A woman holding an ice cream walks out of a KFC restaurant in Beijing
Curbing food cravings is one of the tested and proven ways to lose weight. Many people often give in to their cravings and later feel guilty of eating something they shouldn’t have. IN PHOTO: A woman holding an ice cream walks out of a KFC restaurant in Beijing July 17, 2014. Yum Brands Inc on Wednesday said its KFC business bounced back in China, its No. 1 market, but its stock fell more than 2 percent. REUTERS/KIM KYUNG-HOON

Curbing food cravings is one of the tested and proven ways to lose weight. Many people often give in to their cravings and later feel guilty of eating something they shouldn’t have. Below you’ll find some effective ways to eliminate this behaviour and start feeling good about yourself by having the body you always wanted.

  1. Feed your body right

Food cravings can happen just about any time of the day. You are more prone to it if you skipped a meal or when you didn’t eat enough food. A full stomach especially in the morning can help you deal with your cravings especially if you eat foods high in protein and fibre. They can leave you feeling full the whole day.

  1. Avoid temptations

One way to curb food cravings is by avoiding temptations. For instance, passing by your favourite restaurant and looking at those yummy foods on display will make your mouth water and before you know it you’re already paying for some of them at the counter. If this happens to you, try a different route the next time. Remember the saying, “out of sight, out of mind.”

  1. Distract yourself

Stop thinking about eating a particular kind of food by distracting yourself. Don’t give in to temptation by focusing your attention on something else. For example, get your phone and listen to music or turn on the TV and watch a show. You can play with your pet or do some household chores to keep you occupied. Your cravings will be over in only a few minutes.

  1. Indulge within limits

Sometimes, it’s okay to give in to your cravings. But take note, indulge only within limits. Let’s say you really want to eat ice cream. Instead of buying a pint, just get a cone for yourself. This way, you eat what you want to eat but not too much. Don’t entertain excuses to indulge yourself otherwise you’ll regret eating a lot afterwards.

  1. Go for healthier alternatives

There’s nothing like eating a bag of chips and drinking an icy can of soda to perk you up during the day. People crave for such especially when they need extra energy. Instead of surrendering to junk foods, choose healthier alternatives instead, like munching on nuts and crackers. For drinks, there’s always water.

It’s not that hard to curb food cravings. Follow the secrets mentioned above and you can learn to say no the next time you’re tempted to give in to your cravings.

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