Stop Cravings and Shed Pounds [right now]
Have your food cravings gotten out of control while living a #pandemiclife?
One year into this pandemic and you’re probably looking in the mirror wondering how you’re going to shed the Corona-15 you’ve put on so you can get your body back for summer and enjoy a life of freedom again.
To help you feel like yourself again, I want to share 4 tips to stop food cravings in their tracks so you can drop the Corona-15 and get your body back. These tips will actually help you shed pounds so you’ll feel comfortable in your skin just in time for summer.
Let’s start by understanding what causes food cravings in the first place and why being stuck at home has been triggering them.
Some of the most common food craving triggers include:
- Eating sugar and carbs that spike your blood sugar causing you to crave more of them when your blood sugar crashes
- Staying up late at night or not getting a good night’s sleep which disrupts your hormone balance and energy leaving you searching for energy via food
- Not drinking enough water or getting enough electrolytes to keep you hydrated – cravings can be a sign of dehydration
- Feeling bored, anxious, emotional, overwhelmed or deprived
Being isolated at home sets the perfect scene for all of these things. There are less boundaries around your routine and food, making it easy to snack throughout the day. Of course, the best snacks are ones higher in sugars and carbs.
Plus, I bet over the past year you’ve been staying up late binge-watching your favorite shows or getting sucked into the news and sleeping then sleeping in. Or you’ve run out of things to do so boredom and eating got the best of you.
For all of us, emotions have been running high as you anxiously wait to see how this is all going to pan out. All on top of doing so much for others (home schooling, caregiving, picking up extra work, etc.) and forgetting to fill up your cup.
All of us have lacked structure, at least a little bit, because our typical daily routines were flipped upside down a year ago. Meal times, bed times and the general flow of life have been impacted, including when and how much water you are drinking.
Now that you know the most common triggers for food cravings and how this past year’s quarantine situation has aggravated them, you can start to examine which ones are true for you and take empowered action to stop them in their tracks.
In this week’s video and blog, I’m sharing 4 tips to stop food cravings in their tracks so you can drop the Corona-15 and get your body back.
First, let’s explore the food you’re eating because this usually results in the quickest fix for cravings.
When you eat the wrong ratio of proteins, carbs and fats for your body, it can leave you feeling:
- Tired, anxious, irritable or needing to nap
- Snacky, bloated, heavy or craving for sweets
- Brain foggy, wired but tired or physically full and still hungry
These are all signs that your food ratios are off, your blood sugar is likely not balanced as a result, and the nutrients in the food you ate were inadequate.
When you’re eating the right ratio of protein, carbs and fats per meal you will:
- Be able to go 3-5 hours or more without feeling hungry or needing to snack
- Have energy for hours and feel recharged
- Think clearly, feel uplifted and be more positive
Figuring out your food ratios is actually pretty simple. All you need to do is:
- Tune into your body 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating
- Notice how it’s responding to what you ate
- Adjust your food ratios until you get the perfect response!
To help you figure out what ratios are right for your body to avoid food cravings, click here to get my Food & Body Language Log.
Adding 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to your meals by drizzling it over veggies, meat or salad is an easy way to increase your intake of healthy fats to balance your blood sugar, keep you satiated for longer and fend off cravings.
Next let’s address sleep because you have to learn to value sleep more than diet and exercise. If you’re not going to bed at the right time or getting a good night’s rest, it basically cancels out your healthy eating and exercise efforts.
To balance your energy, blood sugar and avoid cravings, it’s ideal to be asleep by 10pm most nights of the week (5 out of 7).
Check out my Sleep Guide on Instagram for pro tips to help you create a supportive sleep routine to stop cravings.
If you’ve dialed in your food ratios and sleep, but are still experiencing cravings, it’s time to check your hydration.
Recommended water intake is half of your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 200 pounds, then you should drink at least 100 ounces of water per day. You’ll want to add an additional 8 ounces of water for every 30-minutes of exercise you do or caffeinated drink you have in order to make up for the water you lose from them.
Drinking water is just one part of staying hydrated. In order to hold onto water, you need electrolytes.
If you’re eating a lower carb diet or having a hard time sourcing veggies, then supplementing with electrolytes is crucial. You can get more electrolytes by generously adding Himalayan or sea salt to your food or water, or by adding an electrolyte supplement such as LMNT electrolytes (get a free box + shipping!).
Lastly, of course emotions are running high or boredom might be getting the best of you with what is going on in the world which can lead to food cravings.
So the best thing to do is Stop & Shift…
- When a craving pops up STOP and check in with yourself before giving in
- Ask if you’re really hungry or is there something else you want or need
- SHIFT your attention to something else for 20 minutes; journal, dance, meditate, breath work, exercise, take a bath, read, call a friend etc.
After you shift, evaluate if the hunger is still there. If it is, honor it. If it’s not, congratulate yourself on overcoming it and recognize what you probably need more of instead in your life.
Apply these 4 tips and watch those pounds fall off just in time for summer!
What was the most insightful or helpful tip for you? Comment below and let me know!
