I will be the first to admit, I like sweets and tasty junk foods.
Yet, I find that my health declines when I eat them so I work hard to keep those foods out of my diet.
Keep reading for some thoughts on dealing with cravings.
There are physical and emotional cravings.
You need to get to the point where you believe your well being, physical quality of life, and longevity are worth the work of making changes to your diet.
Another motivational factor is knowing that you will save money on doctor bills and dangerous medications that you won't need since you are taking better care of yourself.
Many individuals are motivated to make changes when they reach "rock bottom" -- when their health is so bad that they want to be well again, even if it means avoiding some favorite foods.
The good news is that reducing sugars and high carbohydrates, keeps the blood-sugar level more steady and physical cravings for these things subside in time.
In addition to changing diet, there are things you can try to reduce physical cravings.
For physical cravings, try these suggestions: o Reduce or eliminate caffeine.
The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar swings, making sugar cravings more frequent.
o Drink water.
Sometimes sweet cravings are a sign of dehydration.
Before you "go for it," have a glass of water and then wait a few minutes to see what happens.
o Get physical activity.
Start with simple activities, like walking or yoga.
It will help balance blood sugar levels and reduce tension without medicating yourself with sugar! o Get more sleep, rest and relaxation.
When you are tired or stressed, your body will crave energy - in the form of sugar.
These cravings are often a result of being sleep deprived, going to bed late or waking up early.
o Eliminate fat-free or low-fat foods.
These foods often contain high quantities of sugar, which typically send you on a "roller coaster ride.
" o Experiment with spices such as coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom.
They will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.
Emotional food addictions are powerful.
They usually involve an empty feeling you're trying to fill with food.
At the root, you may find an emotional pain or ache inside of you.
You might be dealing with a lot of stress and reach for comfort foods to calm yourself down.
Unfortunately, these comfort foods are, too often, sweets or other junk foods with deleterious effects on one's health.
For emotional cravings, we can strive to fill some of our "empty" feelings and change some negative thoughts into positive ones.
For emotional cravings, try these suggestions: o Pray for enlightenment and support from your higher power.
o Love yourself as you are right now.
o Pamper yourself and find ways, other than eating food, to feel love and satisfaction.
o Stop worrying about what other people in your life think about you.
o Meditate and visualize how you want your body and your life to be.
See it in your mind and work toward it.
o When you slip, don't beat up on yourself.
Use it as a learning experience.
o Eat consciously.
Focus on chewing your food well and slowly, savoring and appreciating every bite of nourishing food.
o When you need to lean on others for support, do so.
With time and focus, plus a few new tips and strategies, you can be free of the grip sweets and junk foods have over you.