Your ability to handle cravings heavily predicts dieting success.
So it’s worth learning how to do it well, with eighteen strategies I have my clients use on a regular basis.
If you have cravings at night:
Go to bed earlier. Nobody craves salads at 1AM. Get your time management in check and unplug sooner than you have been. It’ll help you lose fat, too.
Eat a bigger dinner. You can’t eat like a bird and act surprised you’re waist-deep in snacks an hour later. Don’t stress eating big late, either. Total calorie intake dictates weight loss, not when you eat.
Brush your teeth after dinner. Painfully simple, but brutally effective for (A) solidifying the end of that day’s eating, and (B) making additional food taste bad.
Brushing your teeth to signify “the end that day’s eating” is painfully simple, and extremely underutilized
If you have cravings after workouts:
Meal prep beforehand. That way you’re not tempted to snack, or eat junk when you’re ravenous and impatient. Prioritize protein (egg whites, chicken, whey protein) and carbs (fruit, rice, sweet potatoes).
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If you want the full list of foods I recommend my clients prioritize in their prep, I have you covered with the One-Stop Nutrition Guide:
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Prep to prep. This is my personal go-to, as I don’t “fully” prep often. Instead, I’ll pre-portion, cut, and wash everything required for my post-workout meals. This makes staying on track a breeze.
Check in on “future you.” Yes, pancakes sound great after a grueling workout, and you might feel you earned them. But it’s worth asking how you’ll feel about that choice in twenty minutes, an hour, or the next day. Chances are, the answer will reel you in.
If you have cravings when you’re stressed:
Audit your environment. You can’t expect to resist cravings when your cabinets are a stressed person’s match made in heaven. Get junk far, far away from you.
Set visual reminders. This makes a surprisingly big difference when you’re ready to say “screw it.” Keep a small, written note on your fridge, office desk, or cabinet door—with a brief reminder like, “Breathe,” or “Slow your roll.” It’ll encourage you to pause, reflect, and make a better choice.
Have alternative coping mechanisms. Once you’ve audited your environment, and paused to reflect, you’ll need a new go-to coping mechanism that won’t make you feel horrible. Examples include…
• Deep breathing
• Listening to music
• Playing with your pet
• Calling a friend
• Workout out
• Journaling
• Getting outside
• Watching comedy
Address the stressor. You may not be able to eliminate it completely, but generally speaking, a difficult conversation, change of environment, or time management improvement can at least reduce your stressor.
Writing down your stressors allows your “passive mind” to rest
If you have random cravings:
Close the kitchen. I learned this from Jason Helmes of Anyman Fitness. In between meals, get food out of sight, buried in the fridge, and hard to access—that way there’s friction between you and poor choices.
Set a timer, ideally for twenty minute or so—then see if you’re still craving something when it goes off. In most cases, you won’t be. If you are, don’t hesitate to splurge (in moderation).
Stay busy. There’s no better craving suppressant than a packed schedule, as you won’t have the time or mental capacity to daydream about food. You need to avoid situations where you’re alone with food for hours.
Address sleep habits. When you go to bed late (after 11PM or so) on a regular basis, ghrelin, your “hunger hormone,” skyrockets. At that point, you’re fighting a losing battle every day.
Be more flexible. Oftentimes, cravings stem from subconscious feelings of deprivation—so you’ll want to loosen up a bit, so splurging isn’t as big of a deal, and top of mind so often.
Drink more water. About half your bodyweight in ounces is a good goal, and you’ll stop confusing dehydration for cravings.
Eat WAY more vegetables. A serving with every meal is a no-brainer, as you’ll stay stuffed for very few calories.
Increase protein intake by requesting a complimentary copy of One-Stop Nutrition Guide, which lists my go-to grocery list, high protein meal ideas, supplement recommendations, and more:
Perhaps mostly importantly…
Give in to your cravings from time to time. Seriously, it’s not the end of the world (especially if it’s planned). Plus, you should NEVER eat in a way you couldn’t for a lifetime.
My clients don’t, and they get results like this:
Click HERE to learn about the Hercules Performance Method.
