It’s common for us to crave for quick, tasty but calorie loaded food all the time. They serve perfect comfort food and are so easy to satisfy the taste buds. But over time we realize that all the unhealthy cravings led us to obesity, which may accelerate heart diseases, blood pressure problems, diabetes and many more diseases. When we crave for food we look for something that’s easy to eat and delicious to taste without making any effort to find healthy substitutes. In our mind we have this notion that healthy means something that’s not so tasty which is totally untrue. Therefore, let’s discuss how to overcome unhealthy food cravings.
While I was going through this phase of craving for unhealthy food and putting on tons of pounds I found a desire in myself to try some healthy food options and work on myself. When I changed my diet to healthy eating, I soon realized that will power does play a major role in curbing the cravings. It’s not impossible; it just needs some mind work.
First of all I made a choice for my appearance. This motivated me immensely because in my desire to look slim, fit, healthy and strong and also being more active I automatically craved for less fatty foods. I wanted to eat healthy with balanced nutrition.
When I started exercising I realized that after my workout routine I could not enjoy a large serving of pizza at all. It felt totally unmatched and I ordered a plate of fresh salad which I relished more than pizza. That was the first time I realized that I can overcome unhealthy cravings. It’s just in our minds.
While walking through grocery aisles we should make an effort to pick healthy foods instead of junk food like chips, nachos or other processed foods. We should be spending more time on the fresh fruits and vegetables aisle and plan our meals to make it suitable for us to cook more at home. If our kitchen pantry is full of healthy choices then automatically we will reach out to healthy foods since other options will just not be there. This way we train our mind and taste buds to learn to eat healthy.
When cooking at home we should make an effort to sauté vegetables and opt for whole grains. It is important to never starve because when we starve, our body starts to crave for more sugar or more salt or processed food to replenish. Tell your mind that you can eat everything and make your body understand that it will get food timely. It’s ok to eat one junk food a day when starting with your health routine and then gradually moving to one junk food once a week. This way you won’t feel deprived. Keep a track of your cheat days, make sure you feel happy and satisfied on your cheat days.
You can set your phone or stick a note on your refrigerator with some motivational quotes as a reminder to eat healthy and nutritious. Never give up on your path to healthy lifestyle. Sooner or later you will achieve your goal to overcome unhealthy cravings which will bring great results in return.
Health tip of the week
“It’s important to overcome unhealthy cravings gradually and in a right manner”.
Angela says
Hello Gunjan, I only just found your wonderful site – congratulations on releasing 65lbs !!! No mean feat : ) Thank you in advance for all your wonderful recipes and sound advice.
Love from Angela X (in not so sunny South Australia)