Unless you have not eaten in 3-4 hours or more, many times a "craving" for a snack is not hunger at all. Cravings for specific foods or feeling hungry soon after eating is often "emotional hunger" or "head hunger." What you really need may be rest, relaxation, rejuvenation, or even social interaction. Here are five ways to beat a snack craving!

1. Take a walk, outside if possible. Sitting doing one activity for long periods of time can be energy draining. Walking around for five minutes can be as energizing as a sweet treat, and you feel so much better afterwards that if you had that treat. Walking outside can help improve your vitamin D and help you sleep better. 

2. Speaking of sleeping better, one cause for cravings is exhaustion. Taking a power nap or just relaxing and closing your eyes for twenty minutes is much better for you than mindless eating. And remember the ultimate goal - 8 hours of sleep every night!

3. Have a special "low calorie" beverage. Low calorie doesn't have to mean low on taste or boring - try brewing a special tea, or have a fruit infused water. 
Try Sassy Water for a change!

4. Phone a friend. If you're not physically hungry, you could be hungry for some human contact. If you have been working a lot or just haven't talked to a loved one recently, a simple conversation can go along way towards improving your emotional health. People are social beings and need to connect.

5. Take on your to-do list. Find a task or project that can be completed in a relatively short time span and knock it out. The satisfaction (and action) of organizing a messy drawer, cleaning out your closet, or just filing your loose papers on your desk at work can give you the sense of accomplishment that you need.

Do you have any other ideas for beating snack cravings? Email me at mjfarley@lexhealth.org.