The Definitive Guide to Beat Cravings Once and for All

You’re the boss of your body and brain - you know this. But then that sneaky 4 o’clock craving hits, and suddenly, you lose your power. What can you do to beat cravings once and for all?

Your ‘cranger’ (cranky anger) transforms you from fabulous, productive, and communicating effectively to ferocious and foggy. Cranger makes you eat anything fast, easy to reach, carby, or sweet. Milk chocolate, lollies, sugar-loaded chai tea - heck, you’d eat your knuckles if they were dusted with cocoa.

I understand the powerful hold that cravings (sugar, carbs, chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol) can have on us physically and mentally. I’ve met people in my clinical practice who genuinely believe their sugar cravings contributed to their divorce and even being overlooked for a promotion! No lie. They’ve shared stories of lives marked by sugar highs and lows, leading to brain fog, self-loathing, and sleepless nights for years.

Make a Plan

Even with the cleanest diet, everyone gets cravings for sweets or junk food now and then.

So why not create a plan for when cravings strike? You're more likely to succeed if you have a vision for your health and well-being and a PLAN. A vision without a plan is just a wish. Here’s a question-based plan to tackle cravings:

Drink Water

Are you truly craving something, or are you just thirsty? Many people confuse hunger and cravings with dehydration. Drink a glass or two of water when a craving hits. Jazz up your water with mint, lemon, lemongrass, lime, or strawberries.

Self-Check

If after 10 minutes of hydrating, you still want to binge, ask yourself:

Am I tired?
Bored?
Lonely?
Feeling bad about myself or something else?
Overwhelmed or stressed?

Chances are you need something more meaningful than a quick junk food fix. Identify the real issue and address it instead of medicating with junk food.

You may need a walk, a five-minute listen to Insight Timer, or to bang out your emotions on paper and then toss away.

Preventative Eating

Cravings, especially for sweets, often strike when blood sugar is unstable. Consistent eating of protein, good fats, and smart carbs is key. With intermittent fasting on the rise, find your fasting threshold to avoid reaching for anything convenient out of unreasonable hunger.

Late-night sugar munching often signals you haven’t eaten enough during the day. Sound familiar?

Find a Substitute

Discover something that makes your taste buds happy and keep it handy. Blueberries or nuts are great options. For me and my clients, a big cup of cinnamon tea with a handful of tamari almonds and a 10-minute break from all noise works wonders. It’s a mini ‘reset.’

Indulge Mindfully

If you’re still craving something unhealthy after the first four steps, go ahead and have it - but enjoy it mindfully. Wellbeing isn’t about deprivation. So be present and acknowledge that you’re indulging, and that’s okay.

The key is to avoid a negative binge cycle. Enjoy it, take note of whether it was as good as you imagined, and pick up with a healthy meal next. Don’t carry guilt.

You’ll likely find the thought of the ‘sweet treat’ was greater than the actual taste. Over time, these moments will decrease because feeling in control, vibrant, and healthy is way more fun.

Life is meant to be delicious!

Cravings don’t stand a chance when you’ve got a plan in place!

By recognising the root causes of those midday urges and responding with intention, you're reclaiming control over your body and mind. It's about balance, not perfection - nourishing yourself, physically and mentally, while embracing the occasional indulgence without guilt.

The next time a craving sneaks up, you’ll be ready to respond with strategies that keep you on track and feeling empowered. Remember, it's not about never giving in it's about choosing when and how, on your terms. You’ve got this!

If you regularly struggle with cravings for junk food, consider my wellness course on nutrition. It's designed to help you create a plan to eat better with small lifestyle changes - no deprivation!

Supporting Studies

1. Hydration and Hunger: A study published in Physiology & Behavior found that drinking water can significantly reduce hunger and calorie intake in both normal-weight and obese individuals (Dennis et al., 2010)
2. Blood Sugar Stability: Research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that high-protein, low-carb diets stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce hunger pangs (Paddon-Jones et al., 2008).
3. Mindful Eating: A study in Appetite revealed that mindful eating practices reduce binge eating episodes and improve overall eating behaviors (Dalen et al., 2010).