The desire to eat can be exacerbated by actual hunger, in which case a healthy snack or dinner can help suppress the craving. On the other hand, we just want to eat just to fulfill the pleasure of eating something. In this case, you should focus on making it easier to fall asleep, distract yourself and train yourself to hold back. Many factors affect the desire to eat, you can do various ways to fight the desire to eat or actual hunger.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Changing Diet
Step 1. Eat a protein-rich meal for dinner
Protein can provide energy for a long period of time and can keep you full longer. Although not all cravings for food are caused by hunger, a full stomach can withstand these cravings. Eat healthy protein in your dinner, such as:
- Lean poultry or fish
- Nuts or seeds
- Peas, lentils or chickpeas.
Step 2. Include fiber in your diet
Foods that contain fiber take a long time to digest and are low in calories. By eating a variety of vegetables and fruits, you can feel full for longer without reducing your healthy diet. Cereals high in fiber and low in sugar are also good choices.
Step 3. Reduce your intake of sugar and simple carbohydrates
High-sugar foods can increase blood pressure suddenly, which is followed by a sudden crash. The pounding can cause you to feel tired and hungry, cause an urge to eat or make it hard to resist. The simple carbohydrates found in white rice, white bread, white pasta and most pizza crusts can turn to sugar quickly after consumption, and have the same effect.
Replace food intake with complex carbohydrates that can be found in bread or pasta, whole grains, brown rice and green vegetables
Step 4. Eat small meals throughout the day
If you can't resist the urge to eat, then make a plan. Reduce your lunch and dinner portions. Eat a healthy snack in between the two meals to replace the portion that has been reduced. Some people eat as many as six servings of snacks per day so it will be difficult to feel hungry and prevent bad decisions.
Part 2 of 3: Doing Other Ways to Prevent Food Cravings
Step 1. Go to bed early
The earlier you go to bed, the less time you will have to feel hungry after dinner. Also, if you stay awake to the point of exhaustion, it will be very difficult to make wise decisions. If you're having trouble falling asleep early, try these tips:
- Use a small red light, because red can increase the production of sleep hormones.
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon, smoking, or blue light from a computer screen or television.
- Take melatonin pills at night to help set an earlier bedtime schedule.
Step 2. Keep a record of cravings
When you have an urge to eat, write down what you want to eat and why. If you're not sure what's causing your cravings, write down whether you smelled or saw certain foods, how you felt, and whether you felt stressed or tired. After experiencing some of these occurrences, you can begin to understand certain patterns. This can help you spot tempting situations and stay alert to avoid and deal with them.
Step 3. Train yourself through action
If you know what causes your cravings to eat, prepare yourself through action. Remind yourself of things to do so you don't give up and picture yourself walking past the food without eating it, or sleeping without stopping in the kitchen. By imagining this process, you can build your resolve when it comes to food cravings.
Step 4. Keep unhealthy foods out of your reach
Make arrangements so that unhealthy foods are not easy to obtain, especially snacks that you usually eat at night. If you can't get snacks out of your home completely, at least keep them outside your bedroom. Keep it somewhere that is hard to reach, that is, in a room on the other side of the house from your bedroom, or somewhere cool so you don't want to visit the place at night.
Part 3 of 3: Responding to Food Cravings
Step 1. Drink fluids
Instead of snacking, drink a large glass of water, decaffeinated tea or low-fat milk or milk substitute when you have the urge to eat. These low-calorie liquids will fill you up, but won't make you fat. Don't add too much sugar to tea and milk. Some people perceive dehydration or thirst as hunger; water is very effective for this problem.
Put a glass of water by your bed so you don't have to go to the kitchen at night
Step 2. Eat the healthy snacks available
If the urge to eat is due to actual hunger, place a small plate of healthy food choices at your bedside. A slice of whole-wheat bread, a small apple, four or five unsalted nuts, a few red tomatoes or a slice of dark chocolate are some examples of snacks you can eat instead of going to the kitchen.
If the craving for food is more psychological than physical (which is hard to describe), try reducing the number of snacks you eat each night for a week or two, until you don't need them anymore
Step 3. Chew sugar-free gum
Bring sugar-free gum. Then, chew the gum until the desire to eat disappears. This will not eliminate your desire to eat, but it can make it less frequent as usual.
Strong flavors such as peppermint can help reduce cravings
Step 4. Use toothpaste or a flavored mouthwash
When you experience the urge to eat at night, get out of bed and brush your teeth with a strong-tasting toothpaste, or clean your mouth with a mouthwash. The taste can help you overcome cravings, and "clean teeth" can make you less likely to eat afterward.
Step 5. Think about something disgusting
If you are sensitive to disgusting thoughts or images, imagine them to make you lose your appetite for food. This may not be the most pleasant way to deal with cravings, but it does work for some people.
Step 6. Find activities that keep you busy
If the urge to eat lasts more than 10 minutes and there are no signs of stopping, keep busy. Do busy activities such as doing daily tasks, walking the dog to reading a book. Avoid activities that can take you to the kitchen or where you can buy food.
