When we talk about cravings, most people’s minds go to pregnancy and dieting, when in fact, cravings happen to everyone, all the time! It is important to recognise what cravings are and how they affect us in day-to-day life, so we know how to keep control of these cravings and live a healthier and more energetic life.

The first thing to bear in mind when discussing cravings is that they are not bad. Society has made us believe if we crave something, it has negative connotations. A better way to look at it is that a craving is simply an unrelenting desire or urge and is pretty tough to control. Cravings can be categorised into 3 sub-categories: Physical, Emotional, and Mental triggers.

Physical Triggers

• These occur when you have not provided your body with the correct energy through good nutrients.
• This causes your brain to hunt for quick energy release foods, such as simple carbs.
• Inadequate sleep also contributes to physical triggers.
• Lack of sleep causes an imbalance of your ‘hungry’ hormone and your ‘full’ hormone.

Emotional Triggers

• These cause you to forget your feelings through the act of emotional eating.
• You begin to invalidate these feelings by choosing to ignore them.
• We begin to live unfulfilled lives. How can we live our best lives if we don’t address the negative emotions and thoughts we experience?

Mental Triggers

• Demonising foods can lead to those foods becoming more attractive.
• By telling yourself you are bad for eating certain foods, or that these foods have some type of control over you, you tend to desire them more.
• By shifting your mindset and making these foods friends, not foe, you will have a better relationship with food and in turn, cravings.

Nutritional expert, Rhiannon Lambert, has previously discussed cravings, indulgence, and how to better your relationship with food to an extensive length. We have collected our favourite of her top tips below to help you crush your cravings!

• Swap your milk chocolate for dark chocolate!
  The bitterness of dark chocolate can decrease your appetite.
• Shut down the food police!
  Foods are neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad’, so allow yourself the foods you enjoy and set away from the diet mentality. By removing your inner critic, you can become really in tune with how unique each of our bodies are!
• Try to be mindful.
  Being mindful while we eat, slowing down and being present in the moment allows us to really appreciate the food we are eating and flavours we are experiencing. It even helps our brain remember we have already eaten which helps us make better choices later around hunger and cravings.

Cravings can be confusing. We are told to ignore these urges because they are bad, but maybe we just don’t understand what our bodies are really craving. Next time you are craving chocolate, why not grab some nuts. Fancy some bread? Perhaps your body is after some high protein foods. Check out the table below to discover some great alternatives to your cravings.