How To Stop Food Cravings: Curb Your Cravings The Healthy Way
Learn healthy swaps for unhealthy foods with this handy guide!
It takes three weeks to make or break a habit, lifestyle changes included. As you continue on your new healthier lifestyle it will become easier, but sometimes you will crave some of the unhealthy food that you had previously enjoyed. What do you do then? You find healthy substitutions! Most cravings are caused by a vitamin or nutrient deficiency, so if you know the deficiency, you can curb the cravings. This guide, How To Stop Food Cravings: Curb Your Cravings The Healthy Way, will help you determine the cause of each of your cravings so that you can stay on track with your healthy lifestyle.
Another challenge that many people face when eating healthily is portion control. This handy guide should help you out with finding the perfect portions: Portion Sizes for a Healthy Balanced Diet
Curb Your Cravings The Healthy Way
Main Meals
--Craving pasta and bread signals a lack of chromium. To combat this, eat eggs and avocado, like in this recipe for Mini Crustless Vegetarian Quiche.
--Craving curry signals low levels of sulphur which can be combatted by eating cucumbers and celery, and this Tomato, Cucumber, and Avocado Salad is super easy to prepare.
--Craving red meat signals low zinc levels that can be satisfied with dried fruit. Try whipping up a batch of these Chewy Coconut and Dried Fruit Bars for an easy healthy snack!
Snacks and Sweet Foods
--Craving high-sugar foods like doughnuts and cookies signals low levels of tryptophan, sulphur, and phosphorus. Try enjoying some fresh fruit or a smoothie bowl, like this Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie Bowl.
--Craving chocolate means you're missing some magnesium, so try having some of these Amazing Avocado Brownies. You'll get your chocolate fix but with healthier fats and fewer calories.
-- --Craving toast signals a lack of nitrogen, so you should eat grains like quinoa. This Cranberry Cilantro Quinoa Salad is refreshing and delicious.
--Craving popcorn signals a change in stress hormones and you should eat spinach and lean meats. This Spinach Strawberry Salad would be perfect with a grilled chicken breast!
--Craving cheese signals a lack of calcium and fatty acids, so you should eat flax seeds and kale. Try this recipe for Kale Detox Salad!
--Craving fried foods like potato chips means your chloride levels are low and olives will help bring it up. This Pasta Salad recipe is filled with fabulous Italian flavor and has black olives!
Drinks
--Craving fizzy drinks and soda surprisingly means you need calcium. Enjoy a nice tall glass of your favorite milk or make some of these Frozen Fresh Fruit and Yogurt Bites. (Tip: Use Greek yogurt for a protein boost!)
--Craving caffeinated beverages mean your iron and salt levels are low. A glass of tomato juice would do the trick, but so would this Simple Caprese Salad! It also mean that you're sleep-deprived, so getting an extra hour or so of shut-eye may help, too.
--Craving alcohol signals a lack of Vitamin B2, so a healthy serving of yogurt should do the trick. For a sweeter treat, try this recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats.
Other Healthier Swaps
Always remember that it’s okay to treat yourself every once in awhile. Following a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean that you can never eat the food you are craving. There are no bad foods! Everything is fine in moderation.
--Instead of enjoying an entire slice of cake, go for half.
--If a certain meal at a restaurant sounds amazing, split it with a friend and order a healthy side dish, or ask for a to-go box when you order and package up half.
--Opt for whole grain when possible if you’d like a pizza or other carb-heavy item since whole grain foods have a higher nutrient content.