“…while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.” Sugar plums?

Try pizza, donuts, cupcakes and potato chips!

There are times in my life when I can do

nothing else but think of food. Sometimes the

desire for a particular food has been so intense

that I’ve gone to great lengths just to satisfy

my craving. In fact, I can remember a time

that I wanted an iced blueberry cake donut

so badly that I drove to three different Krispie

Kreme locations until I found that specific

flavor. Why is it that when we have cravings

it is always for high-sugar or high-fat foods?

Why can’t we crave things like broccoli

or brussel sprouts? Through researching

remedies for my own cravings I’ve found that

the general consensus among experts is that

emotional and hormonal issues are typically

contributing factors.

Hormone Levels I have often noticed that hormonal changes

tied to my menstrual cycle will trigger food

cravings. Evidently, a few days before our

“monthly visitor”, estrogen levels drop as well

as serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin

is commonly referred to as the “feel-good

hormones” of the body. When serotonin

drops we often feel tired and depressed. That

would certainly explain the mood swings that

I subject my husband to on a monthly basis.

Apparently, as serotonin levels drop this

signals the brain to provide some sort of pick

me up, often in the form of a simple sugar

or carbohydrate. Problem is, if we feed those

cravings with the donuts or cookies that we

are craving, although they provide a rapid

increase in serotonin, the peak is short-lived

and our bodies will once again crash.

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Monitor Blood Sugar Another culprit that triggers food cravings

is low blood sugar. Low blood sugar is often

the result of going too long between meals

and snacks, or the result of consuming

too few calories. I know a number

of women guilty of this, myself

included. I can recall countless

efforts in the past to lose weight

on restrictive diets. I had always

heard that it was a basic principle

of calories in versus calories out. I only

wish it were truly that simple. Unfortunately,

the type of calories matter as

well, or trust me, I would be the

donut queen.

Restrict Carbohydrates The carbohydrates in our

food are converted to glucose

and then absorbed into the

bloodstream, providing us

with energy. The more

refined the carbohydrate,

meaning processed and

stripped of nutritional

value, the more quickly

it is absorbed. While

that surge of energy

may feel great, such a rapid

rise causes our bodies to

compensate by suppressing

blood glucose levels below

normal, often leading to

mood swings and strong

cravings for more sugar. Knowing that

carbohydrates can potentially induce a sugar

spike might tempt us to restrict carbohydrates

all together, much like the popular Adkins diet of the past, but many experts

advise against this approach. Glucose provides fuel for our cells, particularly our brain cells. It is no coincidence that some bodybuilders

are referred to as mindless Neanderthals. Although this is a

horrible generalization, it likely spurred from interacting with extremely carb depleted athletes just prior to competition.

I can recall a time personally during my

second competition when I tried restricting

carbohydrates and managed to turn down

the wrong street twice going home and I had

lived there for years.

Reduce Stress Another common trigger for

cravings is stress. Stress can really wear

on a person, both emotionally and physically.

It is not uncommon for a person who is under

stress to look for an “attitude adjustment”

Eat smaller meals more frequently to keep blood sugar

levels even.

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in the form of sugar or caffeine. Problem is,

these quick fixes, though temporarily mood-

boosting, can exacerbate your cravings by

creating a cycle of ups and downs. I had a

co-worker years ago who suffered from

chronic fatigue. In retrospect, had

I known then what I know now,

I would have suggested that she

take a look at her diet. At the

time, a doctor prescribed her

with an anti-depressant to boost

her mood and increase her energy.

Thing is, most of these anti-depressants work

by manipulating

levels of serotonin in

the body. Serotonin,

though derived from

protein, needs insulin from

carbohydrates to release

the feel-good hormones in

our brain. I am willing to bet

that regular meals of complex

carbohydrates, quality protein

and minimal fat would have

helped regulate her levels of

serotonin. For me personally,

eating in this manner has played

an integral role in increasing my

energy and well-being.

Be Happy!

Speaking of well-being, people

who are unhappy with their lives

often find themselves craving

sugary snacks and processed foods.

Though many may think that it is just a lack

of will power, misery in our lives can actually

have a biochemical effect on our bodies.

Eating sweets provides us with a sort of a

natural high. It fires beta-endorphins

in our brain that can instantly lift

one’s mood and settle anxiety,

giving a false sense of well-being.

Once the happiness fades, we

come back down to earth, feel

miserable about what we just ate

and then attempt to fight the urge

to indulge for a quick fix again. It can be a

horrible cycle, leading to excessive weight

gain and further misery down the road.

So, how do we avoid persistent cravings? That can often depend on your

own personal chemistry and even your current

hormonal and emotional state. One thing is

certain though, we can all benefit from eating

regular meals spaced evenly throughout the

day. It is also important not to drastically

restrict your calories because this can wreak

havoc on your metabolism. On that same

note, do not deny yourself carbohydrates.

They help regulate your blood sugar and keep

you thinking clearly and feeling good. Choose

high fiber foods and complex carbohydrates

such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, oatmeal,

apples and beans. Whenever possible,

combine a healthy fat and protein to slow

the digestion of carbohydrates. One of my

personal favorites is all natural peanut butter

on Ezekiel bread.

Another common trigger for cravings is

stress. Stress can really wear on a person,

both emotionally and physically.

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Break Self-Defeating Habits

Another way to potentially avoid caving

into your cravings is to work on breaking

past habits. For example, years

ago my dad (a.k.a. The

Cookie Monster), would

instinctively reach for a

cookie after nearly every

meal at dinnertime. This

little ritual rubbed off on

me and I often found that

I would reach for a cookie,

even if I was stuffed to the gills, out of

instinct and habit. It took some doing, but we

replaced that habit with a walk around the

block and an occasional decaf coffee. If you

find that there is a time of day when you are

most susceptible to eating out of habit, then

plan activities to preoccupy yourself. Exercise

is one of the best options because it increases

endorphins and creates the same sort of high

that a high-fat or high-sugar food might. Also,

our strong emotional connection to food can

make cravings super intense around holidays.

Have the resolve to create new habits for the

holidays. Bake less and get out more.

While we may never be able to eliminate the

occasional craving from our lives, applying

some of these tactics may make them less

frequent. The important thing is to know that

falling victim to a craving is less about will

power and more about a lack of preparedness.

With a sound nutrition plan and a resolve to

live happy, hopefully your cravings will be

fewer and farther between. Edward W. Smith,

author of “Sixty Seconds to Success” wrote…

“the will to win is not nearly as important as the

will to prepare to win.” If we are going to win

the battle against cravings, we must prepare

and plan to fight a good fight.

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