Cravings! We all struggle with them, especially when we’re stressed or feeling emotional. And let’s face it mamas, when don’t we feel overwhelmed and/or vulnerable? We want to be healthy but more often than not we allow these cravings to override the healthy eating intentions. Not to mention how obsessed they make us when we’re trying to resist them. At times the cravings feel like an integral part of our busy lifestyle and we give into them, because we have so much else to deal with in our lives. Somehow, somewhere we have convinced ourselves that we are not the priority in our life!
I personally find that cravings come up in response to stress, boredom, fatigue, tension, anger, anxiety or loneliness. Instead of dealing with the underlying emotion in an effective manner, eating suppresses the emotion and shifts our focus to what initially appears to be pleasure, unfortunately after we eat, we then indulge in self-admonishment. Does this sound familiar?
Certain foods are just plain addictive and trigger us to overeat. The good news? Healthy foods can be habit-forming too!
It’s no secret sugar is horrible for our body. It robs us of minerals, depletes the adrenals and leads to illness. Sugar is also massively inflammatory and leads to mood swings, fatigue, and of course, weight gain.
Though most mamas realise how horrible it is, they find it difficult to cut it from their diets because it’s so addictive and easy to consume. We treat ourselves with the prettiest cake or cookie.
Artificial sweeteners are even worse because they slow down the metabolism and interfere with our endocrine system.
I invite you to start to focus on eliminating sugar from your diet or at least cutting back.
Here’s how you can start to do that:
- Realize sugar is an addiction, and overcoming it requires motivation and commitment. Like any addiction, it’s not going to be easy, but it’ll be worth it.
- When you crave sugar, try eating a superfood like raw cacao, bee pollen, and goji berries, or a piece of raw fruit like apples, berries, or a slice of pineapple.
- Be sure you’re eating balanced meals. This is a fun, cool fact – watch how much protein and what kind of protein you’re eating, especially animal protein. Eating too little animal protein can lead to massive sweet cravings. Eating too much animal protein can lead to sweet cravings.
- Cut out Low-Fat and Fat Free Foods. – When food manufacturers take the fat out of foods, what do they put in? Sugar!
- If you have a craving, drink a glass of water. Dehydration causes cravings.
- Eat healthy fats at each meal to sustain energy and combat sugar cravings.
- Movement is another kind of food for your body. It releases stress, makes you feel great and look great. When you don’t get enough, the body starts to look for other ways to blow off steam, like binging on chocolate bars.
- Create New Post-Meal Rituals. If you’re a “dessert after your meal” person, one of things you might love about that is the ritual of it. What are other possibilities for post-meal rituals?
- Community. When you’ve got supportive mamas going through the same experiences as you, you’re far more likely to succeed. We have the same challenges and the same celebrations. And at the end of the day, we hold each other accountable. Who can you invite to be on your team? Support each other as you shop, prep your food, exercise and stay on track.
- Replace “treating yourself” with sugar by enjoying:
- Some low-glycemic fruits, like berries, green apples, and grapefruit, or fruit with a dash of cinnamon
- A bowl of berries with coconut milk, flax meal, and stevia
- A baked apple
- A smoothie with unsweetened almond milk, a scoop of plant-based protein powder, cinnamon, stevia, and ice;
- A cup of herbal tea with stevia
- Sleep! For many of us, this is easier said than done. But if you’re constantly tired, your body is going to look for energy, usually in the form or sugar or caffeine. Power down an hour earlier than usual, and notice how your cravings disappear.
Try the following snack recipe, it’s perfect for when you want something sweet that’s going to give you a pick-me-up in the afternoon or calm those ice cream cravings! Few ingredients and so easy to make—I always have some on hand! You can also share with your mama groups.
MAMA ENERGY BITES
Prep time: 5 minutes | Processing time: 15 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes Makes: 16 Balls |
1 tbsp raw cacao
1 cup raw almonds, walnuts, or cashews
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and tightly packed
1tsp of cinnamon (optional)
1 tbsp of raw cacao ( optional)
A sprinkle of Himalayan salt
- Place the nuts, cinnamon, cacao and salt in the food processor. Process until the ingredients are roughly ground.
- Add the Medjool dates and continue processing until the ingredients look like a uniform meal. When you can squeeze some of the mixture in your hand and it sticks together easily, you’re done.
- Roll the mixture into balls 1-inch in diameter and refrigerate them for 30 minutes prior to serving. They will keep for up to two weeks, stored in an airtight container and refrigerated.
Good luck with it all Mamas, often times the journey to health and healing requires some hard work and dedication, but it is worth it. It’s all about baby steps! If you need any help, get in touch, we are here to support you – mindfulslim@mail.co.uk
You are doing a great job!
Love Rosie xx
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