Control Your Cravings

Cravings.

Uncontrollable snacking, mindless eating, and cravings... I don't know about you, but I definitely struggle some days with all of these. So how do I gain control? I STOP!!

No, seriously, I stop and look at my nutrition and sleep. Usually, cravings can be controlled if you STOP at look at some of the factors that are contributing to those mindless eating binges.

Factors that could be contributing to your cravings.

1. Eating enough food-calories. If you are continually under eating, your body is not receiving enough energy. Your body attempts to get your attention by giving you signals. Cravings are one of those signals. Your body needs and wants energy to perform so typically you will crave energy dense foods. You know- All those high calories foods.

2. Balanced meals-protein, carb, and fats. Eating nutrient dense foods helps provide your body with the nutrition it needs to perform. Protein helps build muscle and keeps you full. Carbs are your body’s preferred energy source. Fats help balance hormones and help with brain function. All of these together create a balanced meal which helps keep you full and keep cravings away.

3. Sleep-Recovery and sleep are huge factors in hunger and stress. If you are sleep deprived, your body’s hormones are impacted. Leptin is your appetite suppressing hormone and it can decrease while ghrelin your appetite inducing hormone can increase along with cortisol. Cortisol is your stress hormone. When these hormones are imbalanced, cravings can increase.

4. Restricting foods-when you limit or eliminate certain foods. They instantly become all you think about. This leads to an unhealthy relationship with foods. Then foods are viewed as good or bad foods. This mindset can lead to binge eating.

Cravings are normal and most of us have them! There is no reason to feel guilty or shame yourself for having these cravings. No one is perfect and I definitely have cravings too. To help reduce cravings, or get control of your snacking habits, start paying attention to how much food you are eating, the quality of foods you are eating, how much sleep you are getting, and if you are restricting certain foods.

Improving these factors can help curb cravings. Recognize which factors you may need to work on, and then implement steps to listen to your body each day.

If you struggle with cravings, or controlling your snacking habits, I will teach you how to implement a strategic plan with structured flexibility that allows you to control the cravings and still get results.

Go check out my Facebook group, 6T Fit Community, and join today! Interested in 1:1 coaching, send me a message at 6tfitness@gmail.com