Hey everyone! I’m Kristina—a former long-term binge eater, recovery coach, and a PhD candidate specializing in binge eating disorder. In my recent YouTube video, I shared 13 practical, science-backed strategies that have helped me and many others reduce cravings and build a healthier relationship with food. If you’re on a journey to recovery, these strategies could really make a difference. I want to break down each one for you here with actionable advice and insights drawn from both research and my personal experience. Let’s get into it.

1. Prioritize Protein

Protein is your best friend when it comes to curbing cravings. It stabilizes blood sugar and promotes feelings of fullness. Research shows that meals high in protein can lower ghrelin levels (the hunger hormone) and keep you feeling satisfied longer.

2. Include Healthy Fats

Healthy fats keep you satiated and support overall well-being. A diet rich in good fats can reduce cravings for sugary foods because fats don’t spike blood sugar the way carbs do.

Healthy Fat Sources: Include fatty cuts of steak, avocados, olive oil, salmon, nuts, and MCT oil.

Avoid Bad Fats: Say no to vegetable oils.

3. Avoid Sugars and Ultra-Processed Foods

Sugars and ultra-processed foods are often engineered to make us crave more. They create rapid blood sugar spikes followed by quick crashes, leaving us feeling unsatisfied and reaching for more.

4. Identify and Avoid Triggers

We all have personal triggers—specific foods, people, or situations—that prompt binge eating. Identifying these early on is a crucial step in recovery.

Identify the situations, emotions, or foods that spark your cravings. This helps pinpoint patterns. Surround yourself with people who support your recovery. Develop strategies to avoid or reframe these triggers.

5. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is crucial for regulating hunger hormones. Poor sleep increases ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decreases leptin (the fullness hormone). Aim for 7-9 Hours: Prioritize sleep by sticking to a consistent sleep schedule. Avoid screens and caffeine before bed to improve sleep quality.

6. Engage in Intense Exercise

High-intensity workouts don’t just build strength—they also impact brain chemicals like dopamine and endorphins, which help reduce cravings.

Find What You Love: Whether it’s running, weightlifting, or group classes, choose an activity you enjoy. Even short workouts can be powerful in managing cravings.

7. Utilize Proactive Sensory Input

Proactive sensory input involves activities that provide sensory experiences to your nervous system and reduce the need to seek comfort through food.

Try Simple Techniques: Body tapping, self-massage, breathwork, or cold water exposure can work wonders.

Create a Sensory Toolkit: Keep a collection of sensory tools handy—anything that grounds you and provides sensory input.

8. Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating helps you break automatic binge responses by making you fully aware of the flavors, textures, and sensations of each bite.

Slow Down: Take your time eating. Chew thoroughly and savor every bite.

Eliminate Distractions: Avoid eating in front of the TV or scrolling your phone. Focus on your meal and your experience of eating.

9. Ensure Adequate Electrolytes

Sometimes, cravings come from nutrient imbalances, including a lack of essential electrolytes like magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Supplement if Necessary: If you follow a low-carb or keto diet, consider electrolyte supplements.

10. Experiment with Meal Timing

If you’re practicing intermittent fasting, you might find that more regular meal timing helps stabilize your blood sugar and reduce binge risks. Try Smaller, Frequent Meals: This might be a better fit if you struggle with binge eating while trying intermittently fast.

11. Reduce Environmental Cues

What you see and smell can strongly influence cravings. A well-organized environment reduces the likelihood of impulsive food choices.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Remove tempting foods from your environment entirely.

Stock Healthy Snacks: Keep your kitchen filled with nutritious snacks and ingredients to make healthy choices easy.

12. Manage Stress

High stress leads to increased cortisol levels, which often results in cravings for high-fat and high-sugar foods.

Practice Stress-Reduction Techniques: Try meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or journaling.

Evaluate Your Stressors: Ask yourself which areas cause stress and find proactive solutions to address them.

13. Do Not Act Upon the Urge to Binge

The Neuroscience of Habit Formation

Every time you allow a craving to be without acting on it, you’re rewiring your brain. The more you refrain from bingeing, the weaker the habit loop becomes.

Use Delay Tactics: When a craving hits, try waiting 10-15 minutes. Often, the urge will pass within that time. Just know, the urge will always pass. 

Celebrate Small Wins: Reinforce positive behaviors by celebrating your victories when you successfully resist a craving.

Conclusion

I know cravings can feel overwhelming, and it’s not always possible to eliminate them completely. These 13 strategies are tools that I’ve found helpful on my own journey and through working with others to reduce cravings. But building resilience and developing skills to handle cravings is also really important. 

Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more insights and strategies on binge eating recovery. Let’s support each other on this journey—every step counts. 💖