when you crave

When you crave: Crunchy (chips, caramel popcorn, biscotti)
Chew this: Baby carrots, fruit slices, or rice cakes.  On the fruit slices, you can use a dab of peanut butter for extra protein. Almonds can also work, but be careful: Half a cup has over 400 calories.

When you crave: Creamy (peanut butter, risotto, mac ‘n’ cheese)
Chew this: Sugar-free Jell-O, hummus, or for dinner, a bowl of velvety soup

When you crave: Greasy (fries, pizza, burgers)
Chew this: Baked sweet-potato fries or thin-crust pizza with veggies.

When you crave: Fluid (juice, soda, slushies)
Sip this: Flavored sparkling water or lightly sweetened iced tea. (Studies suggest that limiting caloric beverages leads to weight loss.) Or try a smoothie. Research shows that the thicker and more whipped the drink, the more satisfying it will be, saving you calories at your next meal. To achieve maximum thickness, toss in a frozen banana and blend.

**Sometimes when you crave, it could be you are just thirsty. So drink something (cold water, or crystal light peach tea). This works for me. I wasn’t hungry, just thirsty.**