We all have them; food cravings that jeopardize our efforts to lose weight and our long-term health. Why, because the cravings are nearly always for foods that are high in sugar, salt, fat and calories. What causes food cravings, why do we have them, and how do we eliminate them?
Simply put, food cravings are an intense desire for a specific food. Nearly always, our cravings are for food that is very sweet, salty, fatty or loaded with carbohydrates. The cravings can differ according to gender, age and/or personal tastes.
Some of the most common food cravings are for chocolate, ice cream, potato chips, pizza, and pasta. Most of us only have food cravings once in a while. However, food cravings can become an addiction, leading to obesity, depression, eating disorders, and increased risk for many diseases and conditions.
What causes food cravings? Actually, there can be many possible causes. Identifying the possible causes for your cravings will help you find the solutions for eliminating them. Food cravings can be caused by emotional or physical factors.
EMOTIONAL CAUSES
*Anger, resentment, bitterness or frustration.
*Stress, anxiety, tension or fear.
*Boredom or emptiness.
*Depression.
*Loneliness.
*Chronic fatigue.
If you suffer from any of these problems chronically, your food cravings will remain.
PHYSICAL CAUSES
*RESTRICTIVE OR HABITUAL DIETING. If you are trying to follow a very restrictive diet, your body will become nutrient deficient. It will try to fill this deficiency in the form of food cravings. Consequently, if you are constantly on a diet, you will constantly be craving certain foods. This is why diets based on too many food restrictions cause us to put on more weight instead of lose weight.
*HABITS. You always eat candy bars and popcorn at the movies, you always eat dessert after a meal, you always eat way too much food at your favorite restaurant, etc.
*LOW BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS. If your blood sugar levels are low, your energy levels are low. This can signal your body to crave certain foods.
*SENSORY TRIGGERS. Sometimes your body may respond to a smell like walking past a bakery.
ELIMINATING FOOD CRAVINGS
There are many changes we can make to help deal with food cravings. The following tips will help you with the physical factors that cause cravings.
*EAT A WELL-BALANCED DIET. By eating a wide variety of nutritious food, eating in moderation, and never skipping meals, our bodies will not feel deprived or lacking in the nutrients it needs. NEVER skip breakfast!
*DO NOT EAT AT NIGHT. This is the time when the greatest number of food cravings occurs. If you must eat, have a healthy snack like a piece of fruit or a yogurt.
*AVOID HIGH-SUGAR FOODS. Sugar causes a steep rise in blood sugar levels, immediately followed by steep declines.
*DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Water keeps you feeling full, keeps your body hydrated, and flushes unhealthy toxins out of your system. You may think you are hungry, when your body is actually telling you it needs water.
*GET PLENTY OF SLEEP. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. This way your body will feel rested.
*BRUSH YOUR TEETH. If you brush your teeth every time you eat, it will discourage you from eating too much.
*If you suffer from compulsive eating and cannot satisfy your craving by eating a small portion of the food you crave, you should completely avoid the food.
The emotional causes of food cravings are more difficult to deal with as they can be very complicated and difficult to overcome. Some of the tips listed below may help you.
*AVOID STRESS. You must make efforts to reduce your stress level. Take up a new hobby, something that you think you would really enjoy. Try knitting, crocheting, working puzzles, playing games with your kids, read, take walks. Use relaxation techniques like yoga or learn how to meditate. Get a massage every week.
*KEEP TRACK OF THE FOOD YOU EAT. Write down everything that you eat in a day. You may be appalled at how much you are actually eating each day. What times do you eat the most? What can you do instead?
*ADDRESS EMOTIONAL ISSUES. If you are angry, depressed, frustrated, etc., deal with what is causing the feeling. Try to find a solution. Remember that eating is not the solution.
*GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK. If you do give into your cravings occasionally, go easy on yourself and try to do better the next time. No one is harder on us than ourselves.
If you suffer from food cravings, you are not alone. However, if they are controlling your life, discover why they are controlling your life and do something about it. No one can help you unless you help yourself.
Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
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