Irresistible craving for food: causes. Unconscious habit from childhood

Drinking it with mineral water, and completely ignoring dessert - not everyone and not always will do such a feat. ELLE finds out how to overcome cravings for sweet, starchy, salty foods.

Sweets

A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirms the old truth that sugar and fat stimulate the pleasure area of ​​the brain. From the new one: it turned out that if we can still resist a fat pancake with butter, then sweet candy- only girls with superpowers. And since there is a direct relationship between desire and prohibition, the constant refusal of dessert is fraught with a breakdown, both nervous and food. It is better to allow yourself to snack on dark chocolate slices, fruit marmalade, marshmallows or dried fruits from time to time (nutritionists especially recommend prunes, mangoes and peaches). They satisfy hunger for a while and do not contain many calories, if you do not lean on the amount.

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flour

Carbohydrates are the #1 source of energy for the body. Therefore, after active labor day or equally active rest the hand reaches for the buns, and not for the Spring salad. How to overcome cravings for flour? If it happens late in the evening and the body is really tired, let it have a well-deserved rest: go to the bedroom, not to the kitchen. Otherwise, opt for durum wheat spaghetti or bran bread accompanied by vegetables over creamy sauces.

Fast food

According to scientists, most often we dream about a burger, chicken nuggets and french fries during PMS (we don’t know what excuses men have). Therefore, it makes sense to prepare for dangerous period in advance. For example, make potato slices at home (they, at least, will not have burnt oil and tons of salt in them) and take them with you to work. A burger will also do less harm if it is made from a homemade cutlet and a grain bun.

Chocolate

Salt

For some people, giving up salty almonds is more difficult than giving up sweet almond pop. Life hack from ELLE: replace salt in dishes herbs(only not ready-made mixes from bags, in which, among other things, salt has already been added) and toppings with sour taste (lemon juice, vinegar). If without salt it is completely unbearable, grind dried kelp or dried celery stalks, you get a vegetable equivalent. Perhaps cravings for salt are a sign of potassium deficiency. Eat dried apricots, beans, almonds, seaweed.

Finally, a couple more tips to help control cravings for forbidden gastronomic pleasures. First, get on a treadmill or ride an exercise bike. A study at the University of Waterloo in Canada showed that cardio improves the functioning of a certain part of the brain (the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, to be more precise) that is responsible for self-control, including relatively high-calorie foods. Second, eat spinach. Swedish scientists found that the leaves of this particular plant contain thylakoid membranes, the extract of which reduces hedonic hunger (eating solely for pleasure) by 95%.

It's easy to reduce your appetite! Find out which products healing herbs And medications will help you with this. And get 8 effective techniques to deal with bouts of evening zhor.

Eating habits are the basic factor on which the slimness of the figure depends. healthy person. What are eating habits? This is what a person eats, how often he eats, and also how much food he is saturated with. It is also important to consider psychological attachments. For example, if in stressful situation a person reaches for sweets - this, most likely, will provoke the appearance of extra pounds over time.

"Lever" control eating behavior is the appetite. moderate appetite is an indicator of health. And unbridled appetite most often pushes a person to breakdowns, which entail painful reproaches of conscience for eating in excess of the norm.

The psychology of overeating

If you don't understand psychological reasons overeating thoroughly, then a series of diets with a subsequent return of kilograms will last a lifetime. So if you're being tormented uncontrolled seizures hunger, and after eating you often experience heaviness in the stomach and fatigue - you should clearly identify the reasons that make you overeat.

Unconscious habit from childhood

Paradoxically, adults often instill addictions children by taking care of them. For example, when parents force a child to eat strictly according to the schedule and eat the entire portion without fail - "in order to grow up healthy." Thus, the child loses a sense of control over natural appetite. The result of such overprotection is a person with overweight and its attendant problems.

Food compensates for the lack of attention and love.

This reason may be a continuation of the first. After all, if a teenager is inclined to be overweight, he, as a rule, acquires complexes. Even if you still manage to defeat extra pounds with age, then you can cope with self-doubt, fear of public speaking feeling of anxiety when interacting with strangers- much more difficult. Fullness provokes isolation and a desire to protect oneself from the outside world. Thus, the lack of attention, communication, the impossibility of self-realization - all this is replaced by food, which blocks all other needs for a short time.

Acts as a sedative

If transferred nervous tension makes you want to eat chocolate - this is a sure signal that your eating habits are leading to weight gain. Food should not be an antidepressant, and short-term pleasure is not worth having to painfully fight with its consequences later. If you want to reduce your appetite - start with the understanding that food will not solve your problems, but if you treat it the wrong way, it can aggravate them.

Food in a hurry

The process of eating food requires concentration and responsibility. That is, when starting a meal, you should understand how much and what you need. Snacking on the go, when you do not have time to eat fully and eat more than you need - a direct road to extra pounds. In addition, "bitching" threatens with violations in the work gastrointestinal tract.

How to reduce appetite and become healthier

It has been scientifically proven that it takes 21 days to form a habit. If you are determined to part with excess weight, then first you have to get rid of bad habits, but get useful. When you manage to moderate your appetite and adjust your diet, your stomach will get used to less food, from which you will begin to lose weight. In addition, the body will experience less stress, which will preserve health and prolong youth. Set yourself a goal for 21 days to observe food discipline, and the result will not only please you, but also give you confidence in your abilities.

There are several approaches to reduce appetite. You can choose the most optimal for yourself, or alternate between them. Most importantly - do not starve and carefully listen to your well-being. If you feel weak, experience nausea, dizziness, pain in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, disturbances in work of cardio-vascular system- see a doctor immediately.

Foods to Reduce Appetite

Folk remedies

It is important to remember to use herbal decoctions should be at least 30 minutes before meals.

• Burdock root. From the root of burdock, you can prepare a decoction that will significantly dull hunger. Take a teapot or other thick glass container, pour 2 teaspoons of chopped burdock root into it, pour 200 ml of boiling water over them. Capacity 15 min. hold in a water bath. Cool and drink 1 tablespoon every 2 hours.
• Nettle. The use of tea from dried nettle leaves allows not only to reduce appetite, but also due to the diuretic and mild laxative effect, get rid of the accumulation of fluid, toxins in the body. In addition, nettle has a sedative effect, which is very important if you are prone to snacking on nervous ground. To prepare, take 1 tablespoon of dried nettle, pour 200 ml of boiling water and let it brew for 10 minutes. Drink nettle decoction as a tea or take 2 tablespoons of it before each meal.

  

• Infusion from corn silk. Pour 20-25 g of corn stigmas with 250 ml of water and boil for about 20 minutes. Cool, strain it and take 1 tablespoon three times a day. This will help get rid of the obsessive desire to have an unscheduled snack.
• Parsley. Parsley dulls the feeling of hunger and speeds up the metabolism. Add fresh parsley to food (for example, to fresh vegetable salads) or drink a decoction. To prepare 1 tablespoon of dried parsley, pour 200 ml of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes, then strain. Take 2 tablespoons before meals.
• Celery. Celery also speeds up metabolism and significantly reduces appetite. Add it to food and use a decoction: chop fresh celery, pour 2 tablespoons of the plant into 400 ml of boiling water and let cool. Take 100 ml each time before meals.

  

• Wheat bran. Pour 200 g of bran with 1 liter of boiling water and cook for 15 minutes. Strain, let cool. Take 100 ml of infusion three times a day.
• Flax-seed. A decoction of flax seeds gently cleanses the body, while reducing appetite. To prepare 1 tablespoon flax seeds pour 200 ml of boiling water and cook for about 30 minutes. on slow fire. Take 100 ml before each meal. To improve digestion, as well as gastritis and heartburn, use linseed oil- it envelops the walls of the stomach and reduces appetite. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to cereals and fresh vegetable salads.
• Garlic and red pepper. For those who are not allergic to red peppers and garlic, they will help reduce appetite significantly. Garlic contains acillin, a substance that stimulates the brain center responsible for satiety, thereby reducing the feeling of hunger. Red peppers contain capsaicin, a substance that gives pepper its spiciness and reduces appetite. In addition, the consumption of red pepper speeds up the metabolism. Add garlic or pepper to your salads and you'll be able to eat much less.

  

• Ginger. Drinks from ginger root enjoy huge success. Ginger stimulates metabolic processes, speeds up metabolism, improves digestion, regulates the level of the hormone cortisol and insulin. You can make a ginger drink and drink it hot or cold. To prepare, take 5 cm of ginger root, 4 tablespoons of white (you can green) tea, half of one lemon and 3 sprigs of fresh mint. Grind the ginger, peel the zest from the lemon, finely chop the lemon pulp. Mix zest and ginger, add chopped lemon and mint, pour 500 ml cold water and cook for 10-15 minutes over low heat. Let stand 10 minutes, then strain. Brew tea in a separate bowl: pour 500 ml of boiling water over the tea leaves, leave for no more than 3 minutes. Then strain and mix with ginger-lemon broth. Drink 30-40 ml of drink between meals, but not on a full and not on an empty stomach.

you can cook herbal infusions and teas, combining different components. For example, nettle, burdock root and ginger root. By adding 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile, you will get excellent tool, which will reduce the feeling of hunger and have a sedative effect.

Herbs

Almost all herbs that are used to reduce appetite have a diuretic property, so it is extremely important to use them correctly so as not to provoke dehydration.

Preparations

Various biologically active additives(dietary supplements for short) and appetite suppressants tend to have side effects and have contraindications: pregnancy, lactation, allergic reactions. Their effect is to suppress natural hormones by influencing nervous system. This is fraught with various negative health consequences: allergies, digestive and nervous disorders. Taking the drug is a temporary measure, which is only an auxiliary action in the process of losing weight. If you intend to get rid of extra pounds forever, it is important to change your eating habits on a conscious level.

• Sveltform plus. The instructions say that the drug reduces appetite, cravings for sweets and starchy foods, and has a diuretic effect. In the composition indicated by the manufacturer, there are: yeast with chromium, camellia sinensis ( green tea), bladderwrack, vitamin C.

  

• . The effectiveness of this food additive not confirmed. The composition contains microcrystalline cellulose and pectin, which, due to swelling, create a feeling of fullness in the stomach and intestines. For those suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract during exacerbations, the drug is categorically contraindicated.
• . The main active ingredient is, which enhances the process of thermogenesis, speeds up metabolism and suppresses appetite. Among side effects drug - bleeding (including uterine), sleep disturbance, anxiety, decreased visual acuity, flu-like condition.
• XLS duo Slim and Shape. The composition contains cocoa butter and green tea, which speed up metabolism, as well as malic acid, apple extract, pineapple, parsley, grapefruit, fennel, black currant. The principle of action is identical to other drugs: acceleration metabolic processes and liquid output.

  

• . The preparation contains garcinia extract, chromium, fucus, vitamin C, vitamin B6, kelp. How it works: Suppresses cravings for sweets and starchy foods thanks to hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which supports high concentration blood glucose.
• Reduxin. Main active ingredients are sibutramine and microcrystalline cellulose. Principle of action: suppression of hunger, acceleration of metabolic processes, stimulation of the production of hormones that block food cravings (serotonin, norepinephrine). Removes metabolic products from the body.
• . Main components: extracts and garcinia. Principle of action: appetite suppression, acceleration of metabolic processes, diuretic and laxative effect.

  

• . Principle of action: fiber fibers swell in the stomach, creating a feeling of satiety. Consumption of the drug suppresses food cravings, reduces the amount of food eaten, accelerates the transit of food through the gastrointestinal tract.

If you decide to take a drug to reduce excessive food cravings, consult your doctor. If there are no contraindications, strictly follow the dosage and in no case try to increase allowable rate. If you feel nausea, pain in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, weakness - stop taking the remedy.

During pregnancy

Be aware that taking appetite suppressants during pregnancy and breastfeeding is strictly prohibited.

1. Try to eat regularly.
2. Eat more often, but in smaller portions - so that the feeling of hunger does not have time to worsen.
3. Eat more fresh fruits.
4. Try to bypass shops where you risk being tempted by fresh pastries, chocolates, etc.
5. cook for yourself healthy desserts themselves. For example, based on natural cottage cheese.
6. If you are not allergic, eat walnuts and peanuts without salt and spices, but not more than 100 g per day.
7. Allow yourself sometimes what you want, but stretch the pleasure, eat as slowly as possible.
8. Take care of the aesthetics of space and table setting. It is also important that the room in which you cook and eat is well lit and ventilated.
9. Be outdoors more, walk.

How to reduce appetite in the evening

If you are familiar with such a problem as an exacerbation of hunger in the evening, then use the following recommendations:

1. Eat right. Be sure to have breakfast (the morning meal should be the densest) and lunch. For dinner, it is better to eat something protein: 250 g of boiled chicken fillet and two cucumbers, 200 g of shrimp and 200 g of baked vegetables (for example, zucchini + tomatoes), 250 g of cottage cheese (5-9% fat) and 1 grapefruit.
2. If after dinner you are still drawn to the refrigerator, drink green tea with lemon.
3. Switch to some activity: get a manicure, go through the files on the computer, read a book.
4. Walk outdoors.
5. Make yourself a "royal" bath: use aroma oils, salt, foam, herbs. It also relieves stress after a hard day.
6. Try to meditate.
7. Do 30 squats and 30 reps for ab exercises.
8. Arrange a fitting of things that you would like to fit into: this perfectly beats off your appetite and motivates you to continue the struggle for harmony.

How to overcome cravings for unhealthy foods? This question worries everyone who cares about their health, is working on weight loss, or just wants to keep themselves in good shape. Of course, it's not that easy. After all, when you look at your favorite (but harmful!) yummy, it seems to be calling you: “Eat me!”. But know that even if the products continue to appeal to you, it is quite possible to control yourself.

Don't give in to provocations

As nutritionists say, irresistible cravings are most pronounced in the first days and weeks of dieting. But if you do not succumb to "provocations" in the early days, then it will be much easier.

If you managed to successfully stay on a diet before, you know that after a while you don’t feel like a sweet cake at all. But if during the diet you broke down, then you also perfectly understand that only after trying the product, you can not restrain yourself. Remember - it's not even worth trying, it's better to wait and then it will be much easier. If you can resist, it will testify to your willpower. And subconsciously, a sense of pride will help overcome the desire to eat junk food.

When the irresistible craving for junk food? Probably, if you satisfy her, you say ... Actually, no! It weakens when you firmly decide that you will not break your diet in any way. And as soon as you show your body your weakness, the cravings will immediately increase.

Train your thoughts and behavior

To fight the temptation to eat unhealthy and high-calorie food should work in two directions.

First, you need to change your thoughts, and secondly, your behavior.

Let's start with the first one.

1. Put a label on harmful products. Determine the degree of their harmfulness and come up with interesting (but not appetizing) names for them.
2. Be persistent. Tell yourself that you are not going to eat what you would like at this moment. After all, this is a momentary pleasure, and the consequences will be felt for a long time.
3. Don't give yourself a choice. Say that there is no alternative and do not doubt your abilities. It will get easier after a while.
4. Imagine the consequences of a breakdown. Count how many seconds you will enjoy your favorite taste and imagine your state after that, when it's too late. You will regret that so much effort was spent because of the desire to eat something harmful.

Now let's talk about how to change your behavior.

1. Don't leave home without taking a healthy snack (apple, banana, nuts) with you. This way you will avoid the temptation to buy a chocolate bar on the way if you suddenly get hungry.
2. Take water with you, it suppresses the feeling of hunger. And besides, you don’t have to drink high-calorie cola.
3. Look for a healthy alternative. Instead of ice cream, you can eat frozen yogurt, instead of chips - baked potatoes.
4. Control portion sizes. Do not eat out of the box or packaging - only from the plate. Don't finish your portion.
5. Take your mind off food. Go for a walk, call a friend, go to the store, polish your nails, take a bath, clean up, ride a bike, play with your kids - all of these will help you not focus on food.
6. Eat a balanced breakfast, lunch and dinner 3 times a day, and 2 more small snacks. This way you won't be hungry and less likely to crave something unhealthy.
7. Learn to relax. For example, slowly inhale and exhale through your nose for 4 counts.

Take up drawing

Quite interesting results scientific research were introduced recently. Scientists say that drawing will help to cope with cravings for junk food. It is enough to draw the object of desire so that you do not want to eat it anymore.

This approach was tested on a group of volunteers. One of them was given a red pencil, another a green one, and a third a yellow one. The first drew strawberries, the second - pizza, the third - cupcakes. At the same time, it was noted that the mood of the participants improved, and the severity of hunger decreased.

It doesn't matter if you obsessively imagine something sweet during the day, or at night you secretly raid the refrigerator - after each such breakdown you feel bad and would not want to remember it. In addition, it prevents you from being at your best.

How to deal with cravings and your desires?

cravings for salt

Craving salty sticks, french fries or chips? This is often a sign of dehydration or a mineral or electrolyte imbalance.

How to calm the cravings: This usually means that we like the salty taste. Need to add to next move food spice - rosemary, basil or turmeric.

Drink enough liquids. Add potassium-rich foods like avocados or sweet potatoes to your menu to keep your cells hydrated. You can try to “trick” your taste buds by giving up sodium.

Refrain from salty foods for a while, and you will be indifferent to them for the next few weeks.

Cravings for sweets

Sugar can actually be addictive. The more sweets you eat, the more you crave.

To subdue cravings: Eat a scoop of ice cream or less than half a dessert. Eat consciously and enjoy the sweetness to the fullest. At home on the couch, you will eat much more and you will not be able to stop.

Eat fruits, not sweets. They contain natural sugars and carbohydrates, which contain fiber and other important nutrients, and thus, they do not raise blood sugar.

Try cutting out sweets like sugar and cookies. Over the next two weeks, you will eat less sugary foods. After four weeks, your love of sweets will decrease.

PMS cravings

Many women, especially a week before the start of the period, suffer from hunger attacks. The reason for this is high level estrogen and progesterone.

To satisfy cravings: Allow yourself a small piece of dark chocolate or a thick cocoa drink. You can add milk to it.

To prevent cravings: Eat several small meals throughout the day. It is important to eat regularly so that you do not go hungry. And don't try to go completely without sugar or fat, because doing so will only increase your cravings. Vitamins and nutrients can help control cravings-PMS.

Night cravings

The hormones that control hunger, leptin or cortisol, can suffer from lack of sleep. By restoring the balance of these hormones, further attacks of hunger can be avoided. Another reason for the appearance of a wolfish appetite is boredom.

To appease such cravings: If you eat a little just before bed, your eating and your sleep can get out of control. If you are really hungry, drink, for example, a glass of warm milk cinnamon.

To prevent nighttime food cravings, try to do things after dinner that involve your arms so you can't eat. Play, for example, with a pet or paint your nails.

As a rule, food cravings disappear after 30 minutes. They are worth enduring!

Mini Tips for Weight Loss

Reduce portions by a third - that's what will help to build! Short and to the point :)

Put supplements or stop? When this question arises, it is definitely time to stop eating. This body gives you a signal about imminent saturation, otherwise you would have no doubt.

If you tend to overeat in the evenings, before dinner take warm shower. 5-7 minutes, and you already have a completely different mood and attitude to food. Try it - it works.

No matter how tasty the food is, you will eat it many more times. This is not the last meal of your life! Remind yourself of this when you feel like you can't stop and are convulsively swallowing piece after piece.

The environment affects us - it's a fact! Avoid conversations like “I lost weight here, and I couldn’t”, “yes, we’ll still remain fat”, “ good man there must be a lot." Well, let there be “many” of them - but what do you have to do with it?

Remember a simple word: graceful. This is exactly what your portion of unhealthy dishes should be. And then you will also become graceful - it's only a matter of time.

The concepts of "hunger" and "desire to eat" should be distinguished. Answer the question for yourself: do you eat to live, or do you live to eat? If you are constantly drawn to eat something delicious, even high-calorie, then this is a craving. If the body does not have enough energy or strength, then this is hunger. And food, in this case, is “fuel” for life, not a whim. Uncontrolled appetite can lead to weight problems. And it’s always easier and tastier to eat kilograms than to get rid of them later.

How to turn off the "automatic" power supply?

The main enemy of automatism when throwing food into your mouth is awareness. When you decide for yourself that it is enough to live to eat, you will be able to “filter out” the foods that you need to eat and which you can refuse. The feeling of satiety gives us some portion of pleasure. But it is unlikely that you will be satisfied with yourself when the number on the scales rush up. For those who do not have enough endurance and willpower to "filter food", developed special means, blocking an irresistible desire to constantly chew. For example, in this plan you will not find negative Chang Shu purple tea reviews for weight loss. This kind of remedy will help to overcome uncontrolled appetite.

Set a meal plan for yourself. If you are used to eating every 2 hours, then try to increase the time interval between meals. Don't be afraid to feel a little hungry. Reduce portions and spread your calorie intake evenly. At first it will be difficult for you, but you will quickly be able to control yourself. At the same time, cultivate willpower and endurance in yourself.

How to overcome food cravings?

Every time you sit down at a table, don't rush to destroy everything in one go. Food has no legs, it won't run away from you. Divide it into several steps. Then ask yourself a few questions:

1. How full am I?
2. Is it time for me to stop?
3. Should I continue or stop?
4. Am I enjoying food or is it stressful for the body?

By thinking about this every time, you will control your portion sizes. At the first stages, you can use appetite blockers, as it may not be possible to abruptly refuse “sweets” on your own. Use, for example, Chang Shu tea for weight loss. Over time, you will learn to say “stop” to yourself on your own.

To feel full before you empty half the refrigerator, drink more liquids, use more protein And fresh vegetables. So the feeling of satiety will linger for a long time. But do not go to extremes - do not starve. Complete failure food can cause more more harm to your body. By controlling your appetite, you can easily keep your weight in check. This mode of eating over time is also automated, and this will become for your body not stress, but the norm.