Getting Over the Food Craze
You only know how hard it is to stick to a diet if you've been on one. Diets are usually punishing to your appetite and to your pallet. Some diets make you eliminate food that your body craves on a regular basis. There are a lot of foods out there that are addictive and will bust your diet if you eat them like chocolate, cheese, meat (in some cases), processed foods (unhealthy carbs), or refined sugar (candy). The problem with these types of foods is when you eat them you can never just stop at one. Stay motivated to diet by eliminating your cravings for addictive foods from your diet with these simple steps:
Step #1: Fast for a full 24 hours.
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Fasting helps cleanse your pallet and reset your body's natural preference for healthy food, so any time you are going to start a diet, fast for a full 24 hours before. Also fast periodically throughout your diet to keep your body's pallet cleansed, especially if you've had a food that will bust your diet if you keep craving it.
Step #2: Eat foods that steady your blood sugar.
Cravings are caused by a dip in blood sugar. When your blood sugar is low your body automatically craves something that will boost it quickly. Rather than waiting for that to happen, keep your blood sugar level by eating foods throughout the day that naturally steady your blood sugar. Foods such as raw fruits, green vegetables, legumes, and foods containing healthy natural fats such as avocadoes and nuts all help keep blood sugar levels steady so you don't get the dips that lead to cravings that can make you bust your diet.
Step #3: Stay away from television.
Television and computers are known to be one of the most powerful triggers for appetite. If you really want your diet to be a success, stay away from the TV while you are dieting. Instead, develop those other hobbies you have been sitting on waiting for time and they'll be a lot more inducing to your diet.
Step #4: Plan ahead.
Eating out is one of the number one diet killers because it not only gets your diet off track, but it also makes you crave oils, salts, fats, and processed foods that will bust your diet. Rather than eat out or eat on the go, plan ahead. Take a snack bag with you to work or on the road. If you are going to be traveling, remember that most restaurants (not fast food) will cater to dietary requests. Don't go out when you are hungry. Make a meal plan for every day of the week. Planning ahead keeps you out of trouble with your diet a lot better than flying by the seat of your pants.
Step #5: Eat enough.
Under normal circumstances your body actually produces an appetite controlling hormone called leptin. However, if you are not eating enough calories, your body will stop producing leptin making your appetite get out of control. Guess what happens when you appetite isn't in control? You eat foods you shouldn't and you bust your diet. Be sure to eat at least ten calories per pound of your ideal body weight and never eat less than 1200 calories in a day unless you are fasting.
