Wedding diet! 7 easy tips to stop your food cravings

Find it hard to stop snacking? Here, easy ways to curb your cravings and get started on your diet proper.

By Pinky Chng - 16 Sep 2016

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Find yourself craving an entire chocolate bar by mid-afternoon?

We've all been there (and more than once succumbed), but here's how to curb your cravings once and for all: mindful eating - being fully present and in-the-moment during your meal to appreciate the food so you'll be less likely to be craving any more food later on.

This story was first published on www.thefinder.com.sg.

1. Turn off the TV

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And your phone, and all other devices with a screen. Ever looked down at your plate after having your eyes glued to the screen, only to wonder where all the food went?

Distractions like these shift us into autopilot eating, making us less aware, and hence less appreciative, of what we’re eating. Before you know it, you might have eaten way more than you should’ve, too.

2. Serve out your portions

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Even if it’s a convenient option – say a bag of chips – resist eating straight out of the bag or box. It’s not only harder to portion how much you’re eating if your food is hidden from view, it’s also harder to fully appreciate it.

3. Put down your utensils

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We’re often already preparing our next mouthful of food with our utensils whilst still chewing on our previous bite.

Try putting down your utensils after each bite, and only pick them up after you’ve swallowed and enjoyed your previous mouthful.

4. Pretend you’re a food critic

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Bring all your senses to the dinner table. Observe the sensation and taste of your food in your mouth carefully – the burst of juiciness as you bite into your meat, the cold sensation of yogurt hitting your tongue.

Take a moment before you swallow and do so consciously; notice the sensation of the food travelling down your gullet to your stomach.

Melodramatic? We think not – good food is meant to be savoured.

5. Know where the secret sugars work

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There’s sugar (lots of it!) in things we don’t even think of as sweet, from pasta sauce to crisps to ketchup.

These secret sugars add up to a sugar overload, which stokes your appetite and fuels your cravings even more. Know your food and the sugars in your food, and try to cut down by seeking out lower-sugar alternatives.

6. Avoid eating on the go

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You’re probably multi-tasking on the go – having to keep track of which train station you have to alight at, trying not to drop the shopping bags in your hands, texting your partner to say you’ll be home in 20 minutes, and trying to gobble down your kebab without staining your clothes with the dressing.

This will only make you less able to appreciate the food, and you’ll still feel unsatisfied by the time you’re done with your meal.

7. Never go hungry

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Skipping meals will only make you eat more over the rest of the day. Your low blood sugar levels will fire up your sugar cravings, making you reach for the chocolates in the office pantry or the slice of cake in the fridge.

Don’t be afraid to eat, just do so mindfully and in moderation.