Kill Those Cravings!

I don't know about you but I often become the victim of cravings. Oh, those nasty cravings! Sometimes I want chocolate, other times I want something salty like peanut butter cookies. These cravings can be hard to ignore! Many diets take the approach that you just do not, can not, WILL NOT indulge. I, however, would like to make a slight, yet very significant change to that statement. Here it goes: You do not, can not, will not indulge...all the time!



When I have an overwhelming urge to give in to something "naughty", I follow a few simple steps:

1. Try to ignore it. Have a glass of water. Get your hands and mind busy with something else. Call a friend. Go for a walk. Get off the couch! Often times this is all it takes to make the craving stop.

2. Try a substitute. There are many healthier alternatives that may help you to satisfy the urge but not give in to something unhealthy. Here are a few examples that work for me (you may have your own that work for you):

• Kill that chocolate craving by eating fresh pineapple instead. I find that the bitter sweetness of pineapple tends to substitute for the bittersweet chocolate taste that I often crave.
• Rather than indulge in fatty peanut butter cookies, have a little peanut butter with some celery instead.
• Replace your ice cream with a fat free yogurt or sherbet, or a low cal low fat portioned ice cream treat.

3. If the above steps fail and I still find myself craving something terribly, I will take a look at how I have done with my calories and fat that day and decide if a small treat would be okay that day. For ME, I find if I deny myself all of the treats I enjoy, I will start sneaking them and rebelling against my diet. However, by allowing  myself a small treat here and there that I incorporate into my diet plan for the day, I stay on track better.

Now the challenge: Try to find a craving substitute that works for you and post it in the comments section below. Together we can kill those cravings - or learn to work with them.