Let’s talk about cravings…we all have them sometimes, I know I do. But let’s talk about what to do with them when they strike, and how to put them to bed.
A craving is an intense hunger for a very particular food. Sometimes it is driven by the need to consume a particular nutrient, sometimes it occurs because of a particular biochemical change in your body (think hormones or blood sugar), occasionally they are habits or patterns (think popcorn + movies), but most of the time it is driven by an emotion.
So where is the easy solution that helps all of the above? Many people turn to restrictive diets and pills and quick fixes when they suffer from intense cravings and just can’t stay out of the snacks. Often times that backfires and eventually you go ALL OUT and completely just house an entire bag of Doritos® after being a good little “diet soldiers” for a period of time. Lots of times the internal chemical reward—meaning the receptors in the brain that signal pleasure—is so great that you continue down this path and eventually start over on your physical goals.
Are you tired of starting over? Well then give up.
Say Buh-bye to Cravings with these 3 Solutions:
1. GIVE UP. Give up on restrictive diets, killer cardio plans, crazy body wraps, silly ass shake programs, counting points-carbs-calories, and Herba-Plexus-Xyng-Lev-el-Thriving-mess…well you get it. These are bandaids at best. NOT solutions, no matter which well-meaning family member or friend is trying to sell you on it. These overly restrictive plans lead to stress (cravings) and nutrient restrictions (cravings). Not to mention a whole host of other problems.
2. SEEK OUT. Recall above when I mentioned that cravings are often caused by emotional voids? Cool. When you find you are searching everywhere for that sweet or salty, stop for a moment, take a breath (like a really big deep one) and ask yourself, “am I hungry?”
Spoiler Alert: If you are craving a particular food…you aren’t physically hungry. By pausing and shifting into being PRESENT you allow the moment to identify the cause (stress, anxiety, fatigue, joy, sadness) and find an appropriate solution for it.
3. GIVE IN. Yes, you read that right. Give in to the craving. If you are physically hungry, just freakin’ give in!
This goes two ways, you can give in with a healthy treat or give in all together. If you are craving sweets, maybe have a banana with some cinnamon and honey. If you are carving salty, maybe have a salted vegetable or dried/baked + salted veggie treat. (I love the crispy green beans from Sprouts.)
OR
Have that ice cream or those cheese fries and be FULLY present with it. When you are fully present while you are eating, you AREN’T fisting it into your mouth while watching TV…you are taking a bite at a time, savoring the textures, the flavors, the smell. The first bite is bliss, the second bite is really great, the third bite is good…by then you are done. Be sure and check in after about every 3 bites, especially if you are new at this and see if you are still physically hungry.
These three solutions alone will have you kicking those cravings ass in no time. Remember above all else, if you do give in to an emotional craving or house a plate of cheese fries—give yourself some extra love and keep moving forward. You got this!
PS: I am hosting a REAL talk about lots more REAL solutions for cravings…prevention too! You should totes join me, its this Friday, its free and you will get the replay. Get the deets here: http://eepurl.com/cw9EM1 (And if you can’t tell from the above…I’m not trying to sell you any of those restrictive diets, killer cardio plans, crazy body wraps, silly ass shake programs, counting points-carbs-calories, and Herba-Plexus-Xyng-Lev-el-Thriving-messes. xoxo