{"id":43421,"date":"2015-09-14T07:15:37","date_gmt":"2015-09-14T11:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=43421"},"modified":"2022-01-20T12:10:54","modified_gmt":"2022-01-20T17:10:54","slug":"how-to-stop-food-cravings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/how-to-stop-food-cravings\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stop Food Cravings in 10 Minutes or Less"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/09234735\/foodcravings2.jpeg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-70183\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/09234735\/foodcravings2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"620\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/09234735\/foodcravings2.jpeg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/09234735\/foodcravings2-300x194.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/09234735\/foodcravings2-50x32.jpeg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Quick: When that <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/sugar-addiction-detox\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">3 p.m. candy craving<\/a> hits, what\u2019s the best way to respond?<\/p>\n<p>Rather than giving in to temptation, maybe you should try playing with clay \u2014\u00a0or firing up a game of Tetris on your phone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/how-often-weigh-yourself-scale\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Real Talk: How Often Should You Weigh Yourself?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Welcome to the wacky world of <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/tips-stop-unhealthy-food-cravings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">food cravings<\/a> research, which is unlocking some truly weird ways to maintain our health and weight loss goals. Want to get in on the action? Here are a few bizarre tricks that could help halt your cravings in 10 minutes or less.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>5 Crazy Fast Ways to Curb Food Cravings in&#8230;<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>1 Minute<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JqbuYl6cir4\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<strong>Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JqbuYl6cir4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">This<\/a><br \/>\n<\/strong>The video above might look like a whole bunch of nothing \u2014 but don\u2019t write it off just yet. What you\u2019re seeing is actually called dynamic visual noise (DVN), a complex visual pattern. When your brain looks at DVN, it has a hard time processing anything else (understandably). In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/23685086\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study<\/a> published in the journal <em>Appetite<\/em>, researchers showed that watching DVN on a smartphone successfully <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/30-second-trick-food-cravings-110614\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reduced food cravings<\/a> and also decreased the chances of participants actually consuming their junk food of choice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/expert-weight-loss-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">7 Weight Loss Tips When the Scale Won\u2019t Budge<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Stop and Smell the\u2026<br \/>\n<\/strong>Here\u2019s your excuse to buy that fancy candle you\u2019ve been eying recently. One <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/22407134\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study<\/a> found that smelling something <em>other<\/em> than food can help reduce your desire for that Snickers bar you\u2019re salivating over. Participants with chocolate cravings were exposed to one of three different odors \u2014 green apple, jasmine or water. Smelling the non-food odor (jasmine) significantly reduced cravings more than exposure to the other two scents.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers concluded that sniffing non-food odors in general might be a useful way to mitigate cravings. Keep some jasmine on hand or experiment with other non-food scents to find out if scent-sory overload is a tool that works for you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/sugar-detox-diet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Do a Sugar Detox (Without Going Crazy)<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3 Minutes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Play Tetris<br \/>\n<\/strong>Don\u2019t say your smartphone never did anything for you. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2015\/08\/150813101535.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recent study<\/a> from the journal <em>Addictive Behaviors<\/em> found that playing Tetris for just three minutes at a time can reduce food cravings. &#8220;We think the Tetris effect happens because craving involves imagining the experience of consuming a particular substance or indulging in a particular activity,\u201d says Professor Jackie Andrade (one of the study\u2019s authors) in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.plymouth.ac.uk\/news\/new-study-reveals-tetris-can-block-cravings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">press release<\/a>. \u201cPlaying a visually interesting game like Tetris occupies the mental processes that support that imagery; it is hard to imagine something vividly and play Tetris at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>More good news? The effect didn\u2019t seem to wear off even after participants repeatedly played the game \u2014\u00a0so feel free to get kind of addicted.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/diet-mistakes-weight-loss-motivation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The 10 Biggest Diet Mistakes, According to Experts<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>5 Minutes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Use Acupressure<br \/>\n<\/strong>Stopping those false hunger pangs might be as simple as pressing on your ear (yes, you read that right). Acupressure is a form of <a href=\"https:\/\/exploreim.ucla.edu\/self-care\/acupressure-and-common-acupressure-points\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">traditional Chinese medicine<\/a> that targets \u201cpressure points\u201d in your body. The practice is believed to balance the body, relieve pain and <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/healthy-life-hacks-that-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">alleviate headaches<\/a> \u2014 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2922972\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">studies suggest<\/a> it might just help stop food cravings, too.<\/p>\n<p>To try it out, simply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jennifercohen\/2012\/04\/10\/10-unique-ways-to-kill-your-cravings-and-those-extra-pounds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pinch your nose or earlobes<\/a> (not too hard!) for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat the practice over the course of a few minutes, until that longing diminishes. Worth a try, right?<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/healthy-life-hacks-that-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">7 Science-Backed Health Hacks That Actually Work<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>10 Minutes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Play with Clay<br \/>\n<\/strong>Time to unleash your <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/recipes\/healthy-snacks-for-kids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">inner child<\/a>. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0195666312000864\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one study<\/a>, participants who spent 10 minutes building shapes out of modeling clay experienced significantly reduced cravings compared to those who simply let their minds wander or completed math problems or a verbal task. The researchers concluded that clay modeling reduced both \u201ccraving imagery\u201d (i.e. <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/recipes\/best-protein-powder-recipes-with-chocolate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">visions of chocolate<\/a> dancing through participants\u2019 heads) and intrusive thoughts about food.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/diy-kitchen-hacks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6 DIY Kitchen Hacks to Get Healthier, Stat<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Because it involves visual and spatial awareness, playing with clay occupies the brain space that would otherwise be focused on cravings, preventing you from fantasizing about tasty snacks. Put this research to work for you by keeping some modeling clay (think: Play-Doh!) in a desk drawer or your coat pocket. Challenge yourself to build new and different shapes (like a <a href=\"https:\/\/cdns2.freepik.com\/free-photo\/_21321747.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rooster<\/a> or a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thegirlwiththefivelads.co.uk\/communities\/0\/004\/012\/788\/900\/images\/4619258271.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unicorn<\/a>) whenever cravings strike.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, if you suspect your issues with food are linked to <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/binge-eating-disorder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bigger problems<\/a>, be sure to consult a medical professional. But if you\u2019re just looking to stop indulging in a few fistfuls of M&amp;Ms after lunch every day, the answer may lie \u2014 weirdly enough \u2014 in playing games, smelling flowers or squeezing your own earlobes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wish you could make your food cravings disappear? Try these easy science-backed tips that could help you reduce your urge to splurge in mere minutes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":43425,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,11],"tags":[51,58,341,381,285],"class_list":["post-43421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-health-hacks","tag-food-choices","tag-hacks","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2low-carb-diets","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}