Monday Day 15

BYE-BYE CRAVINGS!

We all experience cravings. Just don’t let yourself get to the point of being famished as you’ll likely end up eating something that isn’t part of your healthy living plan. If you feel hungry between meals, try a cup of  Detox Tea, drink water, or choose a healthy snack choice like those listed in the 30 Days to Healthy Living Guide, FeelFit Chews, or a FeelFit Pea Protein Snack Bar.

WHEN you eat is also just as important as WHAT you eat. While you sleep, your metabolism slows down, so it’s not a good idea to have your largest meal of the day right before you rest. We recommend avoiding eating after 7 p.m. or 3 hours before bed. But you still need to listen to your body. If you have to eat something later in the evening, try a ½ cup of non-dairy milk with a ½ scoop of Daily GutHealth Prebiotic Fiber.

Science tells us food cravings are an intense desire to consume a specific food or food type that is difficult to resist. Cravings are common with most people having experienced a food craving at some point. The more you crave a food, the more likely you are to eat it (and to sabotage your health goals). It’s widely believed that cravings are our body’s way of signaling to us that we’re deficient in a certain nutrient, but there are other cues that tell our body we may want something to eat.

Ideas to Manage Cravings:
  • Drink a glass of water with citrus essence since hunger can many times masquerade as thirst. This is especially true at bedtime or at night
  • Enjoy a cup of hot or iced Herbal Detox Tea
  • Ride the craving wave mindfully (think about how it starts small, like a wave, then begins to grow, and eventually breaks on shore and is gone)
HERE’S HOW OTHERS MANAGE CRAVINGS:
  • I tend to crave junk food when I’m stressed out. I use stress management techniques to help calm myself down.
  • I realized that I’m an emotional eater and when things go haywire at work or home I go straight for the ice cream or chips. Once I learned to recognize that I’m eating emotionally it all changed. Now I either avoid snacking altogether or reach for something healthy instead.
  • I keep foods that I tend to crave out of the house. For me, it’s ice cream. If I even have ice cream in the freezer, I crave it all the time.
  • I make a point to eat mindfully so I know I’m filling myself on good foods. That has cut down on my cravings.
  • I change my setting when I feel a craving hit. If I’m watching TV, I’ll get up and go do a small task to get my mind off of it. Usually when I go back, the craving has passed.
  • I’ve learned that some things I do automatically cause me to want to snack. It’s like a trigger. I’m not really hungry, I’m just doing that thing, like watching TV.
Treat and Snack Recipes!
Check out the Snack List and Healthy Desserts tabs for recipes that will help you manage those cravings. Things like our healthy protein bark made with satisfying coconut oil, crispy granola or cereal, Arbonne protein powder, and either chocolate mini’s or dried fruit topping. I keep mine in the freezer in case I have a snack attack.
Healthy Protein Bark

Comment on the Facebook group and let us know how you manage cravings or any challenges you’re having!