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Weight loss on your mind? 5 tips to resist food temptations at home

Knowing how to avoid food cravings can be the trick to reach closer to your weight loss goals. Try these 5 tips!
A woman eating junk food
Stay away from processed and junk food when you are on your period, or days before that. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Dr Rohini Patil Published: 20 Feb 2022, 04:46 pm IST
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For anyone who is on a diet, the worst nightmare is food cravings. These are strong, irresistible cravings for specific meals that are more acute than normal hunger, and can dampen their weight loss journey. People’s eating preferences vary greatly, however they are frequently processed junk foods that are heavy on sugar. The key to managing this is know how to avoid food cravings while you’re at home.

Yes, we know food cravings can be tempting. And especially since spending the entire day at home or working late at night means you will have to deal with temptations multiple times. Nonetheless, avoiding these food cravings is possible. All it takes is patience and some tips!

food cravings
Every food craving may not have anything to do with hunger. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

How to avoid food cravings at home?

1. Mindful eating

Many people do not take their meals seriously, which is why they do not eat mindfully. I mean two things when I say mindful eating. First and foremost, concentrate on your meals. We see a lot of people who watch television, read books, or eat meals, while doing other things.

Your whole attention should be on your food. You would feel satisfied from the very first bite, if you eat consciously. Mindful eating also means that you should eat your meal attentively by keeping the proportion in mind. Make it a habit to cover your plate with all of the necessary minerals and vitamins.

2. Water is essential to your health

Thirst is frequently misdiagnosed as hunger or food cravings. If you get a sudden yearning for a burger, try drinking some water and then wait for a while. Since you were dehydrated, there’s a possibility that the urge will go away. Drinking plenty of water also provides a lot of health advantages, apart from helping you to avoid food cravings.

Drinking water before eating can help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite. It also increases energy expenditure and the body’s metabolism, which aids in weight management.

importance of drinking water
Drinking enough water will keep temptations away. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

3. Strengthen your ability to say no

You will come across foods that are sure to tempt you. You won’t always be able to avoid them. Instead, boost your self-assurance in your ability to say no.
One approach to achieve this is to practice, as it becomes easier to say no after a point.

Try this: walk down the junk food aisles at any grocery store to enhance your ability to say no. Look at the item and say “no” when you see your favorite packet of crisps or brownies. Next, go away and pat yourself on the back. You’re rehearsing a reasonable response for when you do see your favorite dish, which may seem foolish. This strategy requires time to implement. However, the more you do it, the better.

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4. It is necessary to ingest protein

Protein is another meal that keeps you full, and prevents you from reaching out to those temptations. Eating more protein may help you control your appetite, and avoid overeating. It also lowers cravings and keeps you satiated for a longer period of time. The quality or type of protein consumed influences appetite suppression.

Protein-rich foods include Asian noodles with tofu and mushrooms, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy, and whole soy sources (tofu, edamame, tempeh, miso, and so on).

salad
Add diversity to your plate! Image courtesy: Shutterstock

5. Diversify

It can be tiring to prepare a variety of cuisines every week. Sometimes, it is easier to make the same thing for more than a week at a time, because it takes less willpower.

For instance, you may easily prepare salads week after week, but try to vary the components each time. Romaine, endive, kale, spinach, asparagus and arugula are good choices for greens. Toppings can include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peppers, tomatoes, bean sprouts, berries, and nuts. For the dressings, one can experiment with different types of dressings. They’ll last weeks in the fridge if you keep them in glass jars.

Your body receives all the nutrients it needs from a range of foods by changing up the ingredients to create incomparable meals.

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About the Author

Dr. Rohini Patil is an MBBS and a nutritionist. Over the last eight years she has passionately done intense research in the field of diet, nutrition, fitness, mental health and overall lifestyle modifications. She is the founder & CEO of Nutracy Lifestyle. ...Read More

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