How to Work Through a Craving
By Sara Butler
Everyone has cravings and every once in a while it’s OK to give into those cravings and have a sweet or salty treat. Where many people run into trouble is constantly giving in to unhealthy cravings. That’s certainly not a constructive way to stay healthy and eat a healthy diet. Still, cravings aren’t easy to dismiss – you have to have a strategy! Here’s what you can do to work through your cravings in healthy and constructive ways.
Take a Walk
Cravings are most likely to rear their ugly heads when you’re feeling stressed or tired, so combat the cravings monster with exercise! Exercise has been shown to increase your energy and suppress your urge to munch on something. Plus, it’s a healthy way to help quell stress and keep your mood positive.
Do Some Deep Breathing
Next time the urge to eat an entire container of ice cream strikes, stop and take a deep breath! You can use a breathing technique from yoga to get you through. All you have to do is inhale deeply as you count to four, hold your breath as you count to seven, and then exhale slowly as you count to seven. Repeat four times. This gives you a moment to regroup and center your thinking, helping you to fight off stress. Once you’ve calmed down a bit, that Ben and Jerry’s may not look so appetizing.
Choose a Healthy Snack
If you absolutely need to eat something, consider a healthier snack. Grab an apple or pear because your urge to snack may actually be a response to your blood sugar dropping, not necessarily stress or boredom. Remember that protein and complex carbohydrates make a great snack combination, so consider pairing an apple with some nuts, or pear with string cheese.
Have Some Water
Sometimes you feel as if you’re hungry when you’re really thirsty. You can check if you’re truly hungry or not by drinking a big glass of water when you feel like snacking. Water is good for you and will fill you up, probably making those doughnuts in the break room a lot less appealing.
Save It For Later
When you’ve got something in your fridge that is just calling your name, go ahead and give yourself permission to have it – later. Make a deal with yourself and think that if you can wait to have that special treat until the end of the day, then you can go ahead and have it. That might help you to make better choices throughout the whole day when you know you’ve got that special treat at the end.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.