Junk food is all around us nowadays - it is convenient, attractive-looking, and delicious and comes in a hundred different forms. It is also unhealthy, fattening, low on nutrition and a major cause of several lifestyle disorders like diabetes, obesity, heart disease etc. As an unfortunate fact, the foods we tend to love are usually not the healthiest for us, and hence there is an increased need to resist those junk cravings. Here are a few simple pointers to help you from succumbing to your cravings:

1.Eliminate all temptations: Why struggle with self-control when you can avoid temptation in the first place? Clear your fridge, kitchen, house of all junk food items, ensuring that nothing is handy or convenient to snack on.

2.Shop healthy: Choose a health food store over your usual supermarket when shopping for groceries, so you are less prone to picking up junk food on impulse. Opt for healthy snacks and alternatives to your favorite junk items, and stock your kitchen full of them.

3.Make your own meals: Make a habit of cooking small, healthy portions for yourself and you will eliminate both the need for processed foods and the craving for them.

4.Carry a mini-larder: Fill a cooler box with healthy snack options like sandwiches, smoothies, yogurt, fiber bars and carry it with you, so you always have something handy to munch on and do not fall for tempting take-aways.

5.Stay hydrated: Drink enough water to keep from misreading 'thirst' signals as hunger. Good hydration speeds up your metabolism and gives you a feeling of fullness.

6.Drink healthy: Substitute junk beverages such as sugary and carbonated drinks (which lead to weight gain and blood sugar imbalances) for healthy options like limewater, green tea, juices, and smoothies that contain few calories and keep you fuller longer.

7.Snack wisely: For snacking, choose foods like fruits, vegetables and nuts which are packed with essential nutrients, good fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Foods with a high fiber and water content like cucumber, watermelon, celery etc. are especially good options, as the water content gives less calories and the fiber gives a feeling of fullness for a longer period. Substitute cookies and biscuits with whole-meal baked goodies; satisfy your 'sweet' cravings with fresh or frozen fruits, in salads, smoothies, yogurt etc.

8.Go in for complex carbohydrates: Opt for complex carbohydrates like pasta, whole grains, oat meal over the simple carbohydrates found in refined foods. Complex foods take time to digest and get absorbed and thus make you feel full for much longer.

9.Eat at regular intervals: Having small meals at consistent intervals keeps you full longer and ensures that you are never hungry enough to go into serious craving mode.

10.Opt for dairy products: Low-fat dairy items like milk, cheese and yogurt serve as excellent sources of protein and calcium, and their fat content helps stave off cravings and provide a feeling of fullness.

11.Keep yourself distracted: Cravings arise from a number of causes, 'boredom' being a major one. Keep busy and divert your attention into some other activity to take your mind off food, like watching television, reading a book, doing the crossword, and eat only if the feeling of hunger persists.

12.Exercise regularly: Exercise goes hand in hand with a healthy diet and reduces the tendency for unhealthy cravings. Undertake some form of physical activity on a frequent basis, like going for a brisk walk, jog, swim or playing a game, or working out in a gym with a personal trainer.

Above everything, keep yourself motivated and determined; a strong will is all that is needed to overpower the strongest of cravings and stay on the road to good health.