How to Stop Chocolate Cravings When You’re Tired and Cranky: 3 Simple Tips
Did you know that chocolate is the most craved food substance in the world? There’s something about its smooth, rich, buttery, sweet melt-in-your-mouth experience that has even the most disciplined person go weak at the knees. Chocolate is so universally loved in just about every country and culture that it could probably help pacify even the most ferocious disagreement.
Chocolate is a classic ‘bad food/good food’ – on one hand it’s high in saturated fat and sugar which puts it in the ‘bad food’ category, but it can also be sometimes propelled into the ‘good’ category due to its antioxidants. Even the most avid chocolate addict would reluctantly admit, though, that chocolate is far better eaten in small portions as a treat rather than as a meal replacement or a daily necessity.
But how do you deal with those chocolate cravings that have you reaching for your favourite chocolate bar when you’re tired, exhausted, cranky or just ‘over it’?
I love chocolate myself and I eat it fairly regularly, but gone are the days when I reach for a bar of Cadbury rather than eat a healthy snack.
These are three tips that have helped me conquer the chocolate cravings once and for all.
Tip #1: Drink more water
Did you know that sugar cravings can often be confused with dehydration? And did you know that over 70% of people in the US are thought to be dehydrated, which probably means Australians are not that far behind (we could actually be in front due to our warmer climate)? That means that you could well be sitting reading this in a dehydrated state without even knowing it.
If you get regular cravings for chocolate and/or sugar, get into the habit of always having a bottle of water with you at all times and take a big slug instead of taking a choccy chunk. Wait for 10 minutes and see if the craving passes. You’ll be amazed how often it does.
Tip #2: Eat more protein
One of the best things I’ve done over the years is add more protein into my diet. Miraculously (not so miraculous really, as it’s a proven scientific fact), the more protein I eat the less sugar cravings I have. When once I would grab a big chunk of chocolate cake rather than a tuna sandwich, I know prefer the sandwich.
Good protein snacks are a small handful of mixed nuts (brazil, almonds, cashews); a hard-boiled egg or some mixed seeds and a piece of fruit. You need to get into the habit of having such snacks readily available.
That’s a bonus tip on how to stop chocolate cravings – always have healthy snacks with you at all times.
Tip #3: Listen to your body…and rest
If you keep grabbing for the chocolate in all its delicious forms, ponder for a moment how busy you are. Are you taking time out for yourself? Are you getting enough rest? Or are you too far down your own list of priorities to look after yourself?
The final tip is to simply give into the need to unwind, recharge and revitalise. You could well be caught on the treadmill of life and have forgotten how to get off. Listen to your body and get some early nights and take some time out for yourself.
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The protein shakes and vitamins are scientifically formulated to target whatever it is your wanting to focus on. The protein shakes are known as “the protein mix that tastes like cake mix” because they’re so good. Most protein shakes can be gritty, taste bad and even leave you feeling bloated. These protein shakes are packed with protein, fiber, calcium and more including whey protein. The whole ideal of the protein shakes and vitamins, is to offer support to give your body the ideal nutrients to help you feel your best.
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Mediterranean Diet May Help Lower the Risk for Heart Ailments
The well-renowned Mediterranean diet has long been viewed as an ideal framework of a heart-friendly dietary regimen by numerous nutrition and health practitioners worldwide. This view stems from the relatively low rates of heart and cardiovascular ailments among individuals living in the countries and territories that border the Mediterranean Sea. The mortality rates from heart ailments there are also vastly lower than those of their counterparts in many areas of the world.
A quick evaluation of this Mediterranean diet reveals the following patterns:
1. There is a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, seeds and nuts;
2. There is high intake of olive oil complementing meals;
3. There is low to moderate consumption of fish, chicken, eggs and dairy products;
4. There is low consumption of red meat;
5. There is low to moderate intake of red wine, typically after lunch and dinner.
Indeed, scientific research published in publications such as The Journal of the American Medical Association found that older people who included a Mediterranean-type diet in their daily routine markedly improved their life expectancy.
But what is it precisely about the Mediterranean diet that apparently makes it custom-made to fight against heart diseases?
The big concentration of fruits and vegetables like apples, pomegranates, dates, grapes, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant, lentils and peppers in the Mediterranean diet makes it a formidable combo of healthy agents that does wonders for heart health.
Tomatoes for example have an abundant dose of antioxidants and nutrients that are believed to help inhibit the actions of clot-promoting platelets. This may help translate to a decreased likelihood of the development of heart disease and other cardiovascular ailments for tomato eaters. Other tomato constituents such as lycopene are believed to aid in the lowering of risk for the development of other chronic ailments. These factors contribute to the relatively frequent study of tomato benefits.
The liberal use of olive oil is another fixture of the Mediterranean diet that merits a close watch. It is typically used as a dressing for salads and pasta, as well as a dip for bread and other savory food. Olive oil has monounsaturated fats that don’t elevate bad cholesterol levels in the same manner as saturated fat from other types of oil. It is also believed to assist in increasing levels of good cholesterol in the body.
Other olive oil health benefits are also believed to be derived from its abundant content of vitamin E, vitamin K, antioxidant polyphenols and other nutrients.
People in Italy and southern France have remarkably recorded low rates of coronary heart disease and it becomes spectacularly glaring when compared to their Western European or North American peers. When analysts evaluated their eating habits, it was found out that these individuals normally ended their meals with a glass of red wine.
The researchers then dug deep into the red wine constituents and found that several of these were responsible for decreasing the stickiness of blood platelets and helping maintain blood vessel flexibility. These components included antioxidant compounds like resveratrol, polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins.
It is noteworthy to point out that the Mediterranean lifestyle does not exclusively refer to their dietary regimen. Their lifestyle also involves regular, even strenuous physical activity. As most of the people reside on rocky and hilly terrain, there is a natural propensity to walk and run large distances and even climb high altitudes. These activities allow them to burn fat and calories and facilitate better metabolism. This ideal combination of constant physical activity and healthy diet seems to be the main reason for the lower incidence of cardiovascular disease exhibited by the people of this region.