Can you relate to this scenario? Almost like clockwork, a few hours after lunch, afternoon boredom sets in, concentration wanes and you start craving something…usually sweet but salty snacks are fair game too. If you succumb to the urge, inevitably you’ll want more and more, sometimes eating to the point of discomfort. If this sounds familiar to you, you are not alone.
What are Food Cravings?
Different from normal hunger, food cravings are an intense desire to consume a particular food. While the exact type, time and duration of cravings is unique to each individual, cravings are often for junkfood, highly processed foods and foods high in salt, sugar and fat. Junkfood cravings can be one of the biggest obstacles for those of us aiming to lose weight or adopt/maintain a healthful diet.
Special thanks to Fizzique and Fit Approach for sponsoring this conversation.
Cravings happen when your blood sugar gets low. The insulin spike that results after eating sugar/high carb foods may feel satisfying at first but that feeling is short lived. Sugar crashes leave us feeling tired, hangry and craving more of the sweet stuff. It’s a vicious cycle. So what can we do to overcome cravings and keep our blood sugar stable?
Hydrate: It sounds simple but many of us (me included) often fail to take in enough fluids. Aim for roughly half your bodyweight in ounces (if you weigh 150 shoot for at least 75oz.) More if you’re working out vigorously.
Take in adequate protein. Protein “burns slower” than carbs so it take longer to be broken down by the body and absorbed into the blood stream. When you eat protein, your blood sugar levels stay more stable and you feel satisfied longer.
Enjoy Fizzique Sparkling Protein Water It’s a great way to hydrate AND take in protein at the same time. How convenient is that? I wasn’t sure what to expect when I tried it. Would the protein content be obvious? Would it taste weird or have an aftertaste? The answers are no, no and no. I found Fizzique to be refreshing, flavorful, and I would never have guessed by the taste that it contains 20g of whey protein in each 12oz. serving.
While it is not meant to be a meal replacement Fizzique is great for the following:
- Helps give you a kick start
- Satisfies hunger/cravings
- Tides you over between meals
Over the past few weeks I’ve been reaching for a can of Fizzique at that “witching hour” (for me it’s mid-afternoon) when I crave junk. I tried both the Strawberry Watermelon and Tropical Limon flavors and enjoyed both.
- 80 calories
- 20g whey protein
- Zero net carbs
Since I’ve been so busy lately shuttling my kids to track meets as well as getting in my own workouts, I’ve been throwing a can of Fizzique in my bag and enjoying it either post-workout when I know I won’t be able to get a decent recovery meal right away or during track meets to both hydrate me as well as tide me over until I can eat a healthy meal.
- Soy- and lactose free
- GMO-free
- No artificial flavors, preservatives or dyes
Try Fizzique for yourself! Use code MARCIAFIZZIQUE to save 10% when you order online. Fizzique is also available on Amazon.
Join the Instagram Challenge for a chance to win a Fizzique supply of your own. Visit the Fit Approach Instagram account for prompts.
Join ME for a special Facebook Live Chat Monday, 4/30 at noon! We’ll chat all about kicking cravings, eating healthy and how Fizzique helps you do both. Tune in here!
Focus on Fiber and Healthy Fats. Take in adequate fiber (25g for women), to feel full faster and stay satisfied longer. Be sure to eat a variety of beans, nuts, seeds, and high fiber fruit/veggies like peas, broccoli sweet potato and berries. Healthy fats like those found in avocado, fatty fish and olive oil are your friend as well.
Manage Stress. Many of us respond to stress or negative emotions by overeating. Studies show that there’s a correlation between excess cortisol in the bloodstream and food cravings.
Get adequate rest. Studies show that there’s a link between sleep deprivation and poor food choices. Test subjects craved unhealthy snack and junk foods more when they were sleep deprived.
Change up your routine. Humans are creatures of habit. When we develop poor habits…like opting for junkfood at the same time each day…those routines are tough to break. If you find yourself succumbing to cravings set yourself up for success by not keeping trigger foods in the house or at your desk. If possible, get up and take a walk, run errands or another activity that changes up your snacking routine.
Do you struggle with food cravings? What are your best tips for heading off unhealthy snacking?
I get hungry mid-morning and mid-afternoon. A lot of times, a glass of water is all I need. I read once somewhere that sometimes hunger is actually thirst. I’m sure the protein in Fizzique really helps curb your appetite! Looking forward to your FB live…
I find that the busier I am the less I notice any food cravings. I usually pack a protein bar to snack on in the afternoon which helps hold me over until dinner. Fizzique sounds like a great option for staying hydrated and fighting off those cravings!
Thanks for sharing. It looks interesting.
I eat a bagel in the am and then a banana in the pm.
I am a huge sparkling water fan and I have been wondering how this tasted? Sometimes no matter what I do, I just need to have something sweet. But I don’t like sweet drinks. Weird huh?
Getting enough protein and hydrating are two key things for me. Now that i have invisalign, I completely cut out snacking so I have to make sure that I have a good amount of protein per 3 meals I have reuseable water bottles lieterally everywhere – work, my car, my gym bag, etc, so I tend to drink a lot of water throughout the day, lol
My Mom always told me to drink water when I was looking for a snack or felt tired. Funny how Mom always knows best.
I try to substitute my coffee/tea and sweet afternoon snack with water and fruit. It doesn’t always work out but I’m trying.
I need to try Fizzique. Sounds good.
I definitely need to focus on hydration more. I think I get dehydrated easily during training which leads to eating a lot more
I have granola bars as my morning snack, and Clif bars as my afternoon snack. Since I do the grocery shopping, I know if I don’t buy something, it won’t be there for me to eat. It’s easier at work, but I have been snacking when I work from home. The fridge is right there.
This may be a silly question since it has the word Fizz in the name, but is it carbonated?
This used to be me but I was able to break the habit! It does take time but with a few changes here and there, it IS possible! That drink sounds awesome too!
My cravings are always stemming from stress! Or if I really get too hungry then I’ll just eat whatever. Often I’ll try to have a big mug of herbal tea and wait it out. I try to stay prepared by always having healthy stuff with me. From one dietitian I learned the trick of snacking on pickles if I was in between meals. I actually bought (Russian) pickles the other day for this reason ! (The Dutch ones are sweet and i dont like that!)
Great tips! I tried many times to avoid junk food and sweets but find just limited my consumption better then giving it up 190%. Water and good rest help me as well.
I do great during the week because I have water at my desk and am constantly sipping while at work. It’s the weekends when my water intake plummets because I’m not in my “usual” element.
I’ve never heard of that, but it sounds interesting (I’d definitely have to look a the ingredients).
I actually find a green smoothie and/or a protein smoothie in the afternoon often satisfies me. I make them myself, so I know what goes into it and can control the ingredients. It’s funny, all the times I tried to make them a habit, and then it just sort of happened this year.
I still often struggle with getting in enough protein without getting in too much fat, so this still sounds interesting!
I try to delay satisfying cravings until I get distracted. A low-cal beverage is a good option for a substitution.
Great tips! I usually leave a few healthy snacks in my desk when I get hungry and I also try and eat smaller meals more often so I don’t hit a low. The Fizzique looks refreshing!
Sounds like a great product to curb hunger between meals. You can’t go wrong with extra protein either. Thanks for linking.
I am loving the fizz fizzoque gives and the energy. I am going to use some of these other tips when cravings become overwhelming
These are all great tips, especially the hydration one! I have been trying to be better about that by asking myself if “I am hungry or just dehydrated?” I am going to give the Fizzique a try as I like a little sparkle to my H2O!!
Fabulous tips. I think all of us could benefit from this. I’m hearing a lot about fizzique lately.
Hydration and lack of sleep are often my culprit. As I have been focusing more on those I notice less cravings. I need to try out fizzique soon!
Thanks for sharing this helping information 🙂