So, it’s getting harder and harder to stop those cravings?
Don’t worry it happens to the best of us, the important thing is to know how to avoid binge eating.
Sometimes it can be difficult to avoid it when you aren’t fueling your body the way you need to.
Here are some of my ideas to curb your cravings, fuel your body, and stop your binge:
1. Eat Real Food
Salt Sugar Fat
Eating clean organic and real food can substantially cut cravings.
Food manufacturers purposely create food that will make us want more.
It’s called the “bliss point“.
I read this book recently and it blew my mind.
No wonder so many people are overweight.
I found that when I eat homemade chocolate chip cookies versus Chips Ahoy I eat far less.
I can eat a couple of spoonfuls of dough when I’m making the cookies and I don’t feel the need to keep eating more.
If I have any type of store-bought cookies I feel the need to binge the rest of the day.
2. Stop Eating. Just Stop.
Yikes, that sounds counter-intuitive, doesn’t it?
However, I really mean it.
Just stop eating.
One of the most powerful things you can do for yourself is to learn to tell yourself to stop eating.
I’m not talking about not eating for days, I’m talking about taking a break from food for about 12-14 hours every day.
Get this, most of that time can be while you sleep.
This is called Intermittent Fasting.
The simplest version is simply to confine your eating to an “eating window”.
That way, you don’t end up binge eating all day.
You at least make yourself stop eating by a certain time.
Believe it or not, intermittent fasting has been what has helped me stop thinking about food and just live a healthy lifestyle.
You can read more about Intermittent Fasting in my ultimate guide here.
3. Start Your Day With Protein
Have you found that what you eat first in the day typically sets the stage for how you eat the rest of the day?
When you break your fast in the morning with the right nutrients and macros you’re less likely to crave junk.
(I already wrote about the foods not to eat for breakfast- read it here)
The days I break my fast with protein or a protein shake are days that are easier for me to avoid junk food.
If you eat something too sweet or full of carbs you will have a sugar crash and then probably binge.
If you decide a protein shake is good for you then be sure to ALWAYS select one that is plant-based or whey from grass-fed cows and does not contain any artificial ingredients.
You would be surprised how many “healthy protein supplements” contain Splenda or soy.
**These are the meal replacement shakes I drink**.
4. Eat A Handful Of Almonds
Having a handful of almonds is more than enough to give you an energy boost and last you until your next meal, keeping your appetite at bay.
Almonds are high in protein, magnesium, and Vitamin E.
One 2006 study found that these qualities help promote the feeling of fullness in consumers and aids in weight loss.
5. Enjoy Eggs
If you’re allergic to nuts or want something with a little more excitement, eggs are your next best choice.
One study compared people with similar diets except one group ate eggs for breakfast while the other had bagels.
Those who had eaten eggs reportedly felt fuller throughout a 24-hour period than this who ate the carb-rich bagels.
What’s more, the same study found that the “egg group” consumed an average of about 300 calories less than their bagel eating counterparts did.
Having one or two boiled eggs is a great way to get in some amino acids, healthy fats, and stay satisfied throughout the day.
6. Drink More Water
There seems to be no limit as to how good water is for you, curbing your appetite is just another one of its many magical abilities.
This zero-calorie drink will not only keep you from overindulging, but it will help you lose weight and skin glow as well.
One 2010 study from Virginia Tech examined study subjects who drank water before a meal and found that those who had two glasses ate almost 100 calories less than those who didn’t drink water.
In fact, scientific reports show that as little as 16 oz. of water is enough to stretch the stomach muscles and give a feeling of fullness.
So drink up!
7. Consume Ginger
Apart from its universal benefits, ginger has been long thought of as an appetite suppressor.
A study cited in PubMed.gov noted that people who drank something resembling ginger tea (ginger powder and hot water) were less hungry after a meal and took longer to get hungry between meals.
Ginger improves metabolic activities and if consumed regularly can significantly increase the feeling of fullness.
Related: 14 Essential Oils That Can Help You Lose Weight
8. Savor Some Chocolate
That’s right, you can have your cake and eat it too.
In the last few years, researchers and nutritionists alike have been revisiting the benefits of high cocoa level chocolates and their rather mythical healing properties.
With its heart-healthy benefits, chocolate, namely dark chocolate is exceptional when it comes to curbing that appetite.
The bitter and almost acidic qualities of chocolates that have over 70% cocoa signal the brain to feel less hungry and remain fuller for longer periods of time.
In fact, studies, which only examined smelling dark chocolate, found that the hormones that increase appetite and the feeling of hunger, were decreased, this study was published in the “Regulatory Peptides” book.
9. Get Your Body Moving
Yep, exercise.
It’s that one thing that no one wants to do, but everyone should.
A study conducted by The University of Western Australia noted that both aerobic and resistance training has been found to decrease and regulate the hormones which create cravings.
Not only will this restore the body’s relaxed state of feeling full but not bloated but it will also aid in weight loss.
Exercise, like spicy foods and ginger, is key to having proper metabolic activity, which helps promote the feeling of satisfaction throughout the day instead of the need to constantly consume food.
10. Eat More Protein and Fat
If you think eating that salad at lunch will curb your afternoon cravings you are kidding yourself.
Be sure to eat enough protein and fat at every meal so that you feel full longer and you get the nutrients you need.
Fat and protein won’t raise your blood sugar like carbohydrates.
If you have a meal higher in carbohydrates you are more likely to crave junk later in the day.
Carbs are important just don’t overdo it especially if you aren’t working out intensely.
11. Avoid Your Trigger Foods
What I’ve learned from my own experience with binge eating is that I must avoid my trigger foods.
For me, that means I just have to tell myself NO.
Some people can have 1 cookie or a small bite of cake and they are completely satisfied.
That doesn’t work for me.
If I eat dessert at our church potluck I will end up having junk the rest of the day.
Call me weak but it’s just how I am.
Does that mean I never have dessert?
No.
It means I plan when I will have my trigger foods and I make sure it is on days that I do an intense workout or something outdoors with the family.
I also try to never eat my trigger food outside my eating window.
If I happen to be hungry outside my eating window I make sure I eat something healthy.
Bottom Line
At the end of the day, you are responsible for how you handle your cravings and no magic pill will keep you from eating that chocolate chunk cookie, but using these simple tricks can help you stop the binge when you feel the urge.
What do you think? Will these tips help you? Have any other ideas to help curb cravings and binge eating?
If you want to keep working on changing some habits…try this 7-day sugar detox to drastically cut your sugar intake.
You Might Also Like To Read These:
How Protein Shakes And Bars Can Help You Lose Weight
9 Easy Ways To Lose Weight Fast
