Atkins Diet Carb Cravings

Carbohydrate cravings are the bane of any low carbohydrate diet. They can really hamper your efforts and can sometimes be unbearable! Women especially experience this for several days out of the year. Women who have serious PMS symptoms can sometimes have carb cravings that are so bad they will actually fall into sobbing fits because they feel like they can't deal with these cravings. It's perfectly normal. Even women who aren't on a low carb diet experience carb cravings during PMS. For some women, these cravings can last up to two weeks per month!


Fortunately, in most cases at least, carb cravings can be overcome with a few simple tricks. These tips can really make a difference if you're willing to keep an open mind and realize that not every trick will work for everyone. Some people just respond better to certain things than others.


First of all, when carb cravings hit, it is often a sign of dehydration. I know it seems odd, but this is often the case. Try drinking some water or diet soda when carb cravings hit. Re-hydrating yourself might be just what you need.


The second thing to try is eating some protein, preferably something high in fat. High-fat proteins are very filling, and will help stabilize your blood sugar, instead of spiking it and then feeling the resultant crash of eating a carb-intensive snack.


If you're still craving carbs, think about what it is you're craving. Are you craving something sweet or salty? There are plenty of low carb choices out there for whatever you are craving. There are low carb candies, ice creams, baked goods, and snacks. If you're craving something crunchy, you can try nuts, or some pepperoni that is cooked in the oven, microwave, or deep-fryer until crisp, or some cubes of cheddar cheese that are microwaved on a paper towel until crisp. This should be a last result, because some people find that eating these types of snacks, even though technically high in carbs, can actually increase cravings.


One last thing I can recommend is to try chewing some sugar-free gum. It has been a well-known fact that low fat and low calorie dieters feel less apt to overeat when they chew gum, and it works for low carb dieters, as well. Whenever your carb cravings hit, give it a try.


You could also try other tips such as taking a brisk walk, meditating, writing in your journal, or just trying to take your mind off of the cravings with other activities, but many dieters don't find that these really work for them. Of course, since everyone is different, it won't hurt for you to try these. They just might work for you!