Foods that are high in carbs are delicious, as well as difficult to avoid, from yummy pasta and bread, to a wide range of snacks and desserts. Consuming carbs isn’t a bad thing, and a lot of the low-carb diets that are out there are only meant to be used as temporary weight loss tools, rather than long-term diets, because your body does need a certain amount of carbohydrates in order to function properly. But, overdoing it when it comes to carbs can be problematic. Therefore, discovering how to stop carb cravings is definitely worthwhile.
Carb cravings are something that most dieters will experience. This is because we need carbs for energy. The sugar conversion to energy is important and there are reasons that dieters will crave carbs. There are also simple ways to curtail them but still use them for the energy you need to live.
Below, we have compiled some helpful information on carbohydrates, including some tips that you can implement right away in order to stop carb cravings so that you can stay on track and maintain a nutritious diet for health, energy, fitness, and weight loss.
Why Do Carbs Have Such a Bad Rap?
Carbs have been notorious for being weight gaining elements. However there is a vast difference between good carbs and bad carbs. All carbs are not created equal. But somehow they have gotten all wrapped up together and a lack of proper nutritional education is a saboteur to weight loss and health. Carbs mean energy—period and you can’t restrict your body of carbs. When you do this—say for a diet—the moment you even eat a good carb again—your brain will think this is a rare thing and push you to eat them more!
When you have the craving though—you don’t always crave the right carbs. You will crave some of the bad ones and eat more, therefore gaining weight and disrupting the glucose balance too. You don’t need the effects of disrupted blood glucose, which is why it is so important to stop carb cravings.
How to Stop Carb Cravings
So how do you stop the craving of the wrong carbs? By eating the right ones and eating them often. Good carbs come from whole grains and vegetables and you can eat as much as you want. However the bad carbs are the ones that are more plentiful and cheap to buy—this is dangerous. The ones to stay away from are listed below.
- White rice: This is one of the cheapest and worst craving maker in the world. Once a product is processed, it becomes devoid of any helpful nutrition and eating this is no way to stop carb cravings.
- White Bread: White bread runs a close second. Whole wheat and seven or nine grain is a great source of carbs.
As far as stopping the cravings directly—make sure you are only eating the good stuff and several times a day. Four 4 oz. servings of vegetables and fiber-rich foods as well as two servings of whole grain bread and healthy cereals will do it. These things will come with a balanced diet that is clear of anything on the short-list above.
Other Ways to Stop Carb Cravings
According to CNN, there are several other ways to stop carb cravings, and they include the following, done over the course of a week to help you develop healthier habits towards carbohydrates:
- Begin by cutting out starchy carbs, in particular, for about a week. What are starchy carbs? Well, they include foods like potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread. Other foods in this category include bagels, crackers, pizza, chips, pretzels, cake, and cookies. Do your best to eliminate these foods from your diet only for the week. At the same time, however, replace them with foods that won’t impact your blood sugar as much, such as apples when you want to snack, or a salad with beans when you prepare your lunch.
- In addition to starchy carbs, it is also a good idea to cut out sugary carbs for a week as well. This includes beverages that are sweetened with sugar, and, of course, candy. These foods don’t provide nutrition, and they cause your blood sugar to spike.
- The last step is to incorporate some more healthy fats into your diet. These can help you keep your blood sugar more stable. How can you go about doing so? Well, when you want to have a sandwich, you can use nut butter, as one example. Or, you can cook with olive oil. And, when you want a snack, you can have dark chocolate or nuts.
- What happens after that week of making these changes? Well, you can then add back carbs gradually. Just be sure that they are high-quality starchy carbohydrates.
It Isn’t Complicated When You Want to Stop Carb Cravings
People make how to stop carb cravings a complicated ordeal with lengthy explanations and lists to remember. It doesn’t have to be that way. The main point to remember is whole food and vegetables in a balanced diet keep the cravings and the weight away!
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