In today’s world, cravings are a common part of our lives. It might be sweets, salty, sour, crunchy, or many other things. These desires for certain foods can hit us without warning and be relentless. I remember, and still get cravings. For me, the smell can hit me and I am zoned in on that food, or flavor. As I have said before, knowledge is power and to gain knowledge we need to dive into why we get these cravings and what do we do to manage them (especially if it’s something that doesn’t help us reach our goals)?
Why do we crave things?
While cravings are not just limited to food, that is what we will focus on. A craving is an urge, usually intense, for a certain food. It takes root in the forefront of our minds and we might even get distracted by the idea of eating that certain food.
Although it is usually seen as a lack of self-control, it goes deeper than that and it is much harder to resist than a matter of “just don’t eat it.” For many people, it is a habit that goes back to the brain and the signals that we have gotten when we eat the food. It can be something that has been comforting, joyous, an escape, or our memories have a strong connection to it. We might not even realize that we have that pathway in our brain that has us crave these things, it’s just the way we are.
But why don’t we crave things like broccoli, or grilled chicken, why does it have to be sweets, or fried foods, or salty chips? Many of those craveable foods are hyperpalatable, or are designed to be easily craveable. Sweets can be craveable because they are an energy source. But Diane, energy is a good thing. Yes, it is but at the same time we live in a world where energy is all around us. This world is also where, the majority of the time, people have access to plenty of food and calories to give them energy.
These foods that we find so craveable usually activate the reward part of our brain and our brain likes being rewarded so the cravings continue. Brain hunger and physical hunger are two different things and so even if we are full, our brains can signal to us that it’s so good we should have just a bit more. So that is part of why when we eat these craveable foods, we end up eating a lot of it or having a “crack the seal” moment where we find we are craving it more.
These cravings can also be due to our surroundings. Have you ever gone to the movies and instantly wanted popcorn, and candy? We have trained ourselves to want these things because we are used to having them. Our brain likes to attach to patterns and so our brains will go, “Hey a movie, we usually have popcorn. You should get some. It’s tasty. Extra butter would be even better.” With that, we have to tap into our why here and remember that the popcorn is not the enemy. Let’s talk about managing cravings and moving forward knowing that they are going to be a part of our lives.
Beyond our surroundings, the rest of our life can impact our appetite. If you think back to the last time you didn’t get the most restful sleep, or just plain didn’t get enough, you know that hunger is riding shotgun to your life that day. Ghrelin is a hormone that signals our hunger and when we are tired that hormone is higher than most other days. Remember how we talked about energy, your body is going to give you signals to help it do what your brain (you) are asking it to do. So if you are tired and haven’t recovered, your body is going to send signals to get energy from somewhere (food). Sleep is a major proponent to our overall health (stay tuned for another blog diving into sleep).
What do I do about the cravings?
There are a few options when it comes to the cravings. We will talk about things to do in preparation, in the moment, and how to move forward after we eat those craveable foods.
You could eat the craving. It seems counterintuitive but there is power in the idea that you can eat whatever you want. The power and the choice is with you. Why eat the craving? Part of the idea is that you can enjoy it and move along. With that, here is my suggestion. Wait 20 minutes (and do something) before you enjoy it. You might find it was a momentary thing and it passes. After those 20 minutes, and you still have the craving, go ahead and have some. ANOTHER STIPULATION. Put said food on a plate, in a bowl and put the rest away. Go sit down at the table and eat it slowly. It is easy to get carried away and before you know it, a whole bag of chips is gone and you have a tummy ache.
You could not eat the craving. This is another time when the power and choice is within you. Maybe you know that ice cream is going to feel great in the moment but terrible 20 minutes later. You have the power to not eat the thing. With that, you can make yourself busy or find another snack that is similar but won’t have the adverse effect. For me, I will use frozen fruit, protein powder, and some sort of milk to make a protein “ice cream.” I get the sweetness from the fruit, the creaminess from the protein powder and it can make a good amount to where I am having a substantial amount of food. Is it the same as ice cream? No. Is it good enough to scratch the itch? Yes.
Have less of the craveable food and give it a boost. Let’s say you are craving the cereal you ate every Saturday morning while watching cartoons. We can switch the cereal being the main component of the bowl for Greek yogurt and fresh fruit and have the cereal be the topping. You get a boost of nutrients, a filling bowl, AND nostalgia. That is what we call a win, win, win.
Diane, I can’t control myself if it’s around. James Clear talks about this idea in his book Atomic Habits and describes this idea of making it less obvious. When it comes to some of those craveable foods, we have to be honest with ourselves about our ability to control our cravings if it is around. For example, if I have cookies on my counter, I’m going to eat one every time I pass by. My solution, cookies are not kept in my house OR I put them in the freezer. Out of sight, out of mind is a real thing and we can use it to our advantage.
One thing that I want to point out here is that there is very little time when the food is a 100% no go. Unless there is a reason (like an allergy or adverse reaction), your cravings can be a part of your life. Trying to build a healthy life means that you need to be able to do it for the rest of your life. To think that we will never have ice cream again, doesn’t sound like a great time or what I want to do with my life. So what do we do? We manage our cravings with a balanced and nutritious diet (the stuff we eat) that is made up of mostly minimally processed foods (like having an apple versus apple sauce or a baked potato versus fries). If we focus on making 90% of our diet minimally processed and 10% enjoyable, you should be able to sustain a healthy life where you can do everything that you want to do.
In the long run, our overall health is not just what we eat. It’s the things we do, what we consume (listening, reading, being around, and eating), and the people we surround ourselves with. Finding a balance that allows us to thrive in all those areas is a marker of a great life. In that regard, our cravings are not going to be the make or break point in our lives unless we let them consume the other parts.
Diane, I crave things all the time. How can I possibly get to the 90% 10% you talked about? Check out this blog about starting your health journey. Remember, it’s a marathon not a race. You are more capable than you can imagine and there is always room to grow. Take your time, find a rhythm and keep moving forward. Like Jordan Sparks said, “One step at a time, there’s no need to rush. It’s like learning to fly or falling in love.”
Want to learn more?
If you are looking to talk more about managing cravings and creating a plan that will help you build the habits to give you the life you want, send us a message with the words “ice cream” and we will be in touch!
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