How to Stop Craving Carbs

Simple carbohydrates, commonly found in foods made with sugar and white flour, can lead to weight gain and health problems. In recent years, low carbohydrate diets have been touted as quick, easy ways to lose weight fast. However, despite the popularity of "low carb" diets, not all carbohydrates are bad. To help stop carbohydrate cravings, it's important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as well as know which foods to eat and which ones to avoid.

Instructions

1

Stop buying carbs. If you have high carbohydrate foods in your house, you will be more likely to eat them. Avoid buying foods like cookies, ice cream, chips and cakes. These unhealthy foods are almost void of nutrition and high in calories, as well as carbohydrates. These foods spike blood sugar levels, triggering the release of insulin, which can cause the body to store fat. The more high carbohydrate foods you eat, the more likely you will crave them.

2

Get plenty of sleep. One of the main reasons people crave carbohydrates is because they give you quick energy. Simple carbohydrates can be an easy way to get an energy boost, but the surge in energy will be followed by a dramatic crash in energy levels. Getting enough sleep will help you avoid physical exhaustion and maintain proper energy levels all day. Emotional exhaustion, caused by stress, depression and boredom, can also lead to carbohydrate cravings.

3

Eat regular, healthy meals. Eating small meals every few hours will help keep your blood sugar levels stable. When you go all day without eating, your blood sugar levels drop, causing cravings for foods that give instant energy, such as sugar and other simple carbohydrates. Eating a diet rich in lean proteins, fruits and vegetables and whole grains can help you get the nutrients your body needs to function. These foods will also help keep you feeling full between meals.

4

Eat the right carbohydrates. Not all carbohydrates are bad. In fact, carbohydrates feed your cells and muscles and give you the energy your body needs to function. Foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables provide complex carbohydrates, which are absorbed slowly and do not dramatically raise blood sugar levels. These foods also provide plenty of fiber, which can keep you full, lower your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of cancer.