Dealing With Cravings

Dealing With Cravings Cravings may be triggered by negative emotions like stress, anger, anxiety, sadness, boredom and loneliness. Eating may distract us from our problems, or it may provide us with comfort when we feel troubled. Fatty foods, processed carbohydrates (pretzels, chips, crackers), chocolate and sweets are the foods we tend to crave most. We turn to these foods when we feel down because eating starch and sugar may cause the brain to release a "feel-good" chemical called serotonin. This temporary "lift" in our mood that occurs after we eat these foods may reinforce the desire to eat them again and again. Unfortunately, eating too many processed snacks, sweets and fatty foods may cause a breakdown in blood glucose control, raise blood cholesterol levels and lead to unwanted weight gain. The truth is, these problems may occur even with healthy foods if we overeat them. In the long run, eating is an unhealthy way to cope with problems. The following strategies may help you learn how to deal with your cravings in a more constructive way. Learn Your "Eating Triggers" Understanding why and when you are vulnerable to food cravings is the first step to conquering them. Try writing down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat and how you feel when you eat. Over time you may begin to see negative patterns in your eating habits and pinpoint events that make you want to overeat. Once you learn what your eating triggers are, you may be able to develop strategies for dealing with them. Be Aware of Your Eating Environment Avoid mindless snacking; always try to be aware of what you eat and how much you eat. If you find you snack too much when you're bored, make a list of things you can do instead of eating – learn to knit, surf the Internet or take a walk. If you notice you eat too much when you watch television, try changing your evening routine for a while to try and break this eating habit. Snack Only When You're Hungry Learn to recognize true stomach hunger. Is your stomach rumbling? Ask yourself before you eat, "Am I really hungry?" If it has only been a few hours since your last meal, and your stomach is not growling, you're probably not really hungry. Food eaten when you are not hungry may be more likely to be stored as fat instead of burned as fuel. Get Enough Rest People who don't get enough sleep often feel tired and overwhelmed during the day. Getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep might make you feel more energetic and allow you to cope with day-to-day stress without turning to food. In addition, you may find it easier to prepare healthy meals and make better food choices when you feel well rested. Exercise Physical activity has many benefits – it may help burn excess calories, reduce stress, lower blood glucose levels and provide you with a healthy distraction from your cravings. Exercise also might cause your brain to release mood-elevating chemicals called endorphins, which may counteract feelings of depression and stress – two common reasons people may overeat. Plus, if your body is physically fit, you may have an easier time dealing with emotions that trigger overeating. Distract Yourself Read a book, practice deep breathing exercises, call a friend, chew a stick of gum or brush your teeth – concentrate on something else for a while to keep your mind off your craving. If you still want that particular food after 30-45 minutes, eat a small amount. Drink Something Sometimes a food craving actually is thirst in disguise. If you are not well-hydrated, you may think you are craving food, but your body may just want fluids. When you feel hungry drink a glass or two of water (add a slice of lemon for some zing), wait a few minutes and then check to see if you are still hungry. Drink a cup of soothing herb tea at night when you get the urge for a snack. Don't Starve Yourself During the Day Skipping meals or skimping on food during the day can backfire and cause you to be hungrier at night. Extreme hunger tends to lower your defenses against foods you usually resist, and it might make you eat uncontrollably. Well-balanced meals containing a consistent amount of carbohydrate, along with protein and a little fat, may be the most effective way to control blood glucose and lose weight. Try to distribute your calories and carbohydrates evenly between breakfast, lunch and dinner. Make Your Meals More Satisfying People who restrict their food choices too much may feel deprived because meals are boring and unsatisfying. Allow enough variety in your meals to keep from feeling deprived. Remember that there are very few "forbidden" foods; learn how to incorporate your favorite foods into your meal plan. Choose Healthy Snacks The most convenient snacks often are not the healthiest. Potato chips, snack cakes, cookies and fruit juices are easy to find, but they may be high in fat, sodium or carbohydrate. A little planning is needed to have healthy snacks on hand at home and work. Wash some carrots, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, peppers, strawberries or blueberries, and place them in airtight plastic bags. Or, make a batch of sugar-free gelatin to keep in the refrigerator. Choose snacks that are reasonable in calories, fat and carbohydrate. Keep not-so-healthy snacks put away where you won't be tempted to eat them, or better yet, don't buy them at all. Self-care Advice Snacking may not be a bad thing if you figure the calories and carbohydrates into your meal plan. A planned snack may tame your cravings by keeping you satisfied and in control. Think through your daily schedule and ask yourself when a snack would be most satisfying. For example, if you notice a period of frenzied eating right after you get home from work, try adding a mid-afternoon snack to curb your hunger and prevent uncontrolled eating before dinner. Make sure your snacks are compatible with your diabetes medications. New advances in medications, blood glucose monitoring and diabetes research make meal planning more flexible, but even healthy snacks may have an adverse effect on blood glucose levels if they are eaten in excess or not matched correctly with your diabetes medications. Make sure you know how your diabetes medications (insulin or pills) work to help you determine if, when and how much you can snack without sacrificing blood glucose control. Alter your snack routine if you find that eating at a certain time of day or eating a particular food causes high blood glucose levels. Snacks with around 15 grams of carbohydrate usually work for most people, but if you experience high blood glucose levels with this amount, choose snacks that are even lower in carbohydrate (< 5 grams), or don't have one at all. "Free" snacks may be good choices, especially if you are trying to lose weight. If you take insulin or diabetes pills that can cause hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), a snack may be necessary to prevent lows if you go longer than six hours without eating. Contact your dietitian or diabetes educator if you're not sure how to include snacks in your meal plan. Snack Ideas "Free" Snacks (less than 20 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrate) Sugar-free gelatin 1 cup of raw vegetables – non-starchy varieties (celery sticks, carrots, cherry tomatoes, broccoli) 6 ounces of vegetable juice Sugar-free hot chocolate Herb tea Low-calorie/No-sugar-added frozen dessert bars (check the Nutrition Facts label) Diet sodas 1 Carbohydrate-Choice Snacks (15 grams of carbohydrate) Low-calorie yogurt (about 100 calories) 3 cups of popcorn (unbuttered) 1 medium fruit 1 cup of cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon 1 cup of strawberries, blueberries or raspberries 1/4 cup of dried fruit 5 whole grain crackers 3 graham cracker squares Protein Snacks (0 carbohydrate, but not free) 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese 1 string cheese 1/4 cup of nuts 1 ounce of rolled up turkey or lean ham Combination Snacks (15 grams of carbohydrate with protein) 1/4 cup of low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup of pineapple 1 sliced apple with 1 ounce low-fat cheese 1/2 cup of dried cereal and 2 tablespoons dried fruit with 1/4 cup of nuts 2 slices of "diet" bread with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter Fast Fact: No matter what you choose to snack on, remember to watch portion sizes; even healthy foods can raise blood glucose levels and cause weight gain if eaten in large amounts.