Learning to cope with triggers and cravings
after quitting smoking
We all know the feeling. You’ve been smoking for years, and you’ve finally decided to quit. Great! But now you’re faced with a new challenge: learning to cope with triggers and cravings after quitting smoking.
It’s normal to experience cravings and triggers when you first quit smoking. After all, you’re breaking a longstanding habit, and your body is adjusting to the lack of nicotine. But don’t worry – there are ways to cope with these cravings and triggers, and eventually they will subside.
One way to cope with cravings is to keep your hands and mouth busy. If you’re used to smoking while drinking coffee, for example, try sipping on herbal tea instead. Or if you typically smoke after meals, brush your teeth immediately after eating.
You can also try to distract yourself when cravings strike. Call a friend, take a walk, or read a book. Doing something that takes your mind off smoking can help you get through the craving.
There are also some things you can do to prevent cravings from happening in the first place. Avoiding triggers is a good place to start. If you know that you tend to crave cigarettes when you’re drinking alcohol, for example, try to avoid situations where you’ll be drinking.
If you can’t avoid a trigger, try to change the way you respond to it. If you normally smoke while watching TV, for example, find another activity to do instead, like knitting or playing Sudoku.
Of course, there will be times when cravings are strong and you feel like you can’t cope. That’s OK. It’s normal to have slip-ups when you’re quitting smoking. The important thing is to not give up. Get back on track as soon as possible, and keep trying to kick the habit for good.
Learning to cope with triggers and cravings after quitting smoking takes time and practice. But it’s definitely possible, and the effort is worth it..Site link
Intuitive eating: How to listen to your body and stop binge eating
If you’ve ever been on a diet, you know the drill. Count calories, points, or macros. Cut out all the “bad” foods. Eat smaller portions. Avoid eating after 7 p.m. And the list goes on.
The problem with diets is that they’re often based on arbitrary rules that have nothing to do with how your body actually works. And when you can’t stick to the rules, you end up feeling guilty, stressed, and like a failure.
This is where intuitive eating comes in.
Intuitive eating is an approach to eating that is based on honoring your hunger and fullness cues, rather than following strict diet rules.
It might sound simple, but it can be hard to do if you’re used to dieting. After all, diet culture has taught us to ignore our hunger cues and to push through hunger in the name of weight loss.
The goal of intuitive eating is to make peace with food and your body. It’s about honoring your hunger, enjoying your food, and feeling good in your body.
There are 10 principles of intuitive eating, but here are a few of the most important ones:
1. Reject the diet mentality
The first step to intuitive eating is to reject the diet mentality. This means getting rid of the all-or-nothing thinking that leads to yo-yo dieting.
Instead of thinking of foods as “good” or “bad,” try to think of them as nourishing or not-so-nourishing. And instead of thinking of your body as “fat” or “flawed,” try to think of it as strong and capable.
2. Honor your hunger
The second principle of intuitive eating is to honor your hunger. This means listening to your body when it’s telling you to eat and not waiting until you’re so hungry that you’re ready to eat anything.
If you’re used to dieting, this might sound scary. But it’s important to remember that hunger is a normal and necessary part of life. It’s not something to be feared.
3. Make peace with food
The third principle of intuitive eating is to make peace with food. This means giving yourself permission to eat the foods you love without guilt or shame.
It also means being mindful of your eating habits and being aware of how certain foods make you feel. For example, you might notice that sugary foods give you a quick energy boost but then make you feel tired and sluggish afterwards.
4. Respect your fullness
The fourth principle of intuitive eating is to respect your fullness. This means listening to your body when it’s telling you to stop eating.
It can be helpful to think of your hunger as a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being starving and 10 being stuffed. Once you hit a 7 or 8 on the hunger scale, that’s a good time to start thinking about stopping.
5. Satisfy your thirst
The fifth principle of intuitive eating is to satisfy your thirst. This means drinking plenty of water and avoiding sugary drinks like soda and juice.
Water is essential for your body to function properly. And when you’re properly hydrated, you’re less likely to mistake thirst for hunger.
6. Trust your body
The final principle of intuitive eating is to trust your body. This means listening to your body’s cues and giving it what it needs.
If you’re ever unsure about whether or not you’re truly hungry, ask yourself these questions:
What time is it?
Have I eaten anything in the past few hours?
What’s going on in my life right now? (Are you stressed, bored, or emotional?)
Am I physically hungry, or am I craving a specific food?
Answering these questions can help you discern whether or not you’re truly hungry.
If you are hungry, trust your body to tell you what it needs. If you’re craving a specific food, it’s OK to indulge yourself. And if you’re not sure, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and eat something.
Intuitive eating is a journey, and it’s different for everyone. The most important thing is to be patient with yourself and to listen to your body. It might take some time to get used to, but eventually, it will become second nature.
Visit mengeredstoo.co.uk to learn more about how to stop binge eating. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.