Are you suffering from daily or weekly cravings? Do you ever have an intense desire to binge on something sweet? Or salty? Do you find yourself getting frustrated with this urge?
The good news is that you are not alone and there some easy steps you can take to get rid of the cravings once and for all!
The first step in getting rid of your cravings is to understand where they are coming from (and what they are trying to tell you).
What’s Lacking?
One of the biggest culprits of cravings is simply not getting a balanced diet.
If we don’t have the proper ratio of carbs, fats, proteins,and water, our hormone and blood sugar levels will fluctuate, which will leave our body feeling deprived.
For example, if you don’t have enough carbs in your system, your body will start cravings sweets to meet your body’s energy needs. If you don’t have enough fats, you will crave things such as cheese and dairy. And if you aren’t getting enough water in your system, you become dehydrated and will crave salty foods.
Skipping Meals?
Skipping meals (yes, that includes breakfast) is a huge culprit of cravings. If we aren’t getting enough nutrients in our bodies, it will lead to cravings and binge eating later in the day to attempt to get the energy we need.
Processed Foods?
Still facing cravings? Make sure you try to eliminate as much processed foods out of your diet as possible. Chemicals from processed foods send messages and impulses to our brains, which will trigger addicting cravings.
Beyond Food
Surprisingly, foods aren’t the only thing that drives our bodies to crave certain foods. Do you ever find yourself reaching out for sweets or salty foods when you are bored, lonely, sad, or stressed? Often times, our cravings are simply just a way our bodies remind us to listen to our emotions. When we don’t address our feelings, we will often reach out to food because we unconsciously associate good feelings with food.
Next time you face yourself craving something bad, ask yourself a few questions before digging into that bag of chocolates or chips:
1) Have I skipped any meals today?
2) Have my meals been balanced?
3) Have I had enough water today?
4) Am I actually hungry or just bored?
5) Am I avoiding confronting an issue in my life?
6) Am I stressed? Or bored?
Listen to your body! Our body is an amazing thing. It tells us when we are low on carbs, fat, protein, and water by sending our brain cravings. All we need to do is listen 🙂
If you are struggling with any aspect of this – balancing your diet, skipping meals, emotional eating, don’t struggle alone. Reach out to a health coach or nutritionist like me to guide you along the way! We can help you clarify the messages your body is sending and get you set up on a path that ensures you get the benefits of those cravings instead of the down side.
