5 Ways to Quiet Cravings

Get ready for the brigade of Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pies, and holiday parties...

As some of you know, I was the kid who wasn't allowed to eat any sweets, instead I could only trick-or-treat for money to donate to Unicef (lofty mission but torturous for a child!)

I was the kid who was so desperate for sugar that I’d find a piece of candy covered in a dust ball on the floor of a store, and I’d eat it like I was a crackhead, immediately scouring the floors for more.

Fast forward to being independent, the dam came crashing down & the sugar and baked goods flowed in...When I learned in my Nutritional Certification program that being able to stop at 1-2 cookies was a sign of balanced blood sugar, my reaction was, "Who, in God's name, is able to do that??!"

I’ve since learned SO much about how to calm my cravings and I feel like a whole new person with more balanced energy (no afternoon crashes!) & better digestion. So I've compiled these tips to share with my broader audience to help you through the holiday season and beyond: 

1)    BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR

It’s nearly impossible to get cravings under control if your blood sugar isn’t balanced. I can't stress this enough. When blood sugar spikes after too much sugar or carbohydrates, it feels good initially, but then there’s a crash after.

It’s in that crash that we are more susceptible to cravings because we are scrambling for whatever is the fastest pick-me-up (ie. mini Snickers bars).

Apart from tracking blood sugar with a "continuous glucose meter", here are some general tricks for balancing blood sugar: 

• Favor whole foods vs. processed ones. Be mindful of portion sizes when it comes to things like rice, corn, sweet potatoes, bread, pasta, etc. 

  
  

• Eat a low sugar, high protein breakfast. What you eat for breakfast sets you up for the rest of the day. It’s been shown that when you have a high protein breakfast that doesn’t spike blood sugar, you are much less likely to have afternoon or evening cravings. Try it for yourself! 

  
  

• Eat every 3-4 hours---if we go too long between meals, blood sugar can get so low that cravings hit like a Mac truck. Don’t wait till you’re already ravenous to figure out what you’re going to eat for a meal. 

  
  

  Pro tip: Don’t show up to the holiday party hungry or start passing out Halloween candy before you’ve had a solid meal! 

  
  

• Work with a nutritionist to learn more about how to balance blood sugar---this is just the tip of the iceberg. Even the order you eat things in can make a difference! 

  
  

2)    KEEP HEALTHIER SNACK SUBSTITUTES ON HAND

Have some low sugar, low processed alternatives for snacks. The idea that we’re supposed to white knuckle our way through the afternoon without eating a snack is baloney, especially if you eat lunch close to 12 and don’t eat dinner till 6 or 7pm.

Pro tip: I keep a jar of pumpkin seeds mixed with goji berries on the counter so it’s visible & easy to grab, along with small baggies of nuts/seeds in the fridge so I can grab one on my way out the door, along with an apple or something fresh. 

Even a tasty, sugar-free beverage can sometimes do the trick---something like tea or a naturally flavored sparkling water. Rooibos tea with nut milk is my favorite tea substitute when I’m craving something sweet because it’s naturally sweet! 

3)    PRIORITIZE GOOD SLEEP

Studies show how leptin, our satiety hormone, is depleted after even one night of crummy sleep. This means we need to eat more before we finally feel full & satisfied. Plus, when we are tired, we are more likely to crave the sugars & starches to get a little bump in energy (even though energy crashes more afterwards). No sleep = no bueno! 

4)    SUPPLEMENTS TO HELP CUT THE CRAVINGS

(And no, they don’t deplete your nutrient levels or muscle mass the way that GLP-1 agonists can!)

• L-Glutamine---As little as ½ a tsp under your tongue right when cravings arise can help stop them in their tracks. This is a natural amino acid that signals to the brain that it has enough energy, without the need for sugar or refined carbs. It works immediately and also happens to be healing for the gut lining as well! 

  
  

• Crave Arrest ---A blend of herbs, vitamins, & amino acids that support the serotonin & dopamine pathways in order to calm cravings. Most effective when taken on an empty stomach, and can be felt within 20-30 min! Can be contraindicated if you’re on an SSRI. 

  
  

• Chromium Synergy---This supports normal blood sugar and insulin metabolism. It needs time to build up in the system before noticeable effects, but it’s an important foundational support for the vitamins & minerals that are often depleted when cravings are especially high. 

  
  

  I don’t suggest relying on supplements alone to address cravings, but they can certainly help to take the edge off. That way you can feel more able to put the other tools to use.  HERE is a link where you can find all of these 3rd-party-tested supplements, get 20% off, and free shipping!! 

  
  

5)    WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DO INDULGE

If and when you do have a small treat (whether that’s in the form of a scoop of ice cream or a handful of chips) just know that depending on how balanced your blood sugar is, you may be opening pandora’s box when it comes to cravings. So here are some tips to keep the amount under control:

~Really SAVOR it so you can make it laaaaaaaaaaaaaast. 

~Then CHANGE THE CHANNEL. Meaning, follow the treat with something like a cup of tea with nut milk or sparkling water, or a handful of nuts…it’s really hard to walk away from something when it’s firing off all the feel-good neurotransmitters at super-speed, so I find it easier to “change the channel” or the flavor in your mouth.

Sometimes it works to walk away & doing something else completely unrelated to food, but I’ve found that sometimes the urge for more is too strong, so that’s when I find it helpful to change it to something that’s still somewhat satisfying but doesn’t have the same addictive qualities. In other words, it does no good to change the channel from ice cream to French fries! But ice cream to a handful of pecans is much better & can work to quiet the intensity of the cravings

_____________________________________

And if you’ve tried some version of all those things and you’re still looking for more solutions, then try Hypnotherapy. It can be a powerful tool for changing the way you think about certain foods & ultimately, altering the choices you make.

“After only 2 sessions I feel I have made more progress than years of therapy. Siri was wonderful at talking me through what the hypnotic experience would be like and making me feel comfortable. I just hit the two-week mark with no soda (and no cravings). Soda for me has been a lifelong daily habit (with ever increasing amounts) for me. I am shocked that I have been able to give this up so easily. I am thrilled to have found this tool. Thanks Siri!”  ----Nancy C.

Sometimes hypnotherapy can help you fast-track towards your goals. But also be patient with yourself, since it can also take time to change deep-seated habits.

So, my question for you is, what do you plan to do to prepare yourself for the barrage of sweets & drinks this holiday season? Would it be helpful to re-read this email & jot down some ideas? Prep yourself now, since, failing to plan often means planning to fail.

If you’re interested, click here to book a free 15-min intro call, or dive right into a full 90-min Hypnotherapy session so that you start the holiday season off on the right foot!

Have a happy Halloweeeeeeeen!!

Siri