Cravings, cravings, cravings…although giving in to quick fixes may wreck your personal goals, cravings are really not bad. They are just telling you your body is missing something.
While most of us have trained ourselves to believe cravings are bad, usually they are your body’s way of saying you are missing something important. This is as true of those horrific cravings when trying to quit smoking as it is of drug and alcohol cravings and, yes, those weird food cravings of pregnancy and more.
In part, cravings may start because you may have decided to change your lifestyle and remove something your body is used to having—and having at will. Just like a two-year-old, it protests when you take away its favorite toy: that pack-a-day habit or… chocolate.
They are only confusing when you crave an anti-food as a quick fix for a real nutrient. Let’s decode this.
Common cravings—and solutions:
You want an energy pick-me-up:
- You are actually thirsty. Did you know that slight dehydration, before you feel “thirst” can bring about cravings for whatever you associate with a solution to energy? The complicated nervous system response to thirst is beyond the scope of this article, but try drinking a glass of water and see what happens.
- I drink water, but it doesn’t handle my thirst and I’m still tired. Actually, this may mean you need electrolytes. And by the way, drinking sugary sports drinks further depletes your electrolytes as your kidneys (pancreas, thyroid, and many other organs) now rush to handle the blood sugar spike.
- Your body is dependent on carbs for fuel—you’ve trained it well, If you eat carbs, bread, cookies, crackers, cereal which all cause a blood sugar swing, as your sugar balance erodes your body drops its blood sugar too low. I explained this in my weight loss part 2—this also brings about enormous cravings. You may find yourself craving sugar at odd moments throughout the day when your energy level sinks. Avoiding processed foods is vital, even the so-called “healthy” ones—that aren’t.
- You are deficient in fats. See above. Most high-carb diets have trained the body to expect the instant gratification of sugars and carbs that turn to sugars. It takes 21 days of re-training your body to burn fat. Meanwhile, you also are likely not getting enough fat in your diet. Not being given enough healthy fats, your body hangs onto what it has, fails to re-develop its ability to burn fats for long-term energy, and you feel those pick-me-up cravings.
How much water do you need? A good rule of thumb is to take your weight and divide it by two to determine how many ounces of water you need per day. For example, someone who weighs 150 pounds would need about 75 ounces or a little over 9 cups of water per day. A cup is 8 oz., *not* supersize, you can have too much water.
You feel full, but still want something more…
- Your regular diet lacks key nutrients. A big bowl of pasta or half of a pizza will fill you up, but if you’re frequently eating foods with minimal nutritional value or not enough healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, your body may be in a constant state of dissatisfaction. Avoid pre-packaged, processed foods at all costs—they cost you in feeling good!
- Other physical reasons for cravings include hormone imbalances, seasonal changes and certain health conditions—but underneath these are usually a lacking vitamin or mineral.
- Life is, well, lacking or unfulfilling in some way… or we’ve used food to satisfy emotional fulfillment and not stopped at nutritional needs.
- Cravings are often emotionally based. One of the primary reasons we turn to food, especially food that isn’t good for us, is that we feel a lack of fulfillment in another area of our life and are looking for ways to fill that void. When we are dissatisfied or unhappy with an area of our life, or aren’t receiving emotional nourishment, we often fill that void with food. It is easy and always complies. Especially the “comfort foods” that temporarily alter mood-related hormones but at an emptiness cost.
And sometimes its not related to anything negative at all. If you’ve ever had the feeling that your life is just too good and consequently looked for ways to throw things off a bit, then this is just one example of how emotional needs, even positive ones, can impact our cravings. The layers of history, past experiences and emotional memories in relation with food are deep and sometimes very hidden.
What to do when cravings hit?
Bring your awareness to these moments. Ask yourself what your body wants. Is this physical or emotional? Determine the real source of the craving. If it is physical, this is a good time to reflect on your diet and the nutrients and amount of water you are consuming. If it’s emotional, see what you can learn—find a way to constructively fill that empty space.
Go drink a glass of clean water. Keep similarly textured but healthy foods around your house if it seems food is the only answer to resolving your craving. These can get you through.
Remember above all that cravings are your friends. Look at cravings as a way to learn about your needs, give you information and guide you to a place of balance. Welcome them with curiosity and you may be surprised and rewarded by what you discover.
Acknowledge that YOU have the ability to turn things around.
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