Losing weight can have a huge number of benefits if you are in the obese or overweight categories, for your health, fitness, well-being and even your self-confidence. Of course, if it were easy to do, everybody would be a healthy weight, but anybody who has tried shifting the extra pounds will know it is a journey full of challenges.
The Battle Against Cravings
One of the biggest fights we have to deal with while sticking to a weight loss plan is cravings for specific foods, and the feeling of hunger when there just aren’t enough calories or carbs (whatever you’re counting) to make you feel satisfied. This can make dieting feel miserable and can be enough to cause a lot of people to quit.
However, there are quite a few things that can help you bust through cravings and keep your appetite down so that you can succeed in your plan without the misery, and enjoy all the great things about being a healthier weight.
Talk to Your Doctor
Most doctors recommend you talk to them before starting a new diet. However, if you are generally well, this can seem a bit unnecessary. Nevertheless, one of the things your doctor can do is offer you medicines that can help you with your diet, so it is well worth a visit if you have a lot of weight to lose. There is a newly approved drug called Contrave, as reported at Capital OTC, which is designed to reduce hunger and cravings. It is, in many ways, like already prescribed drugs such as Osymia, but it gives your doctor different things they can try to you to help you fight your cravings.
Break Your Addictions
Some scientists believe that people can actually become addicted to certain substances found in food, such as sugar. While you are still addicted to them, you crave them. However, we do tend to crave what we eat. According to these scientists, it can only take five days to get over a particular need for a certain food, so by changing your diet to avoid the things you crave for just a short, you may well find you start to crave the healthier things you have been eating instead. The experiences of people who have tried sugar-free or low carb diets also lend weight to this theory.
Distract Yourself for Ten Minutes
Scientists also believe that food cravings only last for around ten minutes. This means that if you can distract yourself for that short amount of time, it will pass without you breaking your diet. Take a relaxing bath, call a friend, watch something interesting on TV, go for a walk, or do just about anything else non-food related that distracts you. You may get past your craving without too much hardship!
Cravings can be manageable, and unless they are hormonal (for instance, in pregnancy or at some points in your cycle), they are usually rooted in your existing diet. By following these tips, you may be able to beat them and reach the healthy, happy weight you are aiming for!