CRAVING ALERT

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How To Stop The Cravings

You’ve read all the right diet books, brought keto-friendly foods, set up your kitchen for the low carb/keto diet, then, all of a sudden the cravings hit you like a ton of bricks. The desire for something sweet is strong.

Like Gollum in Lord of the Rings, you have to have your PRECIOUS sweet treat.

 

Gollum admiring the ring of power

Got to have my Precious CARBS

 

How You Were Raised May Affect the Way You Value Food.

We are conditioned from early childhood to think a certain way, act a certain way and eat a certain way.

Some of those ways are good and some not so good. Eating is a part of the culture and that’s how some of your bad eating habits developed.

To combat the cravings, you have to understand where your cravings stem from.

  • Were your parents overweight?
  • Did you have to finish everything on your plate? Even if you were not hungry?
  • Was food a big part of socializing? Like the holidays
  • Do you eat to please your host?

You get the idea. Look for the patterns in your eating and see if you can recognize the patterns of childhood.

Here Are 4 Ways to Deal With The Cravings.

1. Don’t kick yourself. The CRAVINGS happens. Beating yourself up about your set back is not going to do you any good. The negative feedback will only perpetuate the sense of failure and you’ll be back to your old eating habits. In the beginning, the goal is to manage the cravings and avoid consuming 1 qt. of ice cream or a whole bag of chips in one sitting. Low carb dieting is not about nourishing your body but making a lifestyle change. It may take years to get used to the diet.

2. Remember that tomorrow is another day and you can try again.

Think about what was going on that day and try to come with a new plan or thought pattern. Remember change is hard but with a positive mental attitude you can accomplish a lot. You’ve spent a good part of your dietary life eating high carb foods and any kind of change takes time. You can’t expect to adjust to the diet overnight.

3. Go back to eating more carbs if the cravings are intense. Nutritionists agree that it’s ok to gradually ween yourself off of carbs instead of jumping into the low carb diet. Consider the dietary set back part of the journey and not a personal failure.

4. Educate yourself.

Dieting and fitness can be confusing to a new dieter, that’s why I recommend consulting with a personal trainer and dietitian. They will be able to custom make your diet and fitness plan to meet your specific needs. Everybody’s metabolism, fitness level and genetic make-up is different.

It’s important to learn how your body reacts to dietary changes. The more you know about the cravings the more likelihood of success.

Let’s Take a Look at How You Value Food in General.

  • Do you enjoy indulging even if you are not hungry?
  • Is it important that you finish everything on your plate?
  • Are you under a lot of stress and consume sweet treats to relieve the stress?
  • Were there certain meals that you came accustomed to having at every meal? Like desert?
  • Are there certain times that you get hungry like at night? A hormone called ghrelin also known as the hungry hormone is triggered at certain times of the day.

 

The best thing to do is to Acknowledge the High Carb cravings

Denial is Dangerous

Food developers and fast food joints know how to tap into our secret high carb desires and make the food irresistible. They make money by getting you addicted to carbs.

Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel choice. When carbohydrates are restricted, the body will go through withdrawal symptoms. Some people experience fatigue, nausea and diarrhea.

Here are 3 Dietary Tips to Combat the Cravings

1. Get rid of the temptations. High carb foods, snacks and drinks are no place in the kitchen. If you, live with non-dieters tell them to keep their food items separate from yours.

2. Stock up on keto-friendly snacks and foods.

3. Avoid social situations where there will be a lot of carbs loaded foods. Consider bringing some of your food items to family gatherings and share.

Intense cravings could mean you need more calories. Get a fitness evaluation and make a new meal plan with an experienced dietitian.

The cravings may not be cravings at all but genuine hunger pains due to lack of calories.

Foods That Curb the cravings

  • Cheesecake fluff
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Sugar-free flavor and sweetener
  • Sugar-free jello
  • Water
  • Rebel ice-cream
  • Keto snacks and sweets

Don’t give up Low Carb diets are Effective For Weight Loss.

The cravings are based on science and biochemistry. Sugars and salt cravings are real and some people are addicted to them. That’s why will power alone won’t stave off the cravings and if you try the likely hood of success is small. You will just get miserable and conclude that low carb diets don’t work.

Get on Social Media and look for groups that share your struggles with. Others have been exactly you where you are at right now!!! And they want to help. If these people can overcome and succeed you can too.

Check out some of my snack and sweet recipes on this site and store them in the freezer.

When the cravings hit, you’ll be ready.

Here’s to good eating!

Feel free to share some of your tips to ward off the cravings.