Help! I Miss Carbs: How To Stop Craving Carbs

We all love carbs. You’re craving some right now. Those of us that grew up eating bread and chips and pasta simply love the stuff and sometimes we feel we can’t do without it. So how do we stop those pesky carb cravings?

Even when we know how unhealthy carbs are for us especially when deep fired in a vat of saturated oil, we just can’t help ourselves. 

But we must if we want to live a long and healthy life. 

Deciding to go cold turkey on your favorite carbs (yes, the same ones that are bad for you, but so delicious) could be the hardest time in your life.

In fact, sugar addiction is a very real thing, not just a made up condition in the figment of your imagination. It is being researched more and more these days, as it has been discovered to share similarities to drug addiction, whereby pleasure and reward centers in the brain are constantly seeking their next “high” or feel good moment.

However, the good news is that carb addiction is not that difficult to break. In fact, after just 2 weeks or so of going commando, you can do without them, and you will not be subject to violent mood swings and out of control cravings.

So how exactly can you stop missing those carbs, and overcome your addiction? By following the tips we have outlined for you, of course!

Prevent Hunger From Occurring

Sometimes, the difference between a craving and true hunger is confusing. In general, if you hear or feel your tummy “rumbling” you’re hungry. At other time, you think you’re hungry, but no signals are being sent from your tummy.

The best way to prevent this?

Eat timed meals. If you find waiting 4+ hours between meals isn’t quite working for you, divide that one larger meal into two smaller servings, which can be eaten two hours apart. Ensure the meal is rich in protein and quality fat, as they are both very filling and will shut down your desires for sweets and starches.

The moderate amount of protein and high fat intake in a low carb diet really helps to satisfy your hunger, so you want to eat less naturally. Read up here about just how much good a low carb diet can do for your body and your overall health. 

In addition, when you begin to burn fat for energy, which is best done on a ketogenic diet, you will not experience blood sugar spikes, which also helps to naturally regulate the appetite, as long as you eat protein and healthy fats on a regular basis.

How to Stop Craving Carbs: Keep Yourself Busy

Do you notice that you or your kids tend to gain an extra 5 or 10 pounds during holiday or vacation times? Even though you may not be travelling and trying exquisite cuisine, the act in itself of being home all the time, bored as hell, paves the way for overeating.

Binging on carbs offers a short time fix for feelings of boredom, like smoking a cigarette to fix an itch. Keep yourself engaged in activities will help distract your mind from useless snacking, which can start an addiction if you haven’t yet developed one.

Now is the best time to develop a great hobby for yourself and your kids that involves movement. Do yoga together as a family or some active games that will provide exercise and entertainment for all involved. 

Stay Happy to Stop Carb Cravings

Know what is absolutely jaw-dropping? The fact that a study revealed that cravings are not necessarily a result of hunger, but rather your mood.

If you’ve ever watched a show like The Biggest Loser, one thing that usually resounds is the trigger that started the cascade of weight gain.

Normally, it was some sort of depression– having lost a family member, being bullied at school, having no friends or sheer boredom with life.

Food does improve your mood, but for a very short period of time, and that just leads to you wanting more and more, frequently a bag of chips or candy.

Instead of filling up your thoughts with somber, woe-is-me thoughts, do something to take up your time, such as visiting somewhere new, doing something you truly enjoy, getting some exercise or going to a movie.

Find Carb Replacements

Sometimes, just talking the talk isn’t enough; you need something tangible to fill the void created by the absence of your favorite sweet treats.

Good options here include foods like fatty fruits (avocadoes, olives) protein and fat rich meats, and bulky veggies.

You can even try making some kale chips, which taste delicious and fill you up pronto! Get a list of 100 carb swaps below if you’re struggling to find some viable options.

The key to stop eating carbs, or unhealthy carbs at least is surviving the first two weeks, and getting them out of your sight.

It is futile trying to break the cycle when you have cookies stashed in your pantry begging to keep you company. You won’t be missing any of them in no time when you begin to lose weight and get control of your appetite back!

Want to be convinced that you should cut unhealthy carbs? 

How The Low Carb Lifestyle Can Improve Your Health

A low carb diet is essentially, what it says – it is a diet that greatly reduces intake of carbohydrates. We know this is not as easy as it sounds.

Carbohydrates are found in foods such as sugary snacks, bread, pasta, starches, fruit, and many processed foods. Typically, the most strict low carb diets limit intake to 20 grams of net carbs per day, at the very least less than 50 grams and the main source of these carbs should be non-starchy vegetables.

Although it may seem drastic, there is plenty of scientific research that shows low carb eating to be beneficial to your health, from weight loss, medical reasons, or a wish to simply eat better.

Whatever your reason for ditching carbs, there are several key health benefits that can be attributed to this kind of diet.

Weight Loss as a Result of Eating Fewer Carbs

With many diets, people often end up hungry and then snacking and fail to lose weight. They try to restrict their food intake too much and end up ‘falling off the wagon’. This is a very real issue for many people and the ultimate reason why they do not lose the weight they are trying so hard to shift.

In contrast, with the low carb lifestyle you do not get the hunger cravings or need to eat like you do with other diets.

Research has shown that people who reduce the number of carbohydrates they eat and replace these with additional protein and healthy fats, will eat less and reduce their overall calorie consumption.

If you are trying to lose weight then this can be an effective method, as you actually want to eat less. When you are living a low carb lifestyle, you lose weight in different ways.

For example, a lot of the body is made up of excess water and the low carb diet can help to get rid of some of this.

A low carb lifestyle leads to lower levels of insulin, which causes the kidneys to work more efficiently and by eliminating insulin triggers, most people lose weight and often very quickly.

When You Stop Craving Carbs, You Lower Your Levels Of Visceral Fat

When we do lose weight from following this diet there is an important point to consider. Not all weight is the same, and visceral fat is the bad kind that sits around our organs and can cause serious health problems.

Research has shown that a low carb diet can help to reduce levels of visceral fat specifically rather than the other type of fat, the subcutaneous type.

Stabilize Blood Sugars – Prevent And Manage Type 2 Diabetes

When a low carb diet is followed long term, there is a clear reduction in the chance of developing diabetes and other health issues.

Eating fewer carbs reduces the need for the body to produce insulin; insulin is used to break down all the sugars in carbohydrates and too much of this can lead to diabetes in later life.

By simply reducing the amount of carbohydrates (insulin trigger foods) that you are eating, you are reducing the production of insulin in the body and reducing the body’s resistance to it.

A low carb diet prevents erratic blood sugar spikes that may lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Similarly, research has shown that diabetes, both type 1 and type 2 can be better controlled with a low carbohydrate diet.

Of course, anyone who is considering changes to their diet should consult their doctor. This is particularly the case if you are taking medication for your diabetes, as this may need to be adjusted too.

Low Carb Reduces High Blood Pressure

Like diabetes, high blood pressure has been connected to many serious health disorders such as heart attacks and strokes. Ultimately, we should all aim to keep our blood pressure within the healthy range, but this can be hard with our lifestyles.

Research is therefore focused on finding ways everyone can realistically lower their blood pressure. The low carb diet can help to keep blood pressure where it should be and prevent it from getting too high.

The overall message is that a low carb diet can be beneficial in many ways and can help with certain serious health issues.

However, there is always a risk when making drastic changes to your diet such as significantly reducing the amount of carbohydrates you consume.

It is therefore best to consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet; this is particularly the case if you have been diagnosed with any current health issue.

Ask your doctor, a low carb lifestyle may really work for you.