They sure make it sound easy, don’t they?
Just eat fewer calories than you burn, they say.
Then you’ll lose weight.
Easy as pie.
If you’re craving pie right now, “they” haven’t had to endure the food cravings you get.
Food cravings are a leading cause of extra eating that can contribute to weight gain. But what if you could start replacing food cravings? Replacing them with things and habits that don’t increase your calorie consumption. Things and habits that might even increase your calorie burn. After all, you know what they say!
How to Replace Food Cravings
First of all, don’t expect to read this blog post and expect to instantly eliminate your cravings for food. The points below are options that many people have used to replace their cravings. They may not all work for you. Try the ones that are most appealing and try to stick with the ones that work the best.
Drink Lots of Water
This is the basic of healthy weight loss. Drinking water fills you up so you eat less, especially when you hit a craving. And, from reducing joint pain to helping your skin glow, there are lots of other benefits to drinking more water.
Get Proper Sleep
Studies have shown that not getting enough sleep can create a hormonal imbalance. When your body feels it is under stress, like it might when you don’t get enough sleep, it often triggers hunger pangs to get you to eat more. It’s the body’s defence mechanism in case the stress leads to a disruption in its supply of energy.
Eat More Protein & Fibre
They both help to fill you up, which by itself reduces cravings. But, when you eat more protein and fibre, you eat fewer empty calories. Empty calories increase hunger pangs because your body is looking for real nutrition.
Avoid the Triggers
Are cooking shows one of your TV favourites? Do you regularly go by one of your favorite burger joints? Do you instantly want a snack when work gets extra stressful? Try to identify to triggers of your hunger pangs and avoid them.
The nutrition consultant at your nearest Herbal One location can help you replace food cravings, and a number of other ways of losing weight healthily.
To learn more, check out our article “3 Herbal Supplements to Help Weight Loss, Nutrition & Overall Health“.