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Tricks for Controlling Food Cravings

That hunk of chocolate cake. The fork sitting next to it just waiting for you to plunge it into the sweet moist layers, shoveling a huge, rich satisfying heap of chocolate goodness into your mouth, the sweet, decadent icing dissolving on your tongue, the serotonin rushing to your brain Oh, pure joy. Cravings can be hard to deal with, but so can excess calories. If you need some help dealing with temptations, here are a few suggestions.

Drink Water
It may be no match for chocolate cake, but you may find that a few minutes after drinking a large glass of water, your craving may disappear. Water also has health benefits and drinking it before a meal can help keep appetite to a minimum.

More Protein
A study of overweight teenage girls found that eating a breakfast high in protein reduced cravings significantly, and a study of overweight men showed that increasing protein to 25% of daily calorie intake resulted in a 60% reduction of cravings and a 50% reduction in desire for nighttime snacks.

Just Walk Away
One way to beat a craving is by distancing yourself from it. Taking a shower or brisk walk can help to shift your mind to something else, and chewing gum can also help to reduce appetite.

Plan Meals
Knowing what you’re going to eat will help to cut down on spontaneous eating. If you don’t have to think about your next meal, you’ll be less likely to succumb to temptation.

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Don’t Wait to Eat
Hunger is a big reason for cravings. Avoid hunger by eating regularly and keeping healthy snacks close.

Control Stress
Stress can bring on food cravings that lead to binge eating. Studies show that women under stress typically take in significantly more calories and have more cravings than women who are not experiencing stress. Stress can also increase blood levels of cortisol, a hormone that can lead to weight gain, especially in the belly. Minimize stress by planning ahead, slowing down, and meditating.

Spinach Extract
Spinach extract is a supplement made from spinach leaves that helps to delay the digestion of fat that increases the levels of hormones responsible for reduction of hunger and appetite. Studies show that 3.7-5 grams of spinach extract taken with a meal may reduce cravings for several hours. One study showed that overweight women who took 5 grams of spinach extract daily were able to decrease cravings for food with a high level of sugar by 88-95%.

Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is a type of meditation used to develop awareness about eating habits, hunger and physical sensations, which teaches you to distinguish between craving and real physical hunger. Mindful eating helps you to choose your response to food, rather than acting impulsively. Mindful eating involves being present during a meal, slowing down and chewing food thoroughly, and should be done without distractions such as TVs and smartphones. One study found that episodes of binge eating in individuals were reduced from 4 to 1.5 sessions per week over a 6 week period, and the severity of the binges was decreased, as well.

How do you fight your food cravings? Let us know what you do when the urge to indulge hits!

Woman having a neck ache

Fighting Muscle Fatigue     

Summer is a great time to change up (or start) your workout routine. The weather is warmer and the days are longer, and people are getting out of the gym (and off the couch) and flocking to bike paths, fields, and tennis courts to get in their 60 active minutes. We all know how important it is to stay active. Working out a few times a week can help fight muscle fatigue, lose weight, and give you more energy. It’s important to fight lactic acid accumulation and avoid fatiguing your muscles so you can finish strong and stay fit. There are tons of supplements out there that are marketed for stopping muscle fatigue and building muscle faster, but there are a few simple and inexpensive ways you can defend your guns.

Stay Hydrated
This may seem too simple, but getting enough water is essentially for your muscles to function properly. In fact, muscle fatigue and cramping are actually a side effect of dehydration. Always be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise. Making a habit of drinking water throughout the day is going to prepare your body for you work out. Increasing your H2O intake can also give you more energy, help you skin, and help you stay focused!

Get Your Protein
Eating a protein rich meal after a workout is going to help you build muscle. Your body continues to burn calories at an elevated rate after your workout ends, so it is important that you are ingesting enough calories at that point, otherwise you can actually lose muscle. Building strong muscles is going to help stop future muscle fatigue. Although protein is most commonly connected with eating meat, it is also high in fat. You can also get your protein boost with beans, nuts, and protein powders.

Add Resveratrol to Your Diet
Resveratrol is a substance found naturally in plants that can prevent muscle fatigue. You may have heard about exciting new studies that have added fighting muscle fatigue to resveratrol’s list of benefits. Muscle fatigue is most often caused by leading a sedentary lifestyle, and resveratrol can actually give you the benefits of exercise, even when eating a diet high in sugar and fat. Scientists have studied animals, and found out that those given resveratrol were able to counteract the muscle fatigue that can come with eating poorly and not exercising. This wonderful antioxidant is sold in supplement form, but it can be found in the skins of different types of berries. This is extra exciting because, as many of us know, resveratrol is found in red wine because it is fermented in grape skins, which have a high concentration of the substance.

Before you kick back with a glass of red and forget about working out, resveratrol is not a replacement for a balanced diet and regular exercise. That being said, drinking red wine can actually help you muscles- so raise a glass!

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