Are You Craving?

Posted by amy in News

Guest Blogger Post!

A human being’s body knows when it needs to rest and go to sleep, wake-up,visit the loo and when it needs to be fed or when it’s full. Humans forget how amazing our body is that we neglect and fight over what it needs. A heart never misses a beat, the lungs are always breathing and each of your organs doesn’t commit a mistake or give you a second of forgetting how it works. It’s a machine that never fails you when it’s been well taken care of.

It is only but us who gives our body a hard time to function. Often times we mistake on the body wanting something but the truth is, it’s the emotions that are giving your body the urges to have what we call – Cravings.

Cravings are there because your body needs it. Cravings aren’t weaknesses not unless it has been over-fed and over-looked.
Sweets such as chocolates, French fries and potato chips, sundaes and macchiato, bagels and lemon squares. When these thoughts occur, when you experience craving – take a moment and deconstruct; what does my body want and why? Check-in to your thoughts and cravings then internalize your relationship with food. Cravings may just mean you’re bored, emotional or just would want to succumb to pleasure but think again, do you deserve it? Do you really need it? Do you want a bite of it or the entire thing?

Here are the primary causes of Cravings:

1. Dehydration

Dehydration occurs as mild hunger; so the first thing you do when you find a strange craving – drink up a full glass of water and gulp more of it. The body doesn’t send the message that you are thirsty, not until you’re dehydrated. Drink 8-10 glasses everyday, the more, the better.

2. Being Dissatisfied… Or the lack of life fulfillment.

Being bored, uninspired, lazy or lacking a little life other than the routine makes a person munch of whatever there is beside, in front or what’s there for them to munch on which relates to Emotional eating. Eating becomes a substitute for entertainment, or to fill the void of life fulfillment.

3. Imbalance

Did you know or have you ever noticed that eating a diet too rich in sugar may cause craving for meat? Raw foods may cause cravings for extremely cooked or dehydrated foods and vice versa? Check your food journal and review the common denominator.

4. Food Memories

Food is truly delightful and an indulgence is something one can never let go of. Once you’ve got that craving on, you can control your craving by going for the healthier choice and go for what you’re really craving for. Want a chocolate? Go for the dark ones.Want a frappuccino? Go for non-fat with no whip cream. Often times it’s the moment that you’re wanting and looking for, not the indulgence itself.

5. Seasonal

Body craves for what isn’t available all the time but your body won’t know that not until you’re in the know. The change of weather and season may attract your cravings, too. When its cold or raining,you’d want for a hot coco with mallows, when its summer, you’d love to have ice cream and very cold iced tea and sodas but then again, you’d have to recall what it is that you want – you may just want a piece not the entire thing. Have a bite that should work.

6. Hormonal

When a woman’s body experiences the red-letter day, pregnancy or menopause, fluctuating testerones and estrogen levels may cause strange cravings. The increased appetite for carbs may be caused by low-serotonin levels, which signals the brain to get the body to eat more carbs. Factors as strong brain chemicals and hormone production may be powerful influences over behavior and physical cravings.

Try adding a daily vitamin supplement to your diet to stave off those odd cravings. Aside from checking into why you’d want to have what you’re looking for or wanting, you can always just have those cravings moderately by entertaining the craving and not eating the entire of it. It’s okay, go have a bite but don’t over-indulge.

Remember, a piece of donut would need you to finish a 5 miler to burn it.

Pesco-Lacto-ovo-vegetarian Kassy Pajarillo is a Certified TRX Fitness Anywhere Trainer, Surfer and a Marathoner who runs for a cause.

WithAmyMac.com