Did you make a New Year’s resolution to get in shape? Have the food cravings started? Should you give in?

You’re stuck in traffic when all the sudden a food craving strikes. It comes quick. It comes strong. Like a panther on the hunt. The prey? YOU!

You remember your New Year’s resolution to eat better and exercise more. You want to feel better, look better, and live longer. . .but this food craving: Should you give in?

It may be for a Snickers bar, Chunky Monkey or french fries. Or, if you’re among the fortunate, you covet strawberries, carrots, freshly baked multi-grain bread, or another nutritional saint.

Up the road sits a 7-Eleven, beckoning.

What should you do?

A. Try your very, very best to ignore your food craving.

B. Proceed to the 7-Eleven and fulfill it.

The Shocking Truth

If you selected B, you chose wisely. Fulfilling your biological food cravings, which differ from emotional food cravings (hang on, we’ll get there), is smart because you’re listening to your body. The result: you’ll think and feel better.

Did you know that carbo-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 how you can 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 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 rather than falling into His embrace. 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.

Continue reading this post at Basics Matter, where I blog on Mondays.

Question: What food do you typically crave? Please comment.

With Joy Overflowing!