We've all been there. I know, those cravings can hit you like a rock from nowhere. But even when you think you can't overcome those cravings, you can! 

5 simple ways to overcome the urge to binge before it's too late 

Let's get it out of the way first: I was a bing eater, too
[/break-free-from-binge-eating/]. I won't judge you, because I know how it
feels.

Binge eating disorder is an illness based on frequently eating large quantities
of food - far more calories than your body needs - on a regular basis. It can
affect a person physically and mentally, and should therefore not be taken
lightly.

Signs of binge eating disorder include:

 * Eating much faster than normal during a binge
 * Eating until you feel uncomfortably full
 * Eating a large amount of food when you're not hungry
 * Eating alone or secretly because you're embarrassed of the amount of food
   you're consuming
 * Having feelings of guilt, shame or disgust after the binge

We've all been there. I know, those cravings can hit you like a rock from
nowhere. But even when you think you can't overcome those cravings, you can!
Here are some simple tricks, that should help you.

How to stop a binge before it happens
Remind yourself that you can always have it later


Stop justifying your binges [/you-are-your-biggest-enemy/]. Don't eat shit
because it's Eastern, someone's birthday or Friday. These events aren't the last
time you can have cake, cookies or ice cream. You can have it whenever you 
really want it and not when your mind wants to tell you that you need it.

Stop with the all-or-nothing approach and black-and-white thinking
[/the-clean-eating-trend/]. Remind yourself that you can have ice cream tomorrow
and think about what your body needs right now.

Remember that no hyped food trend should eliminate whole food groups from your
diet [/healthy-habits-that-arent-healthy/]. And why not eat a very wholesome and
nutritious diet and enjoy a chocolate bar every now and then? You don't have to
feel guilty if you crave something sweet.

Meditate


Realise that it's just your mind telling you, you need all the food - not your
body. You're stronger than that! You can beat this, you probably did it before.
Stay strong and just get over it. You will be so proud of yourself!

Meditation can be an effective tool to shut your mind off for a while. You don't
have to do it every day (but you can) to get the benefits. Use it as an escape
for a few minutes to calm your mind and sort out your thoughts.

The constant fight against the urge to binge combined with a restricted diet
[/truth-about-extreme-dieting/] is stressful and exhausting, not only for your
body. Meditation can teach you to create happiness from within and helps to
relieve daily stress.

The urge will pass
Acknowledge the urge and remind yourself that it will pass. Maybe it helps you
to envision the urges as clouds, which are temporary on the sky of your mind.
The wind blows them further and further away, and soon they will be gone.

Stay strong, you can do it! I believe in you.

Keep yourself busy


Most people start to binge when they have nothing else to do, such as in the
evening when they come home from work. If you feel that the urge strikes again,
go out for a walk or call a friend to get a coffee. The right support is very
important.

Don't give in easily! It really can help to talk to somebody or to enjoy some
fresh air. When I felt like I needed to binge, I went to the gym for a run.
Distract your mind!

You're not on a restricted diet, so ask yourself if you really, really need the
food now
Your body tells you what it really needs. Did you eat recently? Wait till you
have a rumbling stomach for your next meal. Give the cravings time to pass. Our
bodies are designed to last for days without food. Our DNA doesn't know yet,
that we have fridges and supermarkets. So no, you won't die if you don't eat for
8 hours.

If you really think you need those cookies now, then go ahead and eat them. But
enjoy them without feeling guilty or ashamed. Enjoy them mindfully and get back
on track [/regain-focus-after-a-cheat/] right after.

Accept the urge to binge


You have no control over your binge urges. But you do have control over how you
react to them. Instead of being ashamed of yourself and feeling guilty
[/ultimate-guide-to-imperfection/], accept it's presence. Remind yourself that
it's just a feeling. Accepting it makes it much less dangerous. There's no need
to judge yourself. It's just your brain that reacts automatically because of
instinct and habit.

Remind yourself that you don't want and don't need to binge now. Allow those
feelings to be there, but be stronger than they're.

We tend to feel powerless and overwhelmed as a response to strong feelings. The
truth is, the urge to binge is just an aspect of your experience and you'll feel
so much stronger, once you overcome it.

Turn off the autopilot
When you start to binge, it doesn't have to continue. Maybe it sounds odd, but
you can stop. Just turn off the autopilot and realise what you're doing.

Think about it. Do you really need all this food now? Do you actually enjoy it?
How will you feel after you've binged? Is it worth it? You won't feel
comfortable after all that food!

It's no problem to stop after ten bites or so. Mind over matter, remember?

Try a healthier version of your "cheats"
You can satisfy your cravings and choose healthier options. With them, you won't
feel too depressed afterwards.

Try my healthy 3-ingredient brownies [/healthy-3-ingredient-brownies/], vanilla
energy bites [/apricot-vanilla-energy-bites-recipe/] or my famous vegan
nice-cream [/vegan-ice-cream/]. When I feel that I crave something sweet, I make
my favourite homemade snickers.

However, if you go nuts, stick to no alcohol
[/correlation-between-alcohol-and-fat-loss/], as many carbs, and as little fat
as possible. This will minimise fat gain. Carbs will also increase leptin levels
[/leptin-and-its-role-in-weight-loss/], which will make you feel more satiated
the following days. Bagels and crumpets (jam instead of butter) are superb
options here in the UK.

What if I wasn't strong enough?


You slipped and overate last night? Well, get over it! We're all human, life
happens, it's all part of the game! Nobody is going to judge you.

Stop beating yourself up. We all made mistakes in the past, and you know what?!
You can't change what happened yesterday! Move on and make healthier food
choices today.

Please, don't even think about an overly restricted diet [/give-up-on-fads/] for
the next few days as damage control. It's actually the worst you can do, because
you'll most likely continue the cycle of deprivation dieting and binge eating.
You want to break free from this cycle! Don't go back to that. Just stick to the
plan as if the binge never happened. Own your previous decision to binge.

Also, don't "punish" yourself at the gym the next day
[/how-much-cardio-is-healthy/]. Just do your usual workout routine
[/benefits-of-weightlifting/]. Maybe go for an extra walk, if the weather is
nice and enjoy the sun.

Focus on being the best version you can be and make healthier choices step by
step. You can do it!

The bottom line
The ultimate goal is to seek balance. A healthy lifestyle is not defined by a
super restrictive diet, that only allows you to eat certain foods at certain
times of the day.

It's a combination of your choices day after day, which will lead to a healthier
and happier life.

What do you do, when you feel that the urge to binge strikes again? Please let
me know in the comment section below!

5 simple ways to overcome the urge to binge before it's too late - how to stay strong!

I had my first s'mores at a "good-bye"-party of my best friend Lisa, who went to
America. Thanks to Lisa for introducing me to this super delicious dessert!



A few weeks ago, I decided to try a version, where the sticky marshmallow
doesn't end up everywhere.

These s'mores cups are a fun and cute way to enjoy a classic treat, without a
pit fire and with almost no mess. These s'more cups are sick... and I mean in a
good way!

They are not only amazingly delicious, they are also easy to make. If I can make
them, anyone can.

Once you have the cups removed from the baking pan you can put them in an
airtight container, store them in the fridge and heat them up in the oven before
serving or serve them at room temperature.

However, that's enough of the blah-blah. Here's the recipe you were waiting for:

Ingredients
 * 2 cups graham cracker (or similar) crumbs (~26 cracker)
 * 4-5 ripe bananas
 * 1/2 cup (18tbsp) stevia
 * approx. 1/4 cup (50g) dark chocolate chips
 * approx. 1 1/2 cup (90g) mini marshmallows

Macros per cup (1/12 of recipe)
 * Calories: 150 kcal
 * Carbs: 28g
 * Protein: 2g
 * Fat: 4g

Instructions
 1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Prepare a muffin pan with a non-stick cooking
    spray. Put the crackers in a food processor or blender and process until
    they are fine crumbs. Smash all 4-5 bananas until they are like a puree.
    
    
 2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the cracker crumbs, smashed banana, and
    stevia. Stir very well until a sticky dough forms. If the dough is too wet,
    feel free to add more cracker crumbs.
    
    
 3. Place 1-2 tbsp of the mixture into each muffin tin. Press them down firmly.
    I used a muffin form to help me form a cup. Bake for 5 minutes.
    
    
 4. Remove the pan from the oven, add mini marshmallows and chocolate chips to
    each cup. You don't need to measure everything out. Add as many as you like.
    Add another layer of the cracker mixture on top of the marshmallows and
    chocolate. Press it down firmly and bake again for 4-7 minutes.
    
    
 5. Remove the pan from the oven and add more mini marshmallows and chocolate
    chips. Place them back in the oven for another 4-5 minutes or until the
    marshmallows are golden.
    
    
 6. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cups cool down for 10-15 minutes.
    Enjoy!

5 ingredients s'mores cups -  simple and low-fat

This ingredient makes you think of winter when you taste it. The perfect partner for a hot chocolate. 

Ingredient of the month January 

Happy new year!
I hope all of you had a nice and wonderful new year's eve. Welcome to 2017! A
new year full of possibilities. It’s chapter one. We have all the best
intentions for 2017. We’ve made our new years resolutions and are on the path to
form new habits.

January is the only month of the year when you can put your phone on silent
without people questioning your sanity. Embrace it. Do the things you always
tell people you are interested in, but never had the time to actually do.

There is something about starting a new year that reignites people’s sense of
creativity and ambition. You start to reflect what you have or haven’t achieved
in your big life plan thus far. And now is the time to do it!

We searched for an ingredient of the month, that makes you think of the winter
when you taste it. The perfect partner for a hot chocolate or to enhance the
taste of vegetables and fruits. It really is an allrounder.

This months favourite ingredient is cinnamon!


Did you know, that there was a time when cinnamon was more valuable than gold?
True story!

One of the lesser known benefits, is that it can be used as a natural food
preservative. It has anti-bacterial abilities, so there is no need for chemicals
or artificial ingredients.

The potential health benefits of cinnamon are simply amazing. Here is just a
handful of proven ones:

Type 2 diabetes
Yes, that’s true! Cinnamon can be such an effective tool in managing diabetes.
How? By reducing blood pressure and lowering your fasted blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, it can also improve insulin resistance.

By working directly in the muscle cells, cinnamon forces them to remove sugar
from the bloodstream, where it is converted to glycogen. A recent research has
shown, that cinnamon works even better than most prescription meds.

Basically, cinnamon - as a completely non-toxic food - repairs the receptors, so
they can better respond to insulin again.

Bad cholesterol (LDL)
Cinnamon is lowering your fasted blood sugar, reducing triglycerides, LDL
cholesterol and for that reason your total cholesterol.

It may also cause an increase in your “good” cholesterol (HDL). Adding cinnamon
to your diet can also remedy the effect of occasional high-fat choices, so
they're not quite as detrimental to your health as they would be otherwise.

Bacterial and fungal infection
The main active component of cinnamon is called Cinnamaldehyde. They may help
fight various kinds of infections. If you suffer from an respiratory tract
infection caused by fungi you can use cinnamon oil to treat it effectively.

In fact, it’s known that it inhibits the growth of certain bacteria, such as
Listeria and Salmonella.
The antimicrobial effects also help prevent tooth decay and reduce bad breath.

Inflammation
Cinnamon is very high in antioxidants, and therefore has anti-inflammatory
effects. This could also help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, brain
function decline and more. Seven kinds of flavonoid compounds have been found in
cinnamon alone, which are highly effective at fighting dangerous inflammations
throughout the body.

Suffering from a swelling? Cinnamon may help! Even with pain management. Studies
have shown that it helps to relive muscle soreness, PMS pains and severity of
allergic reactions.

Sugar replacement
Cinnamon has a naturally sweet taste, without containing any sugar. Therefore,
adding cinnamon to your foods can help you cut down the amount of sugar you
normally eat [/the-reasons-you-may-be-craving-sugar/]. Thereby it lowers the
glycemic load of your meals.

Try using cinnamon in coffee, tea, baked good, yogurt, on fruits and in your
oatmeal.

My 3 favourite cinnamon recipes
Honey-roasted cinnamon Chickpeas
 * 500g chickpeas
 * 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
 * 1 tablespoon honey
 * 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. If you got canned chickpeas, drain and rinse
them. Place them on a towel to dry. Now just spread the chickpeas on a baking
sheet in a single layer. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Afterwards, while
the chickpeas are still hot, toss them in a bowl with the honey, cinnamon and
sea salt. If you want a caramelised effect, place them back in the oven for
another 10 minutes. Now sit back and enjoy!

Cinnamon Smoothie
 * 1 frozen banana
 * 250ml unsweetened almond milk
 * 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
 * 1/2 teaspoon honey
 * 25g vanilla whey protein powder
 * optional: cinnamon stick for garnish

Simply combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until it's all smooth. Add
more almond milk as desired. Pour into a tall glass, add the cinnamon stick for
garnish and enjoy. Perfect for cold winter mornings!

Baked cinnamon banana crisps
 * 4 medium ripe bananas
 * lemon juice (1 large lemon)
 * cinnamon

This is my absolute favourite! It’s perfect as topping for oats or simply as a
snack. Preheat the oven to 100 degrees. Peel the bananas and cut into 1/4 inch
slices. Dip each slice into the lemon juice and place on a baking sheet.

Now sprinkle as you like with cinnamon. Bake 3 to 4 hours, or until the chips
are dry and slightly brown. Make sure to flip your chips halfway through. Remove
from the oven and let them cool down. Enjoy!

At the end of the day, cinnamon is one of the most delicious and healthiest
spices on the planet. Just make sure you get Ceylon cinnamon. Otherwise stick to
small doses if you’re using the Cassia variety.