It happens to the best of us. After months of healthy eating, we get a massive craving for junk food. Whatever you do, don’t give up without a fight. Here are some tips on how to resist fast food cravings.
1. Delay
Wondering how to stop junk food cravings? Such cravings are often momentary urges triggered by other emotions (frustration, anxiety, sadness), so, if you choose to ignore them, they may go away once those emotions subside.
2. Find a distraction.
The best way to fight junk food cravings is to find something to keep you busy, especially if you get the dreaded cravings when you’re bored. Draw up a list of fun things to do and post it somewhere you can easily see it. Read a book or magazine, go for a walk, watch a movie, have a bath, whatever will take your mind off appetizing calorie-packed snacks.
3. Choose a substitute.
Sometimes, we crave a particular taste or texture, rather than a particular food, so you may get off the hook by choosing a lesser evil. Healthy snack ideas, which can help you fight fast food cravings, include frozen yogurt, fat-free cheese, multigrain pretzels or crackers, baked French fries or dark chocolate.
4. Have a glass of water.
We often confuse thirst for hunger. So, when you get a junk food craving, have a glass of water and wait about fifteen minutes. Even you still feel the craving, water will make you feel a bit fuller, so you won’t eat as much.
5. Have a nap.
Sometimes food cravings are triggered by exhaustion, so a good way to fight junk food cravings is to have a nap. Once you’re rested, you’ll certainly feel better and you may find the craving for forbidden foods has subsided.
6. Chill out.
The best way to fight junk food cravings is to tackle the cause. Stress is the most common trigger for food cravings so, if you tend to stress binge, find alternative ways to blow off some steam. Do a bit of exercise or yoga, meditate, listen to relaxation music or call a friend to vent.
7. Give in, with moderation.
Sometimes it may be healthier to satisfy rather than fight your junk food cravings, as, if you deny them for too long, they may come back with a vengeance. If you’ve got a massive craving for a particular food, treat yourself to it, provided you do so with moderation. Enjoy that scoop of ice cream or slice of pizza you’d been craving for and move on.
Remember, we all get junk food cravings, but what matters is how we handle them.
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