Constant craving: nine ways to control your cravings before they control you

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, Oct, 2004 by Beth Saltz

YOU WERE SO GOOD AT DINNER--cooked a healthy chicken breast, steamed some veggies and avoided bread like the plague. But an hour later, the pantry's calling your name and it's hard to resist. And you're not thinking about rice cakes. [paragraph] Many of us struggle with cravings, trying to talk ourselves out of sabotaging our healthy daily diets with that pint of dulce de leche sitting in the freezer. Yet indulging too often can prevent you from getting and keeping the physique you want. What can you do when a craving hits? The following tips might do the trick the next time the cookie jar's calling your name.

1) CHEW GUM

Fitness model Kristia Knowles and NPC fitness competitor Alissa Carpio both rely on sugarless gum to help keep cravings for sweets at bay. "I find that peppermint and cinnamon help stave off the sugar cravings," says Kristia. Alissa's favorite flavors include sugarless Bubble Yum in wild strawberry and peppermint.

2) FOLLOW THE "PREVENT DEFENSE"

You don't have to be perfect all the time. "I try to prevent cravings from happening, and I do this by allowing myself a cheat day every Saturday and an occasional cheat meal during my precontest dieting," says Alissa. "Controlled cheats are far better than spontaneous splurges."

3) FIGURE IT OUT

When figure pro Monica Brant is battling a craving, she tries to figure out the cause. She asks herself, "Do I need food? Have I not eaten enough?" She finds that when cravings hit at night, it's usually because she's tired and what she really needs is sleep. Appetite is different from hunger--hunger is a physical need for food, while appetite tells you what you're in the mood for. Cravings most often stem from appetite, not hunger, so your solution doesn't need to involve food. At least if you understand where your craving is coming from, you can help fight it without resorting to the Cheetos.

4) TAKE A SHOWER (OR A NAP ... OR A WALK)

Change your environment and do something relaxing and positive for yourself. You might be surprised at how quickly the craving evaporates.

5) GIVE YOUR SWEET TOOTH A HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE

If Monica's mental strategies aren't enough to quiet her cravings, she'll snack on nuts such as almonds or have a Doctor's CarbRite Diet Bar. Alissa eats low-sugar protein bars, too, and has sugar-free jam on rice cakes to satisfy her sweet tooth. "I also drink Diet Coke and black coffee to overcome my urge for sweets as well as to control my appetite," says Alissa. Remember that thirst can masquerade as hunger, so before you splurge on ice cream, have a glass of Crystal Light or some other sugar-free drink.

6) SUPPLY FEEDS DEMAND ... SO LOSE THE SUPPLY

Get those trigger foods out of there, if your home environment permits. Hubby loves ice cream but it's a trigger for you? Stock the freezer with a flavor he loves but you can safely pass up. If kids or guests make it necessary for you to have chips/crackers/cookies in the house, try buying mini-size bags so portions are controlled if you have the urge to splurge.

7) SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

Common sense tells you that the more restrictive your diet, the more likely you'll binge in rebellion. Eating protein, carbs and healthy fat throughout the day in moderate proportions will go a long way to curb those cravings. If you love crunchy, salty snacks, include some mini rice cakes or Smart Pop popcorn as a snack. If the sweet stuff's your downfall, throw some berries into your protein shake or include low-sugar jam in your diet. (See Tip 5.)

8) CONSIDER THE REAL DEAL

Sugar-free ice cream with fat-free Hershey's syrup might not cut it for you. If you still look for something sweet after eating low-sugar, low-fat foods, try the real thing instead. A few spoonfuls of the gourmet full-fat stuff might provide more satisfaction than a cup of fat-free. As long as you can control the portion, you can still limit your splurge to fewer than 300 calories and enjoy every bite.

9) GET RIGHT BACK ON TRACK

Both Kristia and Alissa will have a small portion of what they really want if the craving hasn't diminished after they've emptied their bag of tricks. Sometimes that's the best way to keep your sanity. As Alissa explains: "I don't beat myself up if I do give in to a craving. It's better to accept it and get right back on your diet the following day. Living a fit and healthy lifestyle should include eating a variety of your favorite foods. You'll be more likely to stick to the diet and enjoy yourself along the way if you do."

BY BETH SALTZ, MPH