Friday with Heidi: When cravings bite…

We all know the gnawing feeling of a craving that won’t go away.

It’s like an itch that you can’t scratch.

You crave chocolate, but you want to avoid chocolate. So you eat an apple. You still want chocolate. So you try a yoghurt. You still want chocolate! You have a bowl of cereal. The chocolate craving is still there and so you say “Sod it!! and eat the kids chocolate, the chocolate cake decorations in the cupboard and eat hot chocolate powder off a spoon.

“That’s better”… 🙂

Cravings are our bodies way of telling us we need something. It’s usually not the thing you craving — it’s a signal for a nutrient in that food that will satisfy the need.

Here is a list of common cravings, what you really need and how to satisfy it.

Chocolate: needs magnesium -> choose almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts. Peanuts, pecans and coconut. Brown rice, dried figs and apricots. Or a square or two of 70% dark chocolate.

Sugary foods: needs chromium -> choose rye bread, green peppers, calf’s liver, apples.
Sugary foods: needs phosphorus -> choose plain yoghurt, lentils, salmon, mackerel, beef, turkey, eggs.
Sugary foods: needs tryptophan -> choose almonds, turkey, cottage cheese, eggs and tofu.

Breads and pasta: needs nitrogen -> choose protein like meat, fish and eggs.

Salt: needs chloride -> choose goats milk products, fish (also consider whether you are over stressed, the body craves salt when it’s in a state of chronic stress)

Fatty snacks: needs calcium –> choose green veggies, broccol, kale, cheese and seeds.

Keeping some of these foods on hand can help alleviate the problems of distracting cravings. Failing that taking a good multi-vitamin and mineral can top up what’s missing.

That worked for one of our campers Kay, who was craving dark chocolate. Since taking a daily multi-vitamin and mineral she’s felt better, got more energy and has lost the cravings.

Just remember that a supplement won’t replace or improve a bad diet.

Food first. Boost later.

If you are keen to kill the cravings and feel better all the time you may want to join us for our next 21 Day Fat Loss Challenge that starts on 10 August or consider our longer 12 week lifetyle programme Fit, Lean and Happy which starts on 14 September. Registration is open now. 

To your good health and have a very wonderful weekend.