However, even when feeling good and eating our best, crazy cravings still strike and leave us feeling like the only thing to do is give in and eat. We wanted to share a few secrets we have found that really help when the sweet tooth strikes.
Take Ten
Ten minutes. Not ten treats. (Sorry, not sorry. You'll thank us later.) John Foreyt, PhD, of Baylor College of Medicine says that "cravings last about 10 minutes." We tend to think that to get rid of a craving you have to eat or it will just get worse. John says no. If you can stick it out for just 10 short minutes the craving will pass. So, time it. Do something for ten minutes that keeps you busy and you'll most likely be able to kick your craving to the curb.
Train Your Brain
"You crave what you eat," says Marcia Pelchat, PhD, of the Monell Center. In her study, participants drank bland drinks for 5 days and were then allowed to eat as they wished. They craved the drinks. Interesting. So, while the first few days may be hard, train your body to crave healthy foods made the way you like them. Berries with a bit of chocolate, apples and peanut butter, home made crunchy granola bars instead of chips. Flavored waters instead of sodas.
Nuttin To It
"Nuts with water will fix your craving and appetite, and change your body chemistry in 20 minutes," says Michael F. Roizen, MD. Not a nut lover? No problem. You only need 6 walnuts, 12 almonds, or 20 peanuts for this little trick to work. Pick your favorite nut and take them with a glass of water and you are set for success.
Plan On It
You crave the same thing, every day, at the same time? No surprise there explains Bob Mauer, PhD and author. "The brain loves routine." Use it to your advantage. Be prepared. If you crave a sweet pick me up every afternoon around 3pm, plan ahead. Make a healthy version of what you are craving and have it ready. Take a walk just as your craving sets in. With a plan in mind you are better able to combat the craving. Along with a daily plan, make a plan for the future that includes your fitness goals. A vacation, a new outfit you'd like to wear, celebrating a special occasion, anything that you can look forward to. When cravings strike, thinking about the progress you have made and visualizing yourself with your end goal in mind (looking and feeling great) help to keep you on track and avoid giving in to your cravings.
Out Goes The Oreos
The worse has happened. Your willpower crumbles and somehow that box of Ding Dongs or Oreos (or both) found its way into your shopping cart and into your home. The experts say destroy them once you realize what you have done. Have a few and ruin whats left. Put them in water. Take them out to the garbage. Whatever it takes so that while in your current state of "oh, well" you don't end up eating the entire package.
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