As soon as you can relax in the evening and make yourself comfortable on the couch, the irrepressible urge to eat comes to mind. Something sweet needs to come – right away! Cravings are familiar to most dieters when it comes to getting rid of a few pounds. The intense desire for high-calorie foods makes this project a test that even those with iron discipline fail miserably.
We declare war on unbridled greed! With our six tips, you can lose weight without cravings.
What are cravings?
Cravings are the sudden and intense urges for high-calorie foods. At the same time, thoughts only revolve around food, and the attempt to satisfy cravings with healthy alternatives is in vain. Even people with an iron will often seem powerless here.
Often, cravings appear out of nowhere – when you least expect them. The foods you then crave are usually high in sugar and fat and not exactly healthy. As a rule, cravings can only be satisfied if you finally give in to them.
What are the causes of cravings?
Cravings have many faces. The causes can either lie in the diet or be of a physical or psychological nature.
The cause lies in the diet
In a nutshell, food cravings can have the following causes:
- many unhealthy snacks
- long meal breaks
- too many sweets that cause blood sugar spikes and rapid drops in blood sugar levels
- recurring diets
- too high a calorie deficit
Many know cravings from diets or after stressful working days. In this case, the cravings are very likely to come from an excessively high calorie deficit, which is why the craving for food is common on recurring diets. Find out what your daily calorie requirement is with our calorie calculator.
Physical and psychological causes of cravings
Physical causes of cravings include:
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hyperthyroidism
- Metabolic diseases that affect the feeling of fullness
In addition, the causes can also be of a psychological nature:
- Stress
- Depression
- Various eating disorders
- Lack of sleep
If you often suffer from cravings, you should therefore consult a doctor to clarify possible physical and psychological causes.
Stop cravings with these tips – these are the best appetite suppressants
Only when you have found out what causes your cravings should you deal with combating them. We have collected valuable tips for you on how to put an end to your cravings. Please note that our tips are only suitable for you if the cause lies in your diet. For physical and psychological reasons for cravings, the professional knowledge of your doctor is required.
If the cravings are clearly due to your diet, the following tips are worth their weight in gold:
1. Drink enough
With a constant lack of fluid, it can happen that hunger is confused with thirst. Our first tip against cravings is therefore to drink enough throughout the day. In this way, the sudden cravings for food can be avoided, and you can feel better when your body actually needs energy.
2. Protein-rich diet
Proteins last for a long time, which is why they are a valuable weapon in the fight against cravings. So make sure you consume enough protein with each of your meals. Start your day with a protein-rich breakfast in the morning, for example, with our sports breakfast with purely vegetable proteins.
3. Rely on healthy satiators
In addition to protein, fiber also fills you up for a long time and can reduce cravings. A diet that contains many of them is considered healthy. Fiber ensures that blood sugar levels do not rise as much and that less insulin is released. This also prevents the rapid drop in insulin levels.
High-fiber foods include nuts , legumes, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These include the regional superfood oats. For example, use oatmeal as the basis for your porridge or cereal.
4. Take time to eat and avoid distractions
Food is becoming more and more of a side business in our fast-paced times. As a result, many no longer perceive their hunger and satiety properly. That's why our tip is: eat your meals without distraction. No TV, no smartphone, no magazines. Instead, eat consciously and enjoy.
5. Avoid sugar bombs
The hormone insulin plays an important role in food cravings. When you eat carbohydrates, your insulin levels rise. This allows the nutrients from the food to be absorbed and converted into energy. However, if you consume short-chain carbohydrates such as sugar, insulin is released very quickly. Just as quickly as the insulin level rises, it also drops again. When that happens, your body gives you the signal that it needs energy again quickly. It creates cravings, which is why you should avoid very sugary foods to prevent cravings.
6. Healthy breakfast against cravings
Start the day with a healthy breakfast in the morning to prevent possible cravings during the day. If we take our previous tips together, your breakfast should definitely consist of fiber and protein and also fill you up for a long time. With oats as a base, porridge is a wonderful example of a healthy breakfast . With healthy toppings such as fruits, nuts or seeds, you can increase the nutrient content even further.
Basic recipe: oatmeal
Ingredients
- 250 ml milk or a plant-based alternative for vegans (oat milk, almond milk, soy milk,...)
- 50 g oatmeal (grams of oatmeal)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tsp agave syrup optional
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon of your choice
Preparation
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Boil the oatmeal with the pinch of salt and the sweetener of your choice in the milk or plant-based drink (preferably while constantly stirring). Cooking the cereal flakes with only hot water is also a possible variant.
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Let the porridge steep for 3 minutes.
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Empty the porridge into a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.
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Enjoy!
