The key to healthy living is often found in the diet we eat. So much focus around health is centered around physical exercise. Staying active is a big part of improving your physical health, but it often plays second fiddle to a good diet and calorie restriction. That’s because there are billions of dollars invested in the fitness industry. Gyms, courses, clothing, gear, and other related businesses are all vying for your dollars. They tell you in ads that you’ll be slim and healthy in no time if you simply sign up for this course or buy this equipment.
The truth is successful weight loss and long-term health, however, are often found in the food we eat. A balanced diet that is low in sugar and high in nutrients and protein will help you shed excess weight and even out your energy much faster than most exercise routines. Of course, the ideal approach is a mix of both diet and exercise to accomplish your health goals.
One of the biggest obstacles to healthy dieting is that it’s hard! Changing what you eat and quitting delicious foods that are bad for you is not easy. It takes a lot of willpower. Getting through the first few weeks of a diet can be incredibly challenging. Your body has to adjust to the new normal while you form new eating habits. It’s not going to take change very well.
Dealing with food cravings can be tough, but there are proven methods to make them more manageable. Try these tips out to make your diet a lasting success.
Go to Bed Earlier
Sleeping is great for your health. You’ll feel better rested and, as a result, have fewer cravings and urges to snack. On top of that, you’ll be less prone to snacking in the evening. This is when a lot of diet damage happens for people. You get bored after dinner and you’re tired, so you don’t have the discipline that you do in the middle of the day. Then out comes the ice cream and the chips. Going to bed earlier helps you skip all that.
Stay Hydrated
Fight off food cravings by drinking a lot of water. Increasing the water you drink is a key component of any successful diet. You’ll have more energy and it’s great for your skin too! Try to work your way up to drinking a gallon of water a day. It may seem like a lot now, but in no time you’ll be doing it just fine. You’ll feel fuller faster with more water and will stay away from harmful foods.
Prepare Healthy Snacks Ahead of Time
If you’re starting a diet, you have to know that, at some point, cravings are going to come at you hard. To be ready for it, you should prepare some healthy snacks you can grab when things become difficult instead of reaching for a box of cookies or stopping at a fast food restaurant in a pinch. Cut up some vegetables and stick them in the fridge. Carry around some sugar-free gum to get you through when things become rough.
Peptides and Hunger Cravings
A lot of research is going into peptides and their ability to control hunger cravings. In tests done on rodents, Melanotan 2, or MT-2 https://www.peptidesciences.com/melanotan-2-10mg mimic the performance of the leptin hormone, known for its ability to produce the feeling of satiety that comes with feeling full. Rodents that were given MT-2 also showed a decreased preference for fatty and unhealthy foods, and their overall consumption rates went down. MT-2 is a synthetic peptide that was developed in the 1980s at the University of Arizona, and more research is ongoing into its ability to control feelings of hunger. This peptide is not yet FDA approved for human use. There is more research that needs to be done but has promising future medical possibilities.
Stay Busy
Many people starting diets confuse the feeling of being bored with hunger. We eat mindlessly because we live in a state of abundance. Snack foods are everywhere, and they are often more affordable than other foods. We snack whenever we have downtime and we associate many of the activities we enjoy with eating. It’s hard to watch a movie without a bowl of popcorn or some other snack, right? You get together with friends for a meal or bake when you have time at night.
One of the best ways to fight off hunger is to start doing activities that take your mind off of eating. Join a class or sign up for some exercise groups. Fill your time with wholesome activities that don’t involve eating and it will train your body to stop snacking and craving foods.
