Cravings can be a dieting nightmare. Sometimes after eating your meal, you still feel unsatisfied and feel the need for something. Or, you might be searching for an afternoon snack to tide you over in between meals.
The intense desires we feel for specific foods are stronger than normal hunger and tend to be for high-fat, junk food that we don’t need.
Here are some helpful weight loss tips for how to curb cravings and stay on track!
Try a Slimming Clinic weight loss programme
Our weight loss programmes include prescription medication, GZ12 and chromium supplements that help to curb cravings, making your weight loss journey that little bit easier.
Keep distracted
How many times have you been guilty of snacking because you’re bored and you’ve nothing better to do?
Making sure you are distracted with work, calling a friend, doing bits around the house or even a small activity break can help your mind ignore the temptation of treats.
Sleep well
Sleep has a huge impact on your cravings. Not getting enough can lead to fluctuations in your appetite regulation and increase your need for high-sugar, high-salt junk foods.
Making sure you are getting a regular 6 – 9 hours of sleep each night will help keep those urges at bay.
Drink more
If you are wondering how to stop your cravings, sometimes you might be thirsty instead of hungry! Cravings are often related to increased thirst. So if you find yourself feeling hungry, think about the last time you had a drink.
Increasing your intake of decaffeinated drinks can act as a natural appetite suppressant, so before you reach for the snack cupboard, try drinking a glass of water and seeing how you feel after.
The water is likely to fill you up and decrease the need to eat.
Eat your meals
When embarking on a healthy eating routine and looking to reduce calorie intake, it can be tempting to skip meals, but this can prove to be very detrimental to your weight loss journey.
One of the biggest weight loss tips to help stop your cravings is to making sure you are having three filling, nutritious meals a day. This will reduce the need to snack between them. By staying on track with your main meals within your weight loss diet, you will likely feel more motivated and make informed decisions about the snacks you are having.
Think long-term
When you are fighting the need for something high-fat or high-sugar, take the time to think about if you REALLY need it.
Sometimes we snack on autopilot, but consciously taking the time to consider the want versus the need of whatever you are craving can help with reducing the urge to eat it.
Before you snack, ask yourself these questions and then decide if you still want it:
- Am I truly hungry?
- Do I need the snack?
- How will I feel once I’ve eaten it?
- How will it affect my weight loss journey?
For more weight loss advice and information on how to curb cravings for good, get in touch with your local clinic at The Slimming Clinic. We offer a free weight loss consultation to help get you started on your journey.