| |
| |
|
Nutrition Information |
|
|
|
9 Tips to Stop Food Cravings and Help You With Your Diet
Most of us are "regular" people. We don't eat the perfect dietall the time and have our struggles with food, same as everyoneelse. But having an awareness of this fact and knowing a littlebit about our health and food nutrition can help when it comes tomaking wise decisions. Many people struggle with food "cravings." Studies tell us thatit's fairly common for food cravings to happen at certain times,quite often at around bedtime. Your guard may be down, you mayhave had an unusually hard day, and off you go on yournot-so-merry way to find that tasty treat. Fatigue and stressoften combine to take their toll on the best of intentions. When food cravings are unconstrained, what starts out as abedtime snack quickly turns into a full blown feedingfrenzy...not something most of us fully understand or appreciate.We head to kitchen and every other place where food can hide,clearing a path as we go. Most food cravings are not about satisfying a nutritional need orimbalance. They seem to be more emotionally related, or Godforbid, are caused by plain old gluttony. Exactly why weover-indulge is not completely understood, however our knowledgeabout this subject continues to grow. Listed below are some thoughts and ideas about food cravings: - If the food isn't available, you can't eat it! Empty the cookiejar and keep it that way! Keep healthy food choices on-hand. - Recognize the feelings and emotions that lead-up to a foodcraving. Do you have food cravings when you're bored, lonely, orstressed? If you can identify a trigger, you can deal with theemotion that's making you desire a certain food. Try to deal withthe triggers in the best way you can. - Sometimes, even recognizing that a craving is about to happendoesn't seem to help. Don't beat yourself-up. There is alwaystomorrow. Call a friend, make good use of your support networkand share your feelings with someone. - Get enough sleep. When you're tired, you're more likely tocrave things. - Never give-up. When you "slip", press-in, bear-down, get agrip, do whatever is necessary to re-gain control. Try topractice restraint most of the time, but don't get legalistic andun-balanced in your weight loss approach. Think moderation andnot abstinence at all times! - Understand that self-control and discipline by themselves,won't cut it! If you depend totally on yourself for control, youwill fail. Forming caring and supportive relationships isrequired. If you do not currently have a support network, startbuilding one TODAY. - Exercise. It increases feel-good endorphins that cut down onyour cravings. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physicalactivity every day. - Use moderation. Instead of stuffing yourself with every kind offood hoping that your craving will go away, eat 100 to 200calories of your "craved" food. - Substitute with low-fat foods and complex carbs. If you'rehungry for chocolate, eat non-fat chocolate yogurt. Try fig barsor raisins for a sweet craving. - Never skip a meal. Eat every three to five hours. Try sixsmaller meals or regular meals with nutritious snacks. - Understand that hunger craving are oftentimes stress related.Practice other ways to treat chronic stress - a walk in the park,spiritual connections, a cozy fireplace, baths...all thesestimulate neurochemicals that activate regions of the brain thatstimulate pleasure. Relaxation techniques may work by reducingthe psychological drives on stress output, which can be the rootcauses of stress. Bottom line, substitute pleasurable experiencesfor comfort foods. - Beware of certain medications. They can stimulate appetite.Drugs used for the treatment of depression and bipolar disordercan be appetite stimulants. Other drugs, both prescription andover the counter, may influence appetite as well. If you are on amedication, and troubled by food cravings, discuss this with yourdoctor or pharmacist. You may be able to find an alternative thatdoesn't send your cravings out of control. - Distract Yourself. What's that old expression...idle hands arethe devils workshop? Get busy. Do anything other than cave-in toyour desire for food, and keep doing it until the cravingssubside. - One final thought, take a look inside your refrigerator andkitchen cabinets and do some general "house cleaning." Throw-outall that unhealthy stuff that is waiting to sabotage your diet,and start shopping more wisely. A little forethought and carefulplanning will go a long way for improving your chances ofsuccess. Eat wisely, be happy, and live long! The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program. Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Is Organic Really Better for You? I had finally come to a place in my life where I was concerned about my health and that of my family. After all, it's not the quantity, but the quality of life right? And if you can increase both, all the better! We started exercising, eating healthier and taking vitamins. The Anti-Aging Wonders of Hyaluronic Acid ABC News has recently focused on the possible anti-aging benefits of hyaluronic acid, also known as Hyaluron or HA. In a story entitled, "The Village of Long Life: Could Hyaluronic Acid Be an Anti-Aging Remedy?", the focus was on a villiage in Japan named Yuzuri Hara where people usually live a long time and often have perfect skin into their 80's or even into their 90's. Foods Can Lower Cholesterol and C-reactive Protein If you have high cholesterol, the American Heart Association's low-cholesterol, low-saturated fat diet will fail you. Even when applied conscientiously, it achieves a disappointingly modest reduction in LDL cholesterol of approximately 7%. Fish Oil Data-some new facts about Fish Oil According to the renowned research scientist and inventor of the Z one Diet Plan Dr. Barry Sears, studies are increasingly focusing on high dose fish oil. How To Prevent Hypoglycemia Today's tip is on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).Hypoglycemia affects both non-diabetics as well as diabetics. Fighting Burn-out: Natural Help For Stress, Fatigue and Adrenal Insufficiency The adrenal or "stress glands" are small, triangular shaped glands located on the top of the kidneys. Their function is to prepare the body's resources to run or fight through the releasing of specific hormones. 4 Important Facts You Should Know About Whey Protein Are you concerned about taking care of your body before and afterstrenuous activities or workouts? Do you try to avoid supplementsthat contain additives and possible side effects?If you are interested in better health and improved physicalfitness you have surely heard that bodybuilders and otherathletes are turning to a simple, natural supplement called wheyprotein.WHY DO ATHLETES USE WHEY PROTEIN?Protein levels are depleted through exercise. Startling New Evidence: You Can Slow the Aging Process, Scientists Say What if you could actually slow your rate of aging, and live healthier longer, simply by eating certain foods? U.S. Sleep for Joy Better sleep = better metabolism. I have been saying it for years - since my own experience of being stressed out, overworked and under-slept and not able to lose weight but just recently this fact is getting a good amount of press. A Diet Deficiency Today is a Clinical Event Tomorrow For those of us that understand nutrition and it'simportance in our lives, this statement makes all toomuch sense doesn't it?Today, six out of the top ten causes of death are dietrelated and chronic degenerative diseases afflict over120 million Americans. Cancer has moved from theeighth leading cause of death to number two, even afterRichard Nixon's "War on Cancer" spent thirty billiondollars attempting to find a cure. The Many Benefits of Green Tea Extract The Benefits of Green Tea Extract: Anti-Aging, Anti-Cancer, Weight ControlOne of the great advancements in nutrition in the twenty-first century is the scientific confirmation of the many benefits of green tea extract. Here are just a few. 7 Bad Eating Habits You Should Change Immediately People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don't believeme? Just tune-in to any source of advertising.. What Is an Essential Fat? You may have heard that essential fats are an important aspect tomaintaining the health of your body. But what exactly are they?Basically, there are two truly essential fatty acids, Linoleic and Linolenic. What about Potassium? Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document report 264 you'll life should be changed forever. You're going to discover that the biggest fallacy most people aren't aware of is that if we eat a balanced diet, (the four food groups), we get all the nutrients we need to stay healthy and live a long life. Alkalize Your Way to Better Health Today we're shifting our focus from wealth to health. First of all, I am not an expert. Understanding Amino Acids and their Importance in Diet The importance of protein in a healthy diet is well known to nutritional scientists, and widely understood by the general population. Indeed, every bodily system is directly or indirectly supported by protein. Choosing Organic for Health We come from a society where growing organic and just growing produce and livestock for food Was once one of the same. Small, family farms still grow their own food using traditional methods passed down through the generations. Wanna Look 10 Years Younger? Have More Fruits Fruit calories are very healthy as compared to calories in fast foods or processed food.So, don't avoid fruits. Food for Healthy Nails Nails are a protective horn at the end of our most sensitive extremities: fingers and toes. They can often become injured from accidents or crushing weight such as heavy walking or running. Olive Oil -Not Just for Popeye Archeological records indicate that man has cultivated the olive tree for about 6,000 years; having been especially popular in the Isle of Crete (which as you recall, also appeared in the Seven Countries Study to be the site of the lowest incidence of heart disease). All oils that we use for eating and cooking contain "fat" and olive oil is no exception.
|
| home | site map |
| ©EmptyNestNow.com 2006 |
