Honey Mag

We’ve all been there. You’ve been exercising, eating right, and you even declined a second helping of mama’s smothered pork chops last Sunday night. But when the ice cream and peach cobbler were served, you felt your resistance getting low. Ten minutes and three huge servings later you felt as though you’d ruined your diet – again.

Dieting setbacks seem to lurk around every corner, but saying no to the sweet stuff is especially hard. Fortunately, there are healthy ways to curb your cravings.

Eat lean protein. “Protein stabilizes blood-sugar levels and makes you feel full,” says New York City-based personal trainer Ariane Hundt. “It also signals your body to burn fat.” Hundt recommends eating lean proteins, such as eggs, low-fat dairy, turkey, or protein shakes at every meal.

Create a diversion. When you spot leftover donuts in the break room at the office, or the candy-laden vending machine starts calling your name – it’s time to refocus. “Try taking a walk around the office or distract yourself by walking over to a co-worker’s desk to chat,” says Houston, Texas-based Molly Gee, M.Ed., RD. “The distraction, even for a few minutes, will help you overcome that desire to eat, especially if you’re not hungry in the first place.”

Switch sweeteners. Eating foods that are made with excessive amounts of sugar can leave you wanting more. “When we use artificial sweeteners or eat foods with added sugar, our taste buds adapt to a higher level of sweet,” says Los Angeles-based Ashley Koff, RD. On days that you just can’t resist the urge to snack sweet, opt for naturally sweet foods like fruit, or natural sweeteners like honey.

Get happy. Cravings for sweets are usually brought on by lower serotonin levels in the brain, says Los Angeles-based Dori Zerlin, RD. A lack of this feel-good hormone can cause you to crack open that box of cookies after a lousy day at work. It would be wiser to crack open your wallet to find your gym membership card instead. “Daily exercise naturally raises serotonin levels,” says Zerlin. That means that a weight-training or kickboxing class at the end of the day can help you to feel better, while you sweat off some of that office drama.

Drink Up. Zerlin also suggests downing plenty of water throughout the day (at least 64 ounces) to keep you away from the candy. “This will help keep you hydrated, and you’ll avoid confusing cravings and hunger for real thirst,” says Zerlin. One of the best ways to stay hydrated is to make sure that water is readily available – especially around 3 p.m. when afternoon snack cravings makes their daily appearance. Leave a bottle of water in plain sight – on your desk or in your purse – as a reminder to take sips all day long.

If you still find yourself tempted the next time a waiter waves a dessert menu under your nose, don’t get too discouraged. You can always split that sinful slice of mile-high triple-chocolate cake with your man (and hit the treadmill for an extra five minutes tomorrow morning).

-   Dana Robinson