~ a better you ~
What? Am I drooling? This image pops up in my dreams, creeping its way through my reasonable thoughts of spinach and carrots right to the front of my brain. Does this happen to anyone else?
I get cravings all the time, though after years of retraining my body I handle it better than I used to. Cravings are your body's way of telling you what it needs or wants. And since most people crave foods high in fat and/or sugar, it's usually more of a want, though I have been known to crave broccoli. It is generally more common in women than men, but both genders experience them at times. Here are a few tips for curbing those cravings.
1) Replace cravings with healthy alternatives. Often I crave a specific food like mint ice cream, Doritos, pizza or chocolate but when I really sit down and think about it I realize it's sugar or salt I am craving. Sugar can be replaced with fruit, sorbet, yogurt or dark chocolate. One of my favorite treats is fruit dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate chips. Salt can be replaced with buttered or salted veggies, wheat crackers, toast or pretzels. Honestly one of my favorite salt fixes is green beans or broccoli with a little butter and salt. You'd be surprised how fulfilling your replacements can be.
2) Wait it out. Often cravings will simply disappear if you give it a little time. A good habit is to make yourself wait 15-20 minutes before you give in to a craving.
3) Give in. I know that's what you were craving to hear. Sometimes cravings really just need to be fulfilled. If it's something fatty or sugary, portion it out. Don't eat a huge bowl of ice cream, give yourself the actual serving amount to eat. Often I'll just find myself eating around the craving and end up with more than if I had just portioned it out in the first place. The key is to listen to your body to know the difference between a specific craving and something you can replace.
To learn more about cravings and how they work, visit here.