How To Beat Cravings That Prevent Weight Loss
Article Round-Up: 10.15.23
Enjoy this week’s curated list of articles, podcasts, and more from the web to help you live a healthier, happier life.
Before we dive in, it’s prudent to acknowledge the atrocities happening in Israel.
What is happening is horrible. The terrorist attacks are abhorrent. The level of suffering and pain that innocent lives are enduring is unspeakable. Many of my friends are hurting right now.
I recognize that my words don’t do justice to the magnitude of what is happening, and there are far more informed voices speaking out on this issue. But my purpose for writing this message is clear: I want you to know that I am here for you.
I cannot fully comprehend the emotions and concerns that you are experiencing, but I am here to listen, to learn, and to support in any way that I can. Your feelings, your perspective, and your well-being matter deeply to me.
Please remember that you are not alone, and your pain is felt by those who care about you. I am here, grieving with you.
Coaching Conversations - Alex’s Fitness Philosophy
Takeaway: Fitness is not an end. Fitness is a means. A tool that can unlock the path to an amazing life.
At A-Team Fitness leverage fitness to build two skills: self-awareness and self-efficacy.
Developing those two skills will allow you to increase your levels of happiness by at least 10x what you experience now.
Published This Week:
4 Tips To Boost Home Workout Motivation
Takeaway: If your best options is to workout at home (whether due to gym access, childcare, buy schedule, etc), then you likely know the unique challenges. At the gym, there is only one thing to do—exercise. At home, you’re trying to juggle a workout with all the demands of the household staring you in the face.
This article offers four tips to boost home workout motivation, including: start with small goals, reframe the purpose of workouts, establish a routine, and use music/podcasts as rewards.
Empowered Refusal: Why Your Words Matter In Making Health Food Choices
Takeaway: Saying “I don’t” empowers you. It makes you feel in control and self-aware. It strengthens your perception of control and personal will. When you say, “I don’t eat that,” you’re making a conscious choice based on your values and goals.
On the flip side, saying “I can’t” breeds feelings of deprivation. It’s as if you’re telling yourself that you’re not allowed to have something you want. This diminishes your sense of empowerment and control, making it harder to resist temptation.
Takeaway: “Haters occur in proportion to admiration. Doing anything notable will generate both positive and negative reactions of similar intensity.
It’s impossible to be a life-changing presence to some people without simultaneously being a complete joke to others.
The best response to hate is to simply improve yourself so much that the hater’s criticisms become self-evidently false and empty. The best revenge is to be so undeniably good that there’s no need to ever respond.”
Reader Question:
What are some effective ways to curb my cravings for unhealthy foods and stick to my diet?
Here’s how I would approach the situation to get more control over my cravings:
Practice self-awareness: Start by becoming aware of your cravings and triggers for junk food. Identify the situations, emotions, or thoughts that lead to your cravings. This self-awareness is the first step in taking control.
Set clear goals: Define your health and dietary goals. Knowing what you want to achieve creates clarity, and clarity helps us get more motivated. Whether it's weight loss, improved energy, or better overall health, having a clear goal provides direction.
Create a healthy eating plan: To have even more clarity and direction, develop a structured meal plan that aligns with your health goals. Include a handful of foods that you enjoy, but don’t make it complicated. Simple is better. Having clear expectations shifts what your default behavior should be, which can aid in identifying craving triggers.
Alter your environment: Often, you can drastically reduce cravings by limiting the presence of these trigger foods in your physical presence. Clearing your home of needless junk can have a drastic impact on diet adherence.
Find healthy alternatives: Identify nutritious and satisfying alternatives to junk food that you enjoy. For example, if you crave something sweet, opt for fresh fruit or a yogurt parfait. When you satisfy your cravings using healthier options, it becomes easier to refuse junk food.
Delay gratification: If you're tempted by junk food, promise yourself that you can have it later if you still want it. This delay can often weaken the craving and give you time to reconsider.
Enjoy your favorite treats on occasion: Cravings get stirred up when we tell ourselves certain foods are off-limits. Instead, find a way to include your favorite indulgent treats into your plan in a sensible way. A slice or two of pizza is more manageable in a healthy diet than, say, the whole pie.
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