How to react when craving desserts?

Eating desserts satisfy hunger and give our bodies an instant energy boost. However, you all will agree that they make us feel famished soon and want more. While munching your sugary snacks, you might forget the hazards of these sweet cravings, and weight gain is one such hazard.

Let’s squelch your inner sweet monster by using this three-step plan to curb dessert cravings.

1. Eating healthy and filling meals for weight loss

When you crave something sweet, force yourself to eat a healthy meal rather than consuming some sugary junk food to cope with your slump. If you want to stay healthy and shed those extra pounds, resilience is the key in the long run.

2. Hot Shower

When you find no other way to tend to your sugary craving, anecdotal reports suggest that hot showers are best in providing relief. Running hot waters on your back and shoulders for 5-10 minutes makes you feel dazed and effectively stops your cravings.

3. Brisk Walk

The third and the last step to cage your sugar monster is to go for a brisk walk. Walking or running helps you distance yourself from the food you crave and releases feel-good chemicals (endorphins) in your brain that turn off the cravings.

By consuming these better-for-you eats, I have successfully fought my dessert cravings for the last few years:

• Berries
• Avocados
• Fruit
• Dark chocolate
• Snack bars
• Sugar-free chewing gum
• Yogurt/dates/sweet potato
• Smoothies/sugar-free soda
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Pulses

Over the years, all these have helped me keep my sugar cravings at bay, but many others have also benefited from them.

Having sweet treats is fine if you occasionally indulge yourself, but if you are failing at controlling your reaction to dessert cravings often, you need to swap your sugar-filled treats with some healthier options on the list.

These eight tried and tested tips can also help stop sugar cravings.

1. Drinking a glass of water – dehydration can cause sugar cravings, so do not forget to keep yourself hydrated.
2. Having Fruit – Eating a slice of your favourite fruit can satisfy your sugar cravings.
3. Avoiding artificial sweeteners – if artificial sweeteners trigger your sweet cravings, stop using them.
4. Taking protein – eat protein-rich food because protein is excellent for satiety and curbing cravings.
5. Taking encouragement from a friend – when you feel incapable of handling your sugar cravings, talk to a friend to find your dose of motivation.
6. Get refreshing sleep – healthy sleeping patterns help deal with sugary cravings.
7. Do not take stress – do not excessively stress yourself because stress often triggers cravings.
8. Say no to starvation – do not starve yourself.

Enjoy everything is moderation because excess may turn your cravings into addiction, making your resistance weaker and gradually disappear.