Who doesn’t crave a chocolate bar to feed their sweet tooth? Or eat a full bag of crisps when all you wanted was one? Even the healthiest and strong willed among us have fallen prey to cravings and binge eating at some point in our lives. But it doesn’t have to be that difficult to fight the cravings. Here are some tips I find easy to implement to make sure the cravings don’t get the better of us.
Plan your meals – Make sure you plan your meals, everything from breakfast to snacks. Understand what the right time to eat is and plan your meals to include times when you are most prone to snacking. A good schedule looks like the below:
- Breakfast: 8-11am
- Snack: 11 am – 12.30pm
- Lunch: 12.30 – 3.30pm
- Snack: 4 – 6 pm
- Dinner: 6-9 pm
Healthy snacking options – Your snack options are important and should be controlled. A piece of fruit, handful of nuts or even if it is some crisps, make sure it’s a controlled portion. Don’t sit with a huge packet of crisps as it will tempt you to finish. An amazing snacking option for your evening sugar fix is a banana and black coffee as it regulates your blood sugar.
Flavourful wholesome meals – Add herbs and spices in your meals, and make sure they are a good balance of carbs greens and protein. Start with greens, have a salad before your meals and loose the dressing please.
Find healthy options – We all love pancakes and noodles, but there is always a healthy option for them on the internet. Try to avoid refined sugar and processed flour. Look for natural sources of sugar and whole-wheat options. Buckwheat, amaranth and millet all make good alternatives for flour. Honey, Maple syrup and Stevia are good options for sugar. Make sure you are making the right substitution when required.
Understand your cravings – Why are you craving the chocolate or a bag of crisps? Is it something you crave for when you’re going to get your period or are you stress eating?
Understand when you crave foods and how the emotions affect your cravings, and stock up on healthier options. Choose good sources of fat and sugar to make sure you have something to fill the emotional space but are not binging on something that will disrupt your good eating habits for the week.
Also, sometimes your body misunderstands thirst for hunger, which brings us to the most important point.
HYDRATE – Drink a lot of water, especially in the middle of Dubai summer. Make sure you don’t step out without a bottle of water. Aim for 3 – 4 litres of water in a day and try to hold yourself accountable for your targets.
Sonika
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