Before you get too excited about the prospect of eating anything and everything you want during pregnancy, it’s best to be prepared. After all, cravings can be a blessing and a test at the same time – they often lead to new discoveries and healthy habits, but at times they also drive you towards some not-so-healthy foods. Perhaps one of the most difficult things about having cravings is that you simply cannot ignore them. You may try ignoring them for a few minutes or hours, but sooner than later these cravings will creep up again and again until you give in to your urges. The good news is that there are ways to cope with these cravings so that you don’t feel like a prisoner to them. Here are 5 simple ways to cope with pregnancy food cravings:
5 Ways to Cope with Pregnancy Food Cravings
1. Go for Healthy Alternatives
Whenever you are very hungry, it can be very easy to give in to whatever your most pressing craving is. You may want to eat a whole bag of chips at once, or chug down a pint of ice cream in one sitting – these are not good ways of coping with cravings. Instead, try going for healthy alternatives to your cravings whenever possible.
For example, if you have a sweet tooth craving, you can go for some fruit instead of sweets. If you crave salty foods, you can go for some baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes. And if you crave something spicy, you can add a dash of chili powder or red pepper flakes to just about any meal to give it that kick. You may not entirely satisfy the craving, but you’ll at least make it healthier.
2. Journal Your Cravings
Some women find that writing down what they crave helps them to understand themselves better and find healthier ways to cope with these cravings. For example, if you often crave sugar, writing down what you crave and why you crave it can help you identify ways to satisfy your cravings without having to consume a lot of sugar.
You can also write down what you ate during the day, and how you feel when you eat that particular food. This can help you understand your cravings better, as well as your relationship with food. Many women find this to be a very effective way of coping with pregnancy cravings.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of Filling Food
Some women have cravings that involve food that’s meant to be “filling”. For example, many women crave high-fat foods, like ice cream or cookies, during pregnancy because they are meant to be filling and help you to feel satisfied after eating them. While most people try to fight against cravings like these and avoid eating them altogether, you may want to try to accept that these cravings are normal and something your body needs during pregnancy.
After all, you don’t want to feel guilty or ashamed of eating foods that are meant to help you and your baby grow. Instead, try to find ways to satisfy these cravings without going overboard. For example, you can eat a full serving of ice cream, but you can also try to make it a bit healthier by adding some fruit to it or topping it with some nuts.
4. Take a Walk or Do Something Else
If you feel like you are about to give in to a craving and simply can’t ignore it any longer, it can be helpful to redirect your attention elsewhere. For example, if you have an intense craving for chocolate, it can be helpful to walk around and do something else before giving in to the urge. You can also try to do something else that’s related to, but different from, the craving itself.
For example, if you have an intense craving for sweets, it can be helpful to bake something sweet but not actually eat it, or to go and eat ice cream with a friend but not eat the entire cup yourself. This can help you to redirect your attention away from the craving and help you to avoid giving in to it.
5. Ask Your Partner to Help
Some cravings are simply too difficult to resist or ignore on your own – especially if you are at a very early stage of pregnancy. If this is the case, you may want to ask your partner for help.
For example, if you have a craving for something sweet or salty, you can ask your partner to go to the store for you and bring you some healthier alternatives to the cravings. This can help you to resist the cravings and prevent you from giving in to them and eating a lot of junk food at once.
Reward Yourself After You Comply with the Craving
After you have resisted a craving and managed to not give in to it, it can be helpful to reward yourself. For example, if you have a craving for ice cream and manage to resist it, it can be helpful to buy yourself (or let your partner buy you) a small ice cream treat afterwards to celebrate the victory. This can help you to feel more positive about resisting the craving and can also help you to develop better coping skills. So, next time you have a craving, you can use these 5 tips to cope with pregnancy food cravings and make it through the day.
Conclusion
Pregnancy food cravings can be a blessing and a test at the same time. You can discover a lot of new foods and healthy habits by going through them, but at times they can drive you towards some not-so-healthy foods. There are many ways to cope with these cravings, from going for healthy alternatives to journaling your cravings to asking your partner for help. No matter how strong your cravings are, it is possible to control them so that you don’t feel like a prisoner to them.
Did you find any of above ways to cope with pregnancy food cravings useful? If yes, be sure to share them on Pinterest!
For more tips to eating healthy whilst pregnant, be sure to check out this post on Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy Diet.
