5 Tricks To Control Food Cravings
Not being able to control food anxiety is one of the biggest obstacles for those on a diet to lose weight. While improving the quality of the main meals will help achieve the goal, eating poorly between meals impedes good results.
The problem is that few give importance to this situation and ignore that the constant snacks add calories. In addition, many are mistaken and think that it is only necessary to eat more vegetables to improve their diet.
As a result, the metabolism slows down and the body decreases its ability to get rid of excess fat. This can lead to states of depression and frustration , as efforts to lose weight end up being in vain. How to end this problem?
Tricks to Control Food Anxiety
Therefore, before trying to apply strategies to control eating anxiety, it would be good to analyze your self-esteem and emotional health. If there is something that keeps us from being happy, it will be more difficult to fight the problem effectively.
The following advice will help keep you satiated longer, avoiding binge eating. On the other hand, they promote general well-being and are effective in combating the mental factors that negatively intervene in the process. Put them into practice!
1. Eat five meals a day
The healthiest eating plans suggest eating between five and six meals a day to maintain a stable weight. While it may seem like this involves eating more, it’s actually an effective tactic for speeding up metabolism and controlling anxiety.
Eating a small meal every 3 to 4 hours stabilizes your glucose and decreases your desire to eat more than you should. It also improves digestion and helps maintain optimal physical and mental performance .
2. Drink plenty of fluids
Both water and infusions and broths can be great allies to control anxiety about eating. These options not only keep the body hydrated, but also increase the body’s metabolism and detoxification process.
Thanks to these properties, liquids contribute to weight loss and digestive health. In fact, they are critical to maintaining good circulatory health and increasing muscle mass protection.
3. Add more fiber to your food
Fiber-rich foods contain complex carbohydrates that serve as the body’s main source of energy. However, one of its main virtues in the diet is its ability to deal with this insatiable craving for food.
As fiber prolongs the feeling of fullness between meals, it prevents us from consuming extra calories. In addition, they favor the breakdown of bad cholesterol (LDL) and prevent digestive problems such as constipation. Some options are:
- whole grains
- Oilseeds and seeds
- green vegetables
- Peeled fruit
- vegetable milks
4. Consume tryptophan sources
Tryptophan plays an important role in controlling food anxiety. This essential amino acid participates in complex metabolic cycles, forming serotonin.
Therefore, after being assimilated by the body, it alters appetite and anxiety control. It generally improves mood and decreases depressive behaviors. What foods contain tryptophan?
- Proteins of animal origin (meat, fish or eggs)
- dairy products
- bananas
- Pineapple
- Oilseeds
5. Eat slowly and chew well
Nowadays, when everything is done in a hurry, many ignore the habit of eating slowly and without distractions. Therefore, after finishing a dish with the right amounts, hunger returns sooner than expected.
This prevents the brain from activating the satiety signals at the correct time and also affects the digestion process. As the person does not chew well, the stomach becomes overloaded and food takes longer to be processed.
So, to control food anxiety, it is convenient to:
- Take a few breaths before starting each dish
- Analyze meals to be aware of what will be consumed
- Eat slowly and chew your food several times
- Drop the cutlery between mouthfuls
Is your diet not working due to anxiety? Are you constantly hungry? So, put all these tricks into practice. Although these are basic dietary measures, they help to end this problem.