C R A V I N G S it’s something {especially as women} we all struggle with. And while there’s no solution to completely eradicate them from our lives. From experience (yes, I am a former sweet tooth eat-ten-brownies-in-one-sitting girl) you can tweak your lifestyle to decrease your cravings as well as become much more in control when your cravings hit.
So let’s dive in!
The first thing you have to do is add in more leafy greens. I say it all the time because I am borderline greens obsessed. I strongly believe in adding them to every meal, but dark leafy greens are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and the absolute best way to nourish your body. Not only are they filled with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, but they give you tons of energy and curb cravings. So long story short, the more you eat leafy greens the less your body craves sweets, unhealthy fats, and processed foods. Real food and lots of leafy veggies, it really is that simple.
Second, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. Dehydration makes our bodies think that we’re hungry and more often than not when we’re dehydrated we experience cravings. So the second you have a craving chug a glass of water.
Third, get enough sleep. When our bodies are in need of rest we experience more stress and our blood sugar levels fluctuate quite easily. Changes in our blood sugar levels cause our bodies to crave sugar, unhealthy fat, processed foods, and stimulants.
Once you’ve incorporated these habits in your sweets cravings should decrease quite a bit. The next step is to approach cravings mindfully. Bottom line is we’re never going to be able to completely remove every less-than-healthy food from our life long-term. But that’s the great thing about creating a healthy lifestyle vs a diet is the fact that you don’t have to. You can have the foods you love, it’s just about approaching them in the right ways.
1 – Always take a step back and think about the craving. If you’re thinking dang I could really go for a few bites of chocolate cake here soon that’s awesome. If a slice of chocolate cake is set in front of you and all the sudden you have to have it that’s not so good. If you really want some chocolate cake find the best dang chocolate cake you can get your hands on and take a few guilt-free bites and then move on.
2 – Try to fit your indulgence into your lifestyle. Try to get a weight training workout in that day, drink plenty of water and make sure once you’re done, you’re done – move on with your life don’t’ think “oh I overdid it so now I will just eat anything I want today” that’s a negative mindset and no good.
3 – And again, make sure it’s the highest quality you can find. If you can cook from scratch that is awesome, if you can’t (because having a whole tray of brownies in the house is never the best idea) then go find somewhere that cooks from scratch and uses high-quality ingredients and choose that!
So there ya have it! How to kick those cravings to the curb. And if you need a little inspiration for whole food recipes with lots of leafy greens make sure to sign up for your free trial of http://app.ahealthypassion.comA Healthy Passion.
xo
Kate