Getting Control Over Cravings

Everyone has special foods they crave, from chips to cookies and beyond. Cravings are nothing new. We all have them. But what causes you to crave these foods instead of, say, salads, for example?

Certain parts of our brain are responsible for this. Eating these fatty, sugary, and carb-filled foods triggers the pleasure sensors in our brains and stimulates memories. So when we feel stressed, and the cravings hit, our brains are drumming up memories telling us to enjoy these foods because they make us feel good.

As we all know, though, that food-fueled joy is only temporary. After that, we tend to feel bad for snarfing down massive quantities of these fatty foods. While a planned and portioned indulgence is a nice treat, binging is something we should avoid. Here’s how you can handle your cravings and have more control.

Don’t overly restrict yourself

We’re all different, and we all handle cravings differently, too. Eliminating everything you love completely will only make it more likely that you’ll overindulge, so go by your cravings personality. If you are the type of person that can eat a couple of pieces of chocolate candy and be satisfied, then keeping some small treats around is fine. But if you’re inclined to eat a whole bag of candy, chips, or anything else, go for portioned-out items during reward times only.

Don’t get to that so-hungry-you’ll-eat-a-house stage

Some people need snacks between meals to keep balanced. Others are fine with just 3 portioned meals. When you figure out your eating personality, though, you must never allow yourself to get to that “hangry” place. We all make bad decisions when we’re that hungry, like pulling through the drive-thru.

Keep tabs on your cravings

One of the best ways to keep yourself honest and keep track of things is to keep a journal about your cravings. For one month, write down what you’re craving, what time of day you’re craving it, what emotions you’re feeling during the cravings, and how much of it you ate. After a month, review what you recorded and see if there are certain patterns. Once you determine what’s making you have these cravings, they can be a lot easier to head off at the pass.

Be carb smart

We need carbs because they calm our bodies. While living low-carb is beneficial for weight loss, no-carb isn’t as effective. Still, it does matter which carbs you eat. If you’re craving fries, bake them up in your oven, or substitute them with kale or zucchini for healthy chips that taste like the real deal. Use whole-wheat options instead and get the most out of your carbs. Remember, high fibre means a lower carb intake.

By looking at what sets your cravings off, you’ll be better able to stop them before they can fester, which makes all the difference between enjoying a reward or going overboard.