FitSugar

Curb Your Cravings With This Trick

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Moderation is my eating mantra, and it allows me to enjoy the foods I crave without feeling deprived. Science is backing me up on this too. New research focusing on successfully conquering cravings found eating in moderation to be the key to reducing your hankerings for specific foods.

In its March issue, Fitness magazine reported interesting findings from a recent study. Researchers found that eating daily 150 to 200 calorie portions of your favorite food for two weeks will significantly reduce your desire for it. The study's lead author Jennifer Temple explained, "If you can indulge in treats in a healthy way, you're less likely to feel deprived and overeat them."

How do you curb your cravings?

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Diet Tip: Curb Cravings With Mint

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 03:30:00 -0700

We're always looking for ways to fight cravings when they arise, and one my tricks of the trade is mint.

Yes, mint does wonders to keep my cravings under control as its strong scent is a natural appetite suppressant. I keep a mint scented candle in my kitchen and I like to light it at night. Not only does it keep the house smelling good, I feel like I am less likely to give into late night snacking temptations. Other simple ideas are to sip mint tea, chew sugar-free mint gum, or simply brush your teeth. It may all be psychological, but it works for me so I can't complain. Try it out and see if mint helps keep your cravings under control too. If not, check out some other great ideas for curbing cravings.

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What's the Deal With The Tapping Technique?

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:45:00 -0700

If any of you guys are following Paul McKenna's new show, I Can Make You Thin then you may have heard something about a Tapping Technique for cravings. I know that people follow the show religiously but I can't help but laugh when watching it.

Most recently a co-worker filled me in on McKenna's eight-step (yes, eight steps) technique for getting rid of cravings and wow, what a technique it is. I'm not sure this would work for my cravings other than confuse the heck out of me. Personally, I like your ideas for curbing cravings better than this interesting approach. However if you want to learn it then read more.

The Tapping Technique:

I want you to get the biggest desire for a food that you can right now. If you don’t have a big enough craving, put this technique to one side and come back to it when you’re really feeling it.
Focus on this craving for a moment, and when you’ve thought of that I’d like you to rate your desire for a food on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest. This is important, because in a moment we want to know how much you’ve reduced it.
On a scale of 1-10, how strong is your craving? Remember, if you’re not really craving a bite (i.e. your craving is not at least a 7), come back to this technique later.
Now take two fingers of either hand and tap about 10 times under your collarbone while you continue to think about eating.
Now tap under your eye ten times.
Now tap under your collarbone again.
Place your other hand in front of you and tap on the back of it between your ring finger and your little finger. Continue to think about your desire for food as you do this and each of the steps which follow:
- Close your eyes and open them.
- Keep your head still, keep tapping and look down to the right then down to the left.
- Keep tapping and rotate your eyes round 360 degrees clockwise, and now 360 degrees counterclockwise.
- Remember to keep thinking about the food you were craving as you do this!
- Now hum the first few lines of "Happy Birthday" out loud.
- Count out loud from 1 to 5.
- Once again hum the first few lines of ‘Happy Birthday’ out loud.

Stop and check – on a scale from 1 to 10, what number is your craving at now? If it hasn’t completely gone yet, just repeat this sequence again until it does.

Anyone tried it? If so, I'm dying to hear if it works so share you stories below.

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Easy Ways to Curb Cravings

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:30:00 -0800

Cravings can get the best of you, so it's best to be armed and ready to go for when you start to feel a craving coming on. You guys gave some great advice for curbing cravings so here are my picks from your fabulous ideas.

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What's Your Advice For Curbing Cravings?

FitSugar — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:30:00 -0800

Sometimes a reader question comes along that I know you guys could provide a ton of great answers for so I wanted to share this question with you.

"Hey Fit. My new year's resolution is to stop eating so much junk food, especially Skittles but the problem is that I get these cravings and I have a hard time not giving into them. Do you have any tips for curbing cravings so I can finally stick with my resolution?"

So share your best tricks for curbing cravings in the comments section below. I can't wait to see what you guys come up with as I have recently rediscovered Reese's Pieces and could use a few new tricks myself.

Kristen Wants to Quit Smoking, Do It Too!

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:30:06 -0800

Kristen Stewart made the first step in kicking her cigarette habit - admitting to Entertainment Weekly that she's ready to give it up, saying, "I'm going to stop smoking. I'm not such a good smoker, anyway. It's not in my bones. I'm gonna drop it." More power to the gorgeous Twilight star, and here's hoping she sticks with it. Now, if you're out to ditch your own smoking habit, read on to kick-start your plan to quit.

Get Support - If you're ready to quit, whether or not you have friends that are smokers, make your decision known. Spreading the word that you're quitting will let your friends and family know that you'll need support. If you're having a tough day, reach out to friends. Instead of caving for a cigarette break, invite a friend for a long walk, a movie, or a workout class. Having the support of your loved ones who back your decision to quit will help give you a united front against your bad habit.

Don't Underestimate the Power of the Patch (or Gum) - Forms of nicotine replacement therapy have been shown to double your chances of quitting smoking, and can help you fight the urge to light up when you're facing nicotine withdrawal, reducing your feelings of depression and restlessness.

For more ways to help you quit, read more.

Find Another Way to Relieve Stress - Since smoking can often be a way to unwind, you'll have to find a healthier outlet to relieve stress. Combat stress with an alternative that's good for the body like a yoga class, soothing massage, or aromatherapy. Natural herbal supplements like lavender, valerian, and passionflower can aid with feelings of anxiousness and help ease tension. Short bouts of exercise can help relieve cravings, too.

Don't Drink - Alcohol and smoking are social activities that seem to go hand in hand. Plus, since alcohol naturally lowers our inhibitions, it can be harder to resist the temptation of a smoke when you're out drinking. So, when you're trying to quit, it's probably best to avoid the bar scene altogether.

Get Your Fill of Fruits and Veggies - Since many smokers fear gaining weight when they quit, many choose to diet while they're trying to give it up. But it's not a great idea to limit your food intake or choices, which can leave you feeling even more irritable while you're working to quit. Instead, think of quitting in a healthier way - focus on how eliminating the toxins from cigarettes will help to purify your body, and choose healthy fruits and veggies to fill you up. You might even try juicing your servings of fruit and vegetables. The nutrient-rich juice can help to curb cravings and can even help flush toxins from the body.

Curb Smoking Cravings in Just Five Minutes...

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Still having problems kicking that nasty little smoking habit?

Well, recent research published in the Addiction journal has found that even just five minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, significantly reduces the intensity of smokers' nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

While this may seem rather impractical at times, maybe you want to consider it for your smoking breaks at work. So next time you feel the need to take a smoking break, maybe go for a short walk or do exercises at your desk. Not only will you be curbing your cravings to smoke, you'll be burning calories too!

Swimming For Weight Loss?

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:30:25 -0700

Swimming has gotten a bad rap as an exercise for weight loss. Unlike running, which curbs your appetite, swimming seems to increase it.

Studies comparing swimming with walking and cycling weight-loss programs found that swimmers gained five pounds on average, while the other two groups lost between 17 and 19 pounds. The culprit seems to be the increased appetite that follows working out in water, since swimming lowers your body temp and the body crave calories to help heat it back up. Plus the swimmers weight gain could be attributed to an increase in lean muscle mass, which would have changed their body composition without weight loss.

See how I think you can make swimming part of your weight-loss plan, when you read more.
If you are swimming for weight loss, I don't believe you should give up on the pool entirely - swimming is a great full-body exercise. I do think you should add some cardio training on land. I am a firm believer in cross-training, so adding strength training and walking or running will help burn calories as well as build bone density, which is another benefit of weight-bearing exercises that you miss out on when swimming. When you do finish a swim workout, take a sauna, a steam, hot tub, or a hot shower to help heat your body. Also try sipping on some hot herbal tea as a post-workout drink.

Want to Quit Smoking?

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:00:19 -0700

Quitting smoking is just about the best thing you can do for your health. Countless studies have shown smoking can lead to serious health problems, not only for the smoker, but also for non-smokers breathing secondhand smoke. It's never too late to quit, and if you want to call yourself a non-smoker like some of these celebs, here are some tips to help make it happen.

Think of a powerful and specific reason you want to quit. Something that's as important as wanting to avoid having your family visit you in the hospital because you have lung cancer will be strong enough to outweigh your craving to light up.
Don't try quitting cold turkey. Stats show that 95 percent of people who quit without therapy or medication end up going back to their old ways. So ween yourself off of nicotine slowly. Use nicotine gum or patches to minimize the overwhelming symptoms of withdrawal that include depression, restlessness, and anger.
Get rid of the evidence. Once you decide to quit, get rid of your secret cigarette stash, lighters, and ashtrays. Wash all your clothes, curtains, blankets, and anything else that smells like smoke. Use air fresheners in your home or car, because the slightest smell may make you relapse.

To see the other tips, read more.

Avoid triggers that make you want to light up. Drinking, hanging out with fellow smokers, and stress are common triggers that boost your urge to smoke. So know what sets you off and avoid it at all costs.
Have a support group to lean on. If your family, friends, and co-workers know you're trying to quit, they can encourage you to stick with it. Joining a support group with other people trying to quit can also up your chances for success.
Fill up on fruits, veggies, and lowfat dairy products. A Duke University study shows these foods make cigarettes taste terrible.
Exercise. Working out can curb nicotine cravings, so keep up with a regular exercise routine. It'll also help prevent weight gain while trying to quit.
Don't give up. It's common for a person to quit smoking several times before they quit for good. So keep trying until you can call yourself a non-smoker.

DrSugar Answers: How Can I Cut the Nicotine Habit?

DrSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

DrSugar is in the house and he's answering your health questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I have been smoking ever since college, which I know is dumb, but I just haven't been able to cut the habit. I started smoking only at parties, but now I'm at about a half pack a day for the last few years. I'm totally healthy otherwise. I go to the gym three or four times a week and try to eat healthy. What do you recommend for quitting cigarettes?
- Getting Off the Butts

To see what the doctor has to say about ditching this unhealthy habit, read more.

Firstly, I applaud your desire to quit and wish you luck in your journey. There is good news and bad news when it comes to quitting cigarettes. The good news is that there is an abundance of resources, websites, help lines, medications, and doctors who are there to help you quit if you need it. The bad news is that quitting cigarettes is very hard and often takes multiple attempts because relapse is common. If you succeed in quitting, you will be greatly improving the future of your health. Smoking accounts for almost 90 percent of lung cancer deaths. It can also lead to heart disease, lung disease, and vascular disease or blockage of blood vessels.

Some people are able to stop smoking "cold turkey" without the use of any aids, but this is a tough task and often results in failure. I think that online resources, such as QuitNet, can be especially helpful in terms of getting more information and hearing about other people’s experiences.

Many people successfully quit with the help of nicotine replacement therapy to curb the initial cravings. Nicotine gum is available over the counter, while nicotine patches require a prescription. Though I recommend trying nonprescription methods first, there are also two prescription medications that have helped thousands of people quit: Zyban and Chantix. Zyban (Wellbutrin) is a type of antidepressant that cuts the craving for nicotine during the quitting process, while the newer Chantix is a nicotine-receptor activator that essentially tricks the brain into thinking there is nicotine in the system.

I suggest setting a quit date, formulating a plan for how to cope with the cravings (gum, medication, exercise, etc.), and trying to keep your mind on other things. Come up with a new routine at times when you used to light up. You should also check out these seven tips for quitting smoking, which offer great practical tips. Also remember that doctors love to hear that their patients are trying to quit and are always there to help. Good luck!

Have a question for DrSugar? Send it by private messaging me here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.