It can be super difficult to tell hunger from cravings especially when you are on a new diet regimen. Craving is false starvation. Your body doesn’t need the food but your mind tells you that you do. In some cases there is even a feeling of urgency; thats why many people , particularly those suffering from food addiction, find it really difficult to stop themselves from falling for a craving.
When we eat on the prompting of our cravings it often leads to the consumption of excess calories because the body doesn’t need that food. Worse still, when we fall for our cravings we are most likely to binge on unhealthy or sugar filled treats which set us back significantly on our journey to a healthy body. Therefore knowing the difference between hunger and craving is of utmost importance especially when we are committed to our resolve to live the Gravity lifestyle!
Mayoclinc.org documented the difference between hunger and cravings as follows:
Cravings:
- Are usually for comfort foods, such as chocolate, sweets and fatty foods
- Are often caused by negative feelings
- Lead to eating that makes you feel good at first, but then guilty
- Increase during a woman’s pregnancy and menstrual cycle
- May be stronger when you’re dieting, especially if you’re giving up your favorite foods
- Can occur even after you’ve recently eaten
- Pass with time
Hunger:
- Usually occurs when you haven’t eaten for a few hours or more
- Results in a rumbling stomach, headache or feeling of weakness
- Doesn’t pass with time
- Isn’t just for one specific food
- Can be satisfied by a healthy snack or meal
Basically a craving says , ” I want THAT food!” while hunger says, ” I want SOME food!”. So, the next time you feel a craving coming up STOP:- Slowdown, Think , Opt for water and Proceed to distract yourself. You can try calling a friend, listening to music, taking a walk or bike ride, reading, or writing. If a negative feeling is causing your craving, use positive self-talk, exercise or a fun activity to improve your mood. Most importantly trust that you have the power to fight temptation, remembering always that skinny tastes better than any treat!
Be inspired…
GRAVITY
