Food cravings sound bad but sometimes they are good. Do you know the difference? Do you know when you ought to fulfill a craving? Find out.
You’re at your computer when a food craving strikes. It comes quick. It comes strong. Like a panther on the hunt.
With swimsuit weather looming you may have tried a diet to slim down or made a promise to cut out a favorite snack. You want to feel better, look better, and live longer. . .but this food craving: Should you give in?
Your pantry or fridge is calling your name. What should you do?
A. Try your very, very best to ignore your food craving.
B. Run to kitchen, grab your snack, and feed your craving.
The Shocking Truth
If you selected B, you chose wisely. Fulfilling a biological food craving, which differ from emotional food craving, is smart because you’re listening to your body. The result: you’ll think and feel better. (By the way, my newly revised e-book Energy Eating (first published in 1999) is coming out this summer and covers whole health wellness.)
Did you know that carbohydrate-cravers tend to have lower serotonin levels than people who prefer protein-rich snacks? Their lower serotonin levels prompts them to eat carbs to help counter the blues, nervousness and irritability. When they get their serotonin “fix,” their mood improves.
This is one quick way to know whether your food craving is biological or emotional: When you have a biological food craving and fulfill it, you feel nourished. It doesn’t take much food to meet your biological needs either. One bagel, a wedge or two of low-fat cheese, or a couple of chocolates–that’s it.
Emotions Run Wild
In contrast, emotional eating looks for comfort in food. It goes along with “I’m a loser” self-talk. Also, one small treat is never enough. Never.
Emotional eaters confuse love and self-acceptance with food. It is their drug of choice. Their god.
Lonely? Spooning in a pint of ice cream seems a safe “friend.” Anxious? Crunching a king-size bag of chips can give nervous hands something to do. Angry? Eating any food in excess can be a distraction and a way to “stuff” feelings–until self-hate slithers around your ankles and chains you.
Been there? Yeah, me too. I think we all have.
So Now What?
If have a food craving and it is biologically driven, fulfill it. Pronto.
If you are an emotional eater, please turn to the Lord for strength. He will help you. Ask him to show you why you turn to food for comfort.
Give Him your emotions: your anger, your sadness, your happiness, your anxiety, your resentment, all of it. Every time you’re tempted to act out your emotions and eat, pray. Ask Him whether this is what he wants you to do. If you need help in handling emotional eating, turn to a friend or a counselor.
Question: What food do you usually crave? Me? Chocolate! Please share. Your sharing encourages others. Thanks.
With Joy Overflowing!
