I'm Hungry...Or Am I?

Cravings happen.

The reality is you might be hungry...but you could also be any of the following:

-thirsty
-bored
-stressed
-hormonal
-sad

etc., etc., insert any mood here & I've used it as an excuse to eat.

Here's five simple ways to curb cravings:

1.) Drink a full glass of water.  You may think you're hungry, but there's a very real chance you could just be thirsty.  Fill up an ice cold glass of water, and drink the whole thing.  Feel better?  If not, you might really be hungry.  The bonus to this one is, even if you ARE truly hungry, you're likely to eat less because you're going to feel more full from the water.

2.) Play Dress-Up. A good way I avoid cravings, or the temptation to eat, is to go to my closet.  Grab a pair of your "fat" jeans, and try them on.  How good does that feel, that they're way too big?  Still hungry?  Try a pair of your skinny jeans, that are way too tight.  How does that feel?  Still hungry?

3.) Do the 7-minute ab work out. This might just take your mind off of it.

4.) Brush your teeth, or gargle mouthwash.  When your mouth is minty fresh, you're less likely to want to eat.  If you're at work and this isn't an option, put in a fresh piece of gum.

5.) Phone a friend.  Have a 10 minute phone conversation with someone.  Maybe you need to vent, or maybe you just need to take your mind off of it.

If you've given these a shot and after about 10 minutes, you're still hungry, your body is probably telling you that you need to fuel it.

IT IS PERFECTLY OKAY TO BE HUNGRY BECAUSE YOUR BODY SAYS SO.

It is NOT okay to be hungry because your boyfriend's an asshole.

These things won't work to distract you if your body is actually telling you it needs food.  Snack smart at this point.  Reach for a healthy snack and a full glass of water, and satisfy your body by giving it what it NEEDS.

I'm not telling you to deprive yourself.  I'm fortunate; I NEVER crave sweets.  But sometimes I have the kind of day where I NEED CHOCOLATE (I'm only human) and typically, one piece of Dove Chocolate or a Hersheys kiss will do the trick for me.

If that won't cut it for you, have a cookie.  Have some frozen yogurt.  Have a God damn ice cream bar if you're having a "homicidal dieting woman" moment and your asshole boyfriend's life is truly in danger.

If you deprive yourself, you will binge later.  You are the one that has live with yourself...and unless you're my sister (hey Sis!) I don't have to live with you.  I'm not here to tell you what kind of lifestyle you can live with for the rest of your life.  I'm just hear to help encourage you to make BETTER lifestyle decisions.

One thing I've learned with low calorie diets, is that every once in a while your body NEEDS something higher in calories to shock your system a bit.  If your body gets used to only having to break down a small amount of calories each day, your metabolism will get lazy and forget HOW to metabolize more calories.  You want to avoid that.  I know a lot of people take 1 day off a week where they eat what they want.  I don't do it that often personally, but you're going to have to find what works for you.

For example, and as a lesson in portion control:

I LOVE LOVE LOVE bacon cheeseburgers & pizza.  Sorry to my ass.  Sorry to my thighs.  Sorry to my lactose intolerance.
YOU ARE WELCOME, TASTE BUDS.

When I crave one of these things now, this is what I do:

*half a bacon cheeseburger, large side salad with fat-free dressing, large ice water.  Skip the fries.
*1 slice of pizza, large side salad with fat-free dressing, large ice water. Skip the breadsticks.

Portion control is key.

Crave smartly.

xoxo