I don’t know about you, but this whole COVID-19 situation has resulted in a lot of food cravings. Whether a means of stress relief or fighting back the boredom of being cooped up at home, the sale of junk food is on the rise — and it’s creating some big health problems.
If you’re like me, you want to stay on track with diet and exercise. In the state the world’s in, that goal has become increasingly challenging to accomplish. Part of our job is to recognize cravings — and to know how to beat them!
The Science Behind Your Cravings
I must point out that cravings are not the same as other biological triggers signals of real physiological hunger. Your hunger pangs might appear due to low blood sugar, an empty stomach, or a precursor to rising insulin levels. In these cases, any food that meets the nutritional demand of your body will do.
Cravings can mimic these signals, but it’s not the same.
At one time, people thought that cravings were linked to nutritional deficiencies. Why then, would we crave nutritionally-barren treats and sweets instead of nutrient-rich foods, like lean meats and leafy greens?
You won’t find anyone with an irresistible craving for Brussels sprouts. Donuts, fries, and chips, though? Absolutely!
Our cravings, according to modern studies, are more about an inherent desire for high-calorie food intake. Again, this is a holdover from when the human race was younger, and food was more scarce. We needed and cherished finding these higher-calorie foods that would sustain strength and energy longer than others. Even if man wasn’t hungry, consuming these foods would lead to fat stores that could be utilized for energy later.
We live in a time of abundance now — high-calorie foods are everywhere! And yet, we, on a subconscious, biological level, still crave them. Food makers are preying on that instinct through marketing manipulation and modern food science.
So when you’re craving junk food, how do you fend off that feeling? How do you resist the intoxicating pull of a hot, fresh glazed donut?
Here are a few tricks you can use to overcome your food cravings.
4 Effective Ways to Overcome Food Cravings
1) Limit Access
One of the easiest ways to stop yourself from over-indulging cravings is to keep the foods you crave far, far away from your grasp. Don’t buy chips or cookies or ice cream if you know you’re going to be tempted to binge. Are you getting a morning coffee? Avoid the donut shop and choose an actual coffee joint instead. The less you expose yourself to the foods you crave and the more out-of-your-way you have to go to get them, the less able you are to indulge.
Cravings often hit us when exposed to the foods we’re craving — not the other way around. While you might get a desire for a bag of chips, if you don’t have it in the house, you’re a lot less likely to make the trip to buy them. Limiting your access to the foods you crave is your first line of defense.
2) Drink More Water
Thirst is often mistaken for hunger or cravings. Instead of turning to food to satisfy you first, drink water. Not only do most of us not get enough water to begin with (after all, they say that if you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated!), but we fail to recognize our need for H2O. Drinking water and waiting a few minutes can help your body (and your mind) discern what you needed. Not only that but drinking more water is a means of appetite control and can aid in weight management.
3) Manage Your Hunger
When you’re ravenously hungry, you’re more likely to over-eat and make poor choices. Part of this is our tendency towards impatience when hungry. We want food, and we want it now. That usually means turning to the quick-and-easy drive-thru or opening a pack of snacks. The other part? It’s again that biological need for calories. If you feel like you’re starving, your body will instinctively crave more than it needs.
How many times have you skipped meals to “save up” for a party, buffet, or big family meal? We do this thinking we can “balance out” the day by packing calories into one event. However, going hungry only makes over-eating and making poor nutritional choices more likely.
Eat regularly throughout the day to avoid these hunger-induced cravings.
4) Control Sleep & Stress
Hormone fluctuations can impact our appetite throughout the day. A lack of adequate sleep and high stress levels can affect our hormones and, thus, appetite regulation. That then leads to cravings! When you prioritize healthy stress-management and a regular sleep schedule, you’re less likely to have to combat cravings or deal with an out-of-control appetite.
How do you beat junk food cravings? Share your resistance-building tips in the comments.