3 S t e p s t o M a n a g e F o o d C r a v i n g s Change your diet to curb food cravings It’s 3 p.m. You’re tired ssenu can’t stop thinking about candy bars and cookies. Or maybe it’s a soda, burger, and fries. You know these foods are not exactly healthy. But yotill wem.Dr. Douglas Lisle, author of The Pleasure Trap, puts it this way. “You know what you should do, so why is it so hard to do it?” 1 Understanding where food cravings come from can help. Two types of food cravings Food cravings occur for two main reasons. Physiological (body) needs or psychological (mind) ne. Smtims i’s bPhysiological cravings If you’re craving “pleasure” foods (ice cream, cookies, treats, rend grur bod suar level is probably too low. Sipineals og this kd of fod oausapd changes in blood sugar levels fm tocnuexperience food cravings. If a poor diet really is to blame, change your menu. Eat more healthy proteins and healthy fats. Eat an apple, orange, nuts, or drercs to sfrins, instead of unhealthy foods. Step 2: Think. Think about w’s hapeninre yoactually hungry? Stop to think abut bfou sarg. This will help you take the next step to deal with a craving. Step 3: Choose. It’s decision timf yoy wol food cravings, you need to create habits to help you deal with them. Start by making small changes. Swap an unhealthy comfort food fooeg btter, like aplslices instead of cookies. Limit emtinal eatiny ir a day, then a week, and keep going. When you give into food cravings, it might make you feel good. But it also makes your body and your brain crave those foods even more. The only way you can escape this pleasure trap is by changing your behaviors. Yo’ll st fod cavg. Bt if you stop, think, and choose, you’ll be able to give that candy bar or soda a nod and move on. A. Q. What should I do when I get a food craving? Psychological cravings These types of cravings typically stem from learned behavior. W’s yoooo you turn to food for comfort? Is your craving linked to feeling happy, sad, lonely, bored, or stressed? Food cravings are oeow yo’re feg.Fortunately, you can do something about this type of food craving, too. 3 steps to manage food cravings Think of food cravings like any other aditin (smkgchl, drgWhen a craving strikes, take these three steps to change your behavior. Step 1: Stop. Before you open the refrigerator, walk into the store, or pull into thi-u to geur fi, sp. Take a minuocu having a food craving. Research shows that disatinurelr 3eods can be enough to curb a food craving. 2 References 1. Lse, D. (206). The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health & Happiness, Ida, M: Hlhy Lvnbiaos 2. Wel, Rt a. (2014). Effcs oipe dsrcoakn self-induced food cravings in men and women with grade 3 oeiy, Oeiy Scey. Frm: © Wellsource, Inc. Al rgteevdoesnl ue olo nt mke uatoid cpe. Wrttn boalrHHS