how to control cravings

Question
Hi! I am a 34year old woman who is 5'3 and 120 lbs.  I am happy with my weight however, i tend to binge and have awful cravings for food.  I do work out almost daily which i believe is keeping my weight in check, however, the cravings are so strong it is hard to control them.  I find myself literally bingeing on sweet and salty foods.  Unfortunately, i live with roommates who buy the stuff and keep it in the house.  My question is, how can i control the cravings?  Is there a 'wellness coach' response that maybe i am not aware of?

Answer
Hi Lisa,

Cravings are the most difficult thing to control while trying to maintain a healthy weight. There are two things you can do to keep your cravings in check.

1. Identify and avoid your triggers. To do this, I recommend keeping a food cravings diary for a few days where you write down what you are doing, and how you are feeling at the moment a craving starts. This will help you to avoid these triggers moving forward. According to food psychologist, the number one trigger for food cravings is stress.

2. Stay full. Your cravings may be for sweets but maintaining a "full" stomach will help you avoid cravings. An easy, calorie free way of doing this is to drink a large glass of water every hour and have several small meals throughout the day.

I hope that helps,

Dan  

1. Prev:Pageant Entry
2. Next:Help me please