Cravings, we all have them. For some it is for chocolate. For others it may be carbs, and still others, like myself, it may be for chips and dips. Oh, my, those are my nemesis and will defeat me every single time if.... I do not plan ahead! I can't just hope that because I have decided to start eating clean that those cravings that have been there most of my life are going to just go away! Our brains are not wired to adjust to change that easily or quickly. Ever heard "It takes 21 days to form a habit"? That's because it takes the brain that long to learn a new habit and make it stick! This is the primary reason I LOVE running the 21 Day Fix challenge groups! Some people think that because it is called "21 Day Fix", that it is a temporary fix for just the 21 days you are doing it. In actuality, it was intended to become a new lifestyle that you learn how to do in just 21 days---thus training the brain to recognize it as your new habit!
Once you have created the habit, it becomes easier to do without as much thought given to it. I am going to give you some tips I give my group participants so you can try them out and see if they work for you. See if you can stick to your plan of eating clean for at least 21 days. Thereafter, it should become easier.
Before the challenge group and/or clean eating plan:
- Make a list of your go-to things that could potentially sabotage your goals ahead of time. Rank them in order of your greatest temptation to your least.
- Think about when you are most tempted to go to those foods instead of a healthier choice. Is it when you let yourself get too hungry, when you are stressed out, etc.
- Of course, ridding yourself of all of these things in your house would be optimal, but how many of us can really do that? So….challenge yourself to get rid of your top 1-3 temptations before you begin your plan.
During the challenge group and/or change of food choices:
1. When you feel drawn to one of your go-to unhealthy
foods, ask yourself why you are wanting that food right now. (are you genuinely hungry or are you stressed
out, bored, lonely, etc.?)This will help you to recognize what is your driving force to
junk foods.
2. Tell yourself to wait at least 15 minutes, and if you still want it then, proceed through steps 3-5.
2. Tell yourself to wait at least 15 minutes, and if you still want it then, proceed through steps 3-5.
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| 15 minutes |
3. If you are genuinely hungry, if it is a
salty snack you are craving, try a healthy substitute such as a handful of nuts
or some hummus and a veggie, etc. If you
are craving sweets, substitute a fruit that you enjoy. (this is why planning for cravings is
essential to success). If none of these
things sound good to you, then you probably really aren’t hungry. It’s just your body detoxing and telling you
that you need something you are used to getting.
4. Try to find a phrase that will help you
during these times. For instance, mine is “I am not going to let what I want
right now to sabotage my goals for later.”
Another common one is, “Nothing tastes as good as fit feels.” You choose the one that motivates you. Post it somewhere or in multiple places to help you in weaker moments.
5. Lastly, if none of these work and you HAVE
to indulge, don’t beat yourself up about it!
If you are trying to lose weight, measure ½ of the serving size and
indulge in that smaller portion. If you
are maintaining, measure a full serving size to enjoy. Most importantly, congratulate yourself for
making a BETTER choice.
Contrary to popular belief, eating clean does not have to be tasteless or boring or even done 100% of the time! I personally use the Paleo 80/20 rule. Eat clean 80% of the time and allow small indulgences 20% of the time. After all, life was meant to enjoy, not stress over every bite you eat. You just cannot indulge every time a craving hits or you will not be the healthy you that you were born to be!
Moral of the story....plan to crave bad foods, know what you are going to do when they strike, and you will be set for a successful defeat of the Cravings Monster!
If you are interested in learning more about eating clean, email me at the address below. I look forward to hearing from you!
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