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