7 Super-Easy Steps to Finally Control Your Food Cravings!

Posted by James in Diet Tips

Have you ever noticed that whenever you’re on a diet, it’s extremely hard to stick to the actual plan without being swayed by the temptation of your favourite foods?

Food cravings are literally everywhere you turn, and more often than not we succumb to them. However, there’s no need to feel overly guilty about your food cravings, as this isn’t a sign of a lack of willpower. In fact, our cravings come from the microscopic chemicals found in the body … namely, serotonin, endorphins, neuropeptide Y and galanin.

I know what you’re thinking – these sound like characters out of a low-budget sci-fi movie, but they are in fact the chemicals that often give you uncontrollable urges to pig out on certain foods. Let me explain -

Serotonin – The reason we typically crave carbs is because our brain has a low supply of serotonin. It is this hormone-like substance that controls our mood, and indeed our carbohydrate intake. We generally feel depressed, moody, tense and irritable when our serotonin levels are low. However, one bite from a doughnut is usually enough to raise your serotonin levels, and therefore allow a carbs-sensitive person to feel “normal” again.

Endorphins – It has long been suspected that fat and sugar release endorphins, which is a morphine-like chemical that can bring on a natural feeling of euphoria. I guess this goes a long way to explain why many of us turn to chocolate when we feel sad or depressed. As chocolate is a combination of fat and sugar it will typically stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, thus producing an overwhelming calming effect.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Galanin – NPY is a chemical that start’s your day’s eating habits by telling the brain it has a preference for carbs. This is generally why we may have a craving in the morning for toast, waffles, pancakes, etc. as this will replenish our carbohydrate levels that have decreased after our nightly fast.

Galanin is a neurochemical which progressively rises throughout the day, and is usually what triggers our desire for fatty foods later in the day. However, it must be said that galanin levels also rise when our oestrogen levels are high or during weight-loss when much of our body fat is being burned for energy.

So, now we know the science behind our let’s look at how to control our food cravings:

1) Aim to eat small meals and often throughout the day. By mixing high quality carbs and protein you can keep your NPY and serotonin levels normal. However, by skipping breakfast you are likely to face multiple cravings as the morning draws to a close.

2) Avoid fatty snacks or meals at lunch, as they will spike your galanin levels, thus meaning you are likely to suffer fat cravings at night.

3) Plan ahead for your cravings by allowing yourself extremely small portions of your favourite foods. This should also help you avoid binge-eating.

4) Don’t try and overhaul your diet in one hit. You should look to make small dietary changes, as this will help the chemicals responsible for food cravings to adapt.

5) Try and cut back on caffeine, sugar and refined grains. They may give you a quick burst of energy, but will lead to cravings, which in turn will not help your weight-loss efforts.

6) Try and find low-calorie nutritious foods that you actually like. We are creatures of habit, and therefore if you can find foods that you like and that are good for you, it won’t set off a craving later in the day.

7) Exercise and make sure you are physically active. This alone can make you far less susceptible to food cravings or even bingeing on fatty and sugary foods. Exercise will also reduce stress and is a great way to give yourself an endorphin buzz.

That’s all for today folks, but I’ll be back next week.