Weight Loss Tips & Tricks: 10 Ways to Stop Cravings

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Cravings have always been a big problem for people who want to lose weight. According to Fitness Magazine, cravings have been around since the cave men era.

Nicole Avena, PhD, explains that food was scarce back then, so cave men and women looked for high-calorie foods to stay satisfied and energized longer. Ever since then, the brain rewards and reinforces the in-take of high-calorie foods.

Below are some tips and tricks to fight cravings.

#1: Pause before munching.

According to Fox News, pausing before eating can help a person make better, healthier decisions.

#2: Avoid trigger foods.

Reader's Digest reports that after conducting a study, Marcia Pelchat, PhD, from Monell Center, concluded, "You crave what you eat, so if you switch what you're eating, you can weaken your old cravings and strengthen new ones."

#3: Stick to a schedule.

Fitness Magazine suggests sticking to set meal and snack times to avoid cravings.

#4: Find healthy alternatives to foods you crave.

Fox News recommends substituting junk food cravings with healthy versions. For instance, try eating some yogurt instead of ice cream.

#5: Have some nuts.

Michael F. Roizen, MD, states on Reader's Digest that eating nuts when a craving hits can subdue it by changing the chemistry in the body.

#6: Do not deny yourself everything.

"You want to make changes you can do for the rest of your life. The key is to eat what you want, but not everything you want. You can still enjoy one to two splurges during the week as long as you stay on track the rest of the time," says Amy Godson, dietitian for the Dallas Cowboys, on Fox News.

#7: Wait 10 minutes.

Kathy McManus, a Fitness advisory board member at Brigham and Women's Hospital, tells Fitness Magazine that people should wait 10 minutes after having a little taste of the food responsible for the craving. This time can help decide if that food will bring satisfaction.

#8: Avoid getting stressed out.

Stress can trigger cravings, reports Reader's Digest. It is best to just "let it go," says the report to avoid indulging in food.

#9: Plan on eating some junk food.

Judith. S Beck, Ph.D tells Fox News that people should plan to indulge on their favorite guilty pleasure at least once a day, preferably after dinner, to avoid cravings throughout the day.

#10: Brush your teeth.

Molly Gee, RD, states on Reader's Digest, "When you have a fresh, clean mouth, you don't want to mess it up."