This week I wanted to dive a little deeper into beating cravings and breaking free from them.
Wow, is this EVEN possible? Cravings seem to be a part of Western culture. At times, it’s almost so common that we don’t even think about it. Almost. That is, until we’re trying to shift our health, weight, or energy levels and we realize just how strong they’ve become.
Why?
Why did I choose to say “Western” culture? Because it’s only in the last 100 years that we’ve created foods that are actually engineered to trigger cravings. We also live life at such a fast pace that we tend to ignore how we’re really doing more often than not.
You’ll notice that you don’t typically crave a nice, juicy apple very often.
“A craving is just a specific manifestation of a deeper underlying motive. Your brain did not evolve with a desire to smoke cigarettes or to check Instagram or to play video games.” (James Clear)
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Why it’s not just you. Everyone experiences them.
- Where do they come from? Understanding their nature.
- You CAN beat them with a few simple tricks.
Cravings can be rough though. Especially after the last several months of having our lives totally shifted due to so many things happening (Covid, riots depending on where you live, extreme weather challenges depending on where you live, homeschooling depending on if you have kids, at home far more than usual, etc). They’re even stronger when you’re bored, tired, lonely, frustrated, or trying to sort through the craziness.
Why We Have Cravings
Where Do They Come From?
Many places … but today, I just want to share about 3 areas:
1.) The type of food we eat
Foods with sugar and salt actually trigger chemicals in your body to cause you to crave more. The food industry is very well aware of this. I’m not talking “conspiracy theory” or anything along those lines, but it’s well documented that putting sugar and salt in foods cause your sense of hunger to be off and cause you to crave more. Don’t worry, there are ways around this if you’re craving
Processed foods: they provide that quick grab while on the go. But they also continue.
Did you know?
“Scientists can track the precise moment a craving occurs by measuring a neurotransmitter called dopamine.* The importance of dopamine became apparent in 1954 when the neuroscientists James Olds and Peter Milner ran an experiment that revealed the neurological processes behind craving and desire.”
2.) Our emotional state
This one is actually really big. One fascinating thought is thinking back to how we are raised. Most people I know have experienced food being a major part of their childhood emotional breakthrough.
When you’re 0-5, you’re in your most formative years. They are times where you’re not really thinking whether something is a good choice or not. Parents are doing the absolute best they can. Many times that best looks like offering you a cookie if you’ll do something.
We learn from a very young age to use food as both a celebration and comfort.
3.) Our beliefs
Our belief system really should be first on the list, but I have found that we can really
If we believe we are just a victim of our cravings, then we will remain a victim.
However, I am a big believer that while “ignorance is bliss”, “knowledge is power” and the more we know about how our bodies, minds, and emotions work around food, the less power food will have and the easier it will become.
“That same principle applies to everyone: until we clear the emotion and stress response behind negative beliefs, we can’t fully let go of them.” Jessica Ortner
How to Beat Them
1.) Foods
This method is by far my absolute favorite, proven method to see transformation in both health and cravings: “Adding in & crowding out.” I have seen this work over and over again.
Our gut microbiome is actually very moldable. Just like the neuroplasticity of our brains, our guts are also capable of molding to their environment.
In a very short way of putting it: we crave what we eat.
Here’s a secret:
It’ll go much better to focus on what you CAN eat, than trying to avoid foods that trigger cravings.
One step you can do today to help:
Focus on adding in more fruits and veggies to build up your microbiome around these foods.
2.) Emotions
Taking care of your emotional state before going to food.
“When you stress eat, you’re using food to solve a problem. Only it’s a problem that food can’t solve.” (James Clear)
When you notice a strong craving, just pause.
Pause and breathe.
Ask yourself if there are any emotions that food is going to solve.
If so, take some time and work through those emotions first.
3.) Beliefs
Do you actually believe that you can overcome a craving? If not, there’s not really any point in moving forward until this area is truly conquered.
Fun exercise (seriously this works):
- Take a piece of paper. Fold it in half.
- On the left side, write out ALL the beliefs you have surrounding cravings.
- Then, begin determining if these are limiting beliefs, lies, or if they’re perhaps truths that need to be transformed.
- On the right side, write out an empowering truth, belief, or affirmation.
- Cross out the left list line-by-line until you’ve re-written them on the right side.
- Begin declaring and visualizing these truths.
In Summary:
It’s all about awareness:
Pay attention to WHAT types of foods you’re eating.
Start to pay attention to all the good foods your having (or not) and simply see if you can start adding in more whole foods into each meal and snack each day.
The more you focus on what you CAN have, the better. The more whole foods you have, the more they’ll crowd out the foods that trigger cravings.
Pay attention to the emotions surrounding those foods.
Pay attention to WHEN you’re craving certain foods.
Are there any particular emotions surrounding those cravings? If so
Pay attention to your BELIEFS.
Do you believe you can breakthrough? Do you believe you can experience emotional, mental, and physical freedom from cravings?
I believe you CAN.
4 Simple Steps:
1.) Take some time away from the substance to allow it to be released out of your body.
But don’t just remove it, replace it with something healthy: Fresh whole foods, fresh air, stillness and meditation, journaling out the emotions the food would be comforting, fun, laughter, creativity.
2.) Awareness is one of the biggest keys when you feel a craving:
Stop. Recognize you don’t “need” that food. Your body is just emitting signals that are very strong.
The more aware you can become, the less and less you will find they have power over you.
3.) Make craving foods harder to get and healthy foods easier to get.
Remember that everyone has different craving foods at different times. Know what yours are.
Even if you end up having them … make them hard to reach.
For example, I love chips. If they’re in my house and I can see them, they’re much harder to avoid, EVEN if I’m not actually craving them.
But I can actually choose to enjoy them from time to time if they’re not in sight and I make a conscious choice about my decision.
4.) “Sandwich” those foods with nutrient-dense foods that cut cravings such as fruit or vegetables.
For example, If you are going to have some pizza, have a fresh fruit first, then follow it up with a fresh salad plate. Both of these will provide the nutrients your body needs and will also cut the power of the salt, sugar, and refined foods that
Watch
Helpful Resourcs:
- How Not to Diet, Dr. Michael Gregor – Watch | Read
- The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss & Body Confidence, Jessica Ortner
- Atomic Habits, James Clear
[acf field=”author_kirsten”]
[acf field=”signup”]
[acf field=”subscribe”]
Kirsten Larsen is a wholeness coach, helping people experience freedom and breakthrough in body, soul, and spirit.
