One of the biggest problems that people come to me with is is cravings. They start the day or week off feeling positive, motivated and in total control. However, by the end of the day the ice cream is screaming at them from the freezer or their car somehow autopilots through the drive-thru.
It feels shameful and like something that is impossible to overcome.
Yet, within the first week, almost 100% of my clients report that their cravings are gone. How is this possible? Is it because I sprinkle magic craving dust on all of my clients? Oh man, I wish that was true. I would give it to each one of you for free!
No, it’s because I start all of my one-on-one and online work with clients, teaching them how to understand their body. Most of the things that we misinterpret as lack of willpower or self-sabotage, is simply hunger. Once you understand your hunger, you can stop fighting it and solve it.
Here is an example:
When we don’t eat enough food or it’s not balanced correctly our stress hormones are released. Adrenaline is one of them. You may remember our friend adrenaline from such headlines as “Grandmother Lifts Bus off of Grandson!” It is one of our most powerful hormones. It is also where “hangry” comes from.
Adrenaline’s job is to force you to go out and get sugar. Either in the form of sweets, carbs or alcohol. That’s whey when you are starving you don’t want kale. You want pizza or a doughnut or wine…or all three. So, if that happens to you, congratulations! Your body is working.
Here is the tricky part. Healthy food is intrinsically low in calories. So if you are being a nutritionist’s dream and loading up on fruits and veggies (please keep doing this) you still may not be getting enough food into you and falling victim to cravings later in the day.
Or if you are running on caffeine and just plain business during the day, that hunger will catch up to you at some point.
So what is the solution?
It is important to be proactive with your hunger. This doesn’t necessarily mean eating 6 small meals a day or spending all day Sunday meal prepping (who has time for either?), but simply recognizing that you will get hungry and having a solution for it.
It is also important to make sure that you aren’t falling into the “whoever eats the least wins” mentality. Yes, if weight loss or a change in body composition is your goal you will need to prioritize and make some choices; but you will still need to work with your body rather than against it.
This week I encourage you try not to save your food for later in the day or try to suppress hunger. Instead, be prepared with some snacks and feed yourself as soon as you notice hunger coming on. Did you still have those cravings later in the day? Or did solving your hunger satisfy your cravings? You may be surprised! Be sure to let me know how it goes.
Remember, hunger is not evil and food is not the issue. Hunger is NORMAL and food is simply the solution.
