We all know it: the nasty cravings that creep in suddenly and without warning. We tell you how you can avoid binge eating.
The first question that pops into your head is: Why do you get ravenous hunger in the first place? Hunger in itself arises from a complex interaction.
Stretch sensors notice that the stomach is empty, chemoreceptors in turn notice whether there are enough nutrients.
However, the fat and sugar reserves are also important. If the blood sugar level is too low, the signal "hunger" is triggered.
When your fat store is well filled, it signals long-term satiety. Hormones and neutrotransmitters are involved in creating the feeling of hunger and satiety in the brain.
Ravenous hunger describes the irrepressible and irresistible urge for something salty, sweet or fatty.
Avoiding binge eating - examples from practice
We have picked out a few practical examples for you and tell you what's behind them and how you can avoid binge eating.
"First I eat a whole jar of pickles. Then I'd love to drink the water from the pickles, too. I do the same with the salad dressing."
For many who eat mainly sweet foods during the day, i.e. fruit, cereals and smoothies, the desire for something salty comes at some point.
An alternative explanation is that the body produces too little stomach acid. That is why it demands acidic foods.
"I crave burgers and steaks every day. My favorite thing to do is eat it half raw."
According to the German Medical Association, about 50 percent of women suffer from an iron deficiency. With an iron deficiency, you are either very tired or you have an unrestrained desire for meat.
Whether you eat it raw or cooked through is simply a matter of taste. Give in to your desire, but choose organic meat. Cheap meat often contains germs, growth hormones and antibiotics.
"I'm not really a fan of chips. However, once the bag is open, I can't stop eating until it's empty."
If you're on a low-salt diet, you can naturally develop a craving for chips over time.
Normally, however, you can blame flavor enhancers for the fact that you can't stop eating the chips.
"I love spices. For me, it can't be too spicy. But I also salt my food without tasting it first."
Generally, it is not a problem if you like spicy food. Chili and pepper stimulate your digestion and even promote blood circulation. However, you should not eat too much salt. You should not eat more than one teaspoon of salt per day. Remember that cheese, sausage and ready meals also contain salt.
"I need my chocolate after every meal. In between I eat chocolate cookies and in the evening I eat chocolate cream from the jar".
There are many reasons for this phenomenon. If you don't eat enough at lunch and you generally don't eat enough carbohydrates, you'll probably get an energy deficiency.When your brain lacks energy, it craves sugar.
But it could also be that your chocolate chip cookie in between meals is just a habit. Maybe you reach for sweets when you're stressed. Do you find it hard to give up this habit?
It's no wonder, sugar and fat make you addicted, happy but only in the short term.
9 effective tips against cravings
1. brush your teeth, to avoid binge eating
When you notice cravings catching up with you again, keep a mouthwash or toothbrush handy.
These products can help you avoid binge eating because after using the gum or mouthwash, you will only notice the taste of toothpaste or mouthwash.
Your desire for edibles is thus neutralized. A sharp chewing gum can also help you with this.
2. drink enough that prevents cravings
You should drink 1.5- 2 liters a day. It not only keeps your body from dehydration but also prevents binge eating.
For example, drinking warm water in small sips fills your stomach, but also cleanses the body and rids the organism of toxins.
If you also drink a glass of water before eating, the feeling of hunger will be stopped and your stomach will automatically report that it does not need so much food. We have tips for you that will help you drink more.
3. enjoy your food and prevent cravings
Try to eat as slowly as possible at each meal. Saturation will then set in earlier (after about 20 minutes).
Just take your time to enjoy your food. When you devour your food, you automatically eat more, even though your stomach is already full.
4. eat more protein and fiber to avoid getting hungry
If you eat too many carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, you can expect your blood sugar level to drop again after a short time. This also increases the desire for sweets.
Your diet should therefore include protein such as fish, cottage cheese or low-fat cheese. You should also include foods in your diet that have a low glycemic index, such as brown rice, vegetables or lettuce.
5. always eat small things
A great tip to avoid bingeing is to eat a small snack every three to four hours to prevent cravings.
Eat slowly and, of course, consciously. Of course, sometimes you should include your favorite sweet treats in your diet. Prohibiting a food only strengthens your craving for it. Enjoy your favorite food sometimes in small amounts. It is great if you eat sweets right after the meal, so your blood sugar level does not get out of balance.
6. distract yourself to avoid a binge.
You can also get cravings when you are frustrated, stressed, bored or lonely. If you are used to indulging yourself with food in these situations, you will probably soon feel physical hunger instead of frustration or boredom.
Maybe instead of eating, you can simply distract yourself with a walk or a phone call, so you may be able to avoid binge eating.
7. avoid an empty stomach
Cravings can also mean that you haven't eaten for a long time and that your stomach is empty. Important to curb cravings are 3-5 meals a day. If you want to lose weight, just eat smaller portions. Even if you are on a diet, you should eat at least 1200 calories.
8. eat a hearty breakfast, so you can avoid binge eating.
If you eat a hearty breakfast in the morning, you greatly reduce the risk of cravings during the day.
However, you should not eat everything thrown together. Breakfast should consist of high-quality carbohydrates and good protein to avoid bingeing. Whole grain products, fresh orange juice or a delicious scrambled egg are great.
Here you come to the contribution "Healthy breakfast for weight loss: 19 quick recipes".
9. keep an eye on your blood sugar level
The glucose in your blood serves as a quick source of energy. Your body actually tries to keep the amount of sugar in the blood constant. If there is no supply, it naturally reports hunger.
Hot tip: Please do not reach for sweets now. If you were to eat something sweet now, the sugar from it would enter the blood too quickly and the blood sugar level would rise rapidly.
Insulin is immediately secreted so that the sugar is transported away. This "overreaction" causes the blood sugar level to drop below the previous value.
Better are foods rich in carbohydrates, the sugar building blocks are present in them in complex form. For example, this can be a pasta, cereal or potato dish with vegetables.
Our conclusion
Cravings can be easily controlled with a few simple tricks. Make a note of when your food cravings occur. That way, you can consciously control them the next time.
By the way: Eat a fresh pineapple in between meals. This is also a simple way to keep cravings at bay.
Do you know more tricks to fight the common hunger? Give it to me :)
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