I have had more than my fair share of cravings ever since I started Keto. Rumbling stomach, watering mouth, ooh that smell from nearby bakery and ofcourse the cravings Aunt Urma brings every month :-P. It is fair to say that I have quite a lot of experience in the cravings department. The first time I started Keto diet, within 4 days I knew that this relationship is going to last a lifetime, ever since than I have been on and off. Frankly the benefits of Keto outweigh any reasoning you can give for not doing it.
Which means, I have to deal with those tough times of self control against cravings which many of lack. Today I am sharing tips which have helped me curb these cravings without being afraid of them, helping me stick to Keto.
1. Have ACV/lemon juice with salt
===========================
If your stomach is rumbling, you think you are hungry you may crave far more unhealthy food than usual, you may get Hangry :-P and turn into a Diva. Don't we all make bad decisions when we are Hangry. I turn into a monster when I get Hangry. A quick solution for this would be to squeeze out a lemon or a tea spoon of ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar), add some sea salt/black salt in a glass of water and drink. This will stop your stomach rumbling, you will instantly feel full and your craving will subside. You will come back to your normal sane self and it will also buy you time to cook a real healthy meal. Apart from the various benefits of having this drink, ACV/lemon joice will not impact your blood sugars and insulin and it wont break your fast, infact you can use it to extend your fasting window.
2. Realize that it will never taste as good as you imagined it.
=================================================
Yes. How many times have you given up on a craving and frankly the taste of that meal did not live up to the expectation you had? It is Reality. Our imagination makes it so much tastier in our head. I have always found it hard to resist a food after watching its picture or in movies. I have given up a few times too, but it was never worth it and I always found that it did not taste nearly as good as i thought it would. You may fall off the wagon a few times and experience this yourself so next time you crave for a high carb meal, just try to remember the last high carb disappointing meal you had.
3. Distract yourself
================
Thinking more and more about your craving is just going to make you crave more, it is only human. Try to distract yourself at this time, do some office work, house chores, play a game anything that can keep you occupied for next 30 mins should do the trick and at the end of that 30 mins you would have forgotten all about your craving.
4. Get some Exercise
=================
This is one of my favorite ways to curb cravings and fast for longer. Before you shut this window thinking that I am asking you to do a high intensity workout for an hr, let me clarify. You do not need to go that extreme. All you need is 10mins. Put on those 2 songs you like to move to and just move along, go for a short walk, do some basic stretching or yoga. You will find that you are not hungry or craving for hours after doing this.
5. Watch a motivating video
=======================
There must have been quite a few videos which would have made you realize how catastrophic the high carb diet actually is, I am assuming it is one of the reasons you started Keto. Save few of such videos because we are humans and we forget, atleast the intensity of that emotion diminishes and we need to be reminded why we started it in the 1st place. Listening to all those horrible side effects of the food you are craving will kill it.
6. Eat what you are craving for but the Keto version of it
==============================================
This is kinda a last resort situation. You may have those days when absolutely nothing works and your hormones may be throwing you off. In such a situation you may want to go off the keto wagon and give in to those cravings of high carb comfort food. But before you do, let me tell you that falling off the wagon will only make you feel guilty of a sin especially when you realize that eating did not address your craving.Trust me, you are not going to feel good. Instead, you can enjoy your craving, have the food you crave without feeling guilty. You have so many Keto snacks you can make in a jiffy and eat. If you crave for crunchy food, try the chaffle, for sweet tooth try the keto chocolate or the Chocolate pudding. Most of these taste better than the high carb versions anyways. Eating these will help you stick to Keto and you will be so proud of yourself that you did not give in. Yei!
7. Understand your cravings
========================
There is a bunch of information related to cravings on the web and why you are craving a certain food, adding in what you are deficient in will definitely help your help and eventually address the cravings.
8. Cycle syncing
==============
All the menstruating women out there, you all know cravings are so hard to handle right before and during periods. Apart from trying above tips, you can also consider something called cycle syncing. Cycle syncing describes the 4 phases of our menstruation month, what nutrients to include in each phase. This has helped many and may be it will help you too. Just google cycle syncing and find more details on this subject.
9. Keep yourself busy
==================
Kinda a moot point but I had to mention it. Have you ever noticed that you think more about food and specially unhealthy food when you are bored? Ever since we were born our lifestyle has always revolved around food. 100 years ago people had to work really really hard to get a meal a day and today we have too much without really working that many hours.
It is a fact that if you keep yourself busy, you will be less hungry and have practically no cravings. So keep yourself involved in a project or another, it will help you be healthy mentally as well as physically.
Komentarji