Category: Diet

How To Handle A Food Craving And Avoid Binging!

1 Comment

Food cravings can lead to binging and sabotage your weight loss efforts!  If you haven’t already, read part 1 — Cravings vs. Hunger: How to Tell the Difference  The last thing I want is for you to ignore true hunger signals. 

Food cravings are normal!

We all experience food cravings from time to time.  Don’t worry!  It’s normal.  You just need to follow some simple steps that will help you handle the craving and avoid the binging.

First off, there is a difference between craving food and experiencing real hunger.  Part 1 gives you detailed steps on how to tell the difference.

Have you ever heard that if your body is craving a certain type of food, then “it probably needs it?”  This is not always true.  If your body is craving a big salad with lots of raw vegetables, that concept is totally reasonable.  However, I don’t think there is anyone on the planet that has to eat Chocolate Chip Cookies to survive!

Simple Tips to Stop Food Cravings from Controlling You!

1)  Give in!  Yes, you read that correctly.  Years ago I was taking classes from a well known nutritionist in southern California.  Because of her location, many of her clients had eating disorders.  She told me a story about a young model who would eat an entire bag of baby carrots in one sitting to keep herself from eating a chocolate chip cookie.  She told the nutritionist she was trying to avoid the “bad” food.

Fortunately, she got some health benefits from  eating the carrots.  But, she consumed more calories with the carrots than if she ate one small cookie.

The point of the story is that when you attempt to eliminate a food from your diet entirely, it can trigger binging. You’ll may redirect the binge to another food. Or once you allow yourself to eat the “forbidden” food, you are at risk of over doing it.  Better to have a small amount of the food you are craving than to try avoiding it entirely.  For example, if you crave ice cream, find a low calorie flavor you like and measure out a serving.  You may even find a half serving will do the trick.

Don’t let food control you!  If it’s only certain foods, try keeping them out of the house for awhile until you can practice moderation.

2)  Go to bed!  When you are in need of rest your body will crave sugar for a pick me up.  Go to bed early that night.  Your body will thank you for it.

3)  Drink some water!  Dehydrated bodies can send a hunger signal.  If you have eaten a full balanced meal within the last few hours, then try a glass of water before you eat more.  If you are still hungry, have a small snack.

4)  Redirect!  Find yourself digging through the cupboards for no reason?  You could be bored.  When you find your self mindlessly foraging for food redirect that behavior.  Try walking, doing a household chore, meditating, catching up on phone calls or email, or reading.  Make a list of replacement activities and keep it posted.  Use the list when the craving begins.

5)  Avoid using food for comfort! We’ve all heard of “comfort food.”  There’s no such thing as comfort food.  Food does not offer comfort.  We can associate a positive time in our life with certain foods, which is why you may feel warm and fuzzy when you eat them.

With that being said, elevating your serotonin levels does help fight depression.  But, turning to the sweets to elevate your serotonin levels is not the best choice.  You may feel great for a moment after eating a large piece of cake.  However, when your blood sugar drops, you can go right back into the dumps and may experience guilt for sabotaging your weight loss goals.

Choose a balanced meal with complex carbohydrates to elevate the serotonin in your body.  If dessert is really your thing, have a small serving that will fit into your daily calorie expenditure.

Just remember we all have food cravings from time to time.  It’s how we deal with them that will make or break our weight loss and management goals!

I hope this has been helpful.  Please let me know if you have any questions or tips you’d like to share to control food cravings.  I love to hear from you!

Blessings!

Jennifer

 

Cravings Vs Hunger, How To Tell The Difference!

Is this scenario familiar? The kids are in bed, you’ve settled in to watch your favorite show, and now you’re craving something to eat. Or, you’re in your office and you start dreaming of that other 1/2 sandwich you left in the fridge. You try to suppress it until you just can’t stand it any longer and head for the kitchen. Don’t worry, this happens to everyone at some point!

It’s important for you to know when it’s a craving and when you are experiencing real hunger. Knowing the difference between the two can help you lose weight and maintain it for life. When the craving or potential hunger signal occurs all you have to do is ask yourself a few questions.

How to tell if it’s hunger or a craving in 30 seconds or less!

1)  Check the time!  Ask yourself when was the last time you ate? Your blood sugar begins to drop within two hours after eating so, after about 3-4 hours you are justifiably hungry.

2)  Did you eat enough? If you are hungry within two hours after eating you may not be eating enough calories during your meal. A meal should be a minimum of 300 calories for a woman and 450-500 calories for a man.

3)  Are you satisfied?  I am a huge believer in portion control versus dieting. However, you also need to satisfy your body so that it feels full. Super small portions of high calorie foods make it difficult to feel full. Choose high volume low calorie meals for optimal results. Eat a balanced meal of veggies, whole grains, and protein so your body has to take time to digest or “burn off” the meal.

One of the best ways to get high volume low calorie foods is to meal plan with light recipes. You can cook them yourself using magazines like Cooking Light and Eating Well, or you can order pre–made low cal meals from companies like Magic Kitchen.

4)  Are you dehydrated? If after going through the above checklist you’ve decided you really shouldn’t need more food, try drinking an 8 oz glass of water. See if the hunger disappears. A dehydrated body can send hunger signals!

5)  Do you need to get some rest?  When you lack sleep, the body tends to crave sugar for a pick me up.

6)  Are you bored? I know it’s hard to believe that anyone can be bored these days! However, just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you are not bored with the task at hand. Procrastination and boredom can send you right into the kitchen. Ask yourself if you are trying to avoid something or are looking for something to do.

7)  Are you stressed? About 50% of the population turn to food when they are stressed. The other 50% don’t eat at all.  Stress can trigger cravings for things like sugar, salt, & fat. Pay attention to stressful situations that come up. See what types of eating patterns the circumstances  trigger.

If  after asking yourself the above questions you have determined that you really are justifiably hungry — eat! Do not starve yourself! If your larger meal is in the next hour or two or you just had dinner, then have a light snack to tide you over before the larger meal or bedtime.

Some examples of good snacks are a single serving of crackers with hummus, yoghurt with a sprinkle of granola, a single serving of chips and salsa with 1/4 cup of yoghurt, a piece of fruit, oatmeal, or a piece of toast with a tablespoon of peanut or a 1/2 tablespoon of butter.

Hopefully these tips will help you tell when you are experiencing cravings versus hunger. If you have determined that you are craving food without being hungry, do not worry! You are normal! In my next article I am going to teach you how to manage and satisfy your cravings without sabotaging your weight loss/management. So stay tuned!

Please let me know if you have any questions about cravings versus hunger. Or, please feel free to share your own personal weight loss tip.  I want to hear from you!

To your health!

Jennifer

Is Eating White Meat Better For You?

So, is eating white meat better for you? I hear this question a lot — in the media, in general conversations and from clients. While many studies point to white meat as the healthier choice, a large number of reputable studies are debunking this theory. For example, research is showing that the saturated fat in red meat does not increase your risk of heart disease. And researchers are questioning if the problem might be that red meat eaters consume less grains, fruits, and vegetables on a daily basis. Exercise is rarely discussed.

We all have that relative that won’t eat vegetables or exercise. Unfortunately, health struggles usually follow. People that have cut out red meat or eat it occasionally usually have a long list of other healthy habits. So we come back to the question. Is the real culprit lifestyle?

Red meat has nutrients that your body needs and when eaten in moderation as part of a healthy balanced diet, it can benefit you.

Tips for eating meat and staying healthy!

1)  Switch it up!  When meal planning, alternate your meat choices. For example, try chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, pork, fish, and shellfish. If you like dark poultry, go for it! The dark meat in poultry has more nutritional value. And the additional calories and fat are so minimal that the good outweighs the small increase in calories and fat.

For variety, try incorporating a high protein meatless dish one night per week with a big salad on the side.

2)  Pay attention to portion sizes!  You probably don’t need to sit down to a 22 ounce steak very often. I hope there would be leftovers! Use light recipes to help you learn to cook with the right amount of meat.

3)  Load on the veggies!  I’m a huge fan of choosing recipes that have a ton of veggies mixed in with the meat. Look to stir-fries, pasta dishes, stews, and rice dishes as vegetable loaded options. Make steamed vegetables or a side salad to go with your main dish every night. You will feel more satisfied. And you’re more likely to get closer to your daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables when adding the extra side.

4)  Buy Natural or Organic!  I really believe it’s the quality of the food that matters the most. Eat hormone and antibiotic free meat as much as possible. Organic grass fed meats are naturally leaner as well. Know your source. Talk to your butcher and find out how the animals are treated and what they are eating. I used to raise livestock when I was growing up, and I can tell you that people who care about the health of their livestock care about the health of the people they are feeding. Plus, it’s usually more humane! 🙂

5)  Make your own burgers! The hamburger is still one of the most popular meals in the US. For good reason. They are delicious! The hamburger itself is usually not that over the top when it comes to calories. It’s the extras! Things like fries, bacon, cheese and sauces all add tons of calories. I like to make burgers at home. It allows me to know the quality of the meat, and I can control the calories. Add some baked fries and a salad for a complete burger experience!

So go ahead and fire up that grill for the remainder of the summer. Just remember to eat a balanced meal!

Please let me know if this has been helpful or if you have a recipe you’d like to share!  I love to hear from you!

Blessings!

Jennifer