Intense cravings can wreck diets for even the most dedicated health enthusiasts.
We all suffer from cravings. But here’s the deal about cravings—there’s always a reason behind them. If we can figure out the reason, we can start to take control.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “We crave what we need.”
There’s a common idea out there that when you crave something, it’s because there’s a nutrient in it that you need.
And guess what? That is 100% a myth. It’s been debunked by science over and over. In face, there is only one condition where somebody craves something their body actually needs. It’s a mineral deficiency called pica.
If you find yourself craving dirt, you probably have pica and you need to see your doctor.
Otherwise, that’s not what is causing your cravings.
So…what is? That takes a little more thought and attention.
Think about your cravings…the time of day you have them, the situations that surround them. Are you experiencing cravings first thing in the morning? Or late in the evening?
Do you always have cravings after a fight with your spouse, or when you’re stressed out? Or when you’re happy? Or sad?
When we start to trace the circumstances leading up to our cravings, we can usually pinpoint the reason. The reason is usually an emotion.
Food activates parts of our brain that make us feel good.
If we crave something because we’re happy, that’s our body trying to enhance that feeling.
If we crave something because we’re sad, our body is trying to make us feel better.
But feeling good from food is temporary.
I had a client call me once. She was trying to decide if she should eat chocolate chips or drink some hot chocolate.
So I asked her what was going on. She said she was stressed out.
When I asked her how the chocolate was going to help, she said it would make her feel better.
But for how long?
Ten minutes or so. Then what was she going to do? Eat more chocolate. Then eat more ten minutes after that…. That’s the cycle of cravings.
Instead of feeding our cravings, we need to get to the source.
This comes down to the Cue/Routine/Reward system.
We have a cue for our cravings. That might be seeing someone, a stressful work project, a fight with a loved one, or a certain time of day.
We then use a routine to get to our reward. So if our cue is stress at work, the routine is grabbing a piece of chocolate, and the reward is feeling better.
Once we have the cue, we need to get to the reward. If we ignore it, and try to just use willpower to overcome it, it usually leads to more intense cravings and unwanted behaviors.
Instead, we can come up with a new routine to respond to the cue.
If the cue is stress, don’t make chocolate the routine. Find a different way to de-stress. You could drink a cup of tea or go for a walk.
As you notice patterns forming that lead to cravings, you can build in routines to prevent the cues or to bring you the reward without the unhealthy routine.
Over time, you will be able to target the source of your cravings, prevent them, and find better ways to reward your body.
If that sounds overwhelming and you need help, go to fatextractionmethod.com now for a free training that will help you get there.
Here to help,
John