Manage Your Cravings and Lose Weight


by Susan Patterson - Date: 2008-10-10 - Word Count: 395 Share This!

When on a diet, it's especially common to want what we can't have.  Cravings are common, and sometimes feel so strong that there's no way to resist temptation and we go off our diets.  The guilt from giving in keeps us from continuing with our weight loss effort, and we give up, determined that we can never be successful.  But those who do lose weight and keep it off are not immune to food cravings; they just know how to manage them better.  Learning more about what cravings really are could be the first step in mastery over them.

Though it's true the human body will crave certain types of foods due to a deficiency, most cravings are not of this type.  They involve the part of the brain that is the same as an addict when they need a fix.  An overwhelming sense of urgency washes over you as you go for that unhealthy snack.  The truth is most cravings are based on memories.  What you crave is usually associated with a good memory.  Eating this way tends to be emotional, while other cravings are simply based on habit, a sort of conditioning.  Until you learn what to do with these cravings any type of quick weight loss will not be possible.

The first step to control cravings is to not give in to them.  This may sound too simple, but studies show that simply committing to ignoring your cravings can be successful.  Ones that are based on habit will easily go away, like that dessert you have half an hour after dinner.  Some people struggle with this and become extremely down on themselves if they do give in.  It's important to remember that it's okay to give in sometimes, and not all of us can always be perfect.

That office vending machine that calls your name at 11AM every weekday morning will be a lot easier to ignore if you have healthy snacks at your desk.  Bring fresh fruit to help you make it through your sugar cravings.  The sugar in fruit is healthier for you because it takes longer to break down in the body.  If you know that your cravings cannot be conquered without outside help, try a natural appetite suppressant like hoodia.  This plant tricks your brain into feeling full when taken 45 minutes before meals or normal trouble times.


Related Tags: weight loss, fruit, brain, diet, hoodia, candy, appetite, cake, hunger, sugar, junk food, cravings, dinner, fresh food, sweets, lunch

Susan Patterson has been studying alternative medicine and health for over 10 years. She loves to write to help others, especially in the area of quick weight loss, which can be accomplished safely. She has found several herbal remedies to be effective in her journey to better health without the side effects that medications cause. She is particularly passionate about hoodia for weight loss. Other interests include exercise, yoga and meditation.

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