Have you ever given a thought to your eating habits? Do you follow a balanced diet or do you eat too many sweets?

If you’re worried about your cravings, especially your incessant need to munch on something sweet or salty (or both) every other hour or so, you may need to take a step back and reevaluate your diet.

It’s not bad to indulge once in a while, but if you’re eating a lot of junk food and not enough fresh foods, then you are endangering your health.

What is food addiction?

There are many kinds of addiction. Other than smoking, drugs, or alcohol, it’s common to be addicted to food. However, food addiction goes beyond having a favorite type of candy or junk food.

When you’re addicted to food, you’re constantly thinking of what you want to eat. You may even engage in risky behavior just to get the food you want to eat.

Someone addicted to food may keep eating, even if they’re already full. You may have trouble stopping yourself from eating a whole box of donuts instead of having just one.

If you don’t get to eat your favorite food, you may experience withdrawal symptoms like cravings, irritability, restlessness or even depression.

You may deny that you have a food addiction and ignore problems your addiction is causing. A food addiction can even cause anxiety and low self-esteem due to your perceived lack of control.

If any of these things seem familiar, you may be experiencing food addiction. Here are seven steps that can help you overcome it. You can also follow these tips if you want to switch to healthier eating habits.

Manage your stress

If you’re always stressed, try meditating for five minutes every day to calm your nerves and resist the urge to binge-eat junk food.

Make an effort to calm your anxiety by taking a break from work or study, or taking the time to write down a plan on how to handle the cause of your stress.

Practice mindful eating

When you’re craving junk food, assess yourself to determine you’re really hungry. If you’re just bored, consider doing an activity that has nothing to do with eating, like reading a book or taking a walk around the park.

Eat only when you feel relaxed, and savor each bite. Delicious, healthy food should be enjoyed.

Mindful eating can help you deal with food addiction and feel better about your choices so you can enjoy eating nutritious food every day.

Regulate your blood sugar

Balancing your blood sugar is essential to managing your junk food cravings. Too much sugar sends your body on highs and lows. Hypoglycemia (the lows), triggers your brain into thinking that your body needs high levels of glucose, which is converted into energy. Hypoglycemia can activate your stress response even if you’re perfectly fine.

Regulate your blood sugar to stabilize your stress hormones, emotions and your weight. Start each day with a healthy, filling breakfast. Focus on natural sources of protein, healthy fats, and fresh fruits and veggies.

Store healthy snacks in your pantry

Make things easier for yourself. If you always have fresh ingredients readily available, you’ll forget about eating junk food.

Try these healthy snacks if you want to improve your eating habits:

• Cottage cheese
• Dark chocolate
• Edamame
• Fresh fruits
• Fruit and nut butter
• Hot tea
• Low-calorie veggie chips
• Olives
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Plain popcorn

Incorporate nutritious foods into your regular diet

Experiencing food cravings is your body’s way of telling you that you need natural, organic sources of certain nutrients that you’re lacking. Combat your unhealthy cravings by eating more fresh foods and taking dietary supplements to prevent nutrient deficiency.

Get enough sleep

You need at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Sleeping less than seven hours each night can activate your stress response and increase the levels of cortisol, or the stress hormone, in your body.

Fatigue can cause sugar cravings, which can trigger a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation and binge-eating. This can spiral into stress and unhealthy weight gain.

Taking care of your body is no walk in the park, but you can start your journey to healthier eating habits by considering these tips. In no time, you may be saying farewell to your unhealthy food cravings.

Sources:

MindBodyGreen.com

Healthline.com