You know the feeling...it’s Friday night and you’re home watching TV when all of a sudden you HAVE to have a chili dog and fries, and maybe some ice cream, too. There’s no telling when a craving might hit, but when it does, it can take over your brain until it’s satisfied. The thing is, cravings at their base level are habits, and habits can be changed. If we want to control our cravings, we must first find strategies that work for us to redirect our thoughts and break the habit.
WHAT CAUSES CRAVINGS?
Why is it so hard to kick cravings and eliminate sugar, sweets, and treats from our lives? Cravings control can feel like a constant battle, and there are several reasons why we crave the sweet stuff. One of those reasons may be that ‘sweet’ is one of the first tastes we develop a preference for as babies. That’s right—from the time we’re born, most of us have a natural affinity for sweet things.
Not only that but sugar and sweet foods release serotonin and endorphins in our brain. These chemicals lead to a positive association and essentially create a calming high and pleasurable sensation, which makes us keep coming back for more. And it’s not just chocolate cake and candy bars that trigger these chemicals. Sugar is a carbohydrate and comes in many forms, including bread, whole grains, fruits, and even vegetables.
READ: The Surprising Truth About Sugar
Cravings can also be brought on by stress, hunger, or improper nutrition. It can be easy to misinterpret these external influences and channel them into a trip to the fridge for a scoop (or two) of ice cream. Reaching for something sweet can be a way of coping with tough situations, a quick way to quell hunger pangs, or a false way to feel satisfied when what our body really wants is something healthy.
In addition to all of these factors, we have developed a reward culture around dessert and treats. We offer sugar to children as rewards for good behavior, prizes for accomplishments, or incentive to do things. Even we adults live in a “treat yo'self” culture where we give ourselves permission to binge for the slightest success, failure, or occasion.
SMART WAYS TO CONTROL CRAVINGS
The key to cravings control is to find what works best for you and stick with it. We’ve put together 17 ideas to control cravings, conquer hunger, and banish unhealthy habits. Try one. Try them all. Combine a couple and see what works best when a craving strikes.
Drink Water — This one is a simple but effective hunger fix. Chugging a tall glass of water fills our bellies and can trick our body into feeling satiated when a craving hits.
Stress Less — Stress eating is a real thing. The best course of action is to eliminate the stressor from your life. If that’s not an option, the next time you feel yourself getting the nervous munchies, try something different instead. Practice some deep breathing or do a guided meditation to take your stress level down a notch.
Know Your Triggers — Are late-night cravings your downfall? Do you get snacky when you’re with friends? Is the afternoon lull your chance to indulge? Take note of when your cravings hit and have a game plan ready to fight the urge.
Get Moving — The next time a craving hits, don’t wait it out—walk it out. Or jog, jump, climb, run, dance, skip, bike...really anything that gets your body moving can help you beat it. Sometimes cravings are simply a result of boredom. Getting the blood flowing can take your mind off things and reduce your need to feed.
Differentiate Between Hunger and Cravings—If you want to determine if you’re really hungry or just battling a craving, ask yourself if an alternative would satiate you. If you can honestly say that eating a piece of fruit or some veggies would satisfy you, then you’re probably hungry. If that bag of chips is the only thing that will fill the need, then you’re probably just experiencing a craving.
Take Supplements—Naturally-sourced supplements like the ones found in Xyngular’s X Plus™ kit can help control cravings, improve digestion, and can even kick start a weight loss journey if that’s the goal.* Not only do the supplements help promote whole-body health, but the kit comes with meal plans to help implement healthy habits. The X Plus Kit is designed for nutritional support, metabolism-boosting, fat-burning, improved digestion, and the removal of toxins from the body.*
Sleep—When the late-night munchies hit, try walking to your bed instead of the fridge. Getting enough sleep, and knowing when it’s time to turn in is an important step in curbing hunger.
Avoid Extreme Hunger—It’s easy to make poor food choices when you wait too long to eat. Eating regularly and often enough will save you from unwanted cravings.
Wait It Out—It’s important not to satisfy cravings the minute you have them. Take some time before you cave to see if the feeling will dissipate.
Give in a Little—If you’ve waited it out a bit and you REALLY want to give in to your craving, then do it, but only a little. Restricting certain foods can actually be more damaging to craving control in the long run. The key is to not let a little allowance turn into suddenly eating the entire carton of ice cream. Set some boundaries and know your limits.
Tap Your Forehead—This one sounds odd, but researchers have found that tapping your forehead for at least ten seconds engages a different part of your brain and can help to alleviate cravings. It’s worth a try.
Plan Splurges—Sticking with a healthy diet until the end of time can feel daunting. Schedule in little splurges you can look forward to. Looking forward to these “cheat times” will help you hold strong the rest of the time.
Create Distance—It’s hard to give in to cravings if the foods you crave aren’t easily accessible. If you can’t keep them out of the house, then try removing yourself from the situation until the craving passes.
Eat Protein—Eating a diet high in protein helps squash hunger because it makes you feel full longer.
Check out our library of protein-rich recipes here!
Chew Gum—Gum can give our mouths something to do when we think we want to eat. The act of chewing, combined with the flavors of the gum, can help you feel satisfied without actually eating anything.
For a tasty chew that actually REDUCES hunger, try Resist! Learn more about these fast-acting Wild Cherry chews here.
Create a Diversion—Read a book, make a craft, or do something with your hands. The key is to find an alternate activity to take your mind off of your craving.
Substitute a Healthier Option—When you’re feeling snacky, try to opt for a healthier version of your favorite treat. Instead of ice cream with chocolate sauce, try a banana with a few chocolate chips instead. A small indulgence paired with something your body really needs will go a long way to curbing the cravings.
Check out our healthy recipes here for some options to get you started.
XYNGULAR 8-DAY JUMPSTART FOR OPTIMAL CRAVINGS CONTROL
If you’re looking for more ways to curb hunger cravings, or could use a little extra help, the Xyngular 8-Day Jumpstart may be just what you need. Like we said before, at their core, cravings are habits. If you want to control hunger cravings once and for all, you need to reset the habit and its triggers. The 8-Day Jumpstart helps you do just that.*
How Does The 8-Day Jumpstart Help With Cravings And Hunger?
Xyngular’s 8-Day Jumpstart works by hitting the reset button on your body. The first part of the kit helps you break bad habits, step away from unhealthy foods, and let go of harmful mindsets. The second part helps you implement healthy habits and introduces health and hunger craving supplements that will help you in your weight-loss journey.*
While you can certainly “white knuckle” your way through cravings control, you don’t have to. With the 8-Day Jumpstart, you’ll have the tools to reset your body and mindset. You’re more likely to stick with it because the plan is all clearly outlined in an easy-to-follow format. No more wondering what to eat, when to eat, or how much to eat. Everything you need to succeed is laid out for you. All you have to do is follow along.
Can I Really Bust My Cravings Habit In Just 8 Days?
We live in a world of instant gratification, and it’s easy to want that to extend to all aspects of our lives—including weight loss. There’s nothing more frustrating than starting a new diet or health regimen, putting in the mental and physical work, and then not seeing results. That’s why we designed the 8-Day Jumpstart to give you quick results you can recognize. You’ll be amazed at how far you can get in your health journey in just 8 days. Once you see and feel the results from your 8-Day Jumpstart, you’ll find more motivation to continue on. With your new mindset and habits, it will be easier to keep making the changes necessary to reach your goals.
And if you need more help with cravings control, weight loss, or mindset, you can always continue your journey with the Xyngular X Plus Kit. You can also return back to the 8-Day Jumpstart any time you feel like you need a reset or a little extra boost.*
THE X PLUS KIT: CRAVINGS CONTROL HELP WHERE YOU NEED IT
Once you’ve reset your body and habits, you’ve made it through the most mentally exhausting part. Now it’s time to get on with the rest of your weight-loss journey. Xyngular’s X Plus™ kit includes eight weight loss products aimed at optimizing your true weight loss potential and digestive health. X Plus is not just cravings control support either. Each of the products in the X Plus aid in nutritional support, balancing antioxidant levels, boosting metabolism, burning fat, improving digestion, and removing toxins so you can shed pounds in a quick and healthy manner. They work together systematically to maximize weight loss in as little as 30 days.*
The cravings control products in the X Plus Kit include—
Xyng™: Appetite Control + Energy + Metabolism Support.
Xyng is all about energizing the body and mind while helping you with weight management and weight loss.* The added benefit of Xyng is it’s proprietary blend to help you control cravings PLUS suppress your appetite. What this means is you get that extra level of support the next time you reach for that unhealthy snack or sugary drink that oftentimes sabotages our weight-loss goals. Xyngular’s premium combination of white willow bark, 5-HTP, and Garcinia cambogia is an incredible trio for metabolism enhancement. It’s natural energy to help you improve and stabilize your mood and achieve your weight-loss goals.*
Lean™: Appetite Control + Snack Substitute.
This isn’t just your ordinary shake. Lean is the perfect balance of delicious and healthy. Lean includes a full spectrum of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes to provide you with the highest quality nutrition, in a low-calorie form. Packed with protein, gluten-free and non-GMO ingredients, it’s no wonder Lean is one of our fan-favorite products in the Xyngular X Plus kit.
READ: Everything You Need to Know About Lean
Resist™: Appetite Control + Fights Cravings
Resist those extra calories with our tasty Resist chews. Appetite control is much more than just eating less food. Resist used the HbG Complex that dives directly into your neurotransmitters to fight hunger at the root of the problem: your brain!* Resist decreases appetite through the neurotransmitters and improves weight loss.*
Trimstix™: Curb Sugar Cravings + Improve Focus + Healthy Blood Sugar
Trimstix is our on-the-go cravings fighter. You can combat sugar cravings with Trimstix up to 3 times a day with 3 delicious flavors. While also kicking the cravings to the curb, Trimstix helps maintain an already healthy blood sugar level while also providing you with a cognitive boost to help improve focus.* And all this Trimstix goodness comes with just 10 calories!
To learn more about all the weight loss and digestion benefits of Xyngular’s X Plus kit and how it can significantly help you lose weight, contact your Xyngular Distributor or log into to your Xyngular account to get it today!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
