Cravings come in every flavor from salty to fatty or from sweet to sour. Chocolate tops the list of cravings. These cravings are not only the dieters’ downfall, but they also start this vicious cycle of unhealthy living.
1. Cravings come in every flavor from salty to fatty or from sweet to sour. Chocolate tops the list of
cravings. These cravings are not only the dieters’ downfall, but they also start this vicious cycle of
unhealthy living.
There are two basic root causes for cravings – physical need and emotional need. Almost all of us
can relate to emotional need and why we eat certain things for certain moods and feelings. Few of
us can relate to cravings that rise out of actual physical need. Generally, we choose unhealthy foods
when responding to the cravings, physical or emotional.
• Be sure to take vitamin supplements or consume a well balanced diet so that your body will
receive all the nutrients.
• Narrow down the type of foods you are choosing to satisfy your cravings. Are they sweet,
salty, fatty foods or chocolate. Once you narrow this down, you can have a strategy for
attacking the craving back.
Sweet and Chocolate Cravings
When you have sweet cravings you automatically turn to foods such as cakes, cookies or pies. But
you could satisfy your sweet craving with anything sweet – such as fruits. Add some fat free
whipped cream to your favorite fruit and treat it like the real dessert it is. Have fruits like
strawberries, grapes or apple handy. They are filling and will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Cinnamon is another good weapon to beat sweet cravings. Sprinkle some cinnamon on toast and
watch the sugar cravings being controlled for few hours. Cinnamon also gives you an energy boost.
2. So add cinnamon to your daily meal plan. Sugar free choice is another option. But be sure to pay
close attention to the serving size and you stick to it.
A sugar free chocolate pudding with a dollop of light whipped topping can satisfy your craving for
chocolate and it is about 1/3 calories of a regular candy bar. When choosing chocolate, go for
quality rather than quantity. Choose a small piece of a really good quality chocolate rather than the
king size version of the lesser quality chocolate. Your palate will be satisfied with the small piece
but your hips will be a lot happier. Schedule the chocolate treats, so you actually savor. Put
chocolate in your luxury item list and not in your comfort list.
Salty Cravings
May be sugar is not your thing. All you need is a bag of potato chips and you are happy as a clam.
One way to control salt intake is to use other spices such as rosemary or garlic when cooking. These
increase flavor without causing risk to your heart.
For salty chips and pretzels, try a serving of nuts. Nuts are more filling and are packed with
nutrients. Although they are salty, they provide other things as well. Just be sure to stick to one
serving a day.
If it is the texture, then go for some crunchy carrots or celery sticks. These with fat free, low sodium
dips are heavenly.
Fried Foods
If steak is your thing, go for lean cuts. Trim the fat off the meat and you are good to go. If you like
butter on your toast or muffin, you can easily switch to a butter substitute. Instead of deep frying,
try baking them. Use broth to sauté instead of oil. Use applesauce or flaxseed instead of fat for
baking. For cheeses, always choose part skim and you have lowered your calorie intake.
If you are finding it difficult to control your
appetite and curb your cravings I highly
recommend an online weight loss system
called Fitium.com
Fitium provides a personalized diet plan
designed to keep you satisfied all day and
lose weight fast. Plus it features a coaching
program which will help you take control of
your cravings, tame emotional eating, and
enjoy healthy meals without the gilt!