by Gillian Taber

Created on: June 18, 2009

There is a difference between genuine cravings and the need to eat brought on by hunger or boredom. Sometimes the body will crave a particular food because it is low on the nutrients contained in that food. Eating a balanced diet will deal with that problem and help stave off the cravings of hunger. This leaves the boredom cravings and the following tips should help with those.

1 - Inactivity - This does not only apply to sitting around doing nothing. Inactivity of the brain leads to boredom. Boredom is one of the fastest ways to bring on those 'I need a snack' moments. We all need to relax and many of us do this in front of the TV. There is nothing inherently wrong in that but considering what you are watching is a must.

Vegging out in front of reality TV or soaps goes almost automatically hand- in-hand with boredom because the brain isn't really stimulated. If you are watching TV and get those snack cravings, consider changing the channel and watching a quiz show or a documentary that will engage your brain and banish boredom.

Take up a hobby, read a book, write a letter, surf the internet, go for a walk, call a friend but whatever you do, don't sit and do nothing because the boredom munchies will be there in seconds.

2 - Exercise - Instead of reaching for a bar of chocolate or your favorite comfort food, do some exercise. Get up, open the door and weed that patch you've been ignoring for weeks. Take a walk and visit a friend on the way. Run around the block or put on an exercise dvd, take the dog out (or the neighbor's dog!) or play ball with your kids. Even housework can work wonders. Put on some dance music and samba as you vacuum. Exercise that is fun and enjoyable will get you a lot further than walking the road to nowhere on a treadmill.

3 - Substitution - Often, usually when we are concentrating, we reach for food without considering what we are doing. The plate of cookies beside the keyboard, the leftovers from packed lunches we're preparing, the 'waste not, want not' reaction to food left lying around uneaten; all of these are potential for substitution.

Replace that plate of comfort food at your side with fruit or vegetable strips. If you do snack, at least it will be healthy. Put leftovers in the bin before you are tempted to pick at them or turn substantial leftovers into a meal and freeze it out of your way. Substitute large plates for smaller ones and encourage yourself to make meals that don't leave huge amounts of leftovers. Learn to keep only healthy snacks around the house. This will help everyone substitute bad for good if they do snack.

4 - Water - In fact, fruit juice and water. Sometimes we reach for food when what we actually need is fluid. Keep a bottle of water handy at all times and drink from it whenever you get a food craving connected to boredom or automatic reaction. Substitute the fluid for the food craving and this will soon become an automatic reaction. Drink fruit juices to boost your vitamin intake and to help maintain your healthy attitude.

5 - Be kind to yourself - Sometimes life creeps up behind us and smacks us over the head. When life is driving you crazy and all you want is to sit down, veg out and eat a tub of Ben and Jerry's... do it. To deny yourself comfort is to build up stress and unhappiness in your life. If you are leading an active lifestyle, keeping mind and body healthy and eating well, the occasional lapse is not going to do you any harm.

Learn to listen to what your body really wants and you'll have those food cravings beaten.

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