What are your cravings telling you?

What can you do about your cravings before you actually start your cleanse and get stuck in a cycle of binge eating and getting off track? This is probably one of the most common questions I get from my first time cleansers! If you haven't downloaded my NINE STRATEGIES TO CRUSH YOUR CRAVINGS, DO THAT NOW!

Think About Your Biggest Cravings
To start out, think about what you tend to crave the most. For example, some people might have salty cravings, while others crave sweets. Think about when you have dieted previously, and what you tended to crave the most. Did you go for a bag of cookies and a donut, or were you more interested in fried foods and salty chips? Knowing what you crave the most allows you to find the right healthier foods to satisfy them. It's also a good idea to journal your cravings and see if there is a pattern.

Find Healthier Whole Food Alternatives
Even organic packaged foods may contain significant amounts of sugar. Stay away from organic and well as non-organic packaged food and don’t keep it at home to resist temptation. 

Now that you know what your biggest cravings are, you can prepare for them and swap them with healthier options. Here are some popular ways to balance all those cravings:

Something Sweet – You might get some serious cravings for sugary foods once you try to leave it behind. The best way to fend off such cravings is by having a fermented food or drink such as homemade sauerkraut, coconut kefir, or kombucha. The sourness of these foods negates the effect of sugar cravings and provides the body with healthy probiotics to reduce cravings and boost the immune system. If you want something sweet, it is always best to go with a piece of fresh fruit. Fruit is sweet, but contains natural sugars, so it is allowed while eating clean. The sweetest fruits are bananas, figs, pomegranates, and mangos.You can also try a piece of dark chocolate. My protein chocolate truffles are a huge hit with the ladies in my Renew and Refuel program!

Something Salty – For something salty, skip the potato chips and instead make some kale chips. These will have the crunch you are looking for and have some sea salt but will be made of delicious and healthy kale. A handful of nuts can also help with the salty craving. You can make your own seasoned nuts too!

Something Fried – If you are someone who likes fast food and all things fried, choose your favorite food and just swap it out for something better. If it’s the fries, then try sweet potato fries that are baked and not fried in oil and salt. If you like cheeseburgers, make a healthier turkey burger with lots of veggies and skip the cheese. Invest in an air fryer, they are amazing!

Trying just a few of the tips above can help you transform your cravings and help you stick to this balanced eating lifestyle for good. Getting healthy and finding your optimal weight can be a long journey; however, it doesn’t have to be difficult, and you don't have to do it alone. I have an accountability tribe waiting to help you. We meet every week and set intentional goals. I want to help you restore your metabolism and balance your hormones so you can build a healthy, strong fat burning body you LOVE!