How to avoid temptation: unhealthy foods

 

Are you trying to avoid eating unhealthy foods but can't fight the cravings? Here is a good starting place:

 

1.      Identify your cravings. A particular food craving might point to something lacking in your diet. Find your favorite cravings below in Bold, and then note the possible item(s) missing from your present diet.

• Chocolate: Magnesium. Women should be cautious during menstruation, as magnesium levels do drop. Instead, try snacking on natural fruits, nuts, or take a vitamin/mineral supplement.

• Sugar/Simple Carbohydrates: Protein & Complex Carbohydrates. A quick science lesson: Carbohydrates break down into sugars. Since sugar metabolizes very quickly, it is not a good source of long term energy. The best source of energy includes protein and complex carbohydrates, which break down much slower. Good examples include brown or wild long-grain rice; and pasta or bread made from wholewheat flour.

• Fried foods: Calcium & Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Try eating more fish, or check your grocery store for milk, cheese, or eggs containing these essential oils plus calcium.

• Salt: Hydration, Vitamin B, Chloride. When you desire something salty, try to drink water instead. Also, stress can lead to a Vitamin B deficiency, so if your’e experiencing hardship, take a second Vitamin B supplement half way through your day.

2.      Remove temptation. To keep yourself from buying more than you need, never go to the grocery store while hungry. When you have only healthy foods to eat, you'll make healthy choices.
 

3.      When you go to the store, force yourself to buy good foods. Avoid ice-cream, frozen dinners, white bread, sweets and snacks. If you do this, you will find it harder and harder to eat the wrong type of foods at home.
4.     Replace the rituals. You don't need dessert after dinner or a doughnut with your coffee. To break such habits, provide/prepare a healthy alternative beforehand, such as a piece of fruit. Keep a variety of healthy choices around, such as a crisp vegetable salad, various fruits like apples, water melon and raisins, and other healthy snacks.

5.     Avoid boredom. Keep yourself active and busy, so you're not always thinking about food. There is a lot more to do than eat.

6.     Drink plenty of water! The water intake recommended does NOT include the water you receive from food or coffee. If you feel thirsty, this means you are already dehydrated - and dehydration can often be confused with hunger.

7.     Most people need to lower cholesterol levels to either remain or become healthy. In addition to how food affects cholesterol, we also need to understand how one's weight, exercise, and genetics all factor into our overall health.

8.     Reward yourself! Permit yourself a treat from time to time, as you establish new habits. Just be sure a treat is exactly that, just a small taste! A "cheat-day" is a day in which you are permitted to have such a treat. It does not mean you can cheat all day long!

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