Junk food: The best way to stop craving unhealthy foods
Do you catch yourself yearning for a sugary treat or deep-fried snack time and again? If yes, you aren't alone. Junk food craving is a real thing and even the most health-conscious individuals admit to occasionally give in to the temptation. However, a regular appetite for unhealthy foods is detrimental to health and is a habit that should be evaluated. These tips will help.
Practice the art of mindful eating
Mindful eating is a type of meditation in relation to eating. Adopting this habit makes the body become aware of eating habits, hunger, and cravings. It also teaches you to distinguish between cravings and actual physical hunger. Mindful eating requires being present at the moment and it is important to avoid distractions like TV and smartphone and focus solely on the process of eating.
Resort to healthy snacking to keep hunger pangs away
Most of us are tempted to eat junk foods when we are extremely hungry. To avoid this craving, make healthy snacking a habit throughout the day. Have a fistful of nuts in between two meals and drink healthy smoothies at least once a day. By getting into this habit, you'll soon realize that you are not hungry and in turn do not crave junk.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day
Our body often confuses thirst with food cravings. If you experience sudden bouts of hunger, drink a large glass of water and wait for a few minutes. You may notice that the craving fades away and that the body was actually thirsty and not hungry. Drinking water in between meals also helps in reducing appetite and aids in weight loss as well.
Sufficient protein intake also keeps hunger pangs at bay
Including sufficient protein with every meal is a proven way to prevent you from overeating. This is because protein helps reduce cravings and also keeps you feeling full for longer. To support this fact, a study showed increasing the protein intake to 25% of calories significantly reduced junk food cravings in the participants. In addition, ample protein intake also helped in reducing the appetite.
