Losing weight during the holiday season isn’t always about not exercising, but dealing with cravings. You may associate Christmas with chocolate Santas, pumpkin pie, and the big holiday ham. If you are really struggling with your cravings, these tips can help.
Drink Less Caffeine and Alcohol
Many people like to enjoy their coffee in the morning during the winter, but the problem with this is that caffeine tends to be connected to sugar cravings. When you have caffeine in your system, it then starts to crave more of that same boost in energy, which often leads you to wanting sugary treats. If you struggle a lot with cravings, now is a good time to give up or reduce your caffeine intake. The same can be said for alcohol, which also leads to worse cravings and sugar-eating binges.
Drink More Water
Instead of drinking all the soda, coffee, wine, and alcoholic beverages, switch to water. Flavor the water if you need to, such as infusing the water with cranberries and oranges for a seasonal water, or just adding some lemon slices to each glass. This makes it feel like you are having a flavored drink, but all you are drinking is clean water with some healthy fruit juice inside. Water makes you feel full, takes away cravings, and the fruit can help with the sweet tooth as well.
Fulfill Your Sugar Cravings in Healthy Ways
There are healthier ways to fulfill those sugar cravings when not having anything isn’t working out for you. For example, if everyone around you is eating fudge and cookies, and the sugar cravings are too much, try eating some fruit. Fruit has natural sugars that aren’t bad for you, but definitely help to fulfill your craving for something sweet. To make it more like a dessert, dip fruit in melted dark chocolate for a little sweet treat or try adding some homemade whipped topping on top of the fruit. You can also drizzle it with honey, which is still far less fattening than other Christmas treats. There are lots of great tips just like this in Eat Drink and Shrink, which just happens to be one of my favorite weight loss programs.
Find Other Things to Occupy Your Mind
You can also find some other activities that take you away from your cravings when they are hard to battle. If you don’t want to overeat during the Christmas season, find somewhere else to go away from the food or treats and write in a journal or go for a walk. This can help boost your mood and take your mind off the food you are craving.
