s your mum’s birthday and just like the previous years – there’s this big, chocolate-filled cake on the table. If you eat a slice while worrying and fretting about gaining weight, you are less likely to enjoy your food, even after consuming several slices more. Remember, cravings are not simply about the food you eat, but as to whether you enjoyed it or not. If you eat a cake while worrying about its consequences, you won’t feel satisfied. According to a 2014 study published in the journal Appetite, people who said they associated chocolate cake with celebration had more control over their eating habits and had less trouble maintaining and losing weight. This of course, isn’t exclusive to chocolate cakes alone, but to all those sugary, high-calorie treats we crave for.

Keep temptation off.

You need not battle against the urge to eat that big box of chocolate cookies when you can simply take it off from your kitchen cabinet. If your family insists of storing some calorie-dense snacks in the house, at least place them to the back of the pantry, not to where you can always see them. Avoid stocking up on fatty treats. Instead, store fresh produce or some whole grains and nuts so when you feel like eating something crunchy and flavourful, you’ve got some guilt-free options available.

Reduce your viewing time.

The more you stay on Pinterest pinning perfectly photographed desserts and pastries, or on Facebook “liking” pictures of your friends festive dinners, the higher your food cravings get. Research by the University of Southern California found that images of high-calorie foods spark more activity in the reward areas of the brain than photos of low-calorie fare.

Don’t just depend on your willpower.

Scientists say willpower is a finite resource. What’s more, it isn’t 100 per cent reliable. One better strategy is distraction. One study found that 3 minutes spent playing the game Tetris reduced the strength of food cravings better than a control condition where people spent the same amount of time waiting around. So the next time you crave for a quarter-pound burger with lots of cheese, consider taking a walk first (or perhaps jogging) before you went straight ahead to the fast food chain. You might come up with a healthier, less fatty snacking option.

Even though there’s a need for you to resist food cravings, it’s never wrong to indulge in your favourite treats once in a while. As long as you observe proper portion control, you regularly eat healthy foods, and you exercise – giving in to your cravings is not a threat to your weight loss efforts and may in fact increase your chances of success.