What Do You Crave?

The answer isn’t always clear. But as a guideline, here are some tips for deciphering what your body is asking for.

 

Are you craving a quick blood-sugar raiser, like cookies, candy, ice cream, or other sweets? Then one of two possibilities is likely. First, you may be withdrawing from processed sugar (which, is almost drug-like) and miss the feeling of a “sugar high”—a likely possibility if you were a sugar junkie in the past. You might also be legitimately craving carbs because you’ve under-eaten and need some glucose in your bloodstream, pronto. In either case, try filling up on plenty of fresh, whole fruit (not dried – too much sugar and calorie dense) and see what happens.

Are you craving a “comfort food” you used to eat after having a bad day, or something special your mom or grandma  used to make when you were little? Then you’re probably having a psychologically-rooted craving. You may be associating a feeling of comfort and familiarity with a particular food item from your past—something you treated not as “fuel” but as a tranquilizer, relaxer, or mood-lifter. These are not good cravings to succumb to. What they do offer is an opportunity to reevaluate your relationship with food, and find constructive ways to deal with difficult emotions.

Are you craving something super salty, like popcorn, chips, canned food or soup, foods with soy sauce, or ketchup?. If you don’t consume much salt in your diet, or if you really like chowing down on high-potassium fare, your body might be crying out for some extra sodium. Try eating when these cravings strike. If you—like most people—if you previously ate a high sodium diet and are now cutting back, salty food cravings could be a form of withdrawal; in this case, the cravings generally disappear within a few days or weeks of abstaining from table salt.

 

Are you craving something dense and rich, like cheese, butter, peanut butter, fast food, or heavy desserts? Your body is probably desperate for calories. Nine times out of ten, when you crave extremely calorie-rich foods, it’s because you haven’t been getting enough fuel for a while (days, weeks, or even months) and your body is pretty peeved about it.   Even when it feels like we eat a lot, our cuisine is so bulky that we aren’t actually getting that much energy from our meals. Your body knows it will get the best caloric bang per bite by driving you towards energy-dense items, so when you under-eat for a while, you’ll feel like making a bee-line to the first jar of peanut butter that crosses your path. The key to battling this craving isn’t necessarily to eat more fatty foods, but to eat more, period. Amp up your overall intake, and the heavy food cravings will typically subside. (One caveat: sometimes cheese cravings are also due to dairy withdrawal or low sodium levels.)

 

Are you craving a pure, unseasoned protein source, like chicken, eggs, or fish? You probably aren’t getting enough protein.  If you aren’t eating enough food (or if your digestion isn’t up to par), you aren’t getting enough protein to thrive long-term. If you are vegetarian,  you can often squash this craving with a small amount of raw animal products; try tossing a couple of free-range organic eggs into a smoothie, for instance. If you’re a committed vegan, focus on eating adequate calories, including plenty of greens and non-sweet vegetables (both of which are relatively high in protein as a percentage of calories). Green juice can be effective as well. Try zucchinis, they are 18 percent protein!

 

Are you craving red meat—even if you haven’t eaten it in years? This is a classic iron craving. Load up on dark leafy greens or sea vegetables, and eat them with another food high in vitamin C to enhance absorption (such as a salad with spinach and orange slices).

Are you craving dairy, bread, pasta, crackers, or other grain products? Both dairy and gluten-containing grains contain opioid peptides—amino acid sequences that affect the brain in the same way opiates do, targeting your endorphin receptors and making you feel pretty darn good. These opioids are also amazingly addictive and are largely responsible for cravings. In the case of milk, it makes sense—if wise Mother Nature makes this liquid semi-addictive,  it ensures that young mammals feel compelled to keep drinking it, which keeps them nice and nourished. Unfortunately, the addictive quality doesn’t go away just because you grow up, most of the time, dairy and grain cravings are due to opioid peptide withdrawals. 

  

To bust a craving

·         Change your behavior:  get up and stretch, go for a walk (grab the dog, grab your spouse, your neighbor or the kids),  do some laundry, clean out the junk drawer, hit the gym for a workout 

·        Put a mint taste in your mouth: brush your teeth or pop in a piece of gum. Behavioral scientists have figured out that the mint can suppress hunger. Keep in mind that a craving is a different thing than a hunger pain, but we see good results with cravings as well

·       Don’t skip meals. This is a big one. Eating consistently puts you in the optimal hormonal environment for blood sugar control, emotional well-being and satiety.

·         Eat protein and fiber at every meal. 

·        Have one cheat meal or snack per week. You heard right... go out and eat what you want, at ONE meal during the week. Appetizers, wine, dessert, whatever it is that you really REALLY want.  Just limit it to ONE meal per week. This will actually help your body reset the hunger hormones ghrelin, CCK and leptin and cheat meals have been shown in the research to aid fat loss.   It is easier to stay on task if you know you have a cheat meal coming up at the end of the week.

 

Like any intense emotion, a craving will rise up, be present and leave.  Just because it is there and you feel it does not mean you have to act on it and dive into the 2 gallon carton of ice cream or bag of potato chips (that stuff shouldn’t be in your house anyway regardless of who in the house can eat it ;)   Simply observe the craving.   You may even want to time it. Usually it lasts 20 minutes. Just 20 minutes, and it’s gone.

 

Something else is to ask yourself, “what do you really want?” Fulfillment? Safety? Indulgence? Can you give yourself those things, without eating the trash? 

 

When you look inside yourself, what do you want? If you want to be lean, fit and strong junk food will not maintain that.  Let your mantra be "I want to be lean, fit and strong and I will not let cravings control me."   What an accomplishment! 

 

xo