We all get them…those cravings that make you temporarily lose any desire to stick to your transformation goals. You know the feeling—all of a sudden you just HAVE to have ________ {you fill in the blank}. So what can you do when those cravings strike? Here are ten simple ways to crush those cravings once and for all:
1. Drink at least one tall glass of water when you first feel that craving creeping in. Sometimes when we think we;re hungry, we;re actually thirsty, so quenching that thirst can help control those cravings.
Some Water Bottles I Love:
2. Eat more veggies. These powerhouse foods are super low in calories and high in nutrients, and they can definitely make you feel fuller! Make sure you have your faves prepped and ready to go for whenever and wherever those cravings hit. You can also “volumize” your meals—and get a head start on those hungry feelings later in the day—by adding extra veggies to your meals.
3. Chew sugar-free mint-flavored gum, eat a sugar-free breath mint, or put a dab of toothpaste on your tongue. The mint flavor can actually suppress your appetite, and it tastes quite refreshing too. 😉
4. Eat 5 meals a day—spaced every three hours—like we do in carb cycling. Don’t even give your tummy a chance to get hungry! Better yet, include a serving of protein—and eat it first—with each of those 5 meals.
5. Make sure your breakfast carb is as high in fiber as possible. This will help slow down your digestion so you’ll feel fuller much longer!
6. If it’s a low-carb day, when you’re more likely to crave those carbs, eat a little fat. Yes, you read that right. Eat one tablespoon of your favorite healthy fat (like almond butter, for example), set a timer for 15 minutes, and Voila! That craving should disappear.
7. Call/text a supportive friend. Often, this person can talk you off of that craving-laden ledge! 🙂
8. Rid your house of your favorite cravings—if they’re not in your house, you won’t eat them. Likewise, stay clear of places where you can find these foods and take an alternate route if you must. If you don’t go there, you won’t eat there!
9. Know what situations trigger your cravings. Boredom? Stress? ______? Put a plan in place of activities you can do—besides feeding that craving—so you’ll know how to handle these situations without resorting to food.
10. If none of these work, and you’re hitting desperation mode, try one of these as a last resort:
- A small handful of almonds, then 1 to 2 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter, then 1 to 2 cups of water
- 1 stick of string cheese, then 1 to 2 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of avocado, then 1 to 2 cups of water
Bonus tip: If that craving is one for the record books and none of these options work, try one of these three delicious 100-calorie liquid treats:
- Root beer float: Ice-cold diet root beer + 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Coconut water: 1 cup warm water + 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Bulletproof coffee: 1 cup coffee + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Word of warning: Each one of these carry a 100-calorie impact, so only use these as a very, very last resort, limit yourself to one a day, and sip on it slowly—make it last as long as possible!
So give one (or all, if necessary) of these a try when your next craving rears its ugly head, because as we all know, caving into those cravings can definitely be a huge roadblock to your transformation success!
Xoxo,
Heidi
Craving more awesome transformation tips like these? (Sorry…just couldn’t resist). 😉 Get many, many more in our new book, Extreme Transformation, on stands now, and get daily workouts and nutrition in our new app!
Related reading:
Emotional Eating: How to Take Control Once and for All
Combating That Time of the Month
It Really Is All About the Promise
Ask the Powells: How Can I Structure My Meals?
I Cheat Every Day
81 Responses
I was not sure where to start. I just turned 50 this year and I have been struggling with my weight for years. I found out a few years ago ( well longer than that) that I have a thyroid issue and have been taking meds for that. I also struggle with sleeping( I don’t sleep well). I just have no energy. Recently I had to under go a complete Hysterectomy. I really try to watch what I eat and just struggle. I am 5’5″or 5’6″ and well my weight I will not post but its not good. About 2 years ago I went through a very big rough patch and lost 40 pounds and felt great and was going to the gym everyday, but the problem was I lost all that weight due to the fact that I was not eating and I know that was wrong but because of the stress I was thinking. Well then things got better and I continued to go to the gym but the weight came back and now I struggle again with losing it. Any suggestions or ideas? My typical day is breakfast a replacement shake with soy milk and lunch may be a sandwich with mayo and ham and yogurt. Then dinner is a meat with vegetables. I am sure that I am leaving something out. I do have an occasional snake that I probably shouldn’t have I drink water most of the time (probably not as much as I should ). I don’t want a quick fix I just want to feel good and have energy again. Any help or suggestions will greatly be appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Hi Paula: Thank you for sharing your story with us. You can learn about Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling program in this post: https://heidipowell.net/9060. Be sure and follow all the links within the post too. And please discuss any nutrition and exercise program with your healthcare team first and then follow any modifications they might recommend. You can do this!
Hi,
I am struggling with my nutrition and need some ideas on meal options… I am allergic to seafood and nuts so sometimes it is hard for me to follow some meal plans that people give me… I have lost about 50 lbs on my own before and can’t seem to get myself back on track this time… I could afford to lose about another 30lbs or more but cannot seem to find a good balance between my foods because I keep having to fight some cravings or give in. I currently do crossfit about 5 days a week but not seeing any results because of my eating habits. It also doesn’t help that my family is not into eating healthy or working out.. I often find myself eating junk food just because it’s there. Hoping you can help me out and get me back on track.
Hi Kathleen: It sounds like your exercise is spot on! Let’s get you some help with the nutrition side of your transformation goals. Here’s a post that outlines the nutrition part of Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling program, and it includes links to all of their carb cycles so you can choose the one that will work best for you: https://heidipowell.net/2713. If you’re having hard time with cravings, you might want to start with the Easy cycle which includes a reward meal on all high carb days. Or I’d suggest the new Extreme Cycle which includes a weekly reward/reset day where you can eat anything you want to that day up to an extra 1000 calories. And there are many food options besides seafood and nuts too. You can totally do this!
Hi! My husband and I are doing turbo cycle after reading the book! We are 3 weeks in. I have a question about being hypoglycemic. When I was pregnant with my kids they have always found that I suffer from it. I’m not currently pregnant, am starting to wonder if being hypoglycemic will affect my weight loss. So I’m wondering what cycle would you recommend for that?
Thank you so much!
Hi Natalie: It would be best to discuss this carb cycling program with your healthcare team and then have them help you make any modifications if necessary, as well as which cycle would be best for you. We wish you both the best – you can do this!
I just finished the Extreme Transformation book and have to say it was great! I love how you take the reader through so many elements of weight gain and loss and how to transform yourself from the inside out. For someone who doesn’t just want a quick fix but wants to be there best self I think this book really hits the mark. Thank you for sharing your expertise Chris and Heidi.
I read all the information in the link you gave me… but, how do I put that in the myfitnesspal app? I don’t get it. so, if its 100 calories it’s 25 g of protein and carbs? and the one table – say the breakfast for example P-150 cal carbs 100 cal and 100 fats… I need to create a meal that is 350 calories? with 37.5 g of protein 25 carbs and 25 fat? that’s the part I don’t get.
so what happened to my post? I’ve been hoping for a response to my question, now its gone. What happened to it?
Hi Patty: All comments have to be approved before they post, so that’s why you’re not seeing your comment. I’ll answer it in just a sec. 🙂
I am reading the Extreme Transformation and doing 4H 2L days (I think) . At the moment I am using recipes from the book with some modification (I don’t eat greek yogurt, fish or sweet potatoes. ) My question is…I’m supposed to be eating 1500 calories? what are the percentages so I can modify the recipes? 60/40/20? I am insulin resistant so I need to eat 120 g of protein per day. and I can eat all the veggies in the book? as long as I track the caloric intake? even if they push me over carbs #?
I am sure the website offered monthly probably has all the answers I need, But I don’t have extra money to do that right now. I could barely afford the book, so your help would be appreciated. I just want to lose 30-70#
AND I forgot…I can’t do any of the exercises right for the upper body as I just had rotator cuff repair 6 weeks ago…so can’t do most of the missions…should I double up on the ones I can and double cardio?
Hi Patty (again): I would stick to the Metabolic Mission as they outlined and only do the ones you can do, and aim for up to an hour of cardio a day Monday-Saturday. 🙂
Hi Patty: Here’s a post that has several meal planning options for the Extreme cycle: https://heidipowell.net/10617, and aim for 1500 calories a day. If you go over a bit by following the meal outlines due to added veggies, that’s okay. You can do this!
hi heidi its adejoke again. your tips on how to lose weight as a teen is really helping me. it was my friends birthday yesturday and when its a birthday theres cake and all sorts.i went on a ram page and i dont know why i planned how to handle it i brought my own food and everything and i just had a cheat meal before. do you think i should exercise 2 hrs a day(i normally exercise 45mins at hiit) to hellp me get back on track as im trying to get my summer body ready and im affrid of going on the scale
Hi Adejoke: Aim for around 60 minutes of activity a day, and you’ll be good to go! 🙂
Hi Powell Team…
I am a member of your current diet bet and decided to buy your Extreme Transformation book on audible. As I listen to your book in the car I am not sure if there is a way to also get your PDF’s that you reference in your book. Thanks so much for any insight!!
Hi Tracy: It can be tricky to find the PDFs for “Extreme Transformation.” If you can’t find them in your library, you can 1) contact the help center where you purchased your audio book or 2) if that doesn’t work, you can contact the publisher directly at [email protected] and they will be happy to help you!
Hello Team Powell! I’m reading your Extreme Transformation and loving it! I have a question about breakfast on the Extreme Cycle. I had gastric sleeve surgery in 2010 and cannot eat solid foods first thing in the morning. I usually have a coffee until my stomach is ready. Looking at the protein, carb, fat for breakfast, would a coffee with the following ingredients be okay for my breakfast, along with 1/2 cup of Kashi cereal for the carb? One scoop of whey protein, one scoop of collagen, 1/2 TBSP grass-fed butter, 1 TBSP heavy whipping cream and stevia to taste blended into two cups of coffee. (I drink out of a large mug.) This is close to what I use now (no butter, add an extra TBSP or two of cream but I’ll be cutting the cream down to add the butter) and it keeps me full for hours. Thanks in advance!
Hi Dorene: It’s best to follow your doctor’s recommendations, and there’s a chart in this post (“Create Your Own Meals”) that outlines all the macros to include in each meal: https://heidipowell.net/10617. I’d use this chart to help you put your own meals together. So for breakfast, you should have 150 calories from protein, 100 calories from carbs, and 100 calories from fats. You can do this! 🙂