How can I avoid cravings for junk food?

Cravings are bad because they are intense desires for certain foods that are usually unhealthy. We often get cravings for cookies, pizza and doughnuts but rarely for salads or fruits. Avoiding these foods on a regular basis will improve the quality of our diets. Cravings happen when we are hungry so avoiding them is as simple as not getting hungry - something that sounds easy but might not be. To avoid getting hungry, try eating more frequently. Eat small snacks between meals when you are not hungry so that you won't get to the point of being hungry with cravings. Having an apple when you are not hungry is a lot better than waiting an hour until you get hungry and eating a piece of cake. Having junk food once in a while is not a bad thing. It gets unhealthy when you start replacing nutritious snacks such as fruits and vegetables with ice cream and hot dogs. These foods are filled with empty calories - they have no vitamins or minerals. When you replace foods such as fruits and vegetables with unhealthy snacks such as cookies or chocolates everyday, your diet will suffer. Having an occasional break from the healthy stuff is fine. For more ways to avoid junk food, visit the Guide to Healthy Snacking. You can also see what snack foods others are eating or share your own mix at the diet and nutrition forums.

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