Controlling Cravings

One of the most common reasons we overeat is CRAVINGS!!

Sometimes we get these cravings because we haven't eaten the the food in awhile and we miss it. Sometimes you are being overly restrictive, and other times it's purely emotional. Whatever the reason we talked about how to deal with cravings this week.

• Distract it- If you think you're having a craving try doing something else for 10-15 minutes and see if the desire to eat goes away. The best advice I heard was to have a list of small things to do that take about 10 minutes. Use this as a distraction, without setting the timer and see if you really want that food. Chances are you'll get busy doing something else and you won't want to eat.
• Fake it- You may want to eat a version of the food you are craving that is lower in points values. Instead of a chocolate bar how about a 1 point Peanut Butter Bliss bar?
• Feed it- Sometimes you just gotta have a certain food. Eat a controlled portion in a controlled setting. This means don't bake a whole chocolate cake if you are going to be home by yourself!
• Dig Deeper- Is there a particular reason you are craving a certain food? Have you been too restrictive? Are your emotions controlling your eating behaviour? Are you eating enough? There is flexibility. Make sure you are not being overly restrictive- make it livable! If you really aren't hungry ask yourself what are you looking for.
• Ask what your craving implies- If you are craving a particular food such as sweet, salty or crunchy, you may find it helpful to include foods of that type in your daily eating.

Cravings do not have to have control over you. Seize control and use the strategies we talked about this week.