These tips are great – thank you! I’m looking forward to the next four…these will help immensely already!
Susan
Being hungry sucks. In fact, it’s the #1 reason people struggle to follow diets.
Think about it: When is the last time you “cheated” on your diet when you WEREN’T hungry?
Exactly.
Simply put, the key to sticking with any diet is learning how to control hunger and manage cravings.
And that’s what I’m here to discuss today – four of my top EIGHT craving crushing tips:
Craving Crusher #1 – Volumize your meals: A 400 calorie meal can be exceptionally filling or extremely unsatisfying depending on the types of foods that make up the meal.
For example, a single Dollar Menu fast-food burger can easily pack home 400 calories. Same for 4 Reese’s Cups.
I don’t know about you, but neither of those items are leaving me “full” and satisfied.
At the same time, a HUGE salad chock full of veggies galore and topped with an ample portion of lean protein such as grilled chicken or fish can be a struggle to finish, while containing even fewer calories.
Want to walk away from every meal feeling full, but without packing on the pounds? The solution is simple: make sure to always choose foods that provide a lot of volume without a lot of calories. Huge salads, lean proteins, and even more veggies to fill out the ol’ plate make for a wholesome, high volume, low calorie meal every time.
Craving Crusher #2 – Chew gum: Feeling hungry between meals? Reach for a piece of sugar-free gum. The simple act of chewing and keeping your mouth occupied will have an immediate effect on your level of hungry and quickly have you forgetting about being hungry.
Craving Crusher #3 – Eat MORE fat: Out of the three macronutrients, the most satiating is fat. By adding healthy fat to a meal in the form of healthy oils, nuts, avocado, organic butter, etc, you’ll automatically increase the acute and long-term satiety of the meal. Feel fuller faster and stay fuller longer – a great combo!
Craving Crusher #4 – Eat more frequently: The longer you wait between feeding, the more hungrier you get. Simple solution: eat more frequently. I recommend a frequency of 5 to 7 feedings per day, spaced out approximately 2 – 3 hours apart.
It’s probably a “rule of thumb” you’ve heard before, but likely one you could be following a LOT closer.
Alright, that’s 4 of 8. I’ll be back with four MORE craving crushing tips later this week. In the meantime, would you like to learn 3 other specific fat-burning tips that you can start using today? Check out the below link:
==> What “special” foods can boost fat-burning by 207%?
Enjoy the above tips!
Joel
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67 comments - add yours
Great tips, thanks. Always struggled with the Avocado thing…high in fat but good fats. Glad to hear you suggedting them!
the problem with #2 is that whilst chewing gum may work in the short term its ultimately counterproductive, chewing stimulates saliva which when swallowed tells the stomach food is coming which in turn stimulates hunger, better off avoiding this methinks as you wil be hungrier chewing gum than if u didn’t bother in the first place!
Thx for the tips. I thought chewing gum could be bad for you because it sends a message to your stomach that food is coming and then nothing follows. i.e increase in stomach acids in an empty gut!
I don’t chew gum, for the simple reason most sugar free gums are not suitable for someone with celiac disease as the sweetners in them are usually made from gluten containing sources…..gum also wreaks havoc with your fillings! I have always included good fats like olive oil and avocado in meals. I like snacking on prepared veg sticks especially celery.
If I understand correctly, the rationale behind chewing gum is not physiological as much as psychological – you’re trying to short circuit the hungries that strike because of boredom, etc. instead of true hungries by occupying your mouth with something else. Anyone ever mindlessly munch? That’s not real hunger: That’s fatigue, boredom, or somethnig else prompting the food shovel.
Awesome, i’ve always liked adding nuts to several salads ans stuff, now I hear it’s even healthy ! Wow. Thanks buddy
What about drinking plenty of water? Fills you and keeps you hydrated too.
I heard that not all nuts are ok… That peanuts actually cause weight gain… Please check that for us and let us know. Thanks
Chewing gum makes me hungry wether I’m bored or not. stomach definitely is waiting for something to come down!-)
thanks, can’t wait for the rest!
Great stuff! I saw some people weren’t too sure about the chewing gum thing, but I have to say I’ve done it already and it does work.
I bet another one is to drink water! :) sometimes it works for me, if I am hungry and its not time to eat yet I go and drink 2 cups of water and that makes me feel full at least for a while.
great tips!!!
Great tips, I will definitely use some of these today.
I do agree that chewing gum makes me much hungrier in the long run. Within a few minutes my belly always starts growling! But come to think of it that happens with most sugar free foods…
@ Joel Marion:
Hi thanks for the tip. I’m not sure where I got the idea from but I thought gum chewing was a bab habit to develop as far as diet and health goes.
Looking forward to the final four!
I have been following an eating plan like you described and it works. I feel so much better, I am losing weight and I am never hungry. Been on your Cheat to lose diet and wow, it is not difficult at all and I lost weight steadily every week eating 6 meals a day, healthy food. The bonus is that I am feeling so good and healthy.
Hey Joel thanks for another good article. However while many people keep telling us to eat more frequently it seems they forget that the majority of people work and don’t have that much free time during the day. I have no doubt that eating more frequently helps but what can the rest of us do? I mean if I sneak in the kitchen every 2-3 hours I will be looking for another job in no time. What I currently do is have a whole wheat toast with peanut butter & banana 2 and a half hours before lunch, then my lunch, and 2-3 hours after that either an apple or tangerines. That’s the best I can do. What do you think? Thanks
What do you think about “re-setting” your metabolism to cut cravings? I’ve read that even a minimum of two weeks of reducing simple carbs and sugar is able to “reset” our metabolism to reduce cravings and dependency on sugar and processed carbs.
Also, any thoughts on colon cleansers (supplements/teas) and colonic irrigation? Will clearing out the intestinal/colon toxins aid in cutting cravings or weight loss at all?
Love your tips that can be practiced lifelong….Thanks Joel
Great tips, as always. Psychological/physiological reasons aside for the “great gum debate”, I just like popping a piece now and then between meals simply to make my breath fresh, and not wanting to spoil that with food or drink (kinda like brushing your teeth).. Works for me. Can’t wait for the next four :)
THESE tips were rly helpful. looking frward to the next 4
I love avocado. I try to put them in my salads all the time. I’m not a big gum chewer. I’d rather eat nuts. I eat the 100 calorie packs of almonds or cashews and pitachios. Yes, I love nuts. Great tips, thanks much.
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...