Chelsea Golub, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and founder of Eat Healthy With Chelsea, authored this story.
Cravings can occur for a number of different reasons. You might see, smell, or hear about a certain food, which can cause a craving to occur either consciously or subconsciously. They can also occur due to hormone fluctuations—think about when you are menstruating or if you’ve been pregnant.
Stress is another reason why cravings might occur. Stress increases the level of the hormone cortisol in our bodies. And while cortisol is not a bad thing, we actually need certain levels of cortisol for our bodies to function properly. Having too much of it and being under constant stress can make our bodies crave carbohydrates. Usually, these cravings are for more high sugar carbohydrates. And even if you don’t eat more due to stress, you can still feel the effects of it on your body and you can still gain weight.
Cravings might also occur due to emotional triggers. If, for example, you’ve made it a habit to have ice cream when you’re sad, the association with being sad might make you believe you are craving ice cream.
Another reason people might experience cravings is due to restriction. When we tell ourselves that certain foods are “off limits” we tend to want them even more. You always want what you can’t have, so to speak. So if you’re cutting out carbohydrates for example, you might realize that you have more cravings for those higher carbohydrate foods.
What goes hand in hand with my last point, is not eating enough throughout the day. I always tell my clients that our bodies are so much smarter than we think. And when we just don’t give it enough fuel (calories) during the day, you might experience intense cravings late at night.
Habits To Help Kick Cravings And Speed Weight Loss
Don’t restrict or eliminate whole foods or food groups—except for medical reasons, allergies or intolerances.
Cutting foods or food groups out of your diet, like fats or carbohydrates, is a huge factor as to why you might be experiencing cravings. Restricting foods makes you feel out of control around food, which leads to increased cravings and overeating. Focus on what you can add to your diet to make it as nutritious as possible while still including your favorite foods in a mindful way.
Eat balanced meals and snacks consistently throughout the day (every three to five hours).
Yes, even if you are trying to lose weight, you still need to be eating enough nutrient dense foods throughout the day. Adding more food and fuel to your day will lessen those cravings at night, help keep your metabolism going and yes, will even help you lose weight!
Not only will this tip help manage cravings, but it also ensures that you meet your macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate) and micronutrient (vitamins, minerals) needs. Having balanced proportions of macronutrients, including colorful fruits and vegetables, and adding that “satisfaction factor” is what keeps you satisfied and decreases cravings.
Avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad” or trying to be “good” throughout the day.
This only leads to being “bad” at night and craving the foods you restricted.
Check in with your body and actually eat what you’re craving.
I know this might sound counterintuitive, but trust me here. If you try to ignore the craving and have the “healthier” option, what usually happens is you either overdo it on the “healthier” option and feel sick afterwards, or you go from having one “healthier” option to the next and end up eventually “giving in” and having what you were craving from the start. Why not just skip the middle steps and have what you’re craving from the start in a mindful and empowered way?
Once you create a healthy relationship with food and realize that no foods “have to be” off limits, you are able to feel so much more in control and empowered with food. You might still experience cravings from time to time—we’re only human after all—but they will definitely be less frequent and you will be able to trust yourself to have a few bites of ice cream, instead of the whole pint.
Work with a dietitian.
Making changes to your diet, especially if you’ve been on and off diets for years, can be challenging, to say the least. This is why having support and guidance from a Registered Dietitian can make all the difference.
