Control Food Cravings
Find out how to control food cravings by changing to a more balanced diet and eating better foods for you and your body.
Definition
food (noun)
1. any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.
2. more or less solid nourishment, as distinguished from liquids.
3. a particular kind of solid nourishment: a breakfast food; dog food.
4. whatever supplies nourishment to organisms: plant food.
5. anything serving for consumption or use: food for thought.
Source: Dictionary.com
Why Do I Crave Food?
Obviously we all crave food in general - It’s called hunger.
That aside, there are all sorts of cravings of a particular food that can be caused by emotion, a nutritional deficiency or by habit.
Some people will crave food to self medicate themselves when they are sad, lonely or just feel bad in general. Eating a lot of food, especially sugary food causes all the blood to rush to the stomach and a release of serotonin, making us feel better, at least temporarily.
You may also crave food when you are lacking certain nutrients. You may find yourself craving red meat when you don’t have enough iron for example.
We also tend to get in a habit of thinking we need a certain type of food. If you always have popcorn while watching a movie, sooner or later you will crave it as soon as you sit down to enjoy a new film.
Is Food Really Dangerous Or Addictive?
In general food of course isn’t dangerous or necessarily addictive. In fact it is necessary for us to eat every single day. Food however can become addictive and dangerous when we become too emotionally involved with it, or overeat because of the food addiction. Food cravings can also cause us to make unhealthy food choices.
Unhealthy food choices, such as too many fatty or sugary foods can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart problems and a variety of other health conditions. This is why it is so important that you take control of your food cravings as soon as possible.
What Can I Do To Curb My Food Cravings?
The best way to curb food cravings is to make sure you eat a balanced diet and provide your body with all the nutrients it needs. If you are an emotional eater, you also need to make a conscious effort to not allow your emotions to control what you eat. When you encounter a craving for let’s say chocolate, ask yourself… “Why am I craving this chocolate bar? Is it because I feel sad?” Acknowledging the emotional connection is the first step to gaining control over your emotional eating. A good next step would be to deal with the feeling instead of medicating it with food.
- Aim for a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in it. This will provide you with many of the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
- Take some sort of daily vitamin supplement. Whole food vitamins are recommended.
- Eat five to six small meals a day and include some protein in each meal. This will help keep your blood sugar stable and provide you with the energy to keep going all day long.
Become more aware of your food cravings and the reason behind them. Then take steps toward dealing with the cravings. If you eat out of habit, break the habit by doing something else. If you crave food when you are bored, call a friend or go for a walk instead. Speak to your physician or a nutritionist about an appropriate supplement if you feel your food cravings are caused by nutritional deficiencies. Take it one step at a time and before you know it, you will have control over your food cravings.
What can I do to help curb my food cravings?
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Diana Walker, YOUR Cravings Coach
