Avoiding cravings – why willpower alone is not enough
It is 3:30 p.m., lunch was hours ago, and suddenly your thoughts circle only around chocolate, crisps or a croissant from the kiosk next door. Do you know the feeling? Then you belong to a large majority. According to the FSO's Swiss Health Survey, around 38 % of the Swiss population say they do not eat in a balanced way – irregular meals and uncontrolled snacking are among the most common patterns (source: FSO – Federal Statistical Office).
Avoiding cravings has little to do with discipline. The real problem is not your will, but your biochemistry.
Wikipedia defines cravings as an intense, barely controllable desire for food that can be triggered by blood sugar swings, a lack of sleep, stress or nutrient deficiencies. Anyone who understands these causes can counteract them specifically – without having to forbid themselves things all the time.
What really triggers cravings – and what most people overlook
The obvious explanation is: «I have eaten too little.» Sometimes that is true. But more often it is down to the composition of your meals. A breakfast of white bread with jam drives blood sugar up quickly – and lets it crash back down just as fast. This up and down signals to the body: more supplies needed.
The EFSA confirms that dietary fibre contributes to maintaining a normal blood sugar level (source: EFSA, approved health claims on fibre). The Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE) recommends at least 30 g of fibre a day. The FOPH's menuCH study showed, however, that many people in Switzerland consume too little dietary fibre and at the same time too much sugar – a combination that positively encourages cravings (source: FOPH/FSVO, menuCH study).
What many people underestimate: sleep plays an enormous role too. According to the WHO, a lack of sleep increases the production of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and at the same time lowers leptin (the satiety hormone). Anyone who regularly sleeps less than seven hours struggles almost inevitably with an increased appetite the next day (source: WHO).
Five workable strategies against cravings
No complicated nutrition plan, no exotic superfoods. These approaches work because they tackle the actual causes:
- Protein at breakfast: A study by Leidy et al. (2015, published in Advances in Nutrition) showed that high-protein breakfasts with 25–30 g of protein significantly reduce cravings over the course of the day. A balanced Herbalife breakfast with a Formula 1 shake provides around 18 g of protein per serving and can serve as a practical building block.
- Keep to regular meals: Three main meals and, if needed, a high-protein snack – the SGE recommends fixed meal rhythms as one of the most effective measures against uncontrolled eating.
- Build in fibre deliberately: Vegetables, pulses, wholegrain products. It sounds banal, but it is astonishingly often forgotten in everyday life – especially at midday, when things have to be quick.
- Drink enough: Thirst is frequently misinterpreted as hunger. Two to three litres of water or unsweetened tea spread over the day can already make a noticeable difference.
- Make sleep a priority: Seven to eight hours. Non-negotiable if you seriously want to reduce cravings.
Snack cleverly instead of going hungry
Here is a widespread misconception: anyone who wants to avoid cravings must go without snacks. The opposite can be the case. The right snack at the right time – high in protein, not too calorie-rich – stabilises blood sugar and stops you standing in front of the fridge in the evening shovelling everything in.
High-protein snacks keep you full for longer than a chocolate bar. Herbalife Protein Bar Vanilla Almond or the Herbalife Protein Chips Barbecue offer an uncomplicated alternative for on the move – without sending blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride.
The EFSA has also confirmed that the trace element chromium contributes to maintaining a normal blood sugar level (an approved health claim under EU Regulation 432/2012). Make sure your diet covers enough micronutrients – that too can counteract cravings.
Changing habits – but realistically
The FOPH points out that more than 40 % of the adult population in Switzerland are overweight or obese, with uncontrolled eating behaviour considered one of the contributing factors (source: FOPH – nutrition and exercise). This figure shows that this is not about individual cases, but about a widespread pattern.
Anyone who control their weight better in the long term needs no radical diet. Small, consistent changes have a more lasting effect. Start with a single habit – a high-protein breakfast, for instance – and build on from there.
What often helps: a fixed ritual in the morning. Anyone who starts the day with a nutrient-rich meal also makes more mindful decisions at midday and in the evening. That is not theory, but an observation confirmed by many people who have changed the way they eat.
An often overlooked point: emotional hunger
Not every craving has a purely physical cause. Stress, boredom or habit also drive us to the fridge. Next time, ask yourself honestly: am I really hungry – or am I looking for a distraction? Even this short pause can break the automatism.
Avoiding cravings begins with your next meal
You do not have to change everything at once. Start tomorrow with a breakfast that fills you up. Put a high-protein snack ready for the afternoon. Drink a large glass of water before you reach for something sweet. And allow yourself enough sleep – your hormones will thank you.
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