Making any change to the types of food you eat is always likely to kick off cravings, especially when those changes mean removing highly-addictive processed sugar from the diet.

While some people can handle cravings better than others, it’s not unusual to be triggered by such things as birthday or holiday celebrations, stress or natural hormonal changes. 

Fortunately, one of the most positive effects of switching to a low-carbohydrate diet is a gradual reduction in these cravings.

Until your body gets used to your new eating style, there are a number of things you can do to help you beat those cravings and stick to your goals. 

First question to ask yourself is ‘Am I really hungry or do I just need the mouth feel or taste from the food that is playing on my mind?’ 

There is a real difference between physiological hunger and cravings and when following a low carb diet, most people tend to have increased satiety.

If you are truly hungry, go ahead and eat something that is low-carbohydrate in nature. Feel free to grab a piece of cheese, a slice of cooked meat, a hard boiled egg or celery sticks with peanut butter as an example. 

If you are fighting a craving of something sweet, it’s great to have a few pre-portioned snacks ready to go – just make sure they’ve been prepared in the lowest carb way possible.

There are plenty of recipes to create such things as fat bombs, cookies and deserts, or, if it’s more a savoury thought you wish to quench, try the hunger busting snacks mentioned above or create cheese crisps or spicy bacon nuts. 

By having these snacks ready to hand, you’re less likely to grab something you shouldn’t and you’ll soon become a pro at being able to handle cravings on a low carb diet. 

It’s also important to work out why you get these unexplained cravings and to develop coping strategies to keep emotions and eating to stuff those emotions down separate.

If you’re feeling stressed or upset, it’s really helpful to go for a walk, breathing deeply or just talking with a friend. 

Most of all, if you have indulged in something high-carb, don’t beat yourself up about it. That just creates more unnecessary stress and is no excuse to give up. 

Make sure you are prepared for the next craving with a healthier choice.