I’m still figuring this out myself. In my experience, there are a few different types of cravings. Here they are:

1) Physical
2) Emotional
3) Spritual/Mental

Ok, so how does that help us overcome cravings? It doesn’t, at least not yet. But I think the key to beating cravings is understanding what is causing them.

Let’s examine how to deal with Physical Cravings:

If you are physically hungry, you may crave sugar or other calorie-rich foods in order to quickly satiate your body’s need for calories. In order to prevent this cravings, there are several things you can do. First, eat a hearty breakfast.  Some whole grains with little healthy oil and sauteed veggies, or perhaps some fruit with a little kefir.  Whatever you prefer, don’t skip breakfast.  Second, make sure you have some healthy snacks on hand throughout the day.  Sprouted almonds with celery are a great snack that will curb any hunger strike.  Third, stay hydrated.  This is really important since many times we mistake our thirst for hunger.  Make sure you are drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces everyday.

How about Emotional Cravings:

This is a little trickier.  The first step is to, of course, make sure the craving is not physical.  If you have done all the aforementioned steps, then I would suggest trying to satiate whatever emotion you are feeling.  It is important to figure out what emotion that is… feeling angry? Go to the gym and run it off.  Feeling sad? Talk to a friend, play some music, take a nap, go to the gym… do something to get through that emotion.  But make sure if you have any “bad” foods around, you remove yourself from the temptation of eating them. Get out of the house, throw them away, or something, but just be strong, and channel your emotions through something else.  If all else fails, I generally just go to bed earlier.  I tend to feel better in the morning.

A really important part of emotional cravings is… if you indulge, do not beat yourself up.  It happens to all of us.  Good health is a journey… and it certainly doesn’t happen over night.  The more you lament about your “binge”, and the more you feel guilty about it, the more you will play into a vicious cycle that may make you more prone to “binge” again! So, be good to yourself. Make sure you’re always moving forward.  If you are feeling guilty, give yourself a pep talk like this:

“Hey, it happens to the best of us.”

“It’s not a big deal! Keep moving forward.”

“Without mistakes, we wouldn’t know what’s right and what’s wrong… learn from this.”

“You’re awesome and you’re doing awesome things just by being aware.”

Etc etc. You get the picture.

Lastly, Spiritual/Mental Cravings:

Ok, this one is pretty tough.  If it’s not physical and it’s not emotional, it’s very possible it’s a spiritual/mental cravings.  And, once again, you need to figure out what exactly is bothering you.  Do you feel the need for deeper meaning? Or perhaps an intellectual challenge?  Think about the different areas of your life: work, family, friends, self… are you feeling an emptiness in any of those areas? If so, make a plan to address that area.  Hang out with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, call your Mom or Dad or Brother or Sister, spend sometime reflecting or meditating… ask yourself what your passion is in life, and if you don’t know- make it a goal to find out! Try some new things, discover yourself!

I promise you, the answer to your cravings is somewhere in the above scenarios.  I still struggle too! Something is bothering me, and I haven’t been able to nail it down yet… I still binge. I still crave sugar.  I have a suspicion I’m in the emotional or spiritual/mental craving area, but I need more time to figure it out.  And like I said, take my advice and do yourself a favor- Do Not Worry.  It gets you nowhere and makes you feel awful in the process. Be proactive. You’ll make it.

Yours in Truth and Health,

BriannaG