How to Put an End to Those Crazy Food Cravings
Do you have unhealthy food cravings? It is possible to change your cravings!
Often our unhealthy cravings start when we were children—what foods we ate growing up and how we linked food with certain emotions. I didn’t get a lot of candy growing up, and I often felt deprived. When I became an adult, I would go to the grocery store and eat a chocolate bar before I even left the parking lot. I remember it felts so shameful, and yet it felt so good. Can you relate?
It always seemed amazing to me how people could turn away foods I craved. How they could be at a party and pass by the bowls of chips without taking just one. How they said no when the cake was served.
Food triggers certain brain functions, which can turn into cravings. People tend to get cravings when the brain starts calling for certain foods — often unhealthy healthy choices. We may know they are unhealthy but our brains tell us otherwise. Often eating these unhealthy choices releases feel-good chemicals. Junk food causes a release of dopamine in the brain which encourages us to eat even more unhealthy foods.
One of the ways I started craving healthy foods, was to consume them. The more you eat them, the more your body craves them! Because fruit and vegetables made me feel better, I allowed that to drive my urge to naturally feel more inclined to eat these foods next time. For instance, when I learned the more green leafy vegetables you eat, the healthier you are and the more weight you will lose, I changed my view on greens. (source: Dee McCaffrey)
Another way was to target the negative food cravings to remove them from your pantry. I could sit a whole box of Cheese-its, so I know I cannot not have Cheese-its in the house to tempt me.
Here are a few ideas to help you stop craving junk and turn your cravings into healthy ones!
Look deeper at the foods you crave. Is there a root of the craving? If you find that you craving chips or chocolate, ask yourself: is there an emotion going on here instead? Is your body lacking something? For instance, you may crave salty foods because your body may need more salt. If you crave chocolate, your body may need more calcium.
“When Your Body Craves Certain Foods, It Actually Is Looking For Nutrients”
Colleen Huber
Keep a food journal. Jot down the food you ate and how it made you feel. When you eat greens daily and notice your numbers go down on the scale you are going to train your brain to have a positive reaction to healthy choices.
Challenge yourself with a ‘eat this, not that’ mindset. Find healthy alternatives to the things you crave.
For instance, if you are craving something sweet, like chocolate, pop a Chocolate Ball in your mouth. Have a Chocolate Energy Bar or even a dip a spoon in this amazing Creamy Chocolate Syrup.
If you are craving something crunchy and salty, you might consider Three Amigos Corn Chips, Granola or snack on pumpkin seeds.
If you crave bread, look into Sprouted Grain Bread or add Sprouted Grain Croutons to your salad.
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