I have been doing my Simply Sweet Challenge for four weeks now, and to say I’ve barely had cravings for sweets would be an understatement. One of the reasons I chose to have a designated day for higher added sugar intake was to set me up for success while still allowing me to indulge my cravings in moderation. So far, it seems to be working. I’ve kept my added sugar intake under 10 grams most days, with only a couple days exceeding that by a small margin. Has it been easy? Absolutely not! There have been plenty of moments when my cravings were triggered, but by recognizing it as just a craving, I was able to push through. Understanding the basics of cravings is a powerful tool for breaking unhealthy food habits and building long-term success.
What is a Craving?
A craving is a strong or intense desire for something and is a powerful driver of our behavior..
Cravings fall into 3 different categories:
- Physical Cravings: Triggered by actual hunger or physical need for rest
Ex: Let’s say I wake up, eat an apple and go for a 3 mile run. Then I jump into my workday and am so busy working that I don’t eat lunch. All of a sudden it’s 3:00 in the afternoon, my stomach is growling and I’m reaching for a bag of m&m’s. This is likely my body’s way of telling me “hey, you didn’t eat enough and my glucose is running low. Feed me now!” AKA- hunger.
- Emotional Cravings: Triggered by feelings such as stress, boredom, loneliness, anger, sadness
Ex: Let’s say I’m working and I get a call that leaves me stressed and unsettled. Five minutes later I’m reaching for the family size pack of oreos that’s in my pantry. This is because the stress is creating a yucky feeling and my body is looking for a pick-me-up which it knows it will get from the sweet cookies.
- Psychological Cravings: Triggered by habits and desire for reward
Ex: Let’s say that every night around 8:00 I sit down on the couch to watch my favorite show with a pint of ice cream because I deserve it after a long day of hard work. If I do this one time, so be it. But if I do this night after night, then it becomes a habit and a reward that my mind starts to rely on for reward.
Knowing the different types of cravings and what triggers them can be helpful in learning how to work through them. I encourage you to pay attention to your cravings this week and identify what type of craving you are having and what is triggering it. I’ll talk more about working through the cravings next week!
-Megan
*AI Generated Image
