Conquering Cravings: A 3-Step Process
Despite your best intentions, giving in to cravings can leave you feeling helpless and ashamed. While completely eliminating cravings may be wishful thinking, conquering them is possible. The key is understanding the root of your cravings and using your awareness to facilitate making a different decision.
Cravings are often triggered by environmental cues such as sight, smell, taste, location or company. Step one to outwitting your carvings is tracking when and where they occur.
Each time you experience a craving, take note of your replies to these 7 questions:
What specifically are you craving? Is it a specific food? Certain flavor? Texture?
Where are you? Note your location as well as any smells or visual cues like a billboard or commercial.
What are you doing? Driving? Working? Watching TV?
What are you feeling physically? Are you shaky, lightheaded, stressed?
What are you feeling emotionally? Are you happy, upset, rushed?
What are you thinking? Example "I might as well eat this... I've already blown my diet."
Who are you with? Be specific.
Note that this is not a one-time exercise. Try it for a few weeks so you can start identifying patterns. Tune in next month for the second installment: changing your patterns.
-Natalina Romano
Holistic Nutritionist | Nutrition Coach
