Dealing With Cravings

Whether you're trying to cut out sugar, dairy, meat, gluten or all of the above, it is inevitable that you will encounter cravings at one point or another. I am lucky, and have never been one to have bad cravings. Once it's in my head that something isn't good for me, I don't want it very much. I know that's not the case for a lot of people so I have compiled a list of tips that should help to cope with cravings. Being as I am not Superman, I do have cravings sometimes. Normally for sweets, which is funny because even when I was eating all of the above food groups I never had much of a sweet tooth. For some reason my sweet tooth has intensified since I have cleaned up my diet. Weird. When that I happens I grab a banana. I'm serious, that's my first tip. When you feel a craving coming on grab a banana, it works.

1.  Discover WHY you are having a craving. Is it emotional? Is it mental? Once you discover the root of the craving it is significantly easier to get rid of it. If it's mental, grab a piece of fruit and wait a few minutes, it's literally all in your head. In the case of food cravings, you are your own worst enemy. It will pass. If it's emotional than you are going to have to do a little soul searching, to get to the bottom of it, my friend. 

2. Grab a banana. I'm telling you it works. I say banana, because they are really convenient, but any fruit would do. When you have a craving you want to nip it in the bud. When you eat something else, you're mind is focusing on that and not on how much you want a soft pretzel.

3. Reflect in on yourself. Remember why you're not eating that food, and I don't mean just because you want to lose a few pounds so you look hot in a bikini, dig deeper than that. I eat gluten free because of health reasons. I eat plant-based by CHOICE. I remind myself why I chose this lifestyle. Because eating real foods nourishes me, mind and body, because I don't have to rely on other creatures losing their lives-brutally, I might add- to sustain myself, because I deserve optimal health and the way to get that is eating whole foods. I remind myself of all those reasons and it puts in perspective how silly a craving for ice cream is. 

4. Don't DEPRIVE yourself. Eating a diet full of whole foods is by no means limited. People set those limits on themselves because they wrongfully assume that eating vegan/plantbased cannot be full of variety and flavor. Since I have made this lifestyle change I have tasted a wider variety of foods than I had in my entire life. I have experimented in the kitchen more than ever and I have a deeper appreciation for food now than I ever did before. When you live this lifestyle to the fullest, I promise cravings will be minimal, because you will be completely satisfied with your current diet.

5. Succumb to your craving. Yes, you heard me correctly. Have a little bite of that cake, or a little sip of diet coke. I'd bet money that it does not taste nearly as good as you remembered. We romanticize things in our heads. When our pallets get used to real, whole foods, we are not going to enjoy artificial, processed things like we used to. One time, I want a sip of soda SO badly. I hadn't had any in 3 years, but I let myself have ONE sip of Coke. It burnt my mouth and wasn't at all like I had imagined. I realized that soda was something that tasted much better in my imagination. Now, that's where I leave it.

6. Have a drink. I recommend water, but if you must be fancy, tea works well too. Just like eating something, drinking something distracts you from your mental struggle. Unlike food, this is good if your craving something when you're already full and don't need to overeat. 

7. Keep a food journal. Keeping a food journal is beneficial for many reasons. For one, it helps you keep track of your progress, and nothing is as motivating as seeing your progress being kept record of. When you feel discouraged or are battling with a craving, flip through your journal and it will inspire you to keep on the right path.

I hope at least one of these tips will help you cope with cravings. Don't give in, you're worth more than that. I have been on my journey to healthy living for almost two years, and I can tell you, it does get easier. So much easier. When you learn to listen to your body and not just your mind, you will be able to nourish your body to a larger extent and enjoy eating whole foods so much that you will forget to miss the foods you used to eat. 

I wish you luck on your journey to good health and hope that it is as smooth as it can be.

Till next time.