dietonautopilot.com

 The art and science of how to stop cravings is really both: An art ,as there are some psychological techniques which have not really been scientifically evaluated or recognized, but they are working nevertheless. And a science, as there are indeed (double blind placebo controlled) studies, that investigate the effect of nutrition or supplements on cravings and subsequent weight loss.

Although scientific methods seem more trustworthy, we will also look into the art-part of stopping cravings. In the end what counts for the dieter is what brings success. But let us first investigate ….

Why do we need to stop cravings?

Of course it is obvious, cravings really can easily break your diet. But what is even worse is that it keeps the vicious circle of dieting (yo-yo dieting) alive. Not being able to stick to the diet that one is on because of cravings, is the number one reason that that diet is unsuccessful.

Today, much emphasis is put onto different aspects of all the eatings plans and diet schemes that are around. From low carb to low GI, South Beach, Cabbage Soup, Calorie Cycling and so on.

While for every individual there might exist a specific diet plan that works better than the other diet schemes, the overall differences of the weight loss achieved are minimal.

The key factor which determines if the diet you are on is going to be a success, is simply your ability to be able to stick to that diet scheme. And this ability greatly depends on how different the food that you are supposed to eat on your diet is from what you are used to eat. We are all creatures of habit!

Why you crave what you crave

For most diet concepts, as good as their balanced food plans may be, the food unfortunately differs quite a lot from your usual meals.

And there your cravings start! You usually crave what your are used to eat. You will crave sweets if you used to eat a lot of chocolate or ice cream and you will crave salty foods when you are usually rather having crackers or pretzels.

Giving in to your cravings will make you getting frustrated with yourself and your diet, you will eventually quit and this is bringing you right back to where you started!

While there is more to be able to really stick to your diet than just eliminating cravings, it is one aspect of the solution to successful weight loss. And it is one aspect that one definitely needs to address!

What is the meaning of cravings anyway?

Cravings are your body’s tools to communicate with you. Unfortunately mostly you are not listening, that’s why your body gets louder and sends you more cravings. But what does your body want?

Mainly two things, either proper nutrition, or there are emotional needs.

On the nutrition side, your body doesn’t count calories. It’s needs are a lot more complex and if your body doesn’t get enough vitamins, minerals, trace elements, certain amino acids etc., it tells you simply to eat more (cravings!), so that it can extract from the food what it needs. Only that ice cream does not really have a high nutritional value and your body continues to say: Eat more!

It is no secret that once you start eating a balanced whole food diet with lots of vegetables and raw food, cravings subside. It takes a bit of time though, as it usually takes more than one carrot to correct the nutritional imbalances.

On the emotional side of cravings, food often is used as a replacement for other things, other emotional needs. Food is nowadays easily accessible and comparably cheap, so it frequently gets used as an easy way out.

As a child you get sweets as a reward that you have been a good girl or boy. If you are lonely food (and TV) is your company, if you are angry food calms you down, if you are sleepy after lunch a coffee will fix this, if you are depressed sugar gives you at least a short high, and so on. And all these emotional behaviors run on autopilot, it is A habit!

Different solutions on how to stop cravings

As cravings can originate from two different problems (or both), there are mainly two categories of solutions for this problem.

To address nutritional needs adequately is an obvious solution on the one side. There exist many studies on what to eat that curbs cravings and results in weight loss. Data are often published in scientific journals.

On the other hand, breaking the habit in connection with food as a means to deal with emotions is considerably more difficult and many times the solutions are not that obvious. Here, methods used in the various fields of psychology currently are the only help in clearing cravings of this kind and setting up new behaviors.