Learning From Food Cravings

JUST FOR TODAY:  If you have cravings for specific foods, listen to the intuitive message that your body is trying to send you.

There are three reasons why we eat:  Physical Need (because we are hungry), Physical Desire (because we want to eat something that looks, smells or tastes good), Emotional Desire (because we are triggered by emotions to eat comfort foods).  If you have food cravings, you may be dealing with an Emotional Desire (such as wanting ice cream to ease your stress), but it may also be a Physical Desire (such as wanting ice cream because you just want it, and you can't stop thinking about it).  In the latter case, your ongoing food craving may be an intuitive message from your body, signaling you that you need nutrients which ice cream has, such as calcium or fat.  Reflect upon what you eat when you are hungry – are you honoring your Physical Need by selecting the type of food your body needs?  Or, do you override that message from within you, saying, "Cheese on that sandwich, please!"  If you ignore your Physical Need, then a Physical Desire can show up, in an attempt to satisfy your Physical Need.  Pay attention to your food cravings, and try to honor them at meal times.  Then, your constant cravings will subside.

©2010 by "Dr. Dorie" McCubbrey, M.S.Ed., Ph.D. – Eating Disorder & Obesity Treatment Specialist – Denver, Colorado