If you ate a bunch of candy during this holiday season, then you will notice that it takes about 2 days for your body to clean out the excess sugar. When it hits the second day you might feel the urge to just have “one more piece.” If you decide to resist then, you will have more success eating healthy (until your next sugar fix).
Very few people pay attention to patterns in their eating or hunger. With a little reflection, you can keep yourself on the straight and narrow. Here are some other tips to keep you on your healthy eating plan.
1. Eat Breakfast
A high-fiber morning meal will prevent hunger-induced binging later on because low-cal fiber staves off hunger pains longer with soluble fiber (found in oats and fruit) and insoluble fiber (found in whole grains). For example, add a tablespoon of natural peanut butter (protein) to your whole grain bagel (fiber and complex carbohydrates).
2. Strip Temptation
Clean all unhealthy food from your fridge and cupboards, making sure to keep them well stocked with healthy alternatives to your most common cravings. The best foods to have on hand register love on the glycemic index such as pears, low-fat cottage cheese, and black beans.
3. Meal Time
To make sure that hunger doesn’t get the best of you, eat small meals every three to four hours. Another strategy to avoid overindulging is to remove all distractions while eating. Keep the television from the kitchen and you’ll keep from feeling as though you are hungry every time you watch your favorite shows.
4. Dear Diary
Tracking your eating habits by writing them down can help you to gain a better understanding of when and why you get cravings. To maximize the benefit for each entry write down the date, time of day, what you ate, how much, how hungry you were before you ate and how satisfied you were afterward. By doing this you’ll be able to assess your eating patterns, plan good habits and create less opportunity for bad ones.5. Falling off the Wagon
Even if you do fall to your cravings don’t sweat it, instead figure out where you went wrong and what you can do about it. Instead of making a commitment to cut out all carbohydrates and sweets cold turkey, give yourself a month to switch to whole wheat bread and stop eating chocolate. But remember, it takes time, practice and persistence before your new ways become the way you live life (source).
Adria Ali
(CES, PES, CPT, BS)
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