Hands up if you’ve tried pretty much everything to say goodbye to cravings and had no luck whatsoever?
With mindful eating, you don’t need to spend loads of time and energy on crushing your cravings completely.
Telling yourself that you absolutely can’t have a particular food can work against you.
Think of it this way: if I tell you not to think about a pink elephant, guess what immediately pops up in your mind? No matter how hard you try, it’s super hard to shift the mental image of the pink elephant!
Your cravings can be a little bit like this too. Denying yourself completely often means that they don’t magically go away, even if you take tons of action to distract yourself. It’s pretty common for them to actually get stronger … a lot like the thought of the pink elephant.
It can also encourage a “now or never” way of thinking if you do give in to the craving. Often, this means that you’ll eat far more than you intended. After all, you’re not supposed to be eating it, seeing as it’s off limits, right? In reality, it will most likely happen again, and you’ll carry on feeling super bad about it.
A great example of this is birthday cake. You say you are never going to eat sweets because sweets are “bad”. (This is a topic for another day as no food is bad.) But the truth is birthdays happen every year and parties happen more often than that so my question to you is, are you never going to eat birthday cake again? The answer is likely no. You will likely have birthday cake sometime in the future so making a mindful choice with the size of the piece is a healthier approach than saying never and then eating a large piece or half the cake once the party is over.
There’s another problem people seem to be having these days and it is craving ultra-processed food: according to research, it affects hunger hormones and makes it harder for your body to recognize when you’re genuinely full. Not surprising, this means eating a lot more calories than you would otherwise … usually involving other unhealthy foods.
Another finding from the study involved the speed at which food was being eaten. The group eating the ultra-processed food had the tendancy to eat more quickly, leading researchers to question whether this was a big factor in the brain being able to recognize signals that they were full.
How mindful eating turns the tables on cravings: In a nutshell, mindful eating puts you in control of your food choices, which can often feel impossible when you’re constantly trying to beat your cravings into submission.
A few reasons why mindful eating can work so well:
You’re not giving into your cravings and letting them take control but you are allowing yourself a little bit of what you fancy and taking the opportunity to relish it. Your mind knows that there will be other chances to satisfy the craving so the “now or never” mentality isn’t a big issue. The end result? It’s a whole bunch easier to bring your cravings in check.
How you eat is one place where being super mindful is super helpful. The trick is to pay attention when you take that first bite of something you’ve been craving, resist the urge to dive straight into the next one. Put your fork or spoon down in between bites or keep putting your food down if you’re eating with your hands. The more you can chew each bite before swallowing, the better.
Take the time to really notice the taste and texture as you chew. This might surprise you, especially if you’re used to eating quickly on autopilot. If you’re eating junk foods, being more mindful with your eating, you might notice how salty, sugary or just plain processed the taste truly is. Or it just doesn’t taste that good. And chances are, it’s going to be a whole lot less appealing once you get clued into this.
Even if the one above doesn’t happen, taking more time to savor your food helps you to enjoy it more and sometimes, you’ll realize that your cravings weren’t quite as strong as you thought and feel satisfied after just a few bites.
It can also lift the lid on why you’re getting cravings in the first place. Sometimes, you’ll know exactly what’s behind it but it won’t always be this obvious. Being more mindful with your eating can get to the bottom of what is triggering your cravings and the emotions that may be a factor. Asking yourself, “why do I want to eat this? Am I really hungry?” is the first step to take when something is triggering your craving.
Honestly, it’s not always easy to get a grip on with mindful eating, especially if you’re used to eating quickly, grabbing the first fast food you come across and not tuning into your body’s hunger ques. Over time, it gets easier to more aware of our own relationship with food, what is triggering unhealthy habits, including cravings, overeating and eating emotionally.
Food is intended to taste good and is to be enjoyed! If you’re struggling with cravings, mindfulness and mindful eating may be the lifestyle change that can help you take control of your eating so that you can spend more time enjoying what you eat.
Here’s to your wellness! ~Amy