How to Stop Food Cravings in 5 Easy Steps

Raise your hand if you've ever stared into the fridge at midnight, desperately seeking something sweet or salty! 🙋‍♀️

We've all been there. But what if those cravings didn't have to control you? What if you could satisfy your hunger with healthy, delicious options that actually fuel your body? In this blog post, I'm sharing 5 simple steps to help you conquer cravings and make choices that leave you feeling energized and satisfied.

Let’s discuss the five steps that can help you reduce your food cravings easily.

Planning and preparing your food in advance will help you make healthier choices and avoid junk food.

Each week, set aside time to create a meal plan with whole grains, fruits, lean proteins, and vegetables. Always make healthy foods in advance, like beans, brown rice, salads, etc, and store them in containers for quick access. Also, keep fruits like grapes, apples, bananas, strawberries, and oranges for snacks. Keeping nutritious snacks at home makes it easier to avoid reaching for cookies or ice cream when you’re hungry.

I’m a huge fan of healthy snacks that won’t disturb your main meals. Among my favorite Amazon finds, I like Hippeas, pea-based crunchy puffs that I can’t get enough of.

Sometimes, finding hidden gems in alternate snacks can help you have your sugary or crunchy fixes while preventing lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

Step 1: Set Your Goal. Think about why you want to plan your meals. Do you want to lose weight by eating healthy foods, or do you want to do meal prep to save some time? Knowing your goal makes planning easier.

Step 2: Check Your Kitchen. Look at what you already have in your kitchen. Use frozen items or even leftovers as the base for your meals.

Step 3: Choose Recipes. Decide how many days you want to plan for and pick your recipes. Keep it simple, especially if you're planning for many days.

Step 4: Make a Grocery List. Write down all the ingredients you need for your recipes. Check what you already have at home and cross those off the list to avoid buying extras.

Step 5: Prep and Store. Buy your ingredients, cook your meals, and store them for later. Meal prepping helps you stick to your goals and saves time.

Also Read: 9 Easy Meal Planning Ideas for Busy Women

Your body needs nutrients and vitamins from various foods since no single food has everything you need. When you shop, pick fresh vegetables and fruits for fiber and antioxidants. For lean proteins, try whole grains like quinoa, oats, brown rice, and millet.

Always check labels to make sure ingredients are natural and free from additives. Eating a mix of whole foods helps your body get all the nutrients it needs. This easy habit can boost your health and cut down on cravings.

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1. Eat More Beans. Beans are a great source of both protein and fiber. Other good options include lentils, chickpeas, and black-eyed peas. My favorites are small pink or red beans.

2. Eat More Nuts and Seeds. Nuts and seeds are other excellent sources of protein and fiber. Other good options include pistachios, walnuts, and flaxseeds.

3. Eat More Whole Grains. Whole grains are also a good source of both protein and fiber. Other good options include oats, barley, and buckwheat.

Also Read: 10 Low-Sugar Snacks Snacks to Satisfy Your Cravings

Sometimes, our bodies mix up thirst and hunger. When you want potato chips, drink a big glass of water and wait a few minutes. This keeps you hydrated and helps stop cravings.

You might need water instead of food. A cool drink can make a big difference. Pause and see if you're really hungry or just thirsty. Many times, the craving will go away or get much smaller.

When you struggle with interoception, this becomes dauntingly hard. The way I’ve found that works to ameliorate the problem is to develop an eating schedule to stick by. That way, your body will get used to expecting foods at similar time frames, which can help you differentiate whether you need water, a meal, or a snack.

Flavor It: Add fruit like lemon, lime, or orange to your water. You can also make a detox drink by using cucumbers, ginger, strawberries, etc. My favorite detox recipe is to add apple, ginger, cinnamon stick, cucumber, and lemon to a jar, keep it for a few hours, and drink it throughout the day. It will boost your metabolism and also help you lose a few pounds while reducing your cravings.

Eat Water-Rich Foods: Enjoy fruits and veggies with high water content, like cucumbers, melon, lettuce, and celery.

Bring Water with You: Fill a water bottle and carry it with you before leaving home. I always keep a tumbler full of water when working at my desk.

Track Your Intake: Use a fancy water bottle or set an alarm to remind you. Keep track of how much you drink.

Challenge a Friend: Start a fun competition with your siblings or friends to see who can drink more daily water.

When you're bored, it's tempting to snack. To avoid this, make your meals exciting with a variety of healthy foods.

Focus on your food when eating. Enjoy each bite to feel more satisfied and stop mindless snacking. This way, you'll find your meals more enjoyable and won't get bored.

Eat Regular Meals: Eat balanced meals with protein, fat, and carbs. This keeps you full and helps avoid boredom eating.

Plan Your Meals: Plan meals for the week as discussed above. Stock your kitchen with healthy foods.

Stay Active: Exercise regularly. Choose activities you enjoy, like walking or dancing.

Know Your Triggers: Understand why you eat when bored. Is it hunger, habit, or emotion?

Find Alternatives: List activities you can do instead of eating, such as calling a friend or reading.

Also Read: 10 Small Healthy Lifestyle Habits to Boost Your Health

Stress and sleep deprivation can lead to junk food cravings.

That’s because it makes our “control centers” weaker, so we are prone to make not-so-good decisions.

To prevent this, try taking a walk, joining an online dance class, or moving at home at home. Focus on self-care by practicing relaxation techniques. Exercise, spend time outdoors, and get a good night's sleep. Reduce stress by avoiding too much bad news and practicing deep breathing.

1. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. One of the best ways to ensure you get enough sleep is to go to bed and wake up simultaneously every day. It will help regulate your body's natural sleep rhythm and make it easier for you to fall and stay asleep.

2. Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Another way to promote better sleep is to create a comfortable bedtime routine. This can involve taking a warm bath, reading a book, or doing gentle stretching exercises. By doing the same thing every night, your body will begin associating these activities with sleep and will be more likely to sleep quickly.

3. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. Caffeine can make it hard to fall asleep and cause you to wake up during the night, while alcohol, on the other hand, may make you feel drowsy, but it disrupts sleep later in the night.

So take a stand for your health - carve out some time each day after sundown (preferably away from any screens) and allow yourself time to wind down. Who knows? You could find much-needed peace of mind while helping others get enough rest!

Check out the How to Make Weight Management Easy & Fun eBook, which includes quick things you can implement today to improve your sleep.

Keeping healthy foods in your kitchen makes keeping on track with your health goals easier. It's not about saying no but making better choices. When you want chips, reach for an apple or some nuts instead. You have the power to shape your eating habits.

Now that you know some of the science behind weight loss, it's time to put it into practice. You can do this!

Want to dive deeper into conquering cravings and transforming your relationship with food? My personalized coaching program will give you the tools and support you need to make lasting change.

Read More: Online Weight Loss Coaching Services with Coach Pempi

With Love,

Pempi 💖