10 Effective Ways To Get Rid Of Your Food Cravings

Guest post from Nutritionist and Hormone Expert Sarah Gale

Food cravings can often feel overwhelming, disrupting your efforts to eat healthily and maintain a balanced diet. They tend to strike at the least convenient moments, tempting you to reach for sugary snacks, salty treats, or carb-heavy foods that offer little nutritional value. While these foods aren’t inherently bad and can certainly be part of a healthy diet, the goal is to enjoy them on your own terms, rather than feeling controlled by your cravings. But why do these cravings happen, and more importantly, how can you manage them? 

Here are 10 effective ways to conquer your food cravings once and for all.

 

 

1.  Stay Hydrated

Often, what feels like hunger or a craving is actually your body signaling that it's thirsty. Dehydration can mimic hunger, leading to unnecessary snacking. Make sure you're drinking enough water throughout the day—aim for at least 8 glasses. Staying hydrated helps keep your metabolism functioning smoothly and reduces the likelihood of confusing thirst with hunger.

 

2.  Eat Balanced Meals

Eating balanced meals that include a good mix of protein, healthy fats, and fibre can help keep your blood sugar levels stable, which is key to preventing cravings. Protein and healthy fats keep you feeling full longer, while fibre helps regulate digestion and prolongs the absorption of nutrients, preventing spikes and crashes in your blood sugar. When your blood sugar is stable, you're less likely to experience intense cravings.

 

3.  Get Enough Sleep

Lack of sleep disrupts the balance of hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin, making you more likely to experience cravings, particularly for sugary and high-carb foods. Ghrelin stimulates appetite, while leptin signals fullness. When you're sleep-deprived, ghrelin levels rise, and leptin levels decrease, leading to increased hunger and cravings. If you can, aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to help regulate these hormones and keep cravings at bay.

 

4.  Manage Stress

Stress is a major trigger for cravings, particularly for comfort foods high in sugar and fat. This is because stress increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that can make you crave energy-dense foods as a quick fix. Finding healthy ways to manage stress, such as through exercise, meditation, deep breathing, or hobbies you enjoy, can help reduce these stress-induced cravings. By lowering your cortisol levels, you can diminish the urge to reach for unhealthy snacks when stress levels rise.

 

 

5.  Plan Your Meals and Snacks

Planning your meals and snacks in advance can help you avoid the temptation of reaching for more unhealthy options when hunger strikes. When you know what you’re going to eat and have healthy options readily available you have already won half the battle and you’re less likely to give in to cravings. Include nutrient-dense foods and balanced meals in your plan that satisfy your taste buds while keeping you full and energised. By being prepared, you can reduce the likelihood of impulsive eating.

 

6. Increase Your Protein Intake

Protein is particularly effective at reducing cravings because it promotes feelings of fullness and stabilises blood sugar levels. Incorporating more protein into your meals can help reduce the frequency and intensity of cravings. Opt for lean sources of protein such as chicken, fish, tofu, legumes, and eggs. Protein-rich snacks like Greek yogurt, nuts, or a protein shake can also be great options to keep cravings in check between meals.

 

7. Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and enjoying your food without distractions. This practice can help you recognise true hunger and satiety cues, reducing the likelihood of eating out of boredom, stress, or habit. When you eat mindfully, you’re more likely to savour your food and avoid the mindless munching that often leads to cravings. Take time to enjoy each bite, and focus on how your food tastes, smells, and feels.

 

8. Tap Into the Emotion Behind the Craving

Often, cravings are not about the food itself but are a response to underlying emotions. You might find yourself reaching for comfort foods when you're feeling stressed, lonely, bored, or anxious. Tapping into the emotions behind your cravings can help you identify what you’re truly seeking—whether it’s comfort, distraction, or a sense of control. Instead of turning to food, try addressing the emotion directly. Engage in activities that fulfill the emotional need, such as talking to a friend, practicing relaxation techniques, or taking a walk. By understanding the emotional triggers behind your cravings, you can find healthier ways to cope and reduce the impulse to use food as a substitute for emotional satisfaction.

 

9. Don’t Skip Meals

Skipping meals can backfire by causing your blood sugar levels to drop, which can lead to intense cravings, especially for sugary and high-carb foods. When you skip a meal, your body is more likely to crave quick energy sources, which often come in the form of unhealthy snacks, which can put you on the blood sugar rollercoaster perpetuating the cycle. Eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day helps maintain stable blood sugar levels and reduces the likelihood of experiencing powerful cravings. 

 

10.  Allow Yourself Foods You Enjoy

Completely depriving yourself of your favourite foods can lead to intense cravings and potential binge eating episodes later on. By giving yourself permission to include these foods, you reduce the psychological burden of strict dieting and are less likely to overeat. The key is balance—enjoy your favourite foods, drop the guilt, and continue to include more nutritious food choices most of the time.

Food cravings can be challenging, but they don’t have to control your life. By understanding the root causes of your cravings and adopting strategies to curb them, you can regain control over your diet and improve your overall health. Remember, balance and moderation are key to a sustainable, healthy lifestyle. If you need help to reduce your cravings don’t hesitate to reach out to Sarah for personalised advice and support. 

 

Meet Sarah...

 

 

Sarah Gale is a Registered Nutritional Therapist, Clinical Nutritionist DipION mBANT and hormone expert and helps women who just can’t lose weight break free of the diet cycle, rebalance their hormones and feel confident in their own skin again.

After a lifetime a hating her body and chronic yo-yo dieting, Sarah realised that yo-yo diets didn’t have the answers and by balancing her hormones, fixing her metabolism and working on her mindset she could finally lose the weight and get her self-confidence back.

You can find out more about Sarah and the services she offers over at Sarah Gale Nutrition.