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It might not be possible to completely combat your cravings, but you might be able to learn to deal more effectively with them. Cravings tend to sneak up on us generally undermining our weight-loss programme or making it harder to maintain a healthy weight as we give into calorific indulgences. Let's face it; when you are craving food it tends to be chocolate, crisps, cakes, and greasy junk food which you reach for rather than apples, pears and other foods which are considered good for you. We all have foods that tend to be our downfall, and cravings are probably more about our minds telling us what we want to eat, rather than our bodies. To address our cravings we have to examine what our relationship with food actually is so that we can work on changing it.

Therefore, learning what kind of food you most often crave and when you are likely to experience such cravings might help you to assert control over the foods that you eat, and lessen the desire to binge on unhealthy foods. It is also important to eat regularly and to try to ensure that you don't let yourself feel hungry, as you are probably more likely to give into any cravings you have if you have not eaten all day. You should make time to eat three main meals and snacks in between, and try to make them healthy and balanced. You should also try to drink more water, as not only will doing so help you to feel fuller, but often what feels like hunger is actually your body letting you know that you are dehydrated.

If you know that you have a tendency to crave particular kinds of food you might wish to avoid buying them when you go shopping, as if you don't have them in your house you are less likely to give into the craving if it means you have to go out to buy them. However, sometimes it can be good to have a little bit of what you crave; for many people, though, the trouble can be knowing when to stop. You should simply try to remember how guilty you usually end up feeling when you have completely given into your cravings if you want to stop yourself from eating excessively. Whatever you are craving don't try to fob yourself with a lower fat, less tasty substitute, as you will probably find it doesn't quite hit the spot, and you might just eat exactly what you were craving in the first place on top of the substitute product.

In order to combat your cravings you have to work out when you are most likely to experience them and try to find other ways of passing the time to distract you. Sometimes it is good to give into your cravings, but it is even better to know that you are in control of what you are eating, rather than be controlled by your thoughts towards food.

Learn more about this author, Michelle Wilkinson.
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