5 Ways To Curb Your Cravings That Actually Help You Lose Weight
If you’ve followed me on any form of social media or know me personally, you know that over the past year I have developed a deeper passion with fitness. I love being active and challenging my mind and body to reach its full potential. However, there are times where I want to cut a few pounds and lean out more. Curbing cravings is a challenge we all face. Here are a few things that will help.
1. Make food that you like
There is a myth that if you want to lose weight and be healthier, your diet has to be boring. People think that you have to stick to chicken breast, broccoli, and brown rice. That is far from the truth. Many of the foods we like can be made in a healthier way. Will they taste the exact same? Maybe or maybe not. But the fact is that you can make your favorite foods using less fatty ingredients, less oil, and fewer carbs.
2. Sleep more
Personally, my cravings come at night. I’ve never slept and ate at the same time so going to bed before cravings kick in is key for me. Some people stick to the rule that you shouldn’t eat after 7-8pm. If you stay up until midnight, then you’re bound to feel hungry again. Get that extra hour of sleep so you don’t have to deal with cravings and you’ll be more energetic when you wake up.
3. Focus on what your body needs and not wants
A lot of the fast food or heavily greasy foods we love make us happy in the moment but make us feel lethargic in the following hours. This affects our work, our mood, and our workouts. What your body wants and needs may be very different so you have to stay in-tune with how you feel. In my normal day to day eating I like to use the “fist size” rule. Have a fist size of a lean meat, fist size of a carb, and a fist size of a vegetable for each meal after breakfast. If you want to lean out, switch to a half fist size of your carb. It helps you get exactly what you need and keep track of your eating habits without counting calories or macros (proteins, carbs, and fats).
4. Find activities that you enjoy doing
We sleep for 6-8 hours a night and sit at a desk for 8-9 hours a day (depending on our occupation). When we get home we fall down on the couch because of exhaustion. Meaning, most of our day is sedentary. Finding activities that you enjoy will help you focus on something other than leaving the couch and venturing to the fridge. Take walks, workout, play social sports. Shift your focus to burning energy instead of constantly storing unused potential energy that eventually turns into fat.
5. Indulge when you deserve it
Shifting your plain/pleasure point is key when trying to lose weight. Willpower is not enough. Start placing pleasure in the challenge to keep your cheat meal away for a few days. The feeling of pleasure comes when you feel healthier and you can see weight loss. Once you’ve reached your cheat meal, do it big! Enjoy yourself because you have actually earned it. After it’s over, start the cycle again. Indulging when you deserve it helps with your self-discipline and adds a gaming aspect that makes losing weight fun.