Cravings and What Your Body Really Needs
CRAVINGS AND WHAT YOUR BODY REALLY NEEDS
If you find yourself experiencing cravings, then chances are what you crave is among this list: Bread, Donuts, Cheese, Sweets, Salty Chips or Crunchy Salty Snacks, Coffee, and Wine were among the top offenders in raiding our peaceful moments with a relentless pang of desire.
As I shared in last week's blog I get to have the 'craving convo' at least a handful of times per week with my clients. I always feel like knowledge is power in navigating our path to success.
In last week's blog, we looked into the brain chemical addiction in regards to cravings, and in this week's blog, we are going to look at the biological need for missing nutrition components, macro and micronutrients.
If you missed last weeks blog you can dive in here: HOW TO OUTSMART YOUR CRAVINGS
CRAVINGS AND WHAT YOUR BODY REALLY NEEDS
First, cravings can be amplified by drastically cutting macros (dieting) and from erratic sleep schedules. Extreme dieting and sleep changes can cause an imbalance in hormones leptin and serotonin.
Proven ways to reduce cravings include:
- Reducing stress levels
- Drinking plenty of water
- Getting enough quality sleep
- Eating enough protein
- Changing the scenery
- Exercise
- Avoiding hunger by spacing meals well
DECODING THE CRAVINGS
In many cases, the craving can be satisfied by giving the body the macro and micronutrients that are involved with the craving! Let's Explore...
BUT FIRST, it's important to understand that the suggested foods should be added to the diet to help reduce cravings. You may also use this list as a go-to, to help in decoding the cravings.
These charts can be used so you can see what nutrients your body might be needing when decoding the cravings.
However, when it comes to decoding the cravings it's important to know yourself. If you're going to stomp around the kitchen and eat 700 calories to satisfy that one or two squares of the chocolate, you wanted. Then choose wisely and opt for 75% or higher dark chocolate.
If you are chasing goals or looking to make a healthy shift, check out our 7-Day Food & Fitness Fix by clicking the button below.
Remember, it's important that we enjoy the foods we love on occasion with no strings attached. I would love to hear below what favorite foods do you tend to crave?