With the pandemic roaring outside, health and fitness concerns are at an all-time high. Science and experts alike have claimed that a good nutrition and workout regime can aid the body's defensive abilities against the virus. Taking these concerns into consideration, a lot of us have started working out from home while following some kind of nutrition regime. However, staying on track when it comes to your diet is easier said than done. Food cravings can make or break your fitness plans. How do we stay on track? By following these 4 easy and practical ways to control our junk food cravings!
Here Are 4 Expert Tips To Curb Junk Food Cravings:
1. Do Not Skip Meals
Although it sounds like a no-brainer, a lot of people conveniently skip or omit their meals due to hectic schedules. Also, people tend to fluctuate with their meal timings which can mess up the body clock. This causes some serious hunger pangs and in such situations, most people go for a quick fix which often happens to be tasty but calorie-dense snacks.
(Also Read: 5 Healthy Diet Facts That Anyone Wanting To Lose Weight Must Know)
The problem with missing or fluctuating meals is that these snacks cause a serious insulin rise which is a major cause for fat gain. When there's a sudden rise in your blood sugar levels, you'll notice a considerable rise in the fat gain pattern. So eat on time and as always, portion control is the key to good health!
2. Carry Healthy Snacks
In unavoidable situations where you know you'll be skipping meals or have to rely on unhealthy food, healthy snacks are an excellent substitution. Not only do they satiate your hunger for the time being and provide a steady flow of energy, but they also help you to stay on track.
(Also Read: 5 Common Weight Loss Mistakes After 5pm As Per Nutritionist)
Go for healthy and filling snacks like nuts and seeds to keep you filled up. Photo: iStock
Some great snack options are roasted dry nuts such as walnuts and peanuts, and pumpkin seeds. Along with that, cucumber is a fantastic snack option as it's low in calories and fills you up quickly!
3. Fool Your Taste Buds
Often, we crave a particular dish or food item for its taste; it's also our comfort zone. Falling prey to your taste buds or food cravings is a sure-shot way of eating out of your assigned nutrition plan. A great hack or solution is to replicate the taste with healthy alternatives or ingredients from your diet plan. An excellent way to reintroduce taste to your repetitive food dishes is by cooking yourself or researching healthy recipes. Spices are a game-changer, use them in abundance.
For example - If you're craving fried rice, substitute it with cauliflower fried rice. Use a variety of spices and spoil your taste buds!
(Also Read: 7 Healthy Recipes You Can Make With Protein-Rich Kala Chana On Weight Loss Diet)
Cauliflower rice is a low-calorie substitute of white rice. Photo: iStock
4. Remember Your "Why"
A lot of us have a strong reason to diet and workout. Most of us have at least ten reasons why we're following a nutrition plan, fat loss is just one of them. Note down these ten reasons, they'll anchor you every time you feel like cheating on your diet. Every time you're about to fail, always remember why you started. Convince your mind and body to follow the journey no matter how tough it seems.
(Also Read: 10 Easy Ways To Lose Weight Without Actually Dieting)
It's important to follow through your weight loss goals. Photo: iStock
Also, remember that when we are on a diet, we're expecting to see some results. We want optimum performance from our body and general health. For noticeable results, it's necessary to provide the right nutrition to the body. It's your fuel, the engine needs to always perform at a good, healthy intensity. So the golden motto is - "Eat what you require, not what you're craving".
About Author: Pranit Shilimkar is the youngest fitness trainer and an aspiring entrepreneur who is changing the pace of the health and fitness industry. He is well known and loved by many popular names in the industry like Swara Bhaskar, Swapnil Joshi, Dolly Singh, Komal Pandey, Sonali Kulkarni, Ankush Bahugana, Srishti Dixit and Niti Taylor. His expertise lies not only in fitness and nutrition, but rather implementing them into their lifestyle with his trademark 37 challenges.
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