It is hard enough to stick to our healthy eating or weight loss strategies, even under the best of circumstances. To make things that much more difficult, we have a sneaky little enemy that works to sabotage our best laid plans… Cravings!

I am delighted to share a few tips that will help you silence and conquer your cravings.

There are really only two types of cravings we experience:

• Physical Cravings - Our bodies are seriously lacking something nutritionally, which forces our brain to create a desire for a food that will replenish the nutrients our body is lacking.

(Example: Low energy=Sugar craving)

• Mental Cravings - Our mind is sufficiently influenced by outside sources or by a familiar habit, so it creates a strong desire to imbibe in a certain type of food to satisfy the perceived need.

(Example: Think of the habit of eating popcorn at the movies)

Don’t make the mistake of confusing cravings with hunger… They are not the same thing!

Here are 5 very simple tips to beating your cravings before they beat you:

Drink a lot of water.

Though you may end up using the bathroom a little more often, this is probably the easiest way to fool your stomach into thinking it is full for short periods of time while the cravings pass. Water has no calories. Isn’t that awesome? So the next time your body is craving food, try drinking a big glass of water. This healthy substitute will usually silence the craving and get you through until meal time.

Keep regular daily eating habits.

In other words, set a consistent schedule of breakfast, lunch, dinner and a couple of healthy snacks in between. Skipping meals will only send your body into starvation mode and increase your cravings. Light, healthy eating every 3-4 hours is best.

That said, I do recommend practicing intermittent fasting where you are depriving your body of food for a short time (usually 24-48 hours). Fasting is biblical and has been practiced for centuries. There are many ways to fast; I would recommend additional reading on the subject.

Get all of the junk food out of your house!

Also out of your car, out of your office, or wherever else you spend your time. KEEP IT OUT! Replace it with fruits, nuts, vegetables or other healthy snacks. You can’t cheat with what you don’t have, so eliminate your access to junk food.

Practice distraction.

The battle against cravings takes place in your mind. The longer you dwell on the thought of whatever you are craving, the more likely that you will give in to that desire. So the trick is to distract you mind away from the craving as quickly as possible and keep it occupied with other things. You might turn on the radio and sing along, do some pushups or leg lifts, call a friend on the phone or brainstorm an idea.

While we have become great at multi-tasking, our brains still give focus to only one thought at a time. Occupying our focus with any other thought will distract our minds away from the craving and allow it to pass.

Take a Nutritional Supplement.

It is very difficult these days to get the nutrition our bodies need from the foods that are available to us. It is possible, if you have consistent access to fruits and vegetables that are truly organic, have not been genetically modified in any way and have been grown without the use of pesticides. Meats and dairy products would also have to be organic and non-GMO, along with being grass fed and allowed to range free. From there it would be up to you to ensure you that you ate all of these great natural foods in the perfect quantities and balance every day for optimal health.

Unless you are a nutrition superhero, Good luck with that!

Most of us just can’t or won’t be as diligent as is necessary to eat that well. It’s just a fact. We are too busy and it is too hard to do everything we are supposed to do all of the time. Thank goodness for modern science!

Nutritional supplements have advanced a lot in the last few years and can do wonders to help take up the slack where our diets fall short. In fact, a high-quality, all-in-one nutritional supplement can completely turn a person’s life around. Why? Because when your body is getting the nutrition it needs, it can literally cure itself of almost any ailment.

And the best part… when you start feeling better, you naturally become happier, more active and energetic. This creates a cycle of better and better health, fitness and wellbeing. Over time, this healthy lifestyle can become second nature.

One important piece of advice… Do Your Research! Only choose a supplement after carefully inspecting the ingredients to make sure they are all-natural, with no artificial fillers or toxins. Quality is more expensive, but I recommend that you never choose lower cost over quality when it comes to your health.

Each of is uniquely made by God. While I may require a diet that is low in carbs and higher in proteins and fats, you may be just the opposite. It is best to know yourself… track how you feel after eating meals high in fats compared to meals high in carbs. Once you know your body type and your daily nutritional needs, you will easily avoid the physical cravings that are caused by nutritional deficiencies.

The 5 tips above will help you win the fight against those mentally or emotionally based cravings. You will be able to crush those cravings fast and get on with your healthy, active lifestyle.