Top 3 Reasons WHY Your Cravings Win every time
Food for thought: you don’t have to FIGHT those cravings anymore!
Let’s set a scene here. Imagine:
you have been working non-stop all day. You skipped breakfast and then lunch was just a protein bar or shoot, even a handful of goldfish crackers you found in your car while waiting in the pickup line. You finally make dinner and scarfed it down, but sure enough, 9 pm rolls around and you are craving seemingly everything. It seems to be all you can think about.
Or how about this scene:
You have been practicing eating more consistently but find you're still hungry after dinner. When you think about it, even between meals you get those cravings and end up standing in front of the pantry in the midst of a shame spiral that never seems to go away. To eat or not to eat. What to eat? How much to eat? Those are the questions plaguing your mind.
Both scenarios create cravings because the body is telling you 1 of 3 things:
You are used to dealing with your emotions (of any kind) with food.
You are thirsty
You are not eating enough of the “right foods”
(or a combo) okay, that is 4 but sometimes there are multiple factors leading to our results.
The truth of the matter is that most women do not eat enough protein on a daily basis. Protein is the number one macronutrient for communicating to your brain that you’re full. When you get enough protein, neurotransmitters communicate with the brain and say,” HEY! I’m good! I’m full.” (super scientific I know)
➡️ This is a great place to begin. With protein. Most women who are intentional about getting a quality source of protein in with each meal, find they fight cravings WAY less often, feel full, and when they do indulge (see my picture above 😜) there isn’t an ounce of guilt, shame, or even overeating involved!
Another factor around getting enough food is simply that too many women let busyness win. They skip meals. But here is the hard truth:
Skipping meals will throw off your circadian rhythms, meaning that your body is confused and doesn't know digestion from hunger. I’m not talking about intermittent fasting either - that is simply a window in which you eat your food. You’re still getting all of the nutrients your body needs during that time. No, I am talking about feeling too busy or too guilty about the previous meal that your approach to balance is to skip a meal to “make up the calories”.
Most of my clients who have been skipping meals are also experiencing weight loss plateaus and extreme exhaustion. So the first step they take is eating consistently the best they can. And YEP that usually cuts cravings and reduces hunger while helping them see those weight loss changes too!
Working backward on our list, it could easily be that you are simply thirsty. Ideal health would be drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water DAILY! Not sparkling water or something you add to a sugary drink, but simply water. If getting your water intake is challenging for you, try a few of these tips:
Bring a 32 oz water bottle with you. Fill it up ___ days every few hours (because you’ve finished it)
Set alarms on your phone every few hours to remind you to drink. Doing this for a few weeks will help you automate a habit and you won’t need them any longer.
Add fresh lemon slices or berries to your water. It adds a little flavor without the added sugars.
Finally, cravings are often cued by emotions. All kinds of emotions too.
You have a bad day, cue craving.
You are celebrating, cue craving.
You are stressed, cue craving.
You are watching a ROM COM, cue craving!
Being aware of the situation when you experience a craving is crucial to understanding what to do.
Try using peppermint essential oil. I have mine in my cabinet - right by the foods that I go to when I’m craving something sweet. Place a few drops on your fingers and COUNT TO 90! Studies show that most cravings only last 90 seconds. So beat that darn craving by counting to 90. Sing a short song if you need, do a dance, or simply count. ⬇️
Analyze - are you actually hungry? If you can’t tell still, then…⬇️
Drink 8 oz of water (ideally with some sea salt added - just a dash) This not only hydrates you but the sea salt will help to add electrolytes back into your system for True hydration!
Wait for another 5 to 10 minutes and if you still feel hungry then ⬇️
EAT!! this probably means you didn't get enough food or the right amount of nutrients and your body is telling you it needs more. What I love about this method, which takes less than 12 minutes, is that it allows you to truly see if there is a need for food. And if there is a need, then shame and guilt have no place. Now hopefully you're not giving into that bag of chips or tub of cookies and you make a choice that is whole food focused. But just taking the time to determine where the craving comes from and if you're actually hungry or not you're more likely to make a smart choice.
If you are not hungry try a glass of peppermint tea, especially at night. It truly helps me to forget any cravings that might be extra tempting.
Give this strategy a try and you will see just how much easier and how empowering it is to work through your cravings.
Comment Below ⬇️ : What strategy are you going to try first?
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This week’s Tasty Twist: Fish Tacos
Nothing says summer life FISH TACOS. These are not only easy to make, but help you curb that craving, without all the fuss!
