Have you wanted to lose weight but keep going through a vicious cycle of dieting and binge eating? Acupuncture can help with weight maintenance and craving control. If you need help with weight loss, our New York City acupuncturists are trained to help, give us a call at 212-293-1722. However, the best tips are ones that don't involve dieting.
Start small, and think small changes that are easy to stick with. Did you know that a pound of fat is approximately 3,500 calories? So if you eat 100 less calories a day for a year, you can lose 10lbs in a year. Not a lot, but an easy change if you think that 100 calories is just a half cup of rice, a tablespoon of peanut butter, a small cookie, or 8 doritos chips.
Drink water instead of sodas or juices. Even if you drink diet drinks, the toxic fake sugar substitutes trick your brain into craving more real sugar, which can cause you to eat empty calories.
Conscious eating: Always pay attention when you eat, the best bites of food are the first ones you take. Focus on the taste and texture of what you are eating and you will feel satiated quicker.
Recognize when you are truly hungry. Ask yourself, “Am I full? Do I need this 2nd slice of cake?”
Focus more on what you CAN eat. Think of “adding” foods. Add fruits and veggies, perhaps challenge yourself to eating 3 different types of vegetables or fruits a day. You’ll be thinking about how to eat those instead of worrying about not being able to eat sometime else.
Keep a food journal and reasons why you are eating: hunger, boredom, the food is there and accessible. A quick tip here is to not buy junk foods you love, then if you have a craving you don’t have access to it.
Our favorite tip of all: don’t focus so much on it. Be honest, are you eating well? Are you exercising? Are you truly overweight or are you just weight conscious because society wants us to be thin?